FFWPU USA: Young Unificationists' Workshop and Peace Cup Tournament — Jinil Fleischman

“I feel like this was really a time of reflection for me to understand my relationship with God and to [understand more] of my identity,” shared a young CARP member. “I cannot change unless I connect with God and True Parents. And it is not only intellectual or conceptual understanding … we must feel God in our core and innermost heart. People cannot live for the sake of others without realizing God’s love, heart, and truth.”

From January 3 to 5, CARP LA held its annual Turning Point Workshop at the Los Angeles Family Church. The regional workshop unites new and longtime CARP members who learn more about the Divine Principle and the mission of True Parents, who founded the Unification Church. Participants have in-depth study of chapters including the Principle of Creation, the Human Fall, Rebirth and the Trinity, as well as the History of Restoration, God’s Preparation for the Second Advent, and examining True Parents’ life course.

“The part that stood out to me was the theme that was found in everything: God’s true love,” shared another CARP member. “In POC [Principles of Creation], everything God did and envisioned was out of His true love. In the Fall, what we lost was God’s true love. Since then, we haven’t had it or seen it in the world. Then, through Jesus and Rebirth, it’s about finding and inheriting God’s true love. That is what Jesus showed us.”

Participants also had the opportunity to look more closely at the life of Jesus, his boundless love for humanity, and the foundation that was laid for True Parents’ providential work.

“Even from a young age, [Jesus] had a sad story path,” lamented one CARP member. “His parents weren’t fully there for him and weren’t giving the love he was supposed to receive. When he was 30 years old going out to do his mission, John the Baptist failed to proclaim that Jesus was the son of God.”

“Because of that, Jesus had to do a 40-day fast in the wilderness where Satan tried to tempt him three times,” they continued. “Then there was the betrayal and denial part. Even through all that struggle, Jesus was still able to forgive and continue to have faith in God. Jesus really embodied the love of God and I came to appreciate him a lot more.”

Discussing the lives of Jesus and True Parents led some participants to become more introspective as they reflected on their own experiences and growth.

“After hearing Jesus’ course … [I realized I still have] much to learn about understanding Jesus’ heart and

having that same heart for the rest of the world,” shared a CARP member. “This flows well with one of my fallen nature [qualities] of having a closed heart. When meeting others, I find it hard to have an open heart for others and make myself vulnerable … I need to work [on] my relationship with God to overcome this fallen nature and share God’s heart with others.”

The workshop was followed by the 2024 Peace Cup LA sports tournament from January 5 to 7. The annual event brings together young Unificationists from Los Angeles, Las Vegas, the Bay Area, and Colorado.” The purpose was to build community and culture through friendly sports competitions and to build momentum toward hosting an international Peace Cup in North Korea,” shared an organizer.

The tournament - held at the LA Family Church, Dignity Health Sports Park, and CAL State LA University Gym - featured futsal, basketball, and volleyball matches, in addition to e-sports such as Super Smash Bros. and Mario Kart. The Peace Cup, launched in 2003 by True Parents, originated in Seoul as a means of resolving conflicts between regions, fostering unity among different people, and promoting spiritual and cultural peace.

January 14. 2024 Q. Search

Contributed by Harumi Muranaka

Turning Point Workshop STUDENT STORIES O n January 3-5. CARP LA host ed the annual Turn ing Point Workshop at the Los Angeles Fam ily Churc h. This re gio na l-level CARP work shop provides an opportunity for new and lo ng-time CARP members t o hea r more in-depth contents from the Div ine Princ iple. and abo ut th e life and mission of CARP’s fou nders, Father and Mother Moon - w ho we call True Parent s. ALUMNI STORIES

The first day covered topics from the Divine Principle. inc luding the Principle of Creation. the Human Fall, and Rebirth & the Trinity. Th e second day covere d mo re to pics fro m th e Divine Principle. including the Histo ry of Restoration and God’s Preparation for t he 2nd Advent. and as well as True Parents· Life co urse. The third day was a continua tion o f True Pa rents· Life course. Archive

Year in Review

Testimon ies:

“The part t hat stood out to me was the them e that was found in everyth ing: God’s true love. In POC [Principles o f Creation]. everything God did and envisioned was out of His true love. In the Fall. what we lost was God’s true love. Since then. we haven’t had it or seen it in the world . The n. thro ug h Jesus and Reb irth. it’s about find ing an d inh eriting God’s tru e love. That is what Jesus showed us. I appreciated the gu idance from Naoko- san [CARP LA director] tha t more than the number of vi tality e lements or what makes us “good”. the important part is how much we can experience and feel God’s love. I felt this is the most important fo r me t o focus on.”

“What stood o ut to me was the hea rt of Jesus Christ. Even from a young age he had a sad sto ry pa th. His pa ren ts weren’t fu lly there for him and weren’t giving the love he was supposed to receive. When he was 30 years old going out to do his mission. Jo hn the Baptist failed to proclaim th at Jesus was the son of God. Because o f that Jesus had to do International

a 40 day l ast in the w il d ern ess w here ::iatan tried to te mpt him 3 tim es . I hen th ere was th e betraya l and d enial part. Even thro ug h all th at strug gle Jesus was sti ll ab le t o forg ive Trips and con tinue t o have faith in Go d. Jesus really embod ie d the love o f God and I ca me to app reciate him a lo t mo re .”

“After hea ring Jesus’ course, I refle cted during the lecture and asked myself, do I truly know Jesus? Do I know hi s heart? I to ld mys elf that I still had much to learn about underst and ing Jesus’ heart and hav ing th at same hea rt fo r the rest of the wo rld. This flows w ell w ith one o f my fallen nature o f havin g a close d hea rt. When me eti ng others, I find it hard to have an ope n heart fo r others and make mys elf v ulne rable. With my discussio n fro m Naoko sa n, w e underst ood that w e nee d t o put o ur faith in God s inc e — having a closed heart falls under Fa ilin g to take Go d’s Sta ndpoint. Personally, I need to work w ith my re lationship w ith God to overcome this fallen nature and sha re God ‘s heart w ith o thers.”

“I feel like this d ay w as re ally a time o f re flectio n fo r me t o unde rst and my relati o nship w ith God and to le arn of my identity. Even though we recog nize that God is our He avenly Pare nt, beca use of th is f alle n lineage, we are bo und by sin and depra v ity. I fe lt that unless we truly realize that we must c hang e and work o n my relationshi p w ith True Parents, reb irth w ill not hap pe n. I ca nnot change unless I connect w ith Go d and True Pare nt s. And it is not o nly inte lle ctu al o r conceptual und erstand in g, like Madoka [CARP LA leader] sa id, we must fee l God in o ur core and innermost hea rt. Peop le cannot live for the sake of othe rs w ithout re alizing God ‘s love, he art and truth.”

Peace Cup CARP LA pa rti c ipated in th e Peace Cup LA 20 2 4 he ld on J anuary 5-7 which hosted yo uth from Los Ang eles, Las Vegas, the Bay A rea, and Colorado. The purpose was t o b uild community and c ulture thro ugh frie nd ly sports competitio ns and to bu ild mo mentum towa rds hosting an int ernationa l Peace Cu p in No rth Ko rea .

Jun ior Cli ppe rs representative, Brando n Chen, and LA Galaxy Park Manage r, Ty ler Champio n, gave con gratulat ory remarks and a Famous K-Po p artist offe red 2 songs at th e ope ning ceremony.

Ty ler Champio n and the LA Ga laxy Park staff researched LA Galaxy’s participation in prev ious Pe ace Cups one wee k before our initi al v isit t o the ir facility. Upon o ur arrival, he thou ght it was a g reat coin cidence, saying “me eting you g uys is the highlight of my week,” and happily supp orted th e pro gram and v isio n.

Day 1 Photos:

Day 2 Photos:

Day 3 Photos:

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