I used to live there a long time ago.

Used to hear how well the Morg did there, lots of growth,
ChurchCo Franchise on every second corner, etc.

What's it like there now?

All I remember is that it appeared as if the members there had become totally comfortable living amongst all the "sin" and working for its purveyors!
Never a comment about Mammon, or Sodom and Gommorah, or the like.
Sunday meetings were like a fashion show for the ladies, and
a boasting fest for the guys, about newest toys, deal, etc.

Comments?

I know nothing about the current state of TSCC.

I grew up in the Second Ward. I Graduated from Rancho in '62. I dated a Bunker and a Stewart, but never a Leavitt.

I was good friends with Mayor Gregson's daughter. I could drive from the Blue Angel to Union Station blind folded!

How long ago was "a long time ago"?

We would have been rivals.

The Mormons were much more strict that Utah Mormons, and took pride it it. I can think of one person in my ward who worked in a casino (I think she was a showgirl) was looked down on for it. I don't think she could hold a recommend. Any form of gambling would lose your temple recommend, I think. Coke and Pepsi were for the rebellious.

There was a some pressure to be fashionable in my ward. Attitude probably depends on the culture in the ward. I felt more pressure to look good at church than I did at school.

First Ward wussy...

It was a really cool, sort of creepy old church with a cry room and basement classrooms. We attended there for a while until our ward building was finished.

exmos. I get weekly messages from him showing frequent new exmos in the area and they have get togethers about once a month. Search on author "onendagus" and send him a message.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/27/2015 02:28PM by darksparks.

From what I've noticed is that it seems to be doing well in the Las Vegas area, but the Mormons who live there are more accepting of non-Mormons than Utah Mormons can be. At least, that's been my experience with Vegas Mormons, that they don't push their beliefs on non-members.

Even then, one thing my mom likes about southern California is that it's obvious that most locals aren't Mormon. She moved to the Vegas area when she remarried a Jack Mormon, so the cultural difference is noticeable. One thing we both agree on is that at least the Vegas area isn't Utah at all, as both of us don't have any desire to visit the populated areas of Utah. She wouldn't blame me if I took a layoff instead of moving to Utah for a job.

I moved to Las Vegas in 1998, in my early post-TBM days. I've had almost nothing to do with the church here, although somehow they got my address in about 2005 and I got a few postcards from my "home teacher", although I never met him.

I see the missionaries biking and walking occasionally and just feel so sad that they are supposed to deal with the heat 5 months out of the year.

There are lots of church buildings and they always seem to be full when I drive by one on the way to a local casino for dinner and a movie, on Sunday. I'd never have been able to say that in Utah :)

Alive and well. I have family there. I would say that in the midst of this so called city of sin are members that appear to live life in a bubble. My own beloved nieces have personally disparaged me on my facebook page numerous times. They have called me evil in great detail. Heartbreaking. With the numbers being so plentiful there, there really is very little need to see the world objectively. I believe Vegas will be the last stronghold next to SLC

What is it about you that they think is evil? Other than not being mormon.

My children left with me, and my nieces declared publically that I have destroyed them.

Maybe the Church is doing so well in Vegas because of

"What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas."

Members could use this ubiquitous cliche' to conveniently "forget" what they did in Vegas when it comes time for their next TR interview.

And this works for any members who don't happen to live in Vegas.

How could lying possibly be wrong in a culture founded upon lies ... upon more lies ... and upon even more lies?

If you wanna bring down wrath on your sorry head, just tell the truth and then watch out!

One thing that kept Vegas Mormons somewhat stricter in the 1950s and 1960s was the nature of their employment. Many of the adult males were physicists or engineers at the Nevada Test Site for nuclear weapons. There were also government employees, railroad employees, water projects, etc.

Now, most of the employment in Vegas is somehow related to gambling, or to tourists from all over the world interested in clubs/entertainment/prostitution. The Mormons in Vegas who work in law, banking, real estate, etc. know their livelihood ultimately depends on stuff they don't do themselves. I guess that could play out in various ways--genial tolerance, secret indulgence, defensive self-righteousness, or whatever. But it's harder to pretend now that they aren't in Sin City.

I live in Vegas, down the street from the temple. There is a very active exmo group. (We have had exmo parties at our home in the shadow of the temple.) In our area, wards are shrinking and some have been combined so the stake is smaller than it use to be. On a busy day the temple parking lot is 1/3 full. I get a letter every month in the mail that counts me as being visit taught. No other contact with the church. FYI living in Vegas is not showgirls, gambling and drinking.

Well then, what's the point of living in Vegas?