(Minghui.org) I began to Falun Dafa in the early 1990s, and I am fortunate to have attended Master's lectures four times.
Our family began to cultivate after my husband attended Master's lectures in Qiqihar in July 1993. He understood Dafa in a very simple way at that time and appeared certain that this cultivation was for him.
Soon after starting to practice Dafa, he taught his friends and family. However, I was not ready to step on the cultivation path.
Because I had been plagued with poor health from the time I was young, I became a pious Buddhist and recited the Buddhist scriptures all day long. I did not think that, from what my husband said about Dafa, I would benefit from it. Therefore, I remained a Buddhist.
My health deteriorated, and on the evening on December 24, 1993, I was ready to depart this world. I asked Buddha to take me to his paradise. My husband told me that he did not agree with what I was doing, so I challenged him to call on his master to help me.
Within about two hours after my husband asked the Dafa Master to help me, I no longer felt ill. That persuaded me to start to practice Dafa. But I only did the exercises and neglected to study the Falun Dafa books because I still thought that if I studied the Buddhist scriptures, my fundamental problems would be solved.
Master taught the Dafa principles in 1994 in Changchun, and I attended the lectures. I fell asleep during the lecture, yet I still heard every word. I felt light when I walked and very comfortable. This convinced me to practice Falun Dafa.
It has been 20 years since I started to practice. I have experienced many benefits, frustrations, and tribulations. Physically, I have endured a lot, but I no longer waver in my belief in Dafa.
I attended Master’s Changchun lectures in 1994 and remember much—as if it was yesterday.
My most memorable recollection is that I met Master and shook his hand. I was on my way to Mingfang Palace on the fifth day of the lectures, when I heard footsteps behind me. I turned around and saw Master. He held out his hand, but I dared not look up. Master was two steps down, but still so much taller than me.
I reached out my hand and felt excited and scared. Master’s hand felt so very soft.
I also attended Master's 1994 Guangzhou lecture although we were not well off financially. I sold my phone so I could bring home Dafa books.
I kept reading Zhuan Falun, the main book of Falun Dafa, between 1994 and 1998. During this time, I changed into a different person, both physically and mentally.
The Chinese communist regime began to persecute Dafa on July 20, 1999. Because my family were well-known practitioners, more than 30 local officials monitored us, and we were told to remain in our area.
We refused to be “transformed,” so my husband was sentenced to three years in a labor camp. I was detained in a brainwashing center three times.
After our release we opened a store to make a living and kept contact with fellow practitioners. But whenever anyone walked into our store, the local police arrested and interrogated them. They even arrested people who were not practitioners.
After sending righteous thoughts for some time, our environment improved and many fellow practitioners came to our store. We had gatherings, shared understandings, and helped each other.
When fellow practitioners lagged behind, we helped them find and tried to help them eliminate their attachments. Some non-practitioners who came to know us started practicing Falun Dafa.
We live in a small residential area, and all the local residents know that we practice Dafa. These people have watched us throughout this persecution, and now they say that this store run by practitioners is powerful.
We live by Falun Dafa's principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance and do well with all that a practitioner should do. We read the Dafa books, do the exercises, send righteous thoughts, and tell people about Dafa. We also use multiple cell phones to persuade people to quit the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and its affiliates.
Master, please rest assured. We will cultivate well and do everything required of a practitioner.