(Clearwisdom.net) I started practicing Falun Dafa in 1998. I suffered from many illnesses before I began practicing, such as heart disease, high blood pressure, rheumatism, obesity and so on. After I started practicing, all of my illnesses disappeared and I have never had to take any medicine. This is all because of Teacher's merciful and arduous salvation. I am also grateful to Teacher that I became a Dafa practitioner during the Fa-rectification period. In 2006, I came to Australia and submitted an application for asylum. Today, I would like to share my experience with the application process.

Improving "Xinxing" Each Time My Application was Denied

My application was denied five times in 2006 and I was almost deported. I realized there are no coincidences for cultivators.

Teacher said:

"You should also be clear that "natural" does not exist, and there is a reason for "inevitability." ("Expounding on the Fa " in Essentials for Further Advancement)

In the early stages of my application process, I looked outward instead of searching inward and found others at fault, such as the agent who did not file my application on time; the immigration officer who did not consider my application even though I had letters from the local Falun Dafa Association, coordinators and practitioners who had failed me; and so on. With practitioners' support, I tried hard to do well in validating the Fa and at same time I was studying all of Teacher's lectures. However, my heart was not pure, as I had the attachment to getting refugee status. Because of this, I sent forth righteous thoughts in front of the Chinese Consulate every day, delivering copies of the Nine Commentaries on the Communist Party, truth-clarification materials, selling tickets for the Shen Yun performance as well as other activities. While I was doing all these, I always tried to prove to others that I was a Falun Dafa practitioner. My show-off mentality was evident as I participated in Dafa activities, trying to convince more people that I was a practitioner. My heart was not pure and my application was declined by immigration many times. I realized at that time that I should improve my xinxing and send forth righteous thoughts to eliminate interference.

During this period, conflicts followed one after another, and I was scheduled to be deported by the immigration bureau. Family disputes increased. My son-in-law was very much against my application for refugee status. He wanted to divorce my daughter and blamed me for all the tension in the family. He wanted me to leave. I also had sickness karma to overcome. I felt my situation was just like what Teacher said:

"Abundant troubles rain down together,

All to see: Can you pull through?"

("Tempering the Will" Hong Yin, Translation Version A)

I felt really bitter in my heart and wondered why cultivation is so difficult. I felt no way out. During that difficult time, practitioners helped me with group sharing. One practitioner told me, 'We should insist on doing the three things well and have more Fa studies. Everything is an illusion; it will all pass."

Teacher said:

"Accordingly, in your future cultivation practice you will run into all kinds of tribulations."

"One must truly temper and upgrade oneself through actual practice." (Zhuan Falun, Lecture Four)

Teacher's words came into my mind. My heart was suddenly enlightened. I felt more relaxed. I said silently in my heart, "Teacher, I must follow your words and go with you; I will firmly believe in Dafa and Teacher." I reminded myself that I cultivated Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance and that I should treat my son-in-law with kindness. He was also a sentient being to be saved and I should save him and be kind to him. He was an everyday person after all. Everyday person's words are indefinite. I told myself that I should not take his words to heart and should keep an open mind.

Teacher said:

"When you're before sentient beings, as soon as words come out of your mouth and as soon as your thoughts emerge, they are able to disintegrate bad elements and the bad things that poison the world's people and that exist in people's minds. And then people will come to understand, and you'll be able to save them." (Teaching the Fa at the 2004 Western U.S. Fa Conference)

I knew that I should have a heart of compassion. I see now that benevolence comes from cultivation and only when I study the Fa well, am I able to improve and reach a higher level. I realized that it did not matter what he said to me, I should not have taken his words seriously. I still did all the housework, such as cooking, washing and looking after my grandchildren. Since I have improved in my cultivation, our family disputes have subsided and our interactions follow a more harmonious path.

Clarifying the Truth Each Time My Application was Denied

I have to go to the immigration office several times each month due to my application being denied. My daughter has to take time off work to come with me every time. I had always felt that this was interference. I also feared that I would be sent to a detention center or deported. My various unrighteous thoughts often surfaced. When my mind settled down, I began to recite a poem from Teacher's "What's to Fear?":

"Should you have fear,

it will seize upon you

If thoughts are righteous,

evil will collapse" (Hong Yin II, Translation Version A)

I strengthened my righteous thoughts. I knew that I must let go of my mentality of fear. I reminded myself that I was a Dafa practitioner and therefore should only follow the road arranged by Teacher. I also realized that this was a good opportunity to clarify the truth to the immigration officers and that I should save them. So, my daughter and I went to the immigration office with other practitioners. My daughter either clarified the facts to them while we sent forth righteous thoughts or I clarified the truth to them while my daughter translated.

At the beginning, the immigration officers' attitudes were very strong. We clarified the truth to them repeatedly. Finally, the immigration officers accepted copies of the Nine Commentaries and the truth-clarification materials and accepted that we are practitioners. They also worried that we would be persecuted if we went back to China. I told the officer who was in charge of arranging my deportation that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) had killed more than 80 million innocent people since its inception in 1949. I also told him that since the persecution of Falun Gong began in 1999, that over 3,000 practitioners have been tortured to death. I explained to him that I have gained tremendous physical and spiritual benefits from practicing Falun Gong. He was deeply moved and accepted a copy of the Nine Commentaries and some truth-clarification materials that I had with me. He called the deportation ticket office and told them not to reserve a plane ticket for me.

With each rejection, we returned to the immigration office and, over the course of our visits, met many people. There were lawyers, immigration officers, congresspersons, and city council members. We told them what is happening in China and about Falun Gong practitioners being persecuted by the CCP. We passed out truth-clarification materials and they all accepted them. They also gave us suggestions. Although we spent a lot of time and effort, we felt very happy because we were able to clarify the facts and save sentient beings.

Although my application has not yet been approved, I no longer have the attachment of pursuing my application. No matter where we are, as practitioners, we should do the three things well. In closing, I would like to refer to Teacher's recent words in "Greetings," for our mutual encouragement.

"To the Dafa disciples attending the Canada Fa Conference: Greetings!

Walk the last steps of your path well and with determination, study the Fa well, and, with a foundation laid by your having cultivated well, your righteous thoughts will naturally grow stronger and you will surely do well with what Dafa disciples are supposed to do. The evil is finished and the environment has changed, so it is even more imperative that you not let up in cultivation. Go forth and forge your mighty virtue and glory by carrying out the sacred mission of saving sentient beings!" (Greetings)