(Minghui.org) In the past, I was arrogant and argumentative. The practice of Falun Dafa not only turned me into a better person but also made my entire family happy and harmonious.
It all started one day in April 1999. At work, I somehow did not receive my allotted benefits as a homeroom teacher. When I heard that the money had been used for other things, I went to argue with the district superintendent, who just referred me back to the school principal. Because no one seemed able to resolve my complaint, I planned to raise the issue with the county education department.
When I complained about the situation to a coworker, she told me about Falun Dafa and its principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance. What she said really resonated with me, and I began to read the books and do the exercises.
My father, who was already in his 80s, was against my practice after Chinese leader Jiang Zemin announced a ban on Falun Dafa in July of that year. “The Communist Party doesn't let people practice it. If you continue, it's like throwing an egg at a rock. You could be arrested, and the family would be ruined,” he railed. In the end, he threatened to disown me unless I gave up my belief.
I knew I was doing the right thing and was not disturbed by his attitude. My father still visited me occasionally. In the beginning, he was very upset, but there was nothing he could do. Later, he calmed down and was not bothered by it anymore.
About a year later, my father actually encouraged me, saying, “It seems practicing Falun Dafa is not a bad thing—you are healthier and happier than before.” I nodded and explained to him what Falun Dafa is and debunked the Party propaganda. He agreed with what I said and asked me to help him withdraw his membership in the Party. I was very happy for him.
For all kinds of reasons, I could not get along with my sister-in-law. She said negative things about me to others, and I did the same to her. After learning Falun Dafa, however, I was strict with myself and always tried to help her. After all, she came from thousands of miles away, and it was not easy for her to settle down here.
Once, a relative had a wedding, and we all went to celebrate. During the feast, my sister-in-law could not find a seat, and no one was willing to help her. I asked my daughter to give her seat to my sister-in-law, who accepted it without saying anything.
Later, my brother told me that his wife thought I was the best person in the family. That could be due to what I’d done at the feast, I thought, because in the past everyone knew she disliked me the most.
One day, my daughter came home and said she’d heard my sister-in-law telling someone else how good I became after learning Falun Dafa.
Not long after that, my sister-in-law came to visit me. She said, “I was coughing for a few days and did not know what to do. Then I remembered you once told me to recite ‘Falun Dafa is good’ and ‘Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance is good,’ so I did it last night. I felt so good last night. Can you believe it?!
“When I told my husband about it, he was very glad, too. Could you teach me the exercises?”
I used to be the one in charge in my family, and my husband had to listen to me on almost everything. After I began to practice Falun Dafa, however, this situation gradually changed. Nonetheless, my husband was still not convinced when I told him how great the practice was.
Our daughter had had asthma since she was young and always needed medication. She decided to do the Falun Dafa exercises and listen to the recorded lectures with me. Seeing an improvement in her health, my husband’s belief in Falun Dafa grew.
When he went to his hometown to visit friends and relatives, he often took Dafa pamphlets with him. “Falun Dafa is so great, I have to let them know about it, too,” he said.
One day, he told me that he was impressed by the positive changes he has seen in me these years. “Not only are you healthier, but you've also become a better person because of the practice,” he said. “In the past, you always gave me a hard time. It seems that only Falun Dafa could change a stubborn person like you.”
My daughter agreed, “I want to thank Master Li [the founder of Falun Dafa] very much because he gave me a healthy mother and a happy family.”