(Minghui.org) I began practicing Falun Dafa in 1997. In 2008, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) illegally sentenced me to seven years in prison for my faith. After I was released from prison, I worked hard to catch up with Fa-rectification. Here, I would like to share how I validated Dafa within my family and helped Master save my extended family members.
Rectifying Myself
I visited my parents after I was released from prison. My sister said my father-in-law reported me to my company, which then informed the Public Security Bureau, so I was arrested. While I was unlawfully detained, my mother-in-law fearing that my situation would affect my child’s chance to be admitted to military service, asked my husband to divorce me in front of my sister. Hearing this deeply upset me.
I later learned that when I called one of my husband’s younger sisters to arrange a meet-up place to deliver my clothes, she informed my father-in-law, and then I was arrested. Afterward, I distanced myself from my in-laws—especially this sister-in-law, and I deeply resented them.
After I returned home, practitioners shared with me all of Master’s teachings and his video recording: “Lecture Given to Australian Practitioners.” Through intensive Fa study I realized that I mistook doing things as true cultivation, and thus I failed to cultivate solidly. I shouldn’t blame my father-in-law or sister-in-law for my imprisonment and persecution that I endured. Like many Chinese they were brainwashed by the CCP’s propaganda, which caused them to lose their ability to tell right from wrong.
I reminded myself to uphold the principles of the Fa (teachings), cultivate myself when I ran into conflicts, look inward and consider others in my actions. Once I understood this I let go of my resentment towards them.
My father-in-law was a long-term CCP member. Unaware of the truth, my in-laws believed the narrative of the “Self-Immolation Hoax on Tiananmen Square” which was orchestrated by the CCP.
We lived separately. After I returned home, my mother-in-law began inviting me to dinner. I realized they wanted me to cook for them. At the same time, they were worried that other practitioners might visit me at home. I thought this was a good opportunity to make up for the lack of filial piety towards them in the past few years when I was detained. So whenever they called, I happily went. I not only bought groceries for them, but also cooked to ensure they had a good meal. I also cleaned up after every meal.
Treating My Husband’s Family Kindly
Because I refused to stop practicing I was dismissed from work. After I was allowed to return, I was demoted to temporary staff. I clarified the facts to a coworker and gave her a Shen Yun DVD. When my father-in-law found out, he called my husband and me and said, “You’re telling people about this again and distributing DVDs. If the police find out, they’ll put you in jail.”
“Dad, I didn’t do anything wrong,” I replied calmly. He was surprised, “No?”
I replied, “The DVD is about a show that showcases traditional Chinese culture. Only out of jealousy former CCP leader Jiang Zemin started this persecution.”
He interrupted me and said, “Don’t talk about that. You either get a divorce, or write down something and promise you’ll stop practicing Falun Dafa.”
Since he didn’t understand, I said, “Dad, don’t be upset. I’ll talk to you another time.”
When I returned home, my husband threw a huge temper tantrum, cursing and venting his anger before he slammed the door and left. Although my son also criticized me, he understood the truth, even though he was under great pressure.
My sister visited me a few days later. She told me my father-in-law told her to talk to me. She also said that if I continued practicing, he’d make my husband divorce me. I felt like a heavy weight was pressing on my chest.
I continued to shop for groceries, cook, and clean for my parents-in-law as usual. Some time later, I wrote a heartfelt ten-page letter to my father-in-law. In the letter, I sincerely acknowledged a past argument we had over four hundred yuan and asked for his forgiveness for any disrespect I had shown to him and my mother-in-law. I also explained how practicing Dafa brought positive changes to my home and work.
One day, my mother-in-law told me that my father-in-law finished reading the letter. My younger sister-in-law said to me, “After reading the letter, Dad said, ‘It seems that your sister-in-law is really kind to us.’”
My father-in-law’s health was poor, and he was hospitalized several times a year. I encouraged him to recite an auspicious phrase—“Falun Dafa is good! Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance is good!” I told him that reciting these words could help relieve his pain. Seeing him nod in agreement, I continued, “The phrase ‘CCP will collapse’ inscribed on the ‘Hidden Character Stone’ is a sign of heaven’s will. Please consider withdrawing from the Party you once joined. The gods look at people’s hearts.”
He said, “Sure.”
I bought a DVD player for my in-laws, so they could watch videos like “Hidden Character Stone” and the Nine Commentaries on the Communist Party. My father-in-law watched them, but due to years of CCP indoctrination he had difficulty accepting the content. However, his attitude about my cultivation changed.
My son got married and had children, and I helped care for his family. Seven years later, I returned home. Less than a month later, my mother-in-law, who had always been in good health, suddenly suffered a stroke and passed away. My father-in-law was devastated. After the funeral, I reflected: a new environment for cultivation was about to begin. My husband suggested that my father-in-law move in with us, making it easier to take care of him. However, my father-in-law declined, and even my two sisters-in-laws couldn’t change his mind.
I asked him, “Why don’t you want to live with us? Are you afraid that I won’t respect you? I practice Dafa and I’ll take good care of you. Please stay with us. It’s spacious here, it’s also convenient and saves us the trouble of running back and forth.” He finally agreed.
My father-in-law was in his 80s, had Parkinson’s disease, and was prone to falling and was unable to take care of himself. After his wife passed away, we wanted to make sure he wouldn’t feel lonely. My husband and his two sisters, along with myself agreed that my husband would work during the day and spend the evenings with him. Since both sisters-in-laws didn’t work the younger one—who lived nearby, came over every day after my husband left for work, while the other, who lived farther away, came over once a week.
Our daily routine changed after my father-in-law moved in. I prepared breakfast just before 7 a.m. every day, making a variety of dishes for him, including small steamed buns, red bean paste buns, and more.
Treating My Sisters-In-Law Kindly
My father-in-law’s savings were handled by his younger daughter. One day, when we were alone, he told me that he saved several hundred thousand yuan and wanted to share some with us. I said, “You should divide it as you see fit. Your two girls come every day to take care of you, so it’s only right to give them a share.”
That evening, my father-in-law and I discussed how much to give to each of them. I suggested, “Since your younger daughter comes more often, you should consider giving her a bit more. The older daughter only comes only once a week, so 5,000 yuan should be enough.”
That day, my older sister-in-law came over. When I noticed her unhappy expression as she took the money, I realized my mistake. I reflected on my own thoughts: I resented that she, who came only once a week, still shared the money equally with us, which made me feel it was unfair. I also harbored resentment toward her because I believed she was responsible for my seven years of imprisonment. Out of spite, I suggested giving her only 5,000 yuan as a form of revenge.
When I reflected on my actions, I realized they went against the principles of Truthfulness, Compassion and Forbearance. I quickly asked Master to help me deepen my understanding and strengthen my resolve to correct myself in accordance with the Fa. Since then, even when my father-in-law occasionally tried to give me more money, I always insisted that my husband divide it fairly to avoid any conflict. Now whenever my father-in-law distributes money, everyone is happy.
My youngest sister-in-law often said to me, “When I chatted with my friends, they all said their sisters-in-law were not good. They don’t cook and they discourage them from visiting their parents, and are at odds with them. I said, ‘My sister-in-law never does that. She encourages us to visit. She doesn’t let us cook either.’”
The other sister-in-law also said to me, “My sister-in-law, I am happy to visit so I don’t have to bother cooking.”
I said, “If I didn’t practice Dafa, I wouldn’t have been so kind. I probably would be even worse than other sisters-in-law.” She agreed.
The Environment Changes
One day, shortly after I arrived home, my father-in-law called me into his room. Both sisters-in-law were already there. He asked me, “Did you go out to hand out flyers again?”
I calmly said, “Dad, I practice Dafa, and I follow the principles of Truthfulness, Compassion and Forbearance to be a good person. I didn’t do anything shameful, so why can’t I even leave the house? Now I have a healthy body and take care of my extended family. I’ve practiced for nearly 30 years and I don’t take any medication. If I didn’t practice, could I possibly have a healthy body as I have now? Shouldn’t tell people how wonderful Dafa is?” My sisters-in-law quickly tried to explain to their father and changed the subject, while my father-in-law remained silent.
One night, I went to a practitioner’s home to study the Fa. When I returned home, the door was locked and no matter how hard I knocked, my husband wouldn’t open it. He usually didn’t care, only giving me bad looks when someone spoke behind my back. That night, I went to a practitioner’s home feeling unsettled. The practitioner reminded me to look within and improve myself. Suddenly, everything became clear.
I realized I failed to cultivate myself. Although my family tried to help me improve, I didn’t thank them—instead I complained. My enlightenment quality was so poor. Determined to change, I pulled myself together. The next morning, I borrowed 20 yuan from a fellow practitioner, bought a bunch of garlic, and headed home to make the sweet and sour garlic that my husband liked.
When I got home, I used my key to unlock the door, and stepped inside. My father-in-law sat at the dining table, eating. Seeing me, he hurriedly said, “You didn’t even come home to cook. Where were you last night? We didn’t hear you knocking. Your husband was drunk.”
My husband saw me washing the dishes and went to work without saying a word. My youngest sister-in-law came over. She smiled and asked me where I was. She said my father-in-law called after I left and asked her to go find me.
After this incident, my father-in-law never picked on me again, and I stopped hiding anything from him. Occasionally, when it was just the two of us I would say, “Dad, let me read the Fa for a little while—you can listen.”
He would agree.
When the weather was warm, I took him out in his wheelchair for walks. The neighbors and my coworkers said, “You take such good care of him. Look how rosy his complexion is. No daughters-in-law take their fathers-in-law out for a stroll. Everyone says that you are so kind.” They all knew that I practiced Dafa, though they didn’t say it out loud.
I said, “His children are so filial and he is blessed.” My father-in-law also couldn’t stop smiling.
My in-laws have many relatives, especially on my father-in-law's side. After he moved in with us, they often came to visit. No matter who came, I always treated them warmly and gave them generous gifts. My father-in-law noticed this, and twice tried to give me his bank card as a gesture of gratitude, but I did not accept it. I was a retired temporary worker with a limited pension, and I wore the same clothes for years. I only wanted to let them know that Dafa is great and practitioners are good people. I wanted them to understand the truth and be saved.
I previously tried my best to do well because I wanted my husband’s approval; so my intention was not entirely pure. Over time, I worked on rectifying myself through the Fa, approaching each family member with sincerity and a pure heart. Though my husband didn’t say anything, I noticed positive changes in him. Now when practitioners come to see me, he treats them cordially. My father-in-law does the same. Before, whenever practitioners came looking for me, he used to stare at them and ask them all sorts of things. Now he simply treats them with kindness and doesn’t ask intrusive questions.
My sisters-in-laws’ families quit the CCP and its affiliated organizations. Most of my in-laws’ relatives have also learned the truth and quit the CCP organizations. The older sister-in-law asked me to find her a copy of Zhuan Falun. Every time she visits, she reads Master’s new lectures. She often reminds her father, “Dad, the more you listen to my sister-in-law and read the Fa, the better off you are.”
My father-in-law also said, “I feel the phrases are good, so I just recite them.” He no longer believes in the CCP.
I wrote down this part of my cultivation path is to remind myself: Cultivate diligently as though I just started; not fail in my mission of assisting Master in Fa-rectification and saving sentient beings; and walk on the final leg of my cultivation journey. Thank you, Master, for your benevolent saving grace!
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Category: Improving Oneself
