Comments on: The Next Step

By: Portia, a Board Writer

Portia, a Board Writer — Tue, 13 May 2008 07:40:59 +0000

I was excited to see a 100 Hour Board reference! Thanks, Steve.

By: Paradox

Paradox — Mon, 12 May 2008 01:18:46 +0000

Moonbeams, Merrihands and stars?

Sounds like a bad episode of Rainbow Bright to me!

Before I joined the Church, I was in a Baptist church that didn’t have any kind of classes for teenage girls. Coming into Young Womens was really refreshing. It was nice to finally be able to be in classes separate from 10 year old boys.

But the divisions created by the classes seem a bit foolish. Take for instance the activities the Young Men get to do–helping people move, chopping wood for camp outs, paintball. And yet, the Young Women were never asked if they wanted to participate. And personally I’d rather do any one of those things than scrapbooking, cooking, or making aprons.

So, in my humble grumble of an opinion, I’d rather see less division, not more. I’d hate to see where else we would take it.

By: sister blah 2

sister blah 2 — Fri, 09 May 2008 05:43:09 +0000

#38, 42–Steve, dude, you’re on a roll, hi-larious. LX, EX, or Touring? Nav? Screens for the kiddies? Do tell.
#44–queuno, I see now that we are kindred spirits, for PhD comics do truly rock.

By: Sam Kitterman

Sam Kitterman — Fri, 09 May 2008 05:20:48 +0000

And what about the other end, i.e., where your children are grown and you/your spouse are now “empty nesters”. We’re still both working and retirement is another 12 to 15 years away so serving “senior missions” is not somthing to comtemplate right now. And sitting in meetings with the focus being more about raising and teaching our children (local, stake or general conference, take your pick) becomes a non sequitur for us.
And after having been called to teach the High Priests quorum without being set apart as a High Priest (I was told they needed a dynamic teacher who would keep them awake), I’ve seen that future from the other side of the veil and have little desire to return…..

And so, what about those in our shoes?

By: Norbert

Norbert — Thu, 08 May 2008 20:31:48 +0000

Steve, dude: You drive a Honda Odyssey and you’re wondering what the next step is?

By: queuno

queuno — Thu, 08 May 2008 20:18:08 +0000

Queuno #33 No this would work because Primary used to be cub scouts and what they do now for achievements for girls. The under 8 group could have fun activities too. The idea behind Primary was not to bore the kids into inactivity, but to teach them that the Gospel and church is fun. In the southeastern US the kid world shuts down for Wednesday Church Night. School takes it easy on homework, soccer practices are scheduled on other nights etc…

I live in such a community, where everything shuts down on Wednesday night. But then my daughter goes to her maybe-once-a-month Achievement Day, walks away bored (and of course, the Cubs are blowing up stuff and ripping milk cartons into little pieces), and she desperately hopes YW is better…

Most times she goes to AD, it would have better if she’d just stayed later after soccer practice to work on something else…

I actually think that our primaries do a decent job. It’s our mid-week activities for youth and primary-age that are lacking. But … I’m not aspiring to any particular calling, no I’m not…

By: queuno

queuno — Thu, 08 May 2008 20:15:31 +0000

Anyone feel like this?

http://www.phdcomics.com/comics/archive.php?comicid=1012

By: Sterling

Sterling — Thu, 08 May 2008 19:45:46 +0000

Have you guys read _Soul Searching: The Religious and Spiritual Lives of American Teenagers_ by Christian Smith? Near the end of his book he has several recommendations for parents and religious leaders who work with teens. He says we should get parents more involved in church work with teens, not be afraid to really teach teens at church, work harder to articulate our faith to teens, challenge the individualism that is often driving the life choices of teens, make sure teens can talk about the uniqueness of Mormonism without putting down other religions, help them understand why Mormon morality matters in a world where anything goes, forge connections between teens and ordinary adults at church, help them adopt religious practices in both their personal and public lives, help teens to balance the time they spend exposed to the influences of school and the media with the time they spend in religious practices, and help teens ask themselves whether they are religiously active because it helps them become healthy and good citizens or because it helps them to reach religious goals. Do these ideas sound good to all of you? And to what extent do they also apply to people in their early 20s?

By: Steve Evans

Steve Evans — Thu, 08 May 2008 18:06:23 +0000

NOYDMB: “I’d rather the church teach us principles about love and service (to the adults) and let them come up with ideas about specific programs that local leaders can suggest.”

I’d love that, too, but that would mean turning the clock back to the 1950s before Pres. Lee. Alas, my Honda Odyssey does not sport a flux capacitor.

By: NOYDMB

NOYDMB — Thu, 08 May 2008 17:56:08 +0000

Steve,
I fully agree that any church must do better than a govt society in helping it’s members.

The disagreements posted so far on this blog appear to be about Philosophy, how they problem is solved. Should the Church (or the gov’t) prescribe everything that must be done (from the top down). Are local leaders so uncaring or unaware, that they are not making goals with individuals, supporting the EQ/RS, Activities and FHE committees so that the YSA’s are finding a place? Must the church control everything??? Is a church made better with more oversight from the top, or less?

I’d rather the church teach us principles about love and service (to the adults) and let them come up with ideas about specific programs that local leaders can suggest.

Quite frankly, I’m tired of the “Wasatch Front” Church (Which is differnent than the LDS Church) saying exactly HOW an Insitute Activity needs to occur. There’s a wide variety of people in the church and local leaders must be looking for ways to encourage, challenge, and uplift their own local members without having to be compelled from Salt Lake. Sure, it may not be how the Provo wards do it, but it works for us.