I was a heavy believer in this mentality for years. I was born in the church, grew up in Maryland, and never set foot in Utah until age 19. I remember over the years, seeing various members of my ward move to Utah. Eventually I started to think "Utah's where it's at and everywhere else sucks wind."

A friend of mine who moved to SLC suggested I move out to Utah as well. I wanted to do it, but I was scared of how everything would happen. In due time my way out there was figured out, as well as the place I would initially stay at. At that point, I mentally checked out of Maryland. Utah to me seemed like a magical land where EVERYONE loved the church as much as I did, and there was none of the sin so common in Maryland. Getting onto Interstate 95 for instance, I would make the signs say in my head "15 North, Salt Lake." "15 South, Provo." I would also spend hours looking up pictures of Utah.

Fast forward to when I actually saw Utah for the first time. The pictures I saw didn't do it justice. I spent most of the trip from SLC to Orem staring east at the Wasatch Range. I was also able to count down town names, since with the exception of Highland and Alpine, I knew the name of every town on the 40 mile stretch of 15 between SLC and Provo. My first day there, we went to a Church Distribution Center which I found incredible. To me, all the Church stuff one could possibly ever need, and then some was in there or at neighboring Deseret Book.

I soon came to find out though, that all is not well in Zion. That there's ungodly things happening with both members and non members. That there's actually people who oppose the Church here(Manti/Conference protestors for instance.) And the sins I found so common in Maryland(Sex, drugs, alcohol), all in Utah as well. I've heard some stories of people who are simply beside themselves being able to finally raise their family in Utah. Only to find a few years later, their daughter pregnant, or their son into drugs or in trouble with the law. I still like Utah a lot, but it certainly is not the rainbows and unicorns land I envisioned having never been to Utah.

I was a convert, lived in a ward in the upper midwest. Think way up. Anyway the vast majority of the Mormons here were Utah transplants, who either worked for one of the universities in the city, or moved there because it was a big-time agricultural place and they had advanced degree in Ag or something.

They spoke of Utah like it was the greatest place on earth. Utah was the land of milk and honey. I was a mere lad of 22 at the time. I went on my mission, which was truncated due to illness, and came home. Prospects for marrying a nice LDS girl were slim as most folks sent their daughters to a church school, or UVSC.

So I packed up my bags and headed out west. What a culture shock! I saw first hand what a horrible place Utah can be. (Pretty, but the culture there, not for me!!)

Same thing for me when I transferred from an eastern university to YBU. TOTAL culture shock. On of my nevermo sisters came out with me. The first day on campus, we were headed to the bookstore when we saw a woman dragging five kids behind her! My sister turned to me and said, "If this is how your church really is, I want NOTHING to do with it!" Looking back, I can see why she said that.

Ironically though, years later, she and her nevermo family moved to a part of Utah that's 95% Mormon!!!!!!!!!!!! O_o



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/24/2011 05:24PM by imalive.