Sunday A.M. Opening Session with Consulor Farzid Aghdasi:

His thoughts were that the Universal House of Justice could also be known as the "Universal House of Mercy" in that they show and expend Love, Mercy and Guidance to the world. Aghdasi mentioned that we are the last refruge of a tottering civilization and that the closer we knit our hearts to the Universal House of Justice, our thinking and actions will pattern that future civilization and attract others. In the last 12 years, the Universal House of Justice was almost silent when it came to issues involving Social Action. After obedience to and execution of the principles of the teaching plans, what was considered "dispersion" can now expand into "penetration". Now is the time for Baha'is to integrate thenselves into their communities and expand their social action.

As of recently, the Baha'i world has seen transformation from Baha'i/Non-Baha'i to an elimination of this segrigation - in this sense, boundaries separating peoples from us has been virtually eliminated. We are called to participate in joining with other peoples from all walks of life in our walk to Baha-u-llah. There is a new requirement of all of us to bring the teaching of Baha-u-llah directly to the peoples of our communities without the American/Persian/Other cultures that we experience. Feasts in one of the communities in the American Southwest involves music/entertainment featuring "salsa" cultural influences.

Much information of the Faith comes to us from various levels...we have to integrate all information in transforming our lives and communities to that "new civilization" that we are required to build. Many Baha'is tend to gravitate toward a specialty when serving this Cause - some will serve by contributing to the Assemblies, others will serve at national institutions and still others by holding feasts. Now it is expected that each Baha'i can do some part of all requirements expected of us: i.e.: One can do work on an SED, teach the Faith, contribute to building Baha'i Communities and otherwise uplift the state of their fellow man. These activities all take skills to do correctly and we can see the need for a culture of learning to be a part of every member.

The question then becomes "Can you become the Agent of Change" in your community?"... "Can you muster Leadership skills needed to transform your community, region, the world?".

The end quote of this session:

"The day of service is now come!" Baha-u-llah