So some background— I haven’t attended in 10 year. My wife attends and per our agreement the kids are required to attend til 18 years old. My 19 year old daughter essentially quit attending right after 18 and every now and then YSA kids come by to invite her out to the YSA ward.

So on Saturday night a woman from the ward comes by and invites her to attend this new ‘class” of sorts sponsored by the local ward designed for YSAs. I was upstairs but could here the conversation. She sold it as a time to talk about ideas and ask questions. No sacrament meeting requirement— they were just hoping to get YSAs to come to this. Supposedly they weren’t going to have a lesson but instead talk about questions that the kids brought up. This lady said she had thought of my daughter who always asked good questions. The lady said “We’re not sure how far we’ll go. Ya know, we want to keep it positive….”

My daughter had taken part in a class in HS where they engaged with others of different religions and discussed belief and ideas and so she thought this might be similar. She opted to go and later told me that it looked like was going to be just another Sunday School class. Don’t know if she’ll go back.

Honestly I did think they would really be talking about real issues when I heard the invite extended. Mormonism doesn’t really do that. Open discussion isn’t something that the top-down authority heavy LDS Church does well. That said, has anyone else heard of efforts like this to 1) get YSAs out to cHurch and 2) attempt to address issues? Sure they didn't pay off what they promised but they talked about it.

> The lady said “We’re not sure how far we’ll go. Ya know, we want to keep it positive….”

That was your answer right there. If they want to keep it positive, the hard questions will not be acceptable.

There is only one reason for YSA participation these days and that is to keep them dating other mormons, get them married in the temple and producing future TBM tithe paying members.

LDS, Inc. is really hitting this hard to the point of stalking and bullying mormon kids. They will lie their guts out to get them hooked into YSA wards and activities. Make sure your daughter knows how to say "no". They will try every trick in the book.

https://www.lds.org/handbook/handbook-2-administering-the-church/single-members?lang=eng#162

Too bad. Yesterday this link didn't need a login/password.
Today it does. I should of downloaded it.

I just this instant accessed the page with no problem, meaning that Holy McGhost must have been on a bathroom break! So maybe it's all about the timing?