(Minghui.org) Greetings revered Master! Greetings fellow practitioners!
I would like to share with you what I've learned while doing the three things in my journey of cultivation.
Master said,
“But for you, disciples of Dafa, you cannot let up in what you need to do—namely, the three tasks. By all means, you mustn’t. Nothing less than your mighty virtue, your cultivation, and all that you shoulder is bound up in these.” (“Dafa Disciples Must Study the Fa,” Collected Fa Teachings, Vol. XI)
Master also said,
“Doing the three things well is what’s most important for a Dafa disciple.” (“Fa Teaching Given at the New York Fa Conference Celebrating the 25th Anniversary of Dafa’s Spreading”)
I'm now 70 years old. When I was a child what I hated most was memorizing things. Master mentioned in His lectures that practitioners in Changchun, China were reciting the Fa from memory. Practitioners at my practice site began reciting the Fa from memory after practicing the exercises. I was reluctant at first, but it was hard for me to refuse. I felt nervous, but I managed to memorize a few sentences.
One day, I read an article on Minhui.org about how the Qing Dynasty Emperor Kangxi asked his son to recite a book 120 times. I realized that I hadn't been able to memorize the Fa well because I was always in a rush and did not focus. I adjusted my mindset and began to memorize the Fa. After I started to recite the Fa, my xinxing improved. The most obvious example is my relationship with my wife.
I had a hot temper and frequently quarreled with her over trivial things before I began practicing. After I obtained the Fa, I often attended Dafa activities. I was seldom home. She couldn’t adjust to this sudden change. One night, I arrived home after 10 p.m. She had locked the door and wouldn’t let me in. We often engaged in cold wars due to my low xinxing level. After I began reciting the Fa, I became more considerate. Our relationship improved tremendously.
I never liked studying or writing. My writing was so sloppy that I could not read what I wrote. I remember that in grade school, my teacher once punished me by making me write the text of a lesson 100 times to improve my sloppy writing. At first, I tried to recite the Fa by writing it down. But, my handwriting soon became sloppy. After I made some breakthroughs in reciting the Fa, I hand copied Zhuan Falun. This time, since my xinxing had elevated, I didn’t pursue speed and my handwriting was tidy.
Many practitioners say they can feel the effect of their sending forth righteous thoughts. I can't feel anything. But I always do it on time. One day just as it was time to send righteous thoughts, I got a phone call and I sought some information on the Internet afterwards. After supper I was ready to log onto the platform to clarify the truth to people in China but the computer did not work. It functioned normally before 6 p.m. I called the service station and was told that there was a technical problem and the Internet would not be available until the next day. After I looked within I realized that because I did not send righteous thoughts at 6 p.m. Master was reminding me. The next day I could log onto the platform even before the service staff informed me that the Internet had been restored. This event made me value more the importance of sending righteous thoughts.
Master said,
“Dafa disciples need to do three things well on their way to Consummation, right? And sending forth righteous thoughts is one of those things. If it's that important, why can't you do it well?! Why do you think of it as such a simple thing and not take it seriously? You do know how important it is. Besides, if you don't do one of the three things well, then what?” (Teaching the Fa in the City of Los Angeles)
Making phone calls to clarify the truth is the main project I participate in to save sentient beings. When the telephone team was first established in our area, a coordinator would bring a stack of persecuted case lists for local practitioners to use. In the beginning many practitioners took them. Gradually fewer lists were taken; eventually the coordinator seldom came. When I noticed this I volunteered to be the local coordinator of this project.
I usually allocate the cases I receive every week to the 5 sections in my city. The section coordinator gives them to the practitioners in that section to dial. This process has been going smoothly. As a coordinator, I need to be familiar with all the tools and how this system works, so I can introduce the project to other practitioners to join or answer questions. I also joined the global RTC platform and other projects to make calls. I spend about 1-3 hours making phone calls every day.
Because there are now more projects to save people, our manpower on the telephone team has been decreasing. Some practitioners complimented me and said, “It's really something that you've persisted in the telephone team.” I will continue in this project until the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) collapses.
One day a lady answered the phone. As soon as I mentioned Falun Dafa, she immediately hung up. I called again, and as soon as she picked up the phone she said, “Falun Dafa tells practitioners to commit suicide. They kill people to stop people from taking medicine…” then she hung up. I called the third time and before she could say anything, “Did you see with your own eyes what you just said, or did you read this in the newspaper or see it on TV? Please give me a few minutes so I can explain.” This time she did not hang up but quietly listened until I finished. Afterwards she said, “Thank you. Now I understand the truth.” I quietly thanked Master for his help and encouragement.
One thing that bothers me most when I make phone calls to people in China is that local accents make it difficult for both sides to understand each other. The person on the other side will say, “Please practice your Mandarin until it is understandable before you speak to me.” I answer, “Then I'll speak slowly so you can understand me.” Even though I have a Taiwanese accent, I have persuaded more than 2,000 people to quit the CCP since 2008.
Making phone calls to people who are persecuting practitioners is more challenging than other phone calls. Those who are called usually hang up, or curse at me. If someone curses me, I'll call again until he stops cursing. A person hung up the phone after he scolded me. I immediately called him and said, “For 5,000 years, our Chinese culture always emphasized being polite, ethical and moral. But you curse people as soon as you open your mouth. I understand that this is a result of 70 years of Communist Party rule. You should not use dirty words if you are a decent person.” He apologized. I told him that I used to have a hot temper and was quick to curse people before I practiced Falun Dafa. After I began practicing I stopped cursing people and became kind. He said that Falun Dafa was awesome and asked me to extend his regards to Master Li.
People generally think that lawyers are clever and good at debating. One day I phoned a lawyer. I told him that some lawyers defended practitioners in the courts. After we spoke he said that he would defend Falun Dafa practitioners. He also agreed to withdraw from the Communist League. Before we ended our talk he said, “The present financial crisis in China shows that the CCP can not survive much longer.”
There's a saying that, “One’s life starts when one reaches 70.” I began practicing Falun Dafa 18 years ago, and I'm now 70 years old. I'm very thankful to Master and the Fa. I always remember that my mission as a Dafa disciple is to save as many people as possible within this limited time. I will diligently cultivate myself to return Master’s blessings!
Since my level is limited, please compassionately point out if there's anything not in accordance with the Fa.
Thank you Master! Thank you fellow practitioners!
(Presented at the 2019 Taiwan Fa Conference)