(Minghui.org) Practitioners held an event at the Treasury Gardens in Melbourne the first weekend in February to celebrate the upcoming Chinese New Year. They wished to thank the founder of Falun Dafa, Master Li, for the benefits they received from following the practice.

Practitioners wished Master Li a happy Chinese New Year during their celebration at Treasury Gardens in Melbourne

From new practitioners to those who have practiced for more than 20 years, they all say they experienced positive physical and mental changes after they began practicing Falun Dafa.

Manager: Miracles at Work and in the Family

Stuart is grateful to Master Li.

Stuart, 44, is a father and manages a roofing company. Because he was frequently ill when he was a child, he always looked for ways to improve his health. He said fortunately, he and his mother, who suffered from emphysema, found Falun Dafa at a Mind, Body, and Spirit Festival in Melbourne in 2000.

“When My mom started to practice, I could see miraculous changes in her. When her sickness disappeared I knew that we found the right path. I tried so many different practices, but I could see this one actually worked,” he recalled. His mother not only recovered from emphysema, she joined the Tian Guo Marching Band and plays the French horn.

Stuart also experienced miracles. “The curvature of my spine that looked like a question mark or a hunch back had gotten worse each year—but my back miraculously straightened within a short period of time after I began practicing. All my allergies disappeared and I felt that I had a future. Now, more than 25 years later, I practice like I did when I first began practicing Falun Dafa—with my whole heart,” he explained.

He said Master protected him numerous times. He recalled an incident that happened many years ago. “I was about 19 years old and I was working as an apprentice. I was holding the ladder against a two-story building for my coworker. He had to walk across a narrow segment near the roof to get access to fix the window,” Stuart said. “Suddenly about 12 bricks next to him snapped off and came down above me, while I was directly below him holding the ladder. I looked up as the bricks fell toward me.”

He said it was as if there was a barrier above him and all the bricks fell around him, some landed right at his feet. “My coworker fell off the roof and landed awkwardly stumbling to the ground, but missed the pile of debris. My heart was not moved, I didn’t feel scared at all,” he continued. “My coworker couldn't believe that I wasn’t hit by the bricks. The more we talked about it the more I realized that if I was hit by a brick I could have died. I knew Master saved me.”

By reading Zhuan Falun (the main teachings of Falun Dafa) every day, Stuart is able to remain calm and he handles all kinds of challenges. As a father of two young children, he also learned to balance work and life. “By following the teachings of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance, I can do better and pass on these principles to my children, the values that I have learned and live by,” he explained.

Falun Dafa teaches Stuart to think of others first. “I am now a better man and a better father because of Falun Dafa. I want to thank Master Li for everything and wish him a happy Chinese New Year!” he added.

High School Student: Doing Well When Facing Challenges and Temptations

Hoang Minh Anh

Hoang Minh Anh, 17, is a twelfth-grade student. At her mother’s suggestion she started to practice Falun Dafa two years ago. Her mother began to practice Falun Dafa in Vietnam in 2019. Hoang had already immigrated to Australia with her father and a younger brother.

During video calls, her mother often talked about the benefits of Dafa and Hoang believed her. When she visited her mother in 2023, Hoang was still surprised by what she saw. “I could see how mother’s appearance changed and she looked so young. Plus, she used to get mad easily and would yell at me over small things. But after she practiced, even the way she talks changed. The way she carries herself is elegant,” Hoang explained. “I could see a lot of compassion in her and I told my mom that I want to practice Falun Dafa.”

She said the health benefits were amazing. “I was always sick. I had bronchitis and tonsillitis, and I had difficulty eating. I had to go to the hospital about once a month where they would give me fluids though an IV—this was really hard for my parents,” she recalled.

“I used to be small and thin. But after I started practicing Dafa, I no longer had to take medicine or go to hospital. I am healthy and I feel good,” she continued.

Hoang’s character also improved dramatically. “I was very shy and had no confidence. I found it hard to make friends or to even talk. After I started practicing Falun Dafa I felt like a weight had been lifted and all the hardship was gone,” she said. She was able to make many friends.

A teenager may face various challenges and temptations. “I understand about karma so I don’t do bad things any more. Instead I follow Dafa and Master’s guidance,” Hoang explained. “Every time I feel really down, I read Zhuan Falun and I always get my answer from the book. It is truly a comfort for me.”

She explained that there’s many bad influences at school and it’s easy to go along with what other students do. “But I am a Falun Dafa practitioner and I try to be more righteous, by following the principles of Truthfulness-Compassionate-Forbearance. I think it’s good to follow what you believe in,” Hoang continued. “Some of my friends say that I’m a really good person, and no one swears around me or uses bad language. I think that they can sense a good person or they just feel the righteous field. My friends know that I practice Falun Dafa.”

Hoang also has a part-time job and takes care of her younger brother. “As a young person, it is hard to do everything: working, studying, being a good student, and being a good daughter. But I have the Fa and I feel like I can do anything even at this young age,” she continued. “I can do things independently without being reminded. My dad trusts me because I practice Falun Dafa and I join Dafa activities. Practicing Falun Dafa has helped me be more mature.”

Hoang said she feels very fortunate to practice Falun Dafa. “I will try my best to improve my xinxing and study the teachings well, so that Master doesn’t have to worry about me. Thank you, Master and I wish you a happy New Year!”

Young practitioners

Practitioners from Vietnam