Using *.stl files as parameters for Gazebo creations.

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Aloha ROSians! I am fairly new to ROS, as I am sure my problem lies with a rudimentary misunderstanding of the file structure of ROS, but nonetheless it is a problem that stumped several of us for a couple of hours today.

After finding out that Gazebo could use a STL file as its parameters, we attempted to make it work for us using first a .dea file, and then a stl file. our .urdf looks like this:

<robot name="robot_of_doom">
  <link name="base_link">
    <inertial>
      <origin xyz="2 0 0" /> 
      <mass value="1.0" />
      <inertia  ixx="1.0" ixy="0.0"  ixz="0.0"  iyy="100.0"  iyz="0.0"  izz="1.0" />
    </inertial>  
    <visual>
      <origin rpy="0 0 0" xyz="0.15 0 0.35"/>
      <geometry>
        <mesh filename="package://simulator_gazebo/gazebo_worlds/objects/plate2.stl"/>
      </geometry>
    </visual>
  </link>
  <gazebo reference="my_box">
    <material>Gazebo/Blue</material>
  </gazebo>
</robot>

Our plate2.stl is in the same location as our urdf file, and previously, when we were attempting to piecemeal the robot together we were at least able to see the individual components that we had created.

Can you see what we are doing incorrectly, and how to best correct it?

Thank you!

[Any other details needed can be provided, please let me know how I can help you help me! ]