44. Practicing Falun Dafa in the Taiwanese Army

  By a practitioner in Taiwan   

  I became a Falun Dafa practitioner in May 2003. Although I knew at that time that Falun Dafa was very good, I didn't participate in the 9-day lecture class or the local practice for various reasons. But at some point, I decided to study Dafa seriously, even though I was extremely busy writing my thesis for a Master's degree. I studied the Fa and Master Li's other lectures at a certain time each day. Gradually I developed a deeper understanding of the Fa and its profoundness.   

  Six months later when I got my degree, I had to face another test!joining the army. According to the law in Taiwan, all adult young men, unless they have specific physical or psychological problems, have to serve in the army. Daily life in the training center for new recruits was filled with intense drills. I was not allowed to do the Falun Gong exercises. We were not even allowed to talk to each other most of the time. I told myself that if I could not do the exercises, I would focus on cultivating my character. here were so many things to endure in the army. At critical moments, I always remembered Master Li's words that we are cultivators. We should be kind to other people while holding ourselves to a high standard. Every day I would either read Zhuan Falun or talk to my classmates about Falun Gong for half an hour before going to bed. To those who could accept what I said and showed an interest in Falun Gong, I would lend them Zhuan Falun or give them the book.   

  After two months of preliminary training and three months of special training, I was appointed captain of a troop of coastal patrols. My responsibility was to command the troops and take care of the soldiers. Since there was not a deputy captain in my unit, I had to assume that position as well. In addition, I was appointed to the catering committee. At the same time, I was the only Officer on Duty in the unit, and I was busy every day. Although as a captain I had my own small room, I rarely had more than ten minutes of private time before someone knocked on the door and said, "Captain, so-and-so is looking for you." Most of my time was thus consumed. But I just held to one point: cultivating my character.  

  I kept on reminding myself that Master Li wanted me to be a good person in every aspect, so I did daily work with the soldiers. Whenever I had some time, I would talk to the officers and soldiers, trying to learn their family situations, if they felt O.K. in the army, and if they had any difficulties. I tried my best to help them solve their problems. At the same time, I took the opportunity to introduce Falun Dafa and tell them about the persecution of Falun Dafa by the Chinese Communist Party.   

  Since the soldiers were very young, slightly over 20, or only teenagers, it was easy for them to understand when I talked about the persecution and human rights abuses. Yet it was not easy to introduce Dafa to them. They often thought that Buddha and gods were something abstract that only existed in legends.  

  I only gave the book Zhuan Falun to a few soldiers who had a strong interest and were quite receptive to Dafa, so they had a chance to understand the profoundness of Dafa by themselves. As for other people, I chose to talk about the miraculous effects of Falun Gong in eliminating illnesses. hey liked to hear stories about that. Every time I told them my own experience, they looked amazed, but they could accept it. Some started to ask questions about Falun Gong. I tried my best to tell them what was said in Zhuan Falun. Some started to introduce Falun Gong to their families. When a soldier was depressed or felt wronged and upset, I made time to offer comfort and help with the situation. Depending on the occasion, I would tell him about the principles of Falun Dafa to let him know that there was a reason for everything.   

  I am grateful to be able to spread Dafa in the army. I realize that as Dafa practitioners, our every word certainly will have an impact on people in society and their views on Dafa and Dafa practitioners. Cultivating character at all times, treating everyone kindly in our lives, and watching our words, thoughts, and actions is the best way to clarify the truth and validate the Fa. It is natural and peaceful, reaching deep into the heart. It is also a way to spread the great benevolence Master Li has imparted to us.   

  Two months before I left the army, I was appointed as a Counseling Officer, and I did not have to take care of so much routine business every day. I had more time. If nothing special happened, I would do the four standing exercises during the lunch break and the meditation before going to bed. My supervisor gave orders to move the counseling office to a bigger room and asked me to decorate it myself. Seeing that there was a blank wall right behind the desk and the paint on the wall had peeled of, I went to the Yiqun Bookstore in Taipei on a holiday and bought a big poster with the words "Falun Dafa is good." I put it on the wall where the paint had peeled of. People who came into the room, before speaking to me, would look at the poster and read aloud, "Falun Dafa is good." Then they asked, "What indeed is Falun Dafa?" I would take the opportunity to clarify the truth to them. As a result, almost everyone in my troop learned about Dafa and knew that Falun Dafa is good.   

  One night in December, at around 10 o'clock, a soldier who was about to leave the army came into the counseling room. He said directly to me, "Captain, I often heard you mention Falun Gong, but I had no time to ask you about it. What indeed is Falun Gong? Is it really so miraculous? How is it different from Buddhism?" I gave him a brief explanation and handed him the book Zhuan Falun. He was very happy and said, "I will read it right away."   

  At 12:30 a.m., someone ran into my room without knocking. It was him. He looked a little shocked. He came in, threw himself in the chair, and said, "Captain, I have never encountered anything so spectacular."   

  The next day, he finished reading the whole book. Although both of us were about to leave the army, we seized the time to do the exercises in the Counseling Room during the noon break. Later the medical officer joined us, too, until we let the army in January of that year.