Utah


MichaelPAGuy
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This is absurd. LDS culture is the same everywhere.

That's not true. LDS culture in heavily LDS Areas such as Utah and Idaho is different. Not bad or good, just different. And it's not because they are superior/inferior (take your preferred pick) but simply from the density of members. Obviously it's not like Utah and Idaho has a monolithic culture either, some places are more heavily LDS than others. And considering individual wards develop a culture it'd quite a claim to assert it's monolithic.

Edited by Dravin
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Guest gopecon

The culture of the Church is definitely different in highly Mormon UT/ID, etc. than in the rest of the world. Heck, it's different in CA than it is in the East Coast. I can't comment on outside of the US, but I'd bet that it's different there as well. There are definitely important similarities throughout, don't get me wrong, but you can't help but relate differently to the Church when 90% of your neighbors are LDS compared to when you are one of the few families in your town that are LDS.

In one setting kids are raised to believe that they live in the promised land. You can't help but to have FHE on Monday because stores close down. Being a Mormon is the norm, so there's little fear of local persecution of any sort. Seminary is coordinated with the local high schools, making it just another class to take. Contrast this with an area where the LDS are just a couple percent of the polulation. No one makes exceptions for your unique scheduling. Other churches may run classes targeting Mormons with lies that become ingrained in people's heads that you will have to get past just to talk about the Gospel, or you may be so obscure that few people have a clue about what makes Mormons unique. Seminary is a sacrifice for the youth to get to either early mornings or once a week.

These factors and others inevitably affect the culture. Its not that a UT Mormon is better or worse than anyone else, but they do have a different perspective on the Church that affects some things.

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I've lived in and out of Utah, both as a youth and adult. The culture was the same. I take that back, those outside of Utah like to talk about "Utah Mormons", otherwise it has been the same.

I've lived both in and out of Utah too, the culture is different. Heck the culture of the wards I lived in Utah varied. As did the culture of the various wards I served in on my mission, and those when I was living in Alaska.

These factors and others inevitably affect the culture. Its not that a UT Mormon is better or worse than anyone else, but they do have a different perspective on the Church that affects some things.

Indeed, the culture of a young ward (speaking of the age of adults) differs from the culture of an older ward, or simply the size of the ward changes things. People have a different attitude about meetings when a significant portion of the ward is driving 3 minutes instead of 45 minutes to get to the meeting house. Wards and stakes adapt to the people who make them up (who are not some mass of identical cogs) and the environment they are situated in.

Edited by Dravin
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I have been to both Utah and non-Utah wards. I live in non-Utah now. I just got back from the southeastern US and the culture is different. However, the doctrine is the same.

For example in Utah most of all the men where white shirts and have the short hair cut. In Utah there are enough people to serve in the ward with an abundance, the buildings are 5 minutes away. In the southeast it takes several small towns to make a ward, not everyone shows up in the white shirt attire, and most in the church there hold more than two callings to make the church function. And the church buildings are more often than not 45 minutes to an hour away.

Is one better than the other. Nope. And the doctrine is exactly same.

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Is one better than the other. Nope. And the doctrine is exactly same.

I'd recommend a mild adjustment to the idea that one is not better than the other.

For some individuals, one is better than the other. That often has to do with the individual's personality. For instance, Utah LDS culture could very well be a death sentence to my activity in the Church. When I lived out there, I was miserable with the social dynamics surrounding church membership. But in the less densely LDS populated areas, I'm much more content with the social dynamics.*

* Go ahead and make what statements you will about how we should attend church for social reasons. I'll still hold that a person that is socially miserable at church is going to have a very hard time maintaining the desire to stay active.

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Dravin is right. Having lived in and out of Utah, and also in various other parts of the world, LDS culture does vary.

To answer OP. I moved to southern Utah from Asia and had a horrible time adjusting to the cultural shock. But being a teenager and moving to a new place is never easy, especially when you're the only Asian in your highschool and the only person period with a British accent. My sister and I were easy targets for awhile and it was tough. But as time went on, we built some longlasting friendships and have learned to love it here, the state and the people within it. My husband and I reside in SLC now but I would love to move back to southern Utah and raise a family there. It's just so beautiful and peaceful.. But in general, I think Utah is a great place to start and raise a family. That's not to say the culture here is without its flaws but home is where you make it.

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