(Clearwisdom.net) The Western USA Falun Dafa Cultivation Experience Sharing Conference was held on February 24, 2008, at the Los Angeles Convention Center. About 20 Falun Gong practitioners shared their cultivation experiences with 1,500 practitioners in the audience. Their sharing covered how to use different ways to clarify the facts about Falun Gong to the general public--for example, participating in selling advertisements for the newspaper run by practitioners, overcoming difficulties to continue protesting the Chinese Communist Party's (CCP) persecution outside the Chinese Consulates, and clarifying the truth to people face to face. They also talked about their cultivation experiences in spreading the Nine Commentaries on the Communist Party and advising people to quit the CCP and its affiliated organizations.
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A 66-year-old practitioner breaks through her resistance to selling advertisements for the newspaper used for truth clarification
Sixty-six year-old Ms. Zheng is from Vancouver. Four years ago, she heard practitioners discussing that funds were needed for the newspaper run by practitioners to clarify the truth, and more practitioners were needed to sell advertisements. She did not want to do it. Through Fa study, she came to understand that selling advertisements is offering people salvation. She gradually let go of her resistance, overcame difficulties related to being elderly and unable to drive a car and so on, and joined in selling advertisements.
She shared that her experience in selling advertisements in the past years was a process of meeting people and establishing predestined relationships with sentient beings and also a good opportunity to clarify the facts and offer them salvation. Sometimes she made several dozen phone calls, but was unable to sell one ad, but she never lost hope. She always conveyed her kindness to people and recommended the newspaper to them. She believed that as long as they read the newspaper, they would change gradually. She gave an example that some customers were moved by the practitioner's sincerity and took the initiative to advertise in the newspaper.
Overcoming all kinds of difficulties to persist in clarifying the facts in front of the Chinese Consulate
A practitioner shared her cultivation experience on behalf of a group of older practitioners in their 70s and 80s who have overcome all kinds of difficulties and been persistent in clarifying the facts in front of the Chinese Consulate in Los Angeles. She mentioned Ms. Wang, who is nearly 80 years old and travels six hours' round trip from her home to the Chinese Consulate every time, but she goes there once a week to clarify the facts and distributes truth-clarifying flyers on the way.
Another practitioner, Ms. Ren, had suffered from all kinds of illnesses before practicing Falun Dafa. The most serious was glaucoma, which almost made her blind. After she started regular Fa study and practicing cultivation, all of her illnesses disappeared without a trace. Her eyesight was also restored. She is 81 years old and goes to the Chinese Consulate once a week to clarify the facts. She uses her own personal experience to help people learn about the wonderfulness of Falun Dafa, which is very convincing.
She also talked about the interference from the Chinese Consulate, giving several examples. When practitioners held banners, the Chinese Consulate staff deliberately sprayed water several times a day, soaking the practitioners' clothes, banners, and materials. Practitioners also had truth clarifying materials stolen from their cars. The consulate staff attempted to prevent practitioners from clarifying the facts and opposing the persecution in front of their building. Later, the practitioners overcame all kinds of difficulties and improved themselves as a whole. They finally broke through the interference from the Chinese Consulate, and they also gained the support of the local police.
Overcoming the attachment to fear in the process of clarifying the facts
Practitioner Gilsela Sommer from San Diego shared that she realized her attachment to fear from making speeches at rallies supporting quitting the CCP and at city council meetings. She thought this fear represented a strong attachment to self, including fear of making mistakes, losing face, and being laughed at or blamed, and as a result, she was afraid of stepping forward to clarify the facts face to face. She shared how she gradually let go of her attachment to fear in the process of clarifying the facts to government officials.
Look within in conflict, constantly upgrade xinxing
A western practitioner from Canada talked about how she looked within in conflict when she worked as a coordinator of a project. She gave an example. When preparing for the Chinese New Year Spectacular, a fellow practitioner who had gotten along well with her changed his attitude toward her all of a sudden. In two weeks, he became critical about everything she did, from her way of managing to receiving a phone call and borrowing a pen. In the beginning, she treated it as a common test in her personal cultivation, and was tolerant. But as the situation continued, she kept looking within, and later, she realized that she had an attachment to being afraid of criticism. She cared a lot about her reputation and being recognized by others. Upgrading in cultivation was necessary to resolve the problem, validate Dafa, and offer salvation to people. When she came to this enlightenment, the situation also changed.
Ms. Ford said then that she strove to abide by Dafa, but it seemed that whenever she improved a bit, a new test would come. However, some fellow practitioners looked as if they cultivated quite easily. Sometimes she was puzzled why they did not need go through such painful experiences. But she finally realized that she was looking externally. Just as Master said in "A Dialogue with Time," "...that they always compare themselves with humans and with their own past, but fail to examine themselves with the requirements of the Fa at different levels. "(Essentials for Further Advancement) She decided to not seek external recognition, but require herself to upgrade her own xinxing and make improvements all the time.
Upgrading xinxing in introducing Falun Dafa in Chinatown
Ms. Zhu from Las Vegas started practicing Falun Gong only a year ago. She talked about her experience of upgrading her xinxing and introducing Falun Dafa in Chinatown. Since she took up Falun Gong in 2006, she has been doing the exercises every day and participating in group Fa study twice a week. She made quick progress, and soon joined in clarifying the truth, advising people to quit the CCP and its affiliated organizations, and offering people salvation.
Chinese tourists often visit Las Vegas Chinatown. In the beginning when she went there to clarify the facts, she was nervous, and was afraid of being verbally abused. She could not maintain her xinxing and talked back to an abusive Chinese tour guide. Through studying the Fa more, she became more tolerant. Now she is not likely to be affected by the tourists' attitude. She was not good at speaking, but now she that has let go of self and put the sentient beings first in her mind, she is able to explain facts about Falun Gong fluently.
Offering salvation to people and validating Falun Dafa
Mr. Hu started practicing Falun Gong in 2003. Before Falun Gong practice, he had been searching for the meaning of life and the truth of the universe. When he read the book Zhuan Falun for the first time, he realized that this was the truth that he had been seeking. He ultimately understood the fundamental meaning of coming to this human world: to offer salvation to people. Since then, he has been focusing on one single cultivation path, that is, offering salvation to the sentient beings and validating Falun Dafa.
After he practiced Falun Gong, he first clarified the facts to his teachers and classmates in his major. He took all opportunities possible and different angles to explain to them about the CCP's persecution of Falun Gong. He did not know how to make materials in the beginning, but later, he learned to burn truth clarification VCDs and make truth clarification materials. He would go to students' dormitories with fellow practitioners to distribute them. He also clarified the facts in his classes during question and answer session.
Through studying the Fa, he requires himself to demonstrate a selfless demeanor as a Fa-rectification period Dafa disciple, making it possible for people that meet him to have an opportunity to be saved. He realizes that the sentient beings we can offer salvation to are still limited, particularly in mainland China. We should be more diligent on the final leg of our journey in order to let all people feel our compassion, even if they are simply passing by, because revered Master is so compassionate to us.
The Fa conference concluded at 5:30 p.m..
