(Clearwisdom.net)

I Fortunately Obtained the Fa While Suffering from Illness

I began cultivation in 1996. Ever since childhood I had excruciating illnesses, and I also had a near-death experience. I was bedridden and was administered daily IV infusions. I watched the IV drops entering my vein. I was too weak to go outside and was afraid of catching a cold, but at the same time had cold fluid infused into my body. I had infusions while bedridden on 23 consecutive days. My body was cold and clammy, and my face was pasty.

When I was suffering from this illness, my husband brought me a copy of the book Zhuan Falun. I thought initially that it was an ordinary book and did not pay too much attention to it. On the 23rd day of the infusions, when I was half sleep and half awake, I heard my husband reading the book to me. The more I heard, the more comfortable I became. I asked him to read the book loudly. I was deeply convinced by all those universal laws to which the book alluded. My mind started opening up. I suddenly had a desire to practice Falun Gong.

I left my bed that same day. The next day, my husband and I went to a Falun Gong practitioner's home in the suburbs and learned the four Falun Gong standing exercises. Although this was the first time I practiced and I concentrated on correcting my moves, I felt comfortable on our way home, which increased my desire to practice. Soon I was able to find a Dafa exercise tape and I practiced along with the music. In the meantime, I also watched Master's Guangzhou lecture. Just like that, I had stepped into Dafa practice. My body got strong from Dafa study and cultivation, and my face turned pink and healthy-looking. I have changed into a completely new person, according to my close friends.

Overcoming Hardships from the Evil Old Forces

When I was enjoying the goodness of Dafa, the evil persecution started, and tribulations arrived one after another. First it was the brainwashing session held by local regime agents, to persecute practitioners. Then came the beating and scolding from my older folks. People at my place of work attempted to make me give up my faith, and other things occurred. I was under great pressure and did not have a chance to breathe. Because I did not study the Fa well, my understanding of the Fa was superficial rather than cognitive. I did not resist the persecution rationally, and this made my hardships worse. My husband's parents kicked him out. While he was in the process of appealing for Falun Gong, he was arrested and held in a detention center. My family frequently forced me to leave the house. They fabricated rumors about me so that relatives on my husband's side would not even talk to me. My in-laws scolded me constantly, even in front of other people, and even beat me. Once I was beaten so seriously I had large bumps on my head and my eyes turned purple. I ended up staying at my parents' place for a month. I was deeply hurt by all these tribulations.

During that time however, I had more desire to study Dafa and improve myself. I insisted on studying a chapter of Zhuan Falun each day. Sometimes I could complete the book in three days. I also read other Dafa books and Master's new articles, and helped the other Dafa practitioners who were so afraid of the evil persecutors and had given up their belief. I saw some practitioners too afraid to even accept Master's new articles. I cried for them and did not understand their motives. Although we lived far away from a city, we were still able to obtain all of Master's new articles after great efforts made by fellow practitioners, which was a really good thing at that time.

We raised our comprehension of the Fa teachings through Fa study. Our belief in Master was firm. We did not have a copier then, so we exchanged handwritten copies of Master's new articles. We were determined to study and practice Dafa and never stopped. Fa study enabled me to overcome tribulations that the old evil forces had placed in my path.

Keeping up with the Fa-rectification Process

After I had experienced so many tribulations, with serious thoughts and comparisons of the facts before and after Dafa practice I decided to become involved in the Fa-rectification process. At first I clarified the truth of the persecution to people who were close to me and helped them recognize that the rumors and lies propagated by the CCP were for its benefit. I exposed the CCP's persecution of Dafa and of the practitioners. I also clarified the truth to the police and asked them to release my husband and other practitioners, and explained why their detention was illegal.

This Fa-rectification process was a testing round for me, to determine if I firmly believed in Dafa. The power of righteous thoughts, and letting go of the attachments frightened those who were controlled by old forces and they would even obey me, but when the righteous thoughts were weak the evil people would intimidate me, and I could not convince them and thus failed to save them.

When my husband had completed his illegal forced labor sentence, I went to the forced labor camp alone, to bring him home. Persecution then was rampant, and the family did not expect that I could bring him home. But I had the power of righteous thoughts on my side, and also I understood from Master's Fa teaching that we should firmly refuse the old forces' arrangements. In the end we returned home safely. After he was home, the local officials attempted to torture him but failed to do so because of the power of our righteous thoughts. The situation at home improved after we clarified the truth and the family gained some understanding of Dafa.

With the availability of truth-clarifying materials, the local Fa-rectification situation advanced. With other practitioners' help and cooperation, I progressed from initially being fearful of distributing the truth-clarification materials to the point where I distributed much of the material to save more people. I sensed that I was "assisting teacher in the human world." At the same time I was able to handle Dafa work wisely and with reason. Sometimes there were things I wished I could do better, but by firmly believing in Master and Dafa, I had stumbled but made progress on the road of Fa-rectification with Master's protection and compassion.

The Power of Strong Righteous Thoughts

Last year I withdrew from the CCP using my real name. I was under much pressure for a month. My managers frequently held meetings with me, indicating that I had done a good job at work, but withdrawing from the CCP might impact my future. I told them that withdrawing from the CCP was a decision I made after careful consideration, and was my personal choice. They attempted to link my withdrawal from the CCP with Falun Gong. I had no instructions as to how to withdraw from the CCP at that time, and I was afraid and failed to convey my reasoning well, which escalated the difficulty of the withdrawal. My managers pondered whether or not to report my case to upper management. One of my coworker friends called me after overhearing their conversation and cautioned me about my safety, which at the same time affirmed my decision to withdraw from the CCP.

The next day my managers talked with me again. I told them that my decision to withdraw from the CCP was based on the CCP's extreme persecution of my family. My righteous thoughts made my managers reluctantly accept my request. From that moment on I was completely rid of the CCP's evil controls. My mind was brighter. I experienced that I was under Master's protection and compassion.

Another time, we had planned to distribute persecution explanation materials at a far-away location. We got there at noon, found a quiet place in the woods to rest, and waited for darkness to fall. We stayed in the woods, memorized the Fa and sent righteous thoughts. It was getting dark, but a strong wind came up, along with big thunder clouds. It began raining. We had only one thought--it should not rain tonight, and we should not lose this opportunity to save people. Many years of cultivation made us realize that Master was in control. After we sent forth righteous thoughts, the thunder diminished and the rain stopped, but the wind was still strong. We were shaking from the wet and chilly wind, so we started the Falun Gong exercises. We felt warmer after completing exercises one through four. By then it was completely dark. After sending righteous thoughts, we divided into groups and distributed truth-clarification materials, completing the task at 2:00 a.m.

We could not find a place to stay and decided to walk home. On the way we wrote, "Falun Dafa is Good" on walls and took a rest. We were so tired. At 6:00 a.m. the rain was heavy. We stopped a truck and asked for a ride, and the truck driver let us board. He told us he had seen us walking on the road several times as he drove back and forth along this road.

I had recently slacked on Fa study and practicing the exercises and indulged myself with comfort. I began having health problems. I felt depressed, encountered many conflicts at work and almost forgot the purpose of Fa cultivation. With help and hints from other practitioners I realized how serious these problems are and have become more diligent.

I would like to thank my follow practitioners who were there to help me. I also realize that if a practitioner departs from Dafa, he will lose track of his purpose for living. It has been a hard lesson for me to learn. I am determined in my belief in Dafa. I will catch up with the Fa-rectification process, assist Master and will never again let down Master's expectations. I shall diligently improve myself and thus fulfill my great prehistoric vows.

Please kindly point out any mistakes.