Zagreb to Budapest

So, since today is Sunday, and it has been FULL of missionary moments and experiences, I thought I'd share our experience with Marina on the train between Zagreb, Croatia and Budapest, Hungary.

We had a few hours before our train left Zagreb, so we chilled out at the park for a picnic lunch, and I found H and M, a real thrill :)

I also found fresh popcorn on the street, which may have even been more of a thrill :)

Then we boarded the train for our 6 hour ride, and ended up sharing our cabin with Marina, a 30 something year old girl headed to Hungary to see her boyfriend after 2 weeks apart. The six hours flew by because we never stopped chatting and sharing with each other.

Marina knows without a doubt that God lives and that He helps us in our lives, but it has been a few years since she has really felt the "fire" and had a spiritual experience, or even really yearned to have one.

It was SO COOL to hear Scott testify to her that Heavenly Father lives, and that He loves her. He is waiting to hear from her and give her the comfort and direction she so desperately needs in her life. I was actually really surprised how easy it was in this setting to share with her how I approach big life decisions and how I know whether I am living the life I want to live, or the life Heavenly Father has planned for me. I told her that after I pray, I wait and listen, sometimes for weeks or months at a time... but I know I can confidently move forward as long as my plan makes sense in my head, and feels right in my heart. Scott bore a powerful testimony that God will not let us go too far down a path that is wrong, and that His greatest desire is for us to be happy in this life and in the eternities.

Marina is such a good, good person, with such sincere desire to do good and know truth. What a special experience to be put in a time and place where we could share with her the truths we have and how those gospel truths really work in our daily lives.

One of my favorite things Marina asked was "What? You're married? What made you want to do that?" She has been with her boyfriend for several years, and wishes he would propose and marry her, but marriage is such a formality in their culture, and they just haven't gotten around to it.

I told her that I wanted to marry Scott because I wanted to be with him forever, and that marriage was the next logical step in our relationship. But Scott's answer was infinitely better when he explained that marriage is a commitment not just between us, but including Heavenly Father that makes our relationship eternal, and that helps sanctify and strengthen us because of the sealing power and covenants we make when we are married in the temple. Wow. Scott is such a good example to me of being bold in action and in conversation. I am the luckiest girl in the world to not only travel the world with him, but live every day by his side.

We wish Marina the best, and hopefully we'll stay in touch!