(Minghui.org) I began practicing Falun Dafa in 2018. From a very young age, in my heart, I always looked for a way to cultivate. I grew up in Vietnam. I later moved to Canada and settled in Shelburne, a peaceful small town in Nova Scotia. I endured many physical and mental tribulations before I began practicing. One day in March 2018, I dreamed about Buddha. He was talking to me in Chinese in his divine voice. I wondered how I could understand Chinese.
I started looking for cultivation ways and found some articles written by Falun Dafa practitioners. I was both shocked and happy, but I didn’t know where or how to start. No one in my town practiced or knew about Dafa. I am the only Vietnamese and my husband is Chinese-Vietnamese. Most of the residents in our town are Westerners. I searched for the Falun Dafa website on my phone and saw a video of Master Li (the founder of Falun Dafa) teaching the exercises. As soon as I did the first exercise, an amazing thing happened—my whole body felt light. I was able to sleep after many years of suffering from insomnia that left me constantly tired. I began to watch Master’s video lectures on the Fa. After watching the first three lectures, I was greatly shaken by what Master taught. It’s hard for me to describe what was in my heart. These teachings are so precious, and I only knew about them now. I called my mother and twin sister and told them about Dafa. They also started practicing Dafa. My mom became much healthier. She had two strokes due to high blood pressure and dyslipidemia, and she was always in pain. I don’t know how many times I shed tears over her. I am grateful to Master for allowing me to obtain this great Dafa.
My husband and I run a restaurant that sells Chinese and Western food in our small town. After I began practicing, I always followed the standards of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance in my actions, and focused on cultivating my xinxing. In the face of self interest, I remain unmoved. When I encounter conflicts I can maintain a peaceful attitude.
Since I was the only practitioner in my town, I always looked for other practitioners. Master arranged for me to meet a group of practitioners in Halifax. Even though it took me over two hours to drive to meet with them, I was very happy. There were two Canadians, one from Togo, Africa, and the rest are Chinese practitioners. I drove to Halifax to read the Fa and do the exercises one weekend. Because it was already dark when I got back, and as soon as I came home, my husband scolded me furiously. My heart was calm. Master’s Fa has showed me the way to settle the problem:
“Let’s look at another possible scenario, where your wife gives you a hard time as soon as you walk in the door. If you can manage to patiently endure that kind of situation, you will make progress in your practice that day.” (The Fourth Talk, Zhuan Falun).
Thanks to practicing Dafa, my mindset remains kind and happy. A friend told me that local people said I was a kind restaurant owner.
I know that in cultivation, the higher we go, the more complex the tests become. I always put cultivation and saving people above everything. Every week, no matter whether it’s winter or summer, I take a day off and go to Halifax to distribute information about Falun Dafa with other practitioners. One day after a Halifax day, while I was working in the kitchen, my husband furiously yelled at me. He said the restaurant was busy the day before, and I was not there to help. He shouted, then suddenly grabbed a knife and threatened to kill me. I was patient and didn’t say a word. My mind was calm and I did not feel afraid. I didn’t know what was happening. He put down the knife and shoved me out of the kitchen. I didn’t hold a grudge or hate him, and I maintained my heart of compassion and treated him kindly. He apologized to me the next day. Since then, I’ve seen him distributing Dafa flyers to his friends. I knew that my husband already felt the goodness of Dafa, which helped me change into a good person.
I realized that these incidents are the karma that Master divided into levels for me to overcome and to help me improve. My husband later started to practice cultivation, although not actively, but through studying the Fa, his mentality changed in a good direction. My two sons also began to read the Fa and do the exercises. Even though they only learned a little, they have significantly benefited from Dafa. My older son broke his leg while playing football. The doctor took an X-ray and found his knee swollen, the bone broken, and said he needed surgery. The doctor made an appointment for surgery, but my son decided not to do it. Instead, he studied the Fa and did the exercises. After a month, his leg healed without any surgery.
I had a dream one night. I was holding a vow contract in both hands. I knew that I had a great mission to help Master in the Fa-rectification and save people. My restaurant has become a truth-clarification site. I display Shen Yun Performing Arts posters and some beautiful lotus flowers and information about Falun Dafa. I make sure everyone who comes to my restaurant hears about Falun Dafa and the persecution. My customers are from all walks of life, and from different cities and countries. Some people shed tears after hearing the truth.
At first my employees didn’t understand and felt frustrated that I always tried to clarify the truth to everyone I met, but they eventually understood how wonderful Falun Dafa is. They even helped me by handing out Dafa materials to customers when I was gone. One customer left a note, saying: “My mother received the Dafa flyer and a little lotus flower from you. I hung it on the door and explained the principles of Truthfulness, Compassion and Forbearance to her. I read it carefully and found that this interests me a lot. What touches my heart is your kindness. Please keep telling people about these lovely things. Please keep spreading the message of Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance. Thank you.”
I cherish every opportunity to meet people, so when I walk, ride, take a plane, or wherever I go, I talk to people. I always carry Falun Dafa flyers in my handbag. My hometown is near a large lake. The water flows to the sea and the scenery is peaceful. Sometimes there are festivals, and I always try to attend. I usually set up tables, hang Dafa banners, distribute materials, and give out little lotus flowers. My table always stands out because of the large and small colorful lotuses. A lot of people come to my table to hear the truth. Since I am alone, I cannot practice the exercises. When there’s a power supply, I bring a TV and an exercise videotape of Master demonstrating the exercises. Sometimes I turn on the music of Pudu or Jishi. Some people shed tears after hearing the truth; some hug me. Many people hold my hand, and say they are grateful.
One week, a cruise ship came to our town, and it was the final trip of the year before winter came. I set up a truth-clarification table near the lake. In my heart, I asked Master to bring more people to come and hear the truth so they could be saved. Many tourists stopped at the table. One young woman in her twenties happily said, “You think that you aren’t doing something special, but in heaven, it is divine and precious.” She said that she didn’t want to leave. I knew Master was encouraging me.
There are parades every summer in our small town, and I always participate to clarify the truth. Last year, three fellow practitioners from Halifax told me they would come and join the parade. They were supposed to be there at 3:00 p.m. for the 6:00 p.m. parade. But when I called them at 3:00 pm, they said that they had just begun to depart. I wondered how I could do it alone if they were late for the parade.
Without overthinking things, I started decorating my car with a big lotus flower and a Dafa banner on the front and sides of the vehicle. The car was white, and the decorations stood out. I thought that if fellow practitioners couldn’t come in time, I would join the parade alone in my car. But they arrived 10 minutes before the parade started. I was so happy to see them and thought I was fortunate. With a car decorated with Dafa decorations and fellow practitioners holding a Dafa banner, we walked in the parade accompanied by the beautiful and calming melody of Pudu.
We distributed Dafa materials and lotus flowers to people along the parade route. That day was a special day when a lot of tourists came to see the parade. People stood on both sides of the street and received Dafa materials and lotus flowers. This was our second parade here, and each time, it was full of wonders and goodness. I realized that Master’s arrangements are always complete and the best.
I know some Westerners began to practice the exercises and study the Fa at home. I also found out that the parents of the person who I introduced the Fa to from India, also started practicing and formed a group there.
Many people now understand the evil nature of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). I wished to send truth-clarifying text messages to save Chinese people, and soon Master had another arrangement for me. A Vietnamese practitioner in Hamilton helped me to get a lot of phone numbers to send messages to clarify the truth to Chinese people. With the help of Taiwanese and Chinese practitioners, I could send thousands of messages every day to save Chinese people.
When the phone numbers arrived, the evil interfered terribly. The electricity lines connected to my house were continuously blown up for several hours, but I was not afraid. I knew that Master protected my home, and finally, the power was restored.
During the COVID pandemic I worried that people would not be saved. Since then, I have decided to go door-to-door to distribute Dafa materials to each household. My door-to-door package includes the following: A Falun Dafa flyer, lotus flowers sent to me by my twin sister and some other Vietnamese practitioners, and some valuable articles from the Minghui website about this special period.
Along with a few fellow practitioners from Halifax, we formed a group to hand out the materials. We would clarify the truth and offer materials to anyone we met on the street or at their doors. All of them were very happy to receive the materials. Many people were standing at the door waiting for us to come. We have been doing this for several years now. On every street corner and alley, lotus flowers bloom everywhere, and the compassionate energy of practitioners can be felt.
On the way to validating the Fa to save sentient beings, I’ve encountered many tribulations. Master protected and led me through it all. Once when I went to distribute materials in a remote rural area, a pack of fierce dogs ran out and tried to bite me as soon as I got to the gate of one house. When I slipped and fell, I called out, “Master, please save me.” The ferocious dogs turned and ran back inside. At that time, the home owners came out, and I clarified the truth to them and gave them Dafa materials. Sometimes when I was terribly interfered with, I felt like a withered tree and Master sprinkled water on me and revived me.
Master always encouraged us. The fellow practitioner from Africa was about to return to Togo to spread the Fa and save people there. I called her to say we would bring some Dafa materials to her house after finishing the flyer distribution in the evening. We did not have her address, but Master led us to her front door. We then distributed the flyers to all the people in that area. I realized that since she was about to leave Canada and the sentient beings in her neighborhood had not received Dafa materials to be saved, Master brought us there to assist her.
A few days ago, we went to an area with several nursing homes to hand out Dafa materials and clarify the truth to the local people. An old lady in a wheelchair approached me. She looked into my eyes and said that we'd met before. I was surprised because I never met her before. The old woman held my hand for a long time. After receiving a lotus flower from me, she looked at the tag. She read, “Falun Dafa is good, Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance is good.” She then said that she would keep this lotus flower forever. I told her to always remember these two phrases, and that frequently reciting them would be good for her. She thanked me and didn’t want me to leave.
I am so grateful to Master for arranging for me to come here and have the opportunity to collaborate with other fellow practitioners. I cherish every moment we are together working on truth-clarification projects or sharing cultivation experiences. While driving to where we needed to go, we always took the opportunity to share with each other about our cultivation. My car is always full of laughter and compassionate energy.
I am the only practitioner in my small town and I live far from other fellow practitioners. To get together to clarify the truth, I often have to leave home early in the morning and return late at night, but my heart is light, and I am very happy. For me, what needs to be done alone, I will do alone, and what needs to be coordinated with fellow practitioners, I am happy to cooperate.
After each time I overcame tribulations and improved my xinxing, the Fa would reveal to me the layers and layers of deep meaning behind the words. My heart is singing, and my mind is always happy like a child’s. I will try my best to do the three things well, assist Master in the Fa-rectification, save more people, and not dissapoint Master’s compassion and expectations. Whenever I think of Master, my tears won’t stop flowing.
Thank you, Master, and thank you, fellow practitioners, for listening to my sharing. If there is anything inappropriate, please kindly point it out.
(Presented at 2023 Canada Falun Dafa Cultivation Experience Sharing Conference)