(Clearwisdom.net)
My mother's trip to Germany at the beginning of June 2002 coincided with Jiang's European state visits. I had planned to go to northern Europe to send forth righteous thoughts, and my mom wanted to tour northern Europe, so we both booked tickets to northern Europe. However, it later turned out that my mom's sightseeing plans were cancelled. Yet, the ticket had already been booked, and she really wanted to go to northern Europe. I was hesitant to let her participate in any Dafa activity. I was even thinking to travel to northern Europe with her, but not joining the group activity to send forth righteous thoughts together. I did not want her to have any misunderstanding about Dafa. When I had this thought, I read Master's new scripture "Through hardships the body of gold is tempered.Why such slow and leisurely steps? ("The Difficult Path to Godhood") Indeed, "Why such slow and leisurely steps?" I asked myself. One righteous thought rose from my mind, that I can definitely go to northern Europe and send forth righteous thoughts!
That night when we went to bed, mom suddenly asked me, "What is this 'sending forth righteous thoughts'?" I said, "From the Dafa information I often sent to you, it must certainly be clear to you how cruel Jiang persecutes Falun Gong -- his minions are beating people to death as well as using inhuman torture. This is the evil. Zhuan Falun tells us that people's thoughts are matter; anything in another dimension has a field. The evil also has a field. We use our field of righteous thoughts to restrain this evil field, to clear up the evil elements in another dimension, to clear up the persecution of Falun Gong."
Mom didn't say anything. The next morning when I prepared to send forth righteous thoughts, mom also got up early and learned my position, in order to send forth righteous thoughts with me. I told her the verses and the main points. Mom then concentrated her attention and sent forth righteous thoughts with me. After sending forth righteous thoughts, mom told me that, although she still can't completely accept Dafa, she really hopes this evil will end as soon as possible, that's why she is willing to send forth righteous thoughts. She also told me that she is not willing to stay in the same place for several days in northern Europe, just studying Fa and sending righteous thoughts on a daily basis, like us. She thought that since she will be in Europe, she has to take advantage of that opportunity and travel to more places, otherwise she would not get her money's worth and miss certain things.
One day she opened a map and did her planning for her routes and destinations. Northern Europe has several territories with sparse populations. Without taking the airplane, she would spend more time riding the bus, but too short a time sightseeing. Toward the evening her interest waned. We would start the journey tomorrow, but the details and specific travel route hadn't been decided yet. I thought it was the proper time and told her, "Mom, I am proposing a serious suggestion: study the Fa and send forth righteous thoughts together with us. Before coming to Germany, hadn't you said that your trigeminal neuralgia wouldn't be cured? (Note: "trigeminal neuralgia" is a disorder of unknown cause, manifesting itself by severe, painful spasm radiating along the cranial nerve). You know that only Falun Gong can help you. But you also understand that practicing Falun Gong merely for the exercises and for healing illnesses is an attachment. If you believe this, your illness won't be cured. In my opinion, the only thing that can help you is reading Dafa books. To live during this era is a rare opportunity. You will have so much time on this trip to read books, study Fa and practice the exercises. You can also talk with practitioners from other countries. It's really a rare chance. After you go back, you wouldn't have such a good cultivation environment ever again."
Mom was listening and put down the travel maps. She was thinking a while and told me "What you said is reasonable. I will go with you!" After dinner, a fellow practitioner happened to be there and presented mom with a challenge: "Have you decided the travel route?" Mom was not even thinking and replied straightforwardly, "I'm not traveling. I'll go to study Fa and practice the exercises with you instead!"
On the way to northern Europe, mom started to chat with practitioners from different countries. She sighed with much emotion, "Previously I just read the persecution documents; now I hear them talking about their own experiences, which makes me feel very differently. I have read so much information but my heart wasn't touched too deeply! This persecution is too evil! Jiang Zemin is too evil!"
When we got to our destination, we divided into groups to send forth righteous thoughts. Mom helped us, cooking and managing chores. While doing so, she was also sharing experiences with fellow practitioners. Sometimes she read the new scriptures with us. At night she came and asked me, "Do you think I shall read Zhuan Falun or 'Touring North America to Teach the Fa'?" I said, "Zhuan Falun is the most fundamental. Master has imbued all his teachings with different cultivation elements, which can guide us to different levels into this Fa. 'Touring North America to Teach the Fa' contains guidelines that help us function and carry out our mandate during the present Fa-rectification period." Mom said, "Okay. Then I'll read 'Touring North America to Teach the Fa' first." The next day, from morning to afternoon, before having lunch, mom found a quiet place and finished reading "Touring North America to Teach the Fa." I asked her what she thought. She said, "This time it's deeper, but isn't it somewhat incredible?" I said, "You just take it as 'reading a story' then." After I pointed this out to her, mom then started high-intensity Fa-study and sending forth righteous thoughts with Dafa practitioners. I gave her some Clearwisdom editorials regarding how to clarify the truth to the Chinese people, and in my spare time studied with her. From then on, mom constantly thought about how she could best clarify the truth of Dafa to those relatives in China.
When we came back to Germany, we met several Chinese tourists who didn't dare to accept the factual Dafa information at the airport. Mom actively advised them, presenting herself as an example, how she changed from believing the media in Mainland China to knowing the truth, and now she supported her daughter's cultivation as well as herself participating in activities. Those Chinese tourists listened quietly and intently. I can tell that their minds were touched. After coming back to Germany, mom changed, like she was another person. She started practicing the standing exercises for one hour and the sitting exercise for 40 minutes. One time she told me happily that she did the sitting exercise in the half-lotus position for one hour. Although it was really painful, she persisted, gritting her teeth. She put Zhuan Falun close by daily, and would study one paragraph while having some spare time.
Afterwards, she went to Paris for several days. When she came back, she regretfully told me that it was a pity she didn't bring along any Dafa materials, otherwise she could have handed them to Chinese tourists.
When she went home, back to China, she said with great emotion that the trip to northern Europe had been her biggest gain. I told her, maybe you came here for it. Mom nodded as if in deep thought.
After arriving home she contacted me immediately and told me that she was successful in taking the truth-clarifying CDs all the way home. My sister, sister-in-law and their colleagues all stopped by and watched them. She also told me that she's been studying Fa and practicing exercises every day. She told my sister what changes had occurred in her body since practicing the exercises. Now my sister also wants to study and practice. I can't help but think of Master's poem,
"Falun Dafa is good
Gradually entering the human realm
The sentient beings need not worry
Gods and Buddhas are already smiling"
("Dafa is Good")
