Trust me, as much as this rule might give the bitter feels during Valentine season, there are some pretty good reasons why mormon teens are encouraged to follow it, and why you should, too.

1. BECAUSE TEENAGE YEARS ARE ALL ABOUT SELF-DISCOVERY

I’ve popularized this phrase myself, but have you ever heard of “dating yourself?” Yep, you heard right. Dates are defined as, “a planned activity that allows a young man and a young woman to get to know each other better.” As soon as I reached that age, my mom taught me that the next few years of my life would be about self-discovery, and there’d be no room to get caught up in the dating game until I turned 16.

Being the good daughter I was, I of course followed my mom’s counsel. However, it is only now that I realize that the most important person you will ever date is yourself. Because, how can you ever know the kind of person who fits in your life if you’ve never really taken time to know yourself?

Spend the years before you turn 16 as a time for self-discovery, to understand who you are as a child of our Heavenly Father, and you will be able to catch a vision for your future. Trust me, investing time in knowing yourself early on in life is something you will never regret doing.

2. BECAUSE YOU ARE STILL VULNERABLE TO HEARTBREAK, PAIN AND TEMPTATION

President Gordon B. Hinckley said, “The Lord has made us attractive one to another for a great purpose. But this very attraction becomes as a powder keg unless it is kept under control. It is beautiful when handled in the right way. It is deadly if it gets out of hand.”

I think almost all mormon teens, or even their non-member friends have wondered why we must wait to date until such a specific age. Sixteen is not a magical age when you are suddenly prepared to date. This counsel from our modern prophets against dating before you’re 16 is for our emotional, physical and spiritual safety.

The years before this are a very vulnerable time and a period when Satan is constantly trying to find ways to stump your development as a person. The For the Strength of Youth pamphlet says, “Developing serious relationships too early in life can limit the number of other people you meet and can perhaps lead to immorality.”

President Hinckley reasoned, “this rule is not designed to hurt you in any way. It is designed to help you, and it will do so if you will observe it.”

3. BECAUSE TEENAGE LIFE IS MEANT TO BE ENJOYED

Alright, you might think, I’m completely against dating. (No, I’m surprisingly not) You might also think, “but dating is fun, too!” Dating is fun. It’s an opportunity for us to develop friendships and connections that will help us eventually choose the people we will spend our eternities with. But now is not the time for that.

Don’t wish this precious time to go by fast! Teenage life is meant to be enjoyed! It is a time when we develop bonds and friendships with other people, a time when we ultimately recognize our worth and identity as Heavenly Father’s children. Develop your strengths and know your weakness. Most importantly, have fun!

The post Mormon Teens: 3 Reasons Why They Don’t Date Until 16 appeared first on morefaith.ph.

Mormons are encouraged to date. Through this way, men and women can easily meet people whom they can form an eternal companionship with. If this is your first time to have a date with a Mormon, here are some things that might happen:

1.) Expect laughter.
Ever wonder why Mormons are considered one of the happiest groups? Perhaps loving laughter plays a role on that. Mormons love to laugh. First dates can be awkward at first, but don’t worry, your Mormon friend might have a funny story in store. Honestly, they sometimes use laughter to ward off the jitters, just so you know. *winks*

2.) They ask questions about you. A lot.
Please don’t think they’re creepy; it’s just that Mormons love asking questions a lot especially with the person they’re talking to. Not only are they making you feel you’re interesting, they genuinely want to get to know you better. They sometimes label it as “Building Relationships of Trust.” You can ask your Mormon date when you go out what that means. That’s going to be an interesting topic for sure.

3.) They love to talk.
Aside from loving laughter and asking a lot of questions, Mormons love to talk. Scratch that, they love to share everything they love with you. You will hear about fun stories during their youth days, what they did to help them decide what course of study to take, and some of the things they consider life changing. Brace yourself, though, for you will get a “How about you?” question next, for sure.

4.) You could get “When I was on my mission…” stories
A lot. Whether they are trying to impress you, helping you understand what missionaries do, or just truly wanting to share one of the most special events in their life, expect that you will get sentences that start with this phrase. Some of the most awesome events of their lives happened while serving the Lord for 24 or 18 months and these experiences made them learn many things. If they’re sharing the most significant events of their lives to you, you must be pretty special.

5.) They could stare at food awkwardly before eating it.
It may knock you a bit sideways, but please don’t feel bad if you see your Mormon date staring at his food awkwardly for a few seconds. Yes, they’re hungry, but no, they’re not picky with food. They’re just contemplating on doing something. Sometimes you could get a “Could we pray first?” before eating.

6.) They love arcades.
A date with a Mormon is not complete without a trip to the arcade. They’re just probably trying to show you their skills in the most subtle way possible. Besides, arcades are always a fun idea, right?

7.) They want to know more about your family.
To some Latter-day Saints, their family is everything. They would eagerly share something about their folks and their siblings. Because of these close family ties, they would probably ask you about your family, too.
8.) They have a quotation for almost everything.
One thing that might impress you with your Mormon date is his ability to have quotes on everything. This could make you wonder “Where did he/she get all these quotes?” There’s one from a certain general authority and another one from a mission companion. The quotes they share may be random but you’ll come to appreciate them!

9.) Random handshakes with random people.
Going out on a date with a Mormon can bring a lot of surprises. One of them is your date giving random handshakes to complete strangers. They would refer to this person as “Bro. Cruz, my ka-ward,” or “Sister Diaz, my ka-stake.” You might find it weird, but believe me when I say that’s totally normal.

10.) You’ll get goodbye handshakes, too.
Saying goodbye at the end of your date with a Mormon is not much of a problem. You’ll probably get a friendly handshake, and a courteous “I enjoyed my time with you.” Well, if you’re lucky, you could receive a “Thank you, Sister,” or “Thank you, Brother.” Once again, that’s totally normal.

Going out on dates with a Mormon can be unpredictable. But knowing beforehand some of the things you can expect to happen doubles the fun. Enjoy!

The post What It Is Like To Be On a Date With a Mormon appeared first on morefaith.ph.