(Minghui.org) My father-in-law was a stubborn old man who ruled over our home, and everyone in the family had to follow his orders. If anyone disobeyed him, his expression would change instantly. He was a member of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) for 40 years and had served as the village party secretary for over 30 years.

His mind was filled with CCP ideology, including the atheist belief in battling heaven and earth. He worshiped Mao Zedong, the most influential Communist leader in China. He was arrogant and conceited, and no one in the family dared to challenge him. Even when he was wrong, everyone still had to follow his orders.

As his eldest daughter-in-law, I had to listen to him and do what he said. He often spoke to me in private, saying, “You’re the eldest sister-in-law, so you need to take the lead in everything. They’re all watching to see how well you do.” His tone was threatening. I had three sisters-in-law, and my father-in-law never demanded anything from them. Their families held official positions in the local government, so he dared not offend them.

In contrast, my family was thousands of miles away in Northeast China, so his harshness toward me was unrestrained. I endured it all in silence. He said to me, “You need to get up early every day and empty our chamber pots.” So, every morning, I would ask my mother-in-law to open the door so I could empty their chamber pots.

I was extremely cautious, afraid of making mistakes. Despite this, my father-in-law was still highly critical of me. Once, when I couldn’t take it anymore, I went to the stream to fetch water, and as I stood there, overwhelmed with frustration, I cried out in agony, “Oh my God! Oh my God! I’m suffering so much! What can I do?”

Suddenly, out of nowhere, my father-in-law came over and yelled at me, “Why are you crying? What’s wrong with you!” I was so frightened that my tears immediately stopped. Stunned, I stood by the stream for a long time before I pulled myself together and took the water back home.

In addition to my father-in-law’s constant criticism, my mother-in-law never treated me like a fellow human being. Because my child was young, she took care of him. Every Sunday, I would ride my bike to the countryside to see them, but my mother-in-law wouldn’t even acknowledge me. I would help out with chores, yet she wouldn’t let me eat dinner with the family. By the time they’d finished their meal, there was only some vegetable soup left, and I had to eat it with rice. If there was no rice left, I would go hungry.

Sometimes, if my mother-in-law was upset, she wouldn’t even let me see my child and would send me away. I would cry all the way home, often feeling as though I wanted to die. As the youngest child in my family, my parents loved me dearly. I never imagined I would end up like this. My child and my husband were the only reasons I kept going. My husband had always comforted me and cared for me.

In July 1996, I began practicing Falun Dafa. I understood many things that had been puzzling me for so long. Dafa made everything clear for me. It felt as if the sun had pushed away the clouds. I realized that everything I had experienced was the result of karma. There was a reason why I was the daughter-in-law of my in-laws and why they treated me the way they did. I understood the principles of the Fa and the true meaning of life. I decided to act according to Dafa’s requirements and let go of my resentment.

From then on, I strictly held myself to high standards, broadened my mind, and let my father-in-law see the greatness of Dafa through my example. I let him know that Dafa is here to save people and help them return to their true nature. Through my actions, he saw the wonder of Dafa, which gradually helped him overcome his atheism. Over time, my father-in-law changed.

In July 1999, Jiang Zemin, the former head of the CCP, launched a brutal crackdown on Falun Dafa. My father-in-law, who was well aware of the CCP’s evil nature, was terrified. He tried to prevent me from practicing and used harsh language to scare me, but I didn’t back down.

In 2005, the movement to quit the CCP and its two youth organizations began. Local Falun Dafa practitioners started to tell people the facts about Falun Dafa and encouraged them to withdraw from the CCP and its affiliated organizations. At the time, my father-in-law was suffering from kidney cancer, and the hospital couldn’t help him. I asked him to sincerely recite, “Falun Dafa is good, Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance is good,” and I taught him the Dafa exercises. As the end of one’s life draws near, the desire to live becomes strong, but my father-in-law still refused to withdraw from the CCP.

Another practitioner once visited my home and had a heartfelt conversation with my father-in-law about the actions of the CCP since it came to power. She explained how countless innocent lives had been lost during its various political campaigns and that Heaven will not tolerate those injustices.With compassion, she told him, “If you don’t withdraw from the CCP, you will be part of it and then be implicated for its crimes. Death isn’t simply like blowing out a candle; people have spirits and different destinations after they pass away. Only by withdrawing can you secure a better future.” In the end, my father-in-law decided to withdraw from the evil Party.

I then told him, “Dad, if you repeat ‘Falun Dafa is good, Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance is good,’ you will go to a good place.” He nodded in agreement.

My father-in-law once mentioned that he liked a particular type of food. I replied, “I will make it for you.” I prepared the meal just as he liked it and asked him to sit up and eat. He struggled to sit up, so I brought the meal to him. He looked at me and lowered his head. I asked, “Does the food taste good?” He nodded. Just then, I noticed he was about to vomit, so I quickly put my hand over his mouth and said, “Dad, just spit it out. It’s okay.”

After he’d finished his meal, I suggested that he lie down and rest. He seemed to have something to say, but hesitated. Finally, he said, “Let me take a good look at you. I don’t have many days left. You have been so kind to me.” Not long after that, he passed away peacefully. I truly believe he went to a good place.