Received an RSVP from our old babysitter about her daughter getting married to her RM. She babysat for us when we first converted and then had to move shortly after. I don't know if she thinks we could be in the temple that day or just at the reception. She doesn't know our current status in regards to the Corporation.

Looking at the picture of the couple on the front of it made me feel sad for the young lady. She can't be but 19 maybe 20. Beautiful young lady. I can't help but think she is still so young and there is so much out there in this world for her to explore and so much living to do before she settles down. I've known too many people who have married while young and years later end up living the moments they should have when they were young, only hurting loved ones in the process. But the Corporation pressures the impressionable who don't have any idea what they are getting into. I'm sure she'll start popping out babies within months of getting married. My hope is that for her and for whomever else is pressured into getting into a situation that they aren't ready for is that it works out for them.

In and out of the LDS church, some young people insist on marrying very early. The LDS church and some fundamental Protestant churches actively encourage young marriage, effectively holding sanctioned sex as a hostage only to be ransomed by tying the knot.

Marriage at an early age is hardly a new thing or something for which the LDS church holds a monopoly. My nevermo wife was only 20 when we married, although she did at least have a B.A.in English and a B. S. in mathematics, and we were both committed to getting her through law school and me through medical school before conceiving any children.

Some young people are going to want to marry at ages younger than those older and wiser consider prudent, and nothing will stop that. I do, however, share your frustration with a religious institution that so actively promotes a practice that, in most cases, is not sensible.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/27/2012 08:51PM by scmd.

A girl that was in my merry miss class got married when she was 18. I looked her up on FB. She's 29 now, and has 8 kids.

I felt so sad about that. She was very smart and pretty. Now she looks like a tired, overweight, old lady.

It makes me sad, because I did the same thing. I got married a few months before I turned 20 and had never been to college, or lived on my own. I had no idea who I was. Luckily, I never had kids and I divorced at 28.

At 28 I did things I should have done at 18, dated around a lot (and slept around a lot), tried drinking, lived on my own, went to college, etc. I would never advise someone to get married that young unless they had at least been on their own for a few years. I think you need to have that space where you figure out who you are aside from your parents,and before you tie your future to another person. That being said,if people want to get married that young-fine. Maybe they'll be happy and stay married forever, maybe they won't.

You and I have a very simliar story. Played the dutiful daughter, married at 20 to the "Right kind of man". Divorced at 26 and finally did all the things I should have done at 18. Now 30 I still feel like I am figuring out who I am apart from a "role."

I got married at 21 and had my first kid at 22 and another 3 by 29. Makes me cringe now,15 yrs on, at how young that is!
On the plus side, I had been kicked out of the house my Sr yr of HS, joined the military and sowed more than a few oats. Oh, and married a nice guy.:-)
Still wish that we had waited a few years before starting a family to just enjoy & get to know each other.

Teaching my kids to do it different, which is much easier without the cult parenting manual.

Don't get this Mo obsession with having kids...a facebook friend got married in the Temple at no more than 20 and had thee kids by the time she was 23...husband was still in University and now they have separated, she has moved into town and is going to university full time in Jan. Not sure where all the $$$ is coming from for all this but she has moved into subsidized housing and is applying for subsidized daycare. I feel sorry for the kids though I do salute her for getting out of what was obviously a smothering situation in a small town that was 75% LDS and moving on with her life and education.

By the time I was in my 3rd year of college I was really panicking that I was not engaged yet. I thought that if I didn't find my husband in college than I would be screwed once I graduated and be stuck with the leftovers. I didn't want to be an old maid. I agreed to marry my college boyfriend at the time who I wasn't in love with. I was much to immature yet for marriage but at the ripe old age of 24 I tied the knot in the worst mistake of my life. Oh well!

It's ironic that so many people send out invitations to a temple wedding to everybody, but only a select few can actually attend.

Never having even gone that far in my case of temporary insanity, isn't the # of guests limited?

It's more of a marriage announcement than an invitation. Most read like Bob and Jane are pleased to announce the marriage of their daughter Babyface to Recently Returned Missionary III son of LeVon and LaVee in the Salt Lake City Temple, Wedneday, Jan 2013. The pleasure of your company is requested at a wedding or open house in their honor: with the address of one or two receptions. So technically, they are announcing their wedding and inviting you to the reception to follow.

And yes, most temple sealing rooms are small 30-45 people although some of the larger ones may hold more.