(Minghui.org) This year’s World Falun Dafa Day on May 13 was the 29th anniversary of the day Falun Dafa was first made public. It was also the 70th birthday of Falun Dafa’s founder, Mr. Li Hongzhi. On May 8, 2021, Falun Dafa practitioners in Las Vegas gathered to celebrate the event and wish benevolent and great Master Li a happy birthday.
Governor of the State of Nevada Mr. Steve Sisolak, Lieutenant Governor Ms. Kate Marshall, and Senator Ms. Carrie Ann sent proclamations to recognize Falun Dafa’s founder Mr. Li Hongzhi and Falun Dafa’s outstanding contributions to society. They also sent congratulations for World Falun Dafa Day.
Las Vegas practitioners with their palms together in a gesture of respect said in unison, “We Wish Master a Happy Birthday! Falun Dafa is good, Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance is good!”
The celebratory event began with the practitioners doing the exercises together, followed by individual and group performances, including the recitation of poems, a vocal solo, a violin solo, a harmonica solo, a solo dance, and songs by a choir. The peaceful atmosphere attracted many passersby to watch, and several took photos of the event.
Falun Dafa was introduced to the world by Mr. Li Hongzhi on May 13, 1992, in Changchun, China, and people in more than 100 countries now practice it. The practice’s main book, Zhuan Falun, has been translated into more than 40 languages and is published worldwide.
In China, it spread quickly, from person to person, throughout China’s villages and cities. China’s capital, Beijing, was no exception. According to Xiao Tian, a Beijing Dafa practitioner who obtained the Fa in 1996, there were practice sites all over Beijing, and new practitioners kept joining in.
He recalled, “The practice site nearest my house at the time was an agriculture exhibition hall. There would be 70 to 80 people doing the exercises there every morning. On Sundays, when they were promoting the practice, there would be more than a thousand people doing the exercises.
“That wasn’t considered to be a lot. There were a few hundred people doing the exercises at the Temple of Earth and the Temple of Heaven every day. It was really spectacular. Later on, more and more people came to learn Falun Dafa.”
Xiao Tian said that after he started to practice Falun Dafa, he was very happy, with a kind of happiness that originates from the heart, just like a life being reborn. He is always upbeat and no longer feels lost. Xiao Tian thanked Master Li Hongzhi: “I am so lucky. I express my gratitude to Master for introducing Falun Dafa to all of us.”
In 1996, when he was 6 years old, Teng Fei started to practice Falun Dafa. Now he is a grown man and very happy to be able to participate in this event. For the last 25 years, Dafa has accompanied him. He knows that Dafa is good, so he has always been steadfast in his belief and knows that Dafa is really precious.
Teng Fei sent his greetings to Master for his birthday and said, “My gratitude to Dafa and my gratitude to Master for all that he gave me. I hope that I can follow Master home soon!”
Ms. Zhu Lin, who started cultivating Falun Dafa in May 1996, talked about when she obtained the Fa. After starting to cultivate, her body became very light, she was free of illnesses, and her heart was full of gratitude.
“Before that, I suffered from many ailments, such as neurosis, giddiness, vomiting, rheumatism, gynecological problems, headaches, insomnia, and more. These health problems tormented me, and I became very thin. It was a very painful existence. Not long after I started to practice Falun Dafa, all my symptoms disappeared. I became healthy and my face glowed. When I rode my bicycle, it felt like someone was pushing me and when I walked, my legs felt so light.”
Ms. Zhu Lin also said that the book Zhuan Falun is a book from Heaven that totally changed her perspectives on the world and life in general. It helped her understand the true purpose and meaning of life.
In the past, Ms. Zhu Lin fought and worked hard for fame and benefits. Although she gained some benefits, she unknowingly created a lot of karma for herself, and she ended up plagued with health problems. She felt that living was just a tiresome and painful chore. Cultivating Dafa improved her body and mind. She felt as though she had obtained a new lease on life. Her family became harmonious, she did exceptionally well at work, and she developed a good rapport with her neighbors. She finally knew how to be a good person.
Ms. Zhu Lin said, “Thank you, Dafa. Thank you, benevolent and great Master! To be able to become Master’s disciple in this lifetime, I am really honored and so fortunate!”