Shared at 2003 Washington DC Falun Dafa Conference

(Clearwisdom.net) I am a professional soldier. In 1989, I was diagnosed with pulmonary tuberculosis in my left lung, and I received thirteen months of treatment at an army hospital. Ten years later, in February of 1998, there was a relapse of the tuberculosis in my right lung. By chance, while I was receiving treatment this second time, I encountered Falun Dafa. I thought that cultivation of Falun Dafa would be beneficial to my recovery so I started practicing that March. Amazingly, in just a week, my body showed signs of improvement to such an extent that I never felt tired. A month later, I photocopied a copy of the Korean version of Zhuan Falun brought over from China, read it, understood why I need to cultivate, and why the fundamental of cultivation was cultivation of Xinxing and conforming to the characteristics of Truthfulness, Compassion and Forbearance. In this process, I also went through many Xinxing tests. I always treated these as examinations. Each time I searched inward for my own shortcomings. Additionally, through the process of my painful elimination of karma, almost unbelievably, soon the tuberculosis completely disappeared.

From then on, naturally, from my heart I wanted to help others who were predestined to find this great cultivation practice that has incredible effects on one's mind and body. I tried my best to tell more people. However, since China started to persecute Falun Dafa in July 1999, many people in China were prejudiced against it because of misrepresentation in the public opinion formed by the press. I explained to many people the inaccuracies in the government reports. And to correct their prejudices, I also shared the story of my full recovery from tuberculosis, how I lost many bad habits and how I strived to be a good person etc. Unfortunately, besides the few who knew me personally and my family, many people only believed the government reports and did not believe my words.

I could not let this continue, so first I bought a copy of Falun Gong and gave it to the captain of my division and clarified the truth to him. After reading the book I sent him, he told me that he is a Buddhist and now knows that Falun Gong is good. He said he supported Falun Gong and encouraged me to continue practicing. When the security unit came to investigate the situation on my practice of Falun Gong, my captain appeared personally to vouch that Falun Dafa is good and wouldn't let them investigate me. When the security unit called to inquire how I started practicing Falun Gong, when, where and why etc., I told them how cultivating Dafa is beneficial to both the body and the mind and how Falun Gong is good.

How could I tell the truth of Dafa to those who have been poisoned by the public opinion? After thinking long and hard, I decided to use flyers to clarify the truth. After designing and printing the flyers in large quantities, I went to parks, bus stations, and subway stations to give them out. I also went around my neighborhood giving away flyers, leaving them in other people's mailboxes and sticking them to front doors with tape. I also downloaded and printed pictures off the Internet and easily made a dozen posters to place next to the practice site so that more passer-bys could comprehend the truth. This might have been the start of Korea's truth clarification with flyers and photo posters.

Since I worked in the army, I thought I should start to clarify the truth from the army. First, I taught the practice to the soldiers under my command. When it was my turn to be in charge of the night shift, in the mornings before roll call, instead of doing their regular morning exercises, a hundred and twenty soldiers learned the first exercise: Buddha Shows A Thousand Hands. After finishing the exercise, I told the soldiers about the distorted reports by the Chinese government and clarified the truth to them. Every time I was on duty, I used the time for morning roll call to introduce Dafa to new soldiers and practice with them. I also gave flyers to soldiers who were about to leave the army, urging them to bring the flyers back to their parents and also advising them to go practice at practice sites near their home.

So that the officers and soldiers could see it every day, I posted truth-clarifying material on the wall where everyone can easily see. In order that the janitorial staff could have a positive understanding of Falun Gong, I gave them truth-clarifying CDs, flyers, and exercise instruction and videotapes. Recently, in my unit, there has also been an activity toward rescuing Dr. Charles Li who is being persecuted in China. Using the lunch hour, I would explain the situation and collect signatures among the officers and soldiers. I have collected over 300 signatures. In the process of the collection of signatures, I have also run into people who have reservations and people who criticized me. However, since I treated the signature collection as a chance to save people, I did not mind reproach. In the end, I got the support of the majority of the officers and soldiers.

Outside the army, a few other fellow practitioners and I formed a truth-clarification group to make banners, flyers and different types of truth-clarification materials. Every Saturday, we would deliver materials to places where people congregate. There we give away flyers and clarify the truth. Since the international flora exhibition was held at the Rishan Lake Water Park, and many tourists visited there, each weekend at the entrance of the park we would clarify the truth from spring to autumn. To stop the Chinese government's persecution of Falun Gong, we started activities to collect signatures there as well. The effect was good. On a typical Saturday afternoon we could collect more than 500 signatures. On Sundays, on average we would collect more than a thousand. Since we distributed materials for such a long time and have specifically explained why Falun Gong in China is being persecuted and why we need to collect signatures for them, in the process of exchanging remarks. Naturally, these people showed their understanding and support.

At the very beginning, the signature collection was only for Charles Li. However, during the process we felt that we should step up the pace to rescue all the Dafa practitioners being persecuted in Chinese jails. And so striving to completely put an end to this persecution, the title for our signature collection activity is "Signature Collection Activity for the Termination of Illegal Detention, Torturing, Murdering and other Unjust Acts Against A Hundred Million Falun Dafa Practitioners." After printing a great amount of these signature sheets, we kept some to use in our region. The rest we sent to the assistance center at the capital of the country for their use.

In the winter, since the weather is cold, the number tourists diminish so we went to the City of Discussion Government to clarify the truth. There are many foreign laborers in the city, including Chinese laborers. Also, since it is a transportation hub of the region, even in the winter, there are still many people. Additionally, because many auditoriums surround this city, in order to go to these auditoriums many people needed to change buses here. That is why this was a good place to clarify the truth in the winter. When we drive to other cities to attend activities there, we always carry some posters so that when we passed by bus stations and other appropriate locations we would stop to post these truth-clarifying posters. Especially in neighborhoods where many foreign laborers live, we often would post large amounts of truth-clarifying posters.

During the weekdays, I clarified the truth to people who pass by the practice site and teach the exercises to them. Together with the soldiers in the army's offices, I mailed truth-clarifying materials to China.

From August to October in 2002, I entered a training program about military implementation. During the six weeks, I needed to leave the practice site. I didn't want that, but there was no way around it. The location of the training program was at an educational facility for the military. I joined instructors from all over Korea, instructors from all units of the army, professors from the military school and 2000 soldiers. When I arrived, I didn't know where I should practice the exercises. In the end, I decided that I should practice where people can't see me--the roof. After practicing there for a few days, I felt that since I was not doing something that was illegal or went against the rules, I should not be this scared and practice in secret. I was very ashamed of myself and felt that what I did was not the right action of a Dafa disciple. The next day, I started to practice on a meadow where other people can see me so that everyone can all come to know Falun Dafa.

On the next day after I had made up my mind, I met two people in the cafeteria whom I met ten years ago. After some small talk, they asked me why I looked exactly the same that day as I did ten years ago, not seeming to have aged at all but rather seeming to have gotten younger. So I told them about how I started practicing Falun Dafa and the amazing effect Dafa promotes toward physical and mental health. I also talked about the persecution in China and urged them to practice Falun Dafa together. These two were already over forty. Their health condition was much worse than before. Thus, they both wanted to learn. That afternoon, after military instruction, I taught them the exercises and practiced the exercises with them on the school sports ground under the scrutiny of all.

After practicing with them a few days, I again decided that I would use this opportunity to spread Dafa to more people at the school. First I gave truth-clarifying material, exercise instruction videos and little pamphlets to the education colonel of this school. I introduced to him Dafa. I also posted on the advertisement board a notice stating the time and place of practicing Falun Gong. So that the personnel from all over Korea there for training could better understand Dafa, everyday I would always bring flyers and other truth clarifying to class. Finally, one day, the opportunity came. It was a class on human character. The instructing officer and the students sat in a circle. He asked every other person how we planned our life during the holidays. According to the line-up I would not have been asked but I did not want to lose this good opportunity so I thought to myself, "Let the instructor ask me next." Perhaps because of this, the instructor made an exception, didn't skip over me and asked me the same question. I took this opportunity and told the instructor and the other students how I have used all of my holidays; how I have told people about Dafa and the situation of the cultivation of practitioners. After listening to my response, the instructor told me that he would give me extra time to introduce Falun Dafa in more detail.

I explained in detail how I came to practice Falun Gong and its effects. Also I told them about how in China as well as in other countries around the world, Falun Gong has been so popular. Lastly I distributed the flyers I brought. After listening to what I said, the homework assigned by the instructor was for everyone to learn the movements that evening and share experiences about it the next day in class. That evening, I taught on the school sports ground the exercises to many learners. The next day, in a report given to the instructor was "after performing a little bit the exercises I felt suddenly comfortable in my heart and body" From that day on, the school sports ground the people practicing increased in number. Many within the school who saw the practice became interested in Dafa, especially after that day when the colonel of education himself introduced Dafa to the school officials. This was after I talked personally with him, after he watched the videotape and other materials. He took the initiative to ask me for material about Dafa. He actively supported my truth clarification. During class time he even talked to instructors in charge, telling them that I am a Dafa practitioner and requesting that they give me time to introduce Dafa. Using this chance, I introduced Dafa to even more people. After clarifying the truth, I asked that they clarify to truth to people around them at home after they return to their respective divisions. I distributed among them videotapes and pamphlets.

Although that training session has already ended a year ago, I am still in contact with that colonel of education. He says that he has continued to represent me in introducing Dafa to instructors from all over the country and asked me to send him exercise introduction videotapes. Each time, I thank him and acquire large amounts of videotapes and send them using express delivery. This way, the six-week military training has become an opportunity to start the spreading of Dafa to military divisions all over the country. I could never have imagined this in the beginning.

As a Dafa disciple in the process of cultivation, the above is only a matter of course. Lastly, I would like to say: I have enlightened that in any condition and environment, as long as we have a pure and calm attitude when we clarify the truth to ordinary people and a pure and calm heart when rescuing and saving living beings, then Master would give us opportunities and conditions to participate in Fa rectification.

Here, again I would like to sincerely give thanks to the most benevolent and the most compassionate Master and I hope from henceforth I can strive forward diligently with each fellow practitioner.

Heshi.