(Clearwisdom.net) I am a Falun Dafa practitioner from Foyedong Village, Lingyuan City, Liaoning Province. I have been practicing Falun Dafa for 8 years, since 1996. During these past eight years, I have changed completely. My gastric disease, tracheitis and gynecological problems were all healed. I felt energized and my family was in harmony. It was the first time that I felt completely healthy and illness-free. I haven't needed to take any medication since I started practicing Falun Dafa.
Since the persecution began on July 20, 1999, the Jiang faction has been illegally arresting Falun Dafa practitioners. The village police arrested me as well, and tried to force me to hand over the Falun Dafa books and give up the practice. I said to them boldly and assuredly, "I am not educated, and I have no books. Falun Dafa saved me, why should I give it up? No matter where you take me, I will practice and follow my Teacher." Seeing that I was steadfast, the police sent me to the detention center. I was illegally detained for 15 days, after which I came home in a dignified manner. At that time, my daughter was sent to Shenyang Masanjia Labor Camp. Upon hearing this news, I was shaken inside. I thought, "What kind of a world do we live in? We practitioners are not wrong. How is practicing 'Truthfulness, Compassion and Tolerance' wrong?" So I decided to go to Beijing and appeal.
In June 2000, a fellow practitioner and I went to Beijing. The situation was very difficult for Falun Dafa practitioners. Because many people were monitoring us, we first walked part of the journey, and hoped to take the train from another city. We were discovered after walking 20km. The authorities arrested us and locked me up in the police station for two days. No matter how they treated me, I treated them with a practitioner's compassion, and clarified the truth to them. They wanted me to write the "Guarantee Statement" but I refused and would not follow their demands. My children were worried about me, and they paid my bail without my knowledge.
I continued to study the principles of Falun Dafa and practice the exercises when I got back home. The village police and the "610 Office" always sent people to keep me under surveillance and to harass me at my house. From July 20, 1999 to 2000, the police arrested me three times. I kept on clarifying the truth to them on all occasions, and came home in dignified manner each time.
In 2001, Teacher Li taught us the formulas for sending forth righteous thoughts. I sent forth righteous thoughts every day. As I upgraded my xinxing (heart or mind-nature, moral character), I realized that if I couldn't go to Beijing to validate Falun Dafa, I could validate Falun Dafa at home. I started telling my relatives, friends and neighbors that Falun Dafa is wonderful, and how I had benefited from practicing. I told them not to believe the television and the lies reported in the newspaper that slandered Falun Gong. I told them that what the media was doing was wrong and that those people who slandered Dafa would receive karmic retribution one day. At that time, we didn't have many materials to help clarify the truth, so I asked my relatives to write flyers and letters. During the night, I would send the letters to the police station and flyers to households.
During the 16th Party Congress meeting in 2002, the authorities once again arrested and sent my daughter to Masanjia Labor Camp to intensify the persecution against her. They also detained my son-in-law and started monitoring me as well. There were at least two people following me every day, fearing that I would go to Beijing again. I would send forth righteous thoughts each time they sent anyone after me, to eliminate the evil controlling them. I started clarifying the truth to those assigned to follow me. I told them about Falun Gong and how I had benefited from the practice. I asked them not to help the wicked people commit crimes and not to follow the lies from the media.
I told them that there is nothing wrong with practicing "Truthfulness, Compassion and Tolerance." Falun Dafa cured our illnesses and taught us to be good people. I told them the principle that "Good is rewarded with good and evil will be met by evil." Although these people all understand the truth, they said that it was their job and they still had to monitor me every day. They kept me under surveillance for five days.
My daughter was sent to the labor camp and my son-in-law was kept in custody. We had to take care of their young children. Our son-in-law returned in a dignified manner three months later but our daughter is still in the labor camp as of this writing. I was very upset for a time. Under all these kinds of tribulations and pressures, I couldn't focus on studying the principles of Falun Dafa or practice the exercises. Many kind people told me not to take it so hard, and my fellow practitioners told me not to be governed by sentimentality. I thought, "How come my cultivation path is so difficult?" Teacher Li said in Zhuan Falun (1), "When your friends or family suffer, are you moved? How do you weigh them? This is how difficult it is to be a practitioner!" I was determined that I would take the Fa principles as my Teacher, strictly regulate myself, and step out from the mentality of an ordinary person.
By 2003, the environment was more relaxed but I never let up. I kept on studying Teacher's new articles and sent forth righteous thoughts every day. Since Teacher taught us the formula for sending forth righteous thoughts, I've never missed any of the four daily times for global sending forth of righteous thoughts every day. Especially during the midnight hour, many practitioners say they are tired and can't get up. But I won't sleep until I send forth righteous thoughts.
Until the day of Fa-rectification, I realize that as Fa-rectification period disciples, our cultivation depends on doing the three things that Teacher has asked of us: study the Fa, send forth righteous thoughts and clarifying the truth about Falun Dafa to the world's people. This is fulfilling our vow.
I used to distribute flyers during the night. Now, I go to every household during the day when I have the time, to give them flyers and booklets. I speak to them about my personal experiences and use my actions and thoughts, and stories about the changes I have experienced, to validate the wonderfulness of Falun Dafa. My two daughters-in-law, under my influence, have since started practicing Falun Dafa. Under my influence, many practitioners have stepped out to participate in Fa-rectification. Every time I go out to clarify the truth, I do so with the compassion and kindness of a practitioner. My fellow villagers are eager to listen to me.
Over the past several years, I've tried to take the principles of Falun Dafa as my Teacher during times of tribulations. I have not committed any wrongdoings against Teacher or Falun Dafa, but I am still very far, far behind in fulfilling Teacher's requirements.
(1) The book, Zhuan Falun, comprises the principal teachings of Falun Dafa
