(Minghui.org) The 24th Russian Falun Dafa Experience-Sharing Conference was held at the Izmailovo Hotel in Moscow on September 30, 2023. Fifteen practitioners talked about how their minds and bodies were improved after they practiced Falun Dafa. By following Falun Dafa’s principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance, they were able to constantly improve themselves, overcome difficulties, and help more people understand the goodness of Dafa.
Practitioners at the 24th Russian Falun Dafa Experience-Sharing Conference in Izmailovo Hotel in Moscow on September 30, 2023.
Practitioners from many cities in Russia attended the conference, including Moscow, St. Petersburg, Kostroma, Kaluga, Cherepovets, Ryazan, Piadigorsk, Novorossiysk, Kazan, Izhevsk, Rostov-on-Don , Nizhny Novgorod, Irkutsk, Angarsk, Krasnoyarsk, and Tomsk. There were also practitioners from Belarus and Vietnam.
Practitioners shared their stories during the conference.
Minghui School
Tatiana from Moscow described how she overcame difficulties to start a Minghui School to promote traditional values.
After the 2022 Russia Experience-Sharing Conference, Tatiana had symptoms of nerve compression in her back. Unable to move her arms and legs, she could not walk. The constant pain made it nearly impossible to get out of bed.
“I was very depressed,” she recalled. “I was in great pain but I still needed to take care of the children. I kept thinking: What have I done wrong” Then she realized she had planned to open an online course for the Minghui School and that the project was later suspended. When she decided to continue this effort, the pain diminished.
Tatiana began contacting practitioners who had teaching experience in various subjects and she received lots of help. Every practitioner who participated in this project was aware of its importance. Although the team experienced many difficulties in the beginning, the project quickly grew and the quality also improved. The children liked it very much.
“We are lucky to have many kind-hearted teachers,” Tatiana said. “As Falun Dafa practitioners, they know it is critical to educate children in a favorable environment with traditional values. They have put their hearts into it.”
The school gets better each month. It is currently admitting students from the first to the fourth grade and teaches them Chinese, English, calligraphy, music, and painting. All these are closely related to the traditional values of Falun Dafa. Every day, the school also sets aside time to read the Falun Dafa teachings, do the exercises, and exchange cultivation experiences.
Preparing for Art Exhibition
Tatiana from Pyatigorsk told her story of preparing for The Art of Zhen Shan Ren (Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance) International Exhibition. During the process, she ran into some conflicts. When she looked within, she realized she was attached to her appearance and reputation. This was a deep-rooted attachment. She remembered that when she was 12 or 13, she always envied her sisters’ new clothing. Tatiana was ashamed that she was still concerned about her appearance and she eliminated these thoughts.
As a coordinator for this project, Tatiana knew she needed to meet a high xinxing standard while learning art, history, and culture. “People who come to the art exhibition are from various professions, of a broad range of ages, and with different belief systems. Yet they can all feel the pure kindness and beauty of the artworks,” she said. “I think the art exhibition has awakened their conscience. With the belief that the righteous will prevail, they leave with glowing confidence in their faces.”
Reading New Articles
Yuri, from Tomsk, Siberia, began to practice Falun Dafa in 2006. “Master’s recent articles touched me and rectified me. All my questions were answered,” he said. [Note: This practitioner is referring to Master Li Hongzhi, the founder of Falun Dafa.]
Before, Yuri was frustrated by the chaos in society. Surrounded by lies and corruption, he said it was as if his friends and family members had lost the ability to tell right from wrong. He became depressed.
After he read Master’s new articles, Yuri understood what’s most important for practitioners. He was able to walk away from sentimentality and focus on cultivation, since this is the most serious thing. He also decided to spend more time helping others learn the facts about the persecution. There are not many practitioners in Siberia. Yuri and other practitioners from Tomsk all have taken on multiple projects. They have distributed materials and held art exhibitions so more people can learn about Falun Dafa.
Purpose of Life
Zakiya stuttered since she was a child and had difficulty interacting with others. As a result, she spent lots of time reading books. In 2017, however, she was unable to read anything and her mind was blank. She later realized she was waiting for Falun Dafa.
At that time, Zakiya could not understand the suffering in life and the betrayal of her family members. In 2019, her daughter’s friend suggested she try practicing Falun Dafa. When she read the teachings, she found the answers to all her questions.
Zakiya diligently read Falun Dafa books and attended the 2019 Falun Dafa conference. After that she read two lectures of Zhuan Falun online every day and also read one lecture by herself.
The first year after she began to practice, Zakiya still had the habit of playing cards on the computer. But one day the computer mouse malfunctioned and she could not fix it. Realizing this might be hint from Master, she decided to let go of this attachment and use the time to read the Falun Dafa teachings instead.
Another test came from her husband who often abused Zakiya and their children. She often felt helpless. She felt that her relatives did not care about her and she did not dare tell anyone what she was going through. After she began to practice Falun Dafa, she was able to handle the difficulties with a peaceful mind. Later on, a regional militia officer ordered her husband to leave the home because he abused the family. Zakiya was finally able to enjoy a peaceful and safe life.
Every week Zakiya travels to nearby cities and towns with two bags of Falun Dafa materials. She distributes them and talks to people about the practice. Before she begins handing out materials, Zakiya always sends righteous thoughts to clean up the environment and asks Master for help.
Becoming More Diligent
Practitioners who attended the conference said they had learned a lot from hearing their fellow practitioners’ experience sharing. They felt that was a great opportunity for practitioners to realize the importance of cultivation and remain diligent.
Elena from Moscow
Elena, who has practiced Falun Dafa for over 10 years, found the event very helpful in improving her xinxing. “I now understand that we have to be responsible for ourselves and others. I have to be more diligent.” She is also grateful to Master for everything. “Master gave us the opportunity to practice Dafa, helped us along the way, and strengthened our righteous thoughts.”
Nikolay from St. Petersburg began to practice Dafa in 2006 and he cherishes Falun Dafa very much. “Through constant cultivation and study of Falun Dafa’s teachings, I’ve learned the purpose of life and what my mission is in this lifetime,” he said.
The conference also reminded Nikolay of the importance of following the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance. “There is nothing higher than this. I need to be clear on this and do well as a Dafa practitioner,” he explained.
Group exercise practice the day before the Falun Dafa conference
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