The SP Counselor and E Sec came by

[Thoughtful]

To see my 17yo son. They are concerned that he didn't register for seminary.

Why is my 17yo on the stake visit circuit you ask?

Could it be that he's a white, male, prospective elder?

Spouseman doesn't think so.

This is the second stake visit for him in 2 wks. I haven't attended church since February, and haven't had a single ward visit in that time. So weird how that P thing makes such a difference in your relative value.

I didn't let them in. I had Spouseman send them a nicely worded bugger off text after they left. 17yo said he wants to remove his name.

[moksha]

When it was time for us to select course offerings for our junior year in high school, I received a full court press from students, with whom I never associated otherwise, to register for a seminary class. I had not taken seminary during my 9th and 10th-grade years and somehow that came to the attention of the LDS seminary teachers who urged the students in their classes to coax and cajole all such students not taking seminary to enroll. I ended up enrolling but was disappointed in how ineffective the class was in teaching the stories of the New Testament. Looking back at that experience, I think using other students to pressure anyone into enrolling for seminary classes was underhanded. Had this occurred outside the Jell-O belt, perhaps some ethical shenanigans would have been eventually been called on that practice.

[MoPag]

Why is my 17yo on the stake visit circuit you ask?

Could it be that he's a white, male, prospective elder?

I would say yes^^^ Could you imagine them doing this for a 17 year old girl? I can't.

[Thoughtful]

Why is my 17yo on the stake visit circuit you ask?

Could it be that he's a white, male, prospective elder?

I would say yes^^^ Could you imagine them doing this for a 17 year old girl? I can't.

And if they did, it would be the seminary teacher, not two stake leaders.

[Mormorrisey]

Why is my 17yo on the stake visit circuit you ask?

Could it be that he's a white, male, prospective elder?

I would say yes^^^ Could you imagine them doing this for a 17 year old girl? I can't.

And if they did, it would be the seminary teacher, not two stake leaders.

Bing! Bing! Bing! We have two winners here. That's EXACTLY how it would have went down. Pretty sad.

[profit_seizer]

Two things that stick out to me as someone's who's traded a life of active Mormonhood for a life of active political organizing: 1) The church is obviously aware of good organizing principles and 2) dogmatism prevents them from implementing them like reasonable human beings. The organizing principle here is clearly to identify and develop potential "leadership", which they're doing by recognizing that your child is a potential missionary, nearly ready to be of age, and focusing efforts on him. But that weird-ass dogmatism keeps them knocking that front door (and of course the patriarchy keeps them going after "prospective elders" but not "prospective Laurels" in the same way) without ever taking an interest in your or your child's concerns or well-being.

I don't have a lot of hope for changing the church from the inside, though I dearly wish it would change—but at the rate they keep going, from HQ and on the ground, it's not really going to be growing in the future (of course the data bear that out, but sheeeeeeesh).

[Thoughtful]

Two things that stick out to me as someone's who's traded a life of active Mormonhood for a life of active political organizing: 1) The church is obviously aware of good organizing principles and 2) dogmatism prevents them from implementing them like reasonable human beings. The organizing principle here is clearly to identify and develop potential "leadership", which they're doing by recognizing that your child is a potential missionary, nearly ready to be of age, and focusing efforts on him. But that weird-ass dogmatism keeps them knocking that front door (and of course the patriarchy keeps them going after "prospective elders" but not "prospective Laurels" in the same way) without ever taking an interest in your or your child's concerns or well-being.

I don't have a lot of hope for changing the church from the inside, though I dearly wish it would change—but at the rate they keep going, from HQ and on the ground, it's not really going to be growing in the future (of course the data bear that out, but sheeeeeeesh).

That's just it, Spouseman got a reply to his text that "we're just trying to get to know him and support him". And yet their d-bag children can't be bothered to glance out of their cliques for the last 4 years... if they really cared, they would be there all along, not when the numbers start to matter. My retort would be that it's creepy for 45 year old men to show such interest in a teenage boy....

[Thoughtful]

Yesterday we were leaving the soccer field after my daughter's game and ran into SP counselor. His daughter's game was about to start on the field we were leaving.

He jumped on the chance to access my son and would not stop talking. He missed the first half of his child's game because trying to convince my son he is a friend and a cool guy is apparently more important than his 5yo. When I said, "our girls have gone to the truck, we need to go," he ignored me and oriented his body away from me and more toward my son.

This is grooming behavior. Gotta save that prospective elder!

[achilles]

My retort would be that it's creepy for 45 year old men to show such interest in a teenage boy....

PLEASE send this text. I will give you $5.

[Thoughtful]

My retort would be that it's creepy for 45 year old men to show such interest in a teenage boy....

PLEASE send this text. I will give you $5.

I would have, but I'm not sure I am more than a blip on his radar. After all, I don't have the P thing that you need to be relevant.

[moksha]

When it was time for us to select course offerings for our junior year in high school, I received a full court press from students, with whom I never associated otherwise, to register for a seminary class. I had not taken seminary during my 9th and 10th-grade years and somehow that came to the attention of the LDS seminary teachers who urged the students in their classes to coax and cajole all such students not taking seminary to enroll. I ended up enrolling but was disappointed in how ineffective the class was in teaching the stories of the New Testament. Looking back at that experience, I think using other students to pressure anyone into enrolling for seminary classes was underhanded. Had this occurred outside the Jell-O belt, perhaps some ethical shenanigans would have been eventually been called on that practice.

You do realize that you are describing a time when David O. McKay was still the Church President? Surely times have changed and such an anecdote is no longer relevant except for the mention of Jell-O.

[Brent]

1. Keep loving and supporting your son.
2. He's not enjoying the attention.
3. LDS kids lose the opportunity to take 8 elective courses because of seminary. That's a full semester.
4. Be wary of chance encounters, they might not be so chance.
5. If he doesn't plan on attending an LDS school seminary only takes away a chance to explore another class.

[Thoughtful]

1. Keep loving and supporting your son.
2. He's not enjoying the attention.
3. LDS kids lose the opportunity to take 8 elective courses because of seminary. That's a full semester.
4. Be wary of chance encounters, they might not be so chance.
5. If he doesn't plan on attending an LDS school seminary only takes away a chance to explore another class.

We are not in Utah so no released time. However, it's not healthy for teenagers to have 6am classes. He doesn't need to lose sleep. He has no intention of church schools and as a postmo, he would not qualify to attend one (he wants to remove his name from the records).

This is about more than seminary, it's about strengthening the priesthood in our stake, IMO. They want him for an elder in 8 months.

[Brent]

Back in the day they called it "age appropriate priesthood" and by 18 there weren't a lot...

[Thoughtful]

Update: now they've invited Spouseman and I out to Mexican food. Spouseman texted back that he can go but I have plans, so should he go stag or bring a date.

They, being incapable of laughing at a double entendre, suggested he bring his sister.

[IT_Veteran]

Somehow, I'm not the least bit surprised that it went right over their heads.

On a more serious note, why are they meeting? Still trying to get the hooks into your kiddo for seminary? Or for the grand penishood? It's interesting that they are completely unwilling to take no for an answer on this.

[Brent]

I am a bad person.

He should take a male "friend"...a partner as it were..

[Thoughtful]

Somehow, I'm not the least bit surprised that it went right over their heads.

On a more serious note, why are they meeting? Still trying to get the hooks into your kiddo for seminary? Or for the grand penishood? It's interesting that they are completely unwilling to take no for an answer on this.

Probably all of the above.