Youthful Impression

Baha'is from Virginia shared this story about Marla who declared online.  She recalled the first of many encounters with the Baha’i teachings coming from a Baha’i youth. 

Marla was raised in a Methodist family in Georgia but never felt content with her spiritual life.  The turning point happened in 2000 when she had finished graduate school and was working for the mayor’s office in a large city.  She was organizing a youth diversity summit.  The youth participating in the summit also mentioned that they needed to talk about diversity of religion.  Marla was working with six students from six different religions, one of whom was a 15 year-old Baha'i. When this young girl spoke about the Baha'i teachings, Marla thought to herself that this was what she believed but that she had never heard anyone articulate it before. She later asked the girl and her mother to give her more information. Marla moved to another city where she met a neighbor.  Marla told her neighbor about the Faith and the neighbor said to her that she was a Baha'i!  Marla moved again and attended a local Fair where Baha'is had a booth.  This time she was able to attend a study circle and form a lasting bond with a local Baha’i.