Called to Repentance

Like I mentioned in my earlier post, I really do love Brigham Young University-Idaho. But sometimes I HATE the culture that comes from living in a community that is largely LDS and attending a school that is 99% LDS.

Here at BYU-Idaho everywhere you turn, you are bombarded the dreaded M word...marriage. Students give presentations comparing dating to a free market economy. Professors announce engagements of their students in class. Ecclesiastical leaders give talks on dating and marriage and asking you about dating in EVERY interview.

When I first arrived this Fall, I had an interview with my Stake President who asked about my dating life. I told him I went on a lot of dates when I came home from my mission last winter, but didn't go on many this summer. He then said, "I expect by the next time I meet with you, you will be dating someone."

A few weeks later I went to the Temple and while I was waiting for my turn, and old-man temple worker struck up a conversation with me. When he found out I had been home from my mission for nine months, he said, "Oh, so you are practically married." When I said I wasn't, he then for the next five minutes felt the need to tell me why I should be married.

To combat the constant bombardment of the M word, I usually result to sarcasm and jokes about the matter. I did so to my roommate who is also my Elders Quorum president. Yesterday our priesthood lesson was on the New and Everlasting covenant of marriage. At the end, my roommate/Elders Quorum president then said, "There are some of you in here who make light of marriage and are procrastinating. You feel like you can wait and it will happen later. I call on you to repent of those thoughts now!"

I can't remember what else he said. But I felt pretty singled out. The next time someone harasses me about the M word, I will respond, "My mom told me to wait three years...do you want me to break the ten commandments and not honor my father and mother?"

Do you think that will shut them up?

P.S. I really do like my roommate. We actually have a lot in common (except I wouldn't call him to repentance on something like that).