PureInsight | March 4, 2019
[PureInsight.org]
Photo: Jasha Sommer-Simpson (First Right), a PhD student from Chicago, said, “I had no goals before, but now I found the true meaning of life. Thank you, Master Li Hongzhi!”
Lionel Harmon, who is from Orlando, Florida, said, “Those pilgrims took the ‘Mayflower’ to our country to seek freedom and opportunity to live a better life. However, Master Li Hongzhi taught us all the true meaning of freedom and the way to live a better life.”
In September 1620, 102 British Puritan colonists sailed on the Atlantic for 65 days on the famous “Mayflower” and arrived in the Americas. In that winter, many people were hungry and cold, and they died of illness. With the help of the Indians, the new immigrants learned to hunt, grow corn and pumpkin, and ushered in a bumper harvest in 1621. On the day of the harvest, the new immigrants invited the Indians to gather together and thank God for their blessings.
Thanksgiving has a history of nearly 400 years and it is always a day to express gratitude and blessings.
“Master, at the time when people from different culture and different countries are celebrating Thanksgiving, I want to express my simplest wish with the purest heart: I am deeply grateful. Thank you for giving us great Dafa, Master! On our journey of cultivation, you have been watching us with infinite compassion. Our gratitude come from our true innermost heart,” Lionel Harmon said.
On the occasion of Americans celebrating the holiday, a group of western Falun Dafa practitioners wrote a grateful melody with the sincerest heart. They thanked the founder of Falun Dafa, Mr. Li Hongzhi, for the goodness brought to the practitioners and the world.
The following are the words of gratitude written by some Falun Dafa practitioners from several states in America and in Europe and Germany to the founder of Falun Dafa.
Florida
Heia Studios/ Heiga Audio Visual CEO Malury Imbernon:
Heia Studios/ Heiga Audio Visual CEO Malury Imbernon said, “Falun Dafa has brought amazing benefits to my life. I will always be grateful for this. I am very grateful to Master for spreading Dafa to the whole world and bringing Dafa to my life."
“I am the owner of a successful entertainment company. The entertainment industry is seriously affected by some unhealthy trends in the society, such as materialism, low morality, fame and fortune, sexual disorder, etc. It is not easy to cleanse yourself in this environment. Falun Dafa made me understand the meaning of life, understand what is most important in life, and bring the best kindness to the people I meet. Dafa also makes me being able to balance my personal life. I finally found the inner peace I have always been pursuing."
Dessi Ivanova, Accountant from Florida:
Dessi Ivanova started to practice Falun Dafa five years ago. Since then, her life has undergone earth-shaking changes, and everything has become positive in her life. She owes all these changes to “the compassion and teachings of our respected Master.”
Dessi said, “If I didn’t practice Falun Dafa, I might end up being an alcoholic person full of anger and distress.”
“Master, it is not enough to express my great gratitude with human language. It is not enough to express gratitude even with using every second of my life to do so. Master, it is you who give me a chance to obtain Fa, give me hope and meaning of life, and let me constantly improve myself and become a better person! Being a Dafa disciple is the greatest honor in my life. Thank you Master! ”
Psychologist Regina Finnegan:
Regina Finnegan said, "I sincerely thank Master for the opportunity to practice Falun Dafa! I am deeply grateful to Master for all the suffering that Master suffered to teach Dafa!" "The cultivation of Falun Dafa has made my life meaningful. It is not enough to express my great gratitude with human language. I only hope that everyone can take this opportunity to practice Falun Dafa," Finnegan said.
Vincent Ragsdale from Orlando:
Vincent Ragsdale, who began practicing Falun Dafa in 2010, wrote: "Thanks to Master for teaching Dafa. Master has guided the disciples to the right path."
"In this precious historical moment of human loss, I thank Master for saving all beings in compassion."
Pennsylvania
Philadelphia psychologist Jessica Russo:
Jessica Russo wrote: "I don't know what language to use to express gratitude to Master Li. No matter how many times I have been confused on the road to cultivation, he has never given up on me.”
“Master Li inspired me to understand what is true compassion and how to always think of others first when comes to problems. From this I also realized the value of tolerance and honesty. In every day of my life, Master Li helped me to find the path back to true self. I am very honored and proud to be a Falun Dafa practitioner. Thank you, Master Li!"
Government official Phillip Randell:
Phillip Randell wrote: "On Thanksgiving Day, I want to say 'Thank you, Master Li!' You brought Falun Dafa to the world. I have encountered many twists and turns in my childhood, but my heart still keeps purity and dream. But the rebelliousness of adolescence made me completely lost, and my body continued to have problems. The cultivation of Falun Dafa not only made me regain my health, but also made me understand why people came to this world. I sincerely thank Master Li for everything brought to my life."
Philadelphia Doctor Ann Corson:
Ann Corson wrote: "I am very grateful to Master for letting me hear the truth about the creation and the structure of the universe, the world of heaven, the reasons of people coming to the world, and I thank him for the moral and spiritual improvement of myself with his guidance. I am really blessed."
Psychology PhD student Robert Backer:
Robert Backer wrote: "I want to thank Master Li for giving me the opportunity to continue to rekindle after I fell on the road back to the true self.”
"I am very grateful to Master Li for his care on my cultivation road, which let me realize my own shortcomings in various aspects and get rid of it to improve myself."
"For me, the 'truthfulness, compassion, and tolerance' advocated by Falun Dafa is not only part of my life, but all of my life."
Michigan
Jean Meria from the Greater Detroit area:
Jean Meria wrote: "What I want to say is that Falun Dafa and Master have given me a lot! The first amazing thing I experienced was that my insomnia has disappeared! Before I practiced Falun Dafa, I can only sleep for 2 hours every night. And then, my arthritis disappeared. I can never repay Master’s kindness of saving me.”
"When I started to read "Zhuan Falun", I stopped quarreling with my husband. On the contrary, I became compassionate to him and could forgive him."
"I always thought that I was right because I was an educated woman. After I read Master's teaching many times, I realized that we should think of others first. In the past, I thought I was a kind person, but after I started reading Zhuan Falun, I understood what true compassion and tolerance are. I not only stop quarreling with my husband, but also start to think from his perspective, I can also educate my three teenage children with compassion.”
"Later, I was able to treat my son-in-law very well, even though he always criticized me and my family. Finally, my son-in-law also said: Falun Gong practitioners are kind people, but the CCP is persecuting them. It is terrible."
"Thank you Master!"
Missouri
Sara Effner from Rolla, Missouri：
Sara Effner wrote: "I am not sick anymore and I can better cope with stress. For some deep problems, I spent a long time (to solve). I think (Falun Gong) saved my marriage because I learned how to face and deal with the contradiction with my husband (our personality is the opposite) and make me more honest - even if it means what I want to say (the truth) may be what he does not want to hear." “‘Compassion’ and not hurting others, understanding others will always lead to better results.” “I became more flexible, I could look at things from other different perspectives.”
Indiana
Laura Market, a physiotherapist from Evansville, Indiana:
"Respected Master Li Hongzhi, I thank you from the bottom of my heart, thank you for helping me with my body, mind and spirit. My life is full of suffering 19 years ago, when I did not practice Dafa. This kind of pain is difficult to use language to describe."
“At that time, I had severe ADHD, anxiety, depression, fibromyalgia and reproductive problems. I moved to a place 15 hours away from my family and friends to escape bad habits and find new ways of life. But I don't have confidence."
"By practicing the principle of 'truthfulness-compassion-tolerance’, I learned how to forgive and truly respect myself and others."
“I moved back home, and I got along very well with my family, including those who used to be very cruel to me.”
Matt Qualls from Evansville, Indiana:
"I am very grateful to Falun Dafa because he has helped me in many ways."
"About 4 years ago, I fell to the bottom. After graduating from college, I was heavily in debt and broke up with my girlfriend. I felt that I was a failure and didn't want to live anymore. At that time only spiritual beliefs could change me. I needed it very much. Soon after, I found Falun Dafa. Since then, my depression has improved. Falun Dafa has made me embark on a path of integrity and full of divinity. Thank you Master Li!"
Illinois
Chicago brothers Paul Darin and Andy Darin:
Andy Darin, the brother who is a company manager, said: "The changes that have taken place in me, my understanding of the whole world, my positioning of myself, and every opportunity I have gained, have come from Master Li Hongzhi and Falun Dafa. For this, I will always be grateful."
Younger Brother Paul Darin said, "I have been practicing Falun Dafa for nearly two decades. I have too much to thank Master in my life. When I was a teenager, I often had a nosebleed. I had to go to the doctor very frequently but still couldn’t find out the reason. In order to treat this sickness, I can't eat a certain kind of food, can't drink some kind of drink, and have to use spray all the year round. Every day, I will have nosebleeds, sometimes even a few times a day. Nose bleeding sometimes makes me dizzy, which affected my normal life. Doctors even said that people should not lose so much blood every day. But there is no solution, because this is a modern disease and they cannot find the cause."
"In 2001, I began to practice Falun Dafa. The symptoms of nosebleed suddenly stopped. After that, it only happened two or three times, and only bleed a small amount of blood. I am very grateful to Master for giving me a healthy body so that I can live without having to worry or be disturbed."
"In addition to the health benefits, Master has also allowed me to grow my wisdom and give me a deeper understanding of life and the universe, and this is what attracted me to practice Falun Dafa. I always love to explore and understand (Life), it's hard to imagine what would happen if I didn't have it in my life."
"In addition, the wisdom that Master and Dafa brought to me also allowed me to better deal with the tensions and difficulties, whether at work or at home, bringing me a calm and tolerant mentality. If Master did not walk into my Life, I won't be like this. This allows me to create a peaceful and respectful environment in different projects. For this reason, I am always grateful to Master."
"For Master and Dafa's help in my life and cultivation, this is just a short narrative. Even if I write for a few days, I can't fully express my gratitude. At the end, I want to thank Master publicizing Falun Dafa and letting people who live in this complex world today can still achieve enlightenment and become the best person."
Elka Skrztek, elder sister from Bensenville, and Lisa Rudek, younger sister from Antioch:
Lisa Rudek, owner of a company, wrote, “I am very grateful to Master Li Hongzhi for letting me get such a precious Dafa. If I didn't learn Falun Dafa, I would not be who I am today."
“When I was a child, I went to church every Sunday. When I grew up, I gradually felt that people went to church only one hour a week, but it didn’t change their life at other times of the week. I became like them.”
"I am dissatisfied with the status quo and blame this on other people. I don't want to accept such a life. I used to be cohabit in unmarried situation, because it is accepted by modern people, and I feel normal too."
"I have done a lot of wrong things, but I didn't realize it."
"Now, my views on life have changed completely. I feel that I have become a more peaceful person, not so irritable, and I have a positive attitude towards life."
"From my transformation, my family and friends have witnessed the power of Dafa. From being lost to being sober, Dafa taught me a clear path to life."
"I am also very grateful to Master Li Hongzhi for giving me a healthy body. The migraine and thyroid disease that I had before I learned Dafa disappeared. After that, I never had a disease and I would not get a virus in winter."
“Now I realize the difference between Dafa practitioners and ordinary people, because by following the principle of “truthfulness, compassion, and tolerance,” I changed my view about things.” "I thank Master Li Hongzhi from the bottom of my heart!"
Elka Skrztek, elder sister from Bensenville:
Elder sister Elka Rudek wrote: "Thank you Master for giving me the opportunity to be a better person. I am very happy. I am very grateful to practice Falun Dafa."
"I used to have a bad temper. After I practiced, I am more kind to others."
"I used to think that my things are mine. Now I am willing to share them with other people. For a simple example, when I only have a little coffee, I will still share it with my mother."
Jasha Sommer-Simpson, a university PhD student in Chicago:
Jasha Sommer-Simpson said: "I used to have no goal in my life. Now I feel the meaning of life. Thank you, Master Li Hongzhi!"
Kansas
Cathy Rooney from Lawence, Kansas:
Cathy Rooney wrote: "This Thanksgiving Day, I want to send the most sincere gratitude to Master Li Hongzhi, thank you for bringing Falun Dafa to my home country - the United States, let me become a Falun Dafa practitioner 17 years ago. Thank you for your blessings - health, hope, wisdom and the road to heaven."
Europe
Dascalu Daniela Dida from Munich, Germany:
Since February this year, Dascalu Daniela Dida keep telling the truth in front of the Chinese Consulate in Munich every week. She said, "Respected Master:
‘For a long time, I am looking for you, and you found me. I am very grateful for this! Through Dafa, I can become a good mother of two children and a model in the human society.’
"I think telling the truth is the best job on earth."
"I sincerely thank Master for everything he has done for us, to bear the karma for us, to help us continue on the road of cultivation. A few years ago I painted three hearts, it is like a symbol. Now I understand what it means, a heart is for Dafa, a heart is for you, and a heart is for myself."
Eyline Martini from the German city Ingolstadt:
Eyline Martini said, "Respectful Master: I can't use words to describe my inner feelings. With great gratitude, I am going to bow to -- Master Li Hongzhi. Thank you Master, let me practice Dafa. Thanks for everything you do for me."
Ursula Dusolt, textile artist from Rennertshofen bei Neuburg, Bavaria, Germany:
Ursula Dusolt said: "Respected Master: It is my great fortune to obtain Dafa. It is also a great gift to me. Although I am not a perfect practitioner, I am working hard every day to lay the foundation and save more people."
"For me, no human language can express my deep gratitude to Master. But I know that Master understands my heart," Dusolt said.
Iulia Iuliana Bejenar (right) and her son from Suceava, Romania:
Iulia Iuliana Bejenar said, "When I got Fa, I have everything! Thanks to the respected Master! It is my pleasure to practice Falun Dafa. Thank you very much Master!"
Herta Knoll from Gunzenhausen, Bavaria, Germany:
Herta Knoll, from Gunzenhausen, Bavaria, Germany, has been practicing Dafa for 14 years. She said, "Respected Master, I sincerely thank you for spreading Dafa. I have found peace of mind. Thank you Master!"
Stefan Schwarz, working at the University of Bamberg, Bavaria, Germany:
On the occasion of Thanksgiving Day, Stefan Schwarz extended his sincere greetings to Master Li Hongzhi and presented a poem:
"Thank you Master spreading Dafa
Taking us across the ocean
Dafa leads us through the storm
My heart is full of gratitude
Step by step
More and more relieved"
Translated from http://www.zhengjian.org/node/248090
