By a Dafa practitioner in Mainland China

(Clearwisdom.net)

I grew up in a very poor family. After I got married, my husband often verbally abused me, and I cried in private. Slowly, my health declined as I bottled up my emotions. Eventually, I had a nervous breakdown. After I recovered, my husband's temperament improved but I became selfish and aggressive. My life became dull and depressing.

In September 1998, I started practicing Falun Dafa and was able to free myself from painful conflicts. I went to the practice site to do the exercises and study the Fa on a daily basis, and I actively disseminated Dafa. I listened to Master's lecture audiotapes (instead of reading) at home because I was illiterate. I conducted myself according to Dafa at all times. Soon, all of my illnesses disappeared.

I wanted to read Dafa books but I was uneducated. Therefore, I started with Hong Yin, and I learned every single character in the book. I recited poems from Hong Yin when walking and working, and I was able to sail through all kinds of situations with great ease.

After the persecution started in July 1999, fellow practitioners who lived close to me came to the practice site at my home on a daily basis. We did the exercises, studied the Fa and exchanged experiences every day. We pointed out each other's shortcomings and we discussed how to deal with the perpetrators of the persecution. We didn't have much fear. When the police came to interfere with us, we always told them that we would persist in practicing Dafa, and with the power of our righteous thoughts, the police left without achieving anything. We always persisted in doing the exercises and studying Dafa right up to the present.

In June 2000, a fellow practitioner from my practice site went to appeal for Dafa. She was abducted and held at a custody center. The head of a police department asked her husband about other practitioners. He revealed the names of two practitioners, including me. The head of the police department illegally arrested us. I thought, "This is a great opportunity. I should tell them how wonderful Dafa is and tell them to stop persecuting Dafa." A person handling my case asked me, "Will you still practice Falun Gong?" I said without a moment's hesitation, "Yes!" Then I told him about the changes that took place in me after I started practicing Falun Gong.

Maybe the caseworker was moved by my sincerity, because he asked me, "Is this ok?" after writing each sentence. When the head of the police department and the secretary for the village Party Committee saw the report, they were angry and said in a menacing voice, "This is not going to work! You mean she would still practice? Rewrite it!" The caseworker ignored them and walked out. The Party secretary yelled at me, "We'll throw you in prison if you say you'll still practice." I answered, "I'll practice, even you lock me up. At least I've learned so many profound principles from Dafa!" Again I told him about the positive changes I experienced after practicing Falun Dafa. Thanks to Master and Dafa's protection, the police chief and the Party secretary obviously changed their minds, because they released both of us practitioners later that day.

The village Party secretary cursed at me during all major and minor village meetings. Finally, my family and friends could not take it anymore and said to me, "Stop practicing! Why can't you say for one minute that you will stop practicing?" My husband also said, "Just practice at home, and when people ask you, just say you don't practice anymore."

When faced with opposition from my family I told them, "I can't lie! You all know I was very ill and Master purified my body for me. That is why I am healthy now! I can't speak against my conscience."

Although I continued validating Dafa with words, more frequently I validated Dafa with my actions. I conducted myself as a practitioner and I truly felt Master's words echoing in my ears. My family and friends were impressed with me and said, "You are such a good person." I told them it's not just me but Falun Dafa that is great, and that Master tells me to be considerate of others at all times. Thus, they no longer opposed my practicing and they too said that Dafa is great! I felt truly happy for them.

For a while, the police often ransacked my home. Once, a police officer came to my home and asked what we did with the VCR. My daughter said that is was broken, and the police left. Right after they left, my husband, who was afraid, wrapped the VCR and Master's lecture videotapes in dirty clothes and put them in the toilet room. The evil took advantage of his lack of respect for Dafa. The police turned around and came back. They saw that the VCR was gone and they demanded that my husband turn it in or they would arrest him. My husband gave the VCR to them.

Several days later, the head of the police department asked me to come pick up the VCR. I thought, "Picking up the VCR is minor; what's important is to clarify the truth." I explained the facts about Dafa to the police chief and he said, "I was trying to reform you; why are you reforming me?" I said, "You asked me to come. Since I'm here I want to tell you about my situation after I started practicing Falun Gong."

I spoke for a long time, and he listened attentively. After I finished he said, "Actually, you and your daughter did well the other day, but your husband didn't. Your Master is a Buddha! How could he [your husband] hide such precious things in the restroom? Had we not already left? But we saw your husband darting about and then went back; we saw that the VCR was not there anymore."

I said, "I know my husband did wrong. You can come just for the formality of it; but if you persecute us you will receive karmic retribution." He said, "Are you thirsty after talking for so long?" He handed me a cup of tea with both hands and said, "From now on, take good care of your things; we'll only go through the formalities and will not ransack your home. But we'll have to arrest you if we see Falun Gong things out in the open. You can leave now."

I told my husband what happened at the police department. He realized his mistake, and he cherished Dafa materials from then on.

Later, Master clearly told us of the three things Dafa practitioners must do well, which are to study the Fa, clarify the truth and send forth righteous thoughts. I realized the importance of righteous thoughts. I probably would have been incarcerated if I didn't have righteous thoughts. During the numerous police visits to my home, I sent forth righteous thoughts nonstop the minute they stepped in the door. They often lost track of what they came for, and quickly left after saying irrelevant things or greetings. I knew it was because the field at our practice site was pure. Master was protecting us, and my righteous thoughts were strong.

In order to fulfill our mission of clarifying the truth and offering people salvation, we actively sent forth righteous thoughts and clarified the truth. We distributed flyers and hung banners far and wide. We also gave truth clarification materials to police and government officials. Sometimes the patrol cars left the police department right after we finished distributing flyers, but not before.

Although I didn't have any fear, I was not very diligent studying the Fa and doing the exercises. Master often prompted me in my dreams. Once I had a dream in which I saw Falun [law wheels] all over the sky, and a book was flipped open, page by page. Each character in the book was bright and golden and the blue sky was beautiful, beyond description. After I woke up I decided to learn the characters in Zhuan Falun.

Because I recognized few words in Zhuan Falun, I asked people to teach me. I had a poor memory and often forgot the words I had just learned. The words appeared foreign to me, even after a long time. However, I didn't give up, because I knew nothing could stop me as long as I believed in Master and Dafa. From reading two pages of Zhuan Falun in one hour to begin with, now I can read one chapter in three hours.

As Fa-rectification pushes forward, we have done a more thorough job with truth clarification. I often distribute flyers and clarify the truth in the streets, sometimes by myself and sometimes with a dozen fellow practitioners. The outcome is very good.

Chinese version available at http://www.minghui.ca/mh/articles/2004/12/14/91391.html