(Minghui.org) On the eve of the Chinese New Year in 2023, some Falun Gong practitioners of many ethnic groups in Melbourne, Australia, gathered in the Treasury Garden in the city center to wish Mr. Li Hongzhi, a great Master of compassion, a Happy New Year with sincere, heart-felt gratitude.

On the eve of Chinese New Year in 2023, Melbourne Dafa disciples send New Year greetings to Master.

Western Dafa disciples in Melbourne send New Year greetings to Master.

Vietnamese Dafa disciples in Melbourne wish Master a Happy New Year.

Western Disciple: “Surviving through a car accident, I thank Master for the protection.”

Patrick Murphy is grateful for Master’s protection and guidance

Patrick Murphy, 50, works for the Victoria Railway.

He said, “I used to live in a daze. After walking into cultivation, everything became clear, and Master made me understand the direction of life.”

“I think Falun Gong is the most miraculous practice. The slow, gentle, and curvy movements suitable for all ages, and the universal values of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance, improve health and mind. It can really turn life upside down.” He said, “I used to be a person without a sense of responsibility, but after cultivation, I have become compassionate. It comes from the heart, not deliberately expressed. It comes from the power of Dafa."

Murphy rode a motorcycle to work one morning in the winter of 2019. He rode along a two-lane highway at a speed of eighty kilometers per hour. When he saw that road construction was underway ahead, he immediately slowed down to sixty kilometers per hour. “I then saw a road worker instructing me to keep riding. But a car suddenly came from my right, he didn’t see me, hit me hard, and knocked me off the motorcycle.”

“Although I was in the air, I was conscious and felt a big hand reach out and hold me in my arms, and gently place me on the ground. I felt that Master saved me, so there was not a trace of fear in my heart. I kept saying in my heart, ‘thank you, Master’.”

“Lying on the ground, I felt fine. I was wearing a leather jacket and jeans that day. My clothes were not dirty, and I was able to get up immediately.”

The driver was a big man, who got out of the heavy-duty truck full of tools and ran towards me, crying. He kept saying, “I thought I killed you.” Seeing him scared, I had to comfort him, but I couldn’t calm him down.

An ambulance came. I told the paramedics that I was fine and didn’t need to go to the hospital.

But my motorcycle was wrecked, and there was a lot of debris on the ground. I had to reassure everyone that I was okay, and then I pushed my motorcycle and went to work.

Everything was normal at work that day, and it wasn’t until I came home, while taking a shower, that I noticed bruises and scratches on my body, and I also felt soreness, but there were no fractures.

Looking back on the process of the car accident, my heart was full of gratitude again. Master saved my life! With such a serious accident, only with the protection of the Great Master could the disciple escape this calamity. Thank you, Master!

Thank you, Master, for making me understand my mission. I am forever grateful to Master.

A boy, once lost, found the rightful way home: “Master guides me through the thorns in my heart.”

Brad, a Dafa disciple from Melbourne, wishes his master a happy new year.

Before starting practicing Falun Gong, Brad worked in an underground casino in Malaysia, that was run by an underworld organization. His job was to maintain the daily operations.

Although living in an atmosphere of violent hatred and fear, he still had a conscience in his heart, “One day, I knelt in front of a huge statue of Shakyamuni Buddha in the temple and wept bitterly because I realized that I had taken the wrong path in life.”

“A few months later, my mother, who already started to practice, gave me a copy of Zhuan Falun. She told me that no matter what problems or disturbances I encountered, I should read the entire book without stopping.”

“A few days later, I finished reading Zhuan Falun for the first time. I was originally poisoned by the CCP’s lies, and after reading Zhuan Falun, I realized that Falun Gong actually teaches people to be good. My twenty-year journey of cultivation began here.”

He remembered that the most impressive thing at that time was that Malaysian practitioners mentioning that they were very lucky to be able to practice in 2002 after the persecution began, because the CCP’s persecution made many Chinese lose their opportunities.

The physical changes were also very noticeable, “I soon quit my addiction. After a few months of practicing, all eleven warts on my fingers disappeared. No doctor could cure this problem for me before.”

Brad later learned that some people of the underworld who he knew, were involved in a murder case. Someone was killed, and someone was sentenced or fled. “If I hadn’t gone into cultivation, I probably would have been implicated with them. I also quickly realized that Master had saved my life.”

Brad immigrated to Australia in 2006, “Soon, my skin became smooth and brightened. A few years ago, I finally stopped coughing up pus blood, which used to happen every year in the past.”

He said gratefully, “I have committed deep sins in the past, and Master has purified my body and changed my mind. Under Master’s mercy, now when I am wronged or misunderstood by others, I try to look inward. It was really difficult for me to get to this point, but compassionate Master and Dafa guided me to rise from the ‘painful feelings’ and learn to step over the thorns through the process of cultivation and improvement. Although it still hurts, one day I will completely get rid of those thorns in my heart.”

Brad concluded, “There are no words to express my heart’s gratitude to my teacher!” On the occasion of the Year of the Rabbit, I wish Master a Happy New Year!”

Western Dafa Disciple: “Dafa gives me the confidence to achieve my goals in life.”

Fifteen-year-old Western Dafa disciple Julius Verashaka wishes Master a Happy New Year.

Julius Verashaka, 15, grew up practicing with his parents, both Westerners, who had learned the Fa in Melbourne, and have been practicing for more than 25 years. Last year, the family returned home to the United States for a while.

“In the United States, I went to the Northern School of Art, majoring in dance,” he said. “The school was very strict. With other Dafa disciples who have been very advanced, I often saw my shortcomings. When I was in Melbourne, I attended a regular school in a relaxed environment, and the requirements for the code of ethics that students should follow are very different, which was a big test for me.”

“Once, a boy cursed me, and my friend asked me to curse him back, because he deserved it. I said no. I didn’t take this matter to heart. Later, my friend understood why I did it, and the situation passed by without complications.”

Julius said, “Thank you Master for giving me the opportunity to practice Falun Dafa. Dafa helped me become a responsible person and made me understand the meaning of life. I am now more determined to become a dancer, and Dafa has also given me the confidence to complete my studies at North School Art School. I am really grateful to Master.”

Chinese Practitioner: I’m lucky to be a Dafa disciple.

Zhang Lei, owner of a Melbourne house maintenance company, and his family of four Dafa disciples wish Master a Happy New Year.

Zhang Lei and Ms. Liang, who run their own house maintenance business, and Mr. Zhang’s mother, Ms. Wang, are all veteran disciples. They started practicing in 1998. Their children have also practiced since they were young.

Zhang Lei was in very poor health when he was in college. He was hospitalized twice in four years. When he was in his fourth year at the university, he began reading Zhuan Falun, the main book of Falun Gong, on the recommendation of his school’s psychology counselor, a Falun Gong practitioner. Deeply influenced by atheistic thoughts, he was hindered by many ideas at first, but later felt that he had no choice but to give it a try to save his health. He was lucky to start cultivating.

He soon recovered, physically and mentally, and the severe insomnia disappeared. He also introduced Dafa to his mother during the winter break of his senior year. He graduated and found a job, and after working for a year, he met another Dafa disciple, Ms. Liang.

Recalling his feelings at the beginning, he said, “Every time I watch the video of Master’s teachings, I am very shocked. I feel as if my mind has been cleansed, and my understanding has broadened.”

After the CCP’s persecution of Falun Gong began, Zhang Lei and his wife experienced being illegally detained while spreading the truth of Falun Gong to the public. They had to live in different cities. In 2008, the family migrated to Australia.

Ms. Liang said that a particularly memorable scene before leaving China was, “The boss of the company where I worked asked all the employees to see off our whole family. Because I am the youngest child in the family, I was pampered since childhood, and was willful and stubborn. The reason that the boss and colleagues liked me was because I practiced Dafa, which made me kind and gave me wisdom. It taught me how to be a good person, always considering others, and made me care less about personal gains and losses. I want to bring this kind of good energy to the people around me.”

She also said, “Although I still have a lot to improve, Dafa is already in my heart. I will do better. Thank you Master for your compassion.”

Zhang Lei’s mother, Ms. Wang, 76, was born in a rural area in the north, had a bumpy life, experienced the pain of losing two of her sons, and once experienced mental trauma.

“If I didn’t practice Dafa, I might no longer be alive. The practice purified my body and mind. I was very narrowminded before, but now I am much more open, and my mentality is getting younger and younger.”

Starting from the school break in late 2021, the family has gone to a nearby park to practice every morning at 6:30 a.m., which was not easy for his 10-year-old son, Tianrui, who was born and raised in Australia.

With the supervision of his parents, the encouragement of his sister, and learning Dafa with his family every day, Tianrui and his family persisted in their morning exercise practice.

Zhang Lei said, “At the beginning, practicing at 6:30 in the morning was very challenging for the children, but once it is done, it is also very fulfilling. They are full of energy when they return home, and ready to do everything.”

The whole family has been studying the Fa as a group every day for several years. Zhang Lei said, “Studying the Fa every day has greatly improved my son’s cultivation. In the past, he did not know the difference between focusing on himself versus having a righteous mind, and the difference between stubbornness and firmness, but through reading Zhuan Falun, he gradually learned that it was really different here.”

“In addition, for children, especially teenagers, to resist electronic devices, it really requires special concentration. If he didn’t practice, he would definitely not be able to do it. My son now uses electronic devices less than most children in his class. If he didn’t cultivate, I can’t imagine what his current state of life would be like.”

The whole family is very glad that they became Dafa disciples and get physical and mental sublimation in Dafa. With the arrival of the New Year, the entire family extends warm gratitude to Master Li Hongzhi, “Thank you, Master, Master Happy New Year!”