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"Your mission is unspeakably glorious. Should success crown your enterprise, America will assuredly evolve into a centre from which waves of spiritual power will emanate, and the throne of the Kingdom of God will, in the plentitude of its majesty and glory, be firmly established."
-'Abdu'l-Baha The Building the Kingdom Conference, in all it's glory, had to be one of the most inspiring events of my life. Having come from a community of 2, being suddenly embraced into a thriving community of 12,000 was certainly a jolt of electricity to my spiritual system! I also got to see the House of Worship for the first time. If you want to see for yourself what it is I'm raving about, materials on the Conference are available at the Kingdom Conference website. Whether you were there or not, I would definitely urge you to go listen to the final of Dr. Khan's talks on the "almost live" downloads they have. Listen to it a few times. It's beyond worth it to get another dose of his incredible wisdom. I, on the other hand, haven't quite that degree of knowledge on most topics, but did manage to learn a great deal from the Conference. I've compiled below a few of the most important, from the revolutionary to the silly, to the mundane. Enjoy THE 19 MOST IMPORTANT LESSONS FROM THE KINGDOM CONFERENCE: 1. 3 people can fit in the backseat of a van from Cleveland to Milwaukee only through the power of great love. 2. The same goes for the trip back. 3. Even with the stairs torn up, the House of Worship really is the prettiest place on earth. 4. With enough spirit and enthusiasm, even Milwaukee can come in a close second. 5. It's okay to lose control of your emotions in the Cornerstone Room. Everyone else feels the same way, they just get used to it. 6. You make a lot of interesting friends when you hang signs that say "The Kingdom or Bust!" in the windows of your car. 7. The number of friends you make just by introducing yourself is simply astonishing. 8. If the spirit moves you, go with it. If you want to dance, do it. If you want to yell "Ya Baha'u'l-Abha!" at the top of your lungs, do it. If you feel like sitting down next to a person you've never met before and saying hi, do it. You never know what might come of it. You never know what God has planned. 9. Children are miracles! 10. Never underestimate the value of a good cry. 11. Double that if you have a caring shoulder to do it on. 12. Group hugs are the glue that holds the world together. 13. It's okay to cut a workshop to deepen on the 5 Year Plan. Some of the best lessons aren't ever on the schedule. 14. Everyone needs to roll down a grassy hill at least once a year. 15. When you're feeling so much love and happiness that you can't stand it and you feel like you're going to explode, share it. It makes other people happy, and it beats exploding by a long shot. 16. When your NSA tells you, "Go Team!", wanting to jump up and down and yell in excitement is perfectly natural. Go for it. 17. When in doubt, try the Hidden Words. You won't be in doubt for long. 18. Even if you have an irrational fear of objects flying at your head, somehow life seems just a little less intimidating when the objects in question are 1000 rainbow-colored beachballs. 19. Friendship is one of the most precious things you can discover. It is a source of inspiration, comfort, love. Treasure it. |