There are quite a few Mexican mormons living in the stake. The area is large, covering several counties. Before I left the church, the powers that be decided that we needed a Spanish speaking branch.. Before,
the people were learning to speak english and relating to the members of the wards and branches. Everyone got along just fine. Now all the spanish speaking people go to the spanish speaking branch even though some of them have to drive forty to fifty miles to go to church.
There are several issues that I see.
#1 This is not helping them to learn english. This is one of the main gripes that the local people have against Mexicans
#2 The regular members cannot go to the branch or ward of their choice. Being Mexican makes them different.
#3 Isolating people because of their language does not help in them becoming citizens or respected members of their communities. ect,ect,
There is a baptist church that does the same thing. They have a big church with all the trimmings and a small chapel across the street for the spanish speaking members.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/15/2012 02:49PM by Stray Mutt.

It has since been disbanded and the building was being used for a radio station last time I checked.

We also had a "lamanite" ward which was disbanded and for a while the building served as a night club



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/15/2012 03:03PM by Dave the Atheist.

same thing here Bellevue/Kirkland.
My DD married a RM from Mexico City, he was the BP for a while.
Mexicans have a cultural heritage that most whites don't understand.

I agree with all your mentioned dis-advantages, and perhaps that's the reason the branch was disbandoned a few yrs back.

Perhaps it was created with good intentions (retain their heritage, etc), but without a feedback loop, a lot of things in Mormonism go Off the Track...

The language issue isn't a huge issue for me personally. There are lots of churches out there that have Spanish services and even bilingual. Point #2 would be my issues. The assigned ward time and inability to deviate from it is what I see as a bigger problem, and in that way there seems to be more separation and division. Are you stuck with the Spanish ward because you happen to be Mexican and speak the language? Can you go to the ward at the same time as your English speaking neighbors? I'm not sure I see so much isolation in other churches, as services and times are open to anyone, whatever time. A person who doesn't speak English very well might prefer to attend worship service in their native tongue - this is worship, not learning English to function in society, just a day to recharge your spiritual batteries. If any of the Hispanics at the Baptist church preferred English services, would they be told they were not allowed? That's where the problem is.

My question with the Mormons - are you stuck in a Spanish ward no matter what because you're Mexican?

1) This is NOT and has NEVER BEEN a monolingual English-speaking country. How can political conservatives or anyone else justify regulating one of the most private behaviors humankind engages in--thinking and communicating with other people with whom they share a familial, community or religious bond? Church is a community of choice, not a civic duty.

2) Studies prove that immigrants arriving today learn English AS FAST or FASTER than in any other period of US history. Regardless of the immigrant group someone comes from, the shift to monolingual English usage is almost always complete by the 3rd generation, leaving grandchildren unable to communicate with grandparents. Tell me how that's good for family unity.

3) I reject the idea that I have to behave according to anyone else's linguistic expectations to be a respected citizen. My critical thinking skills, work ethic, morals, craftsmanship, values AND patriotism exist independent from my ability to speak any given language.

4) Don't assume that the isolation is forced on people who choose to attend a certain special branch. I think asking the Mexican (if they even were all Mexican) members in the integrated wards what their preference is would result in a realization that things weren't all that great from their perspective. Who would get all the callings? Who would get to participate in class discussion? I'd drive 50 miles to be with people who could see beyond the color of my skin or the sounds coming from my mouth and know the real me.

TSCC see-saws on this issue all the time. They've created and dismantled these wards and branches in cycles for at least 50 years.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 01/15/2012 03:32PM by Inverso.

The LSD church is obviously a racist organization and always has been. SURPRISE!

One of my white and delightsome brothers married a Mexican woman some 40 years ago. Very early into the marriage, he and his wife learned that if they had the choice, to go to the Mexican Ward. The people are much nicer and the parties and pot-lucks are infinitely better.

I know someone who's fluent in both english and spanish mexican mother and father but he was born in america. Would that mean if he were mormon that he woudnt be aloud to go to church with his family if they were mormon?

In my area, you are assigned to the usual family ward. If you are single or speak another language, you have the option of which ward you attend.

pretty much says it there Bub!

That statement, "you are assigned", is what my nonmo friends can't grasp. I never thought it was weird until I started attending other churches.

I wonder where this would leave my son in law. He looks mexican. Speaks flawless spanish and english. His wife is white american. He is a Cuban that happens to live in seattle. He's an aerospace engineer. Because of his education and the color of his wife, i assume they would let him pick?

"#1 This is not helping them to learn english. This is one of the main gripes that the local people have against Mexicans"

It is not your job, nor the church's job to teach them English. If a person wants to learn English, they will learn English. Most immigrants learn English just fine. I can't think of a single example of how the church would help in any case.

"#2 The regular members cannot go to the branch or ward of their choice. Being Mexican makes them different."

I can't see how it matters, but yeah, you are right.

"#3 Isolating people because of their language does not help in them becoming citizens or respected members of their communities. ect,ect,"

Again, it is not the church's responsibility to teach Mexicans how to be good citizens. They will either learn that or not learn that on their own and within the context of their community at large.

Why would you rely on the LDS church to do these things?

I have a big smirk on my face because it is always assumed that Spanish-speaking people are Mexican. he he he. And that they don't know how to speak English. =)

The Spanish-speaking wards in our area are more fun, people are more relaxed and the food is great. Well, until recently because the stakes are removing all fun activities from these wards, trying to 'correlate' them.

There are also Chinese speaking and Portuguese speaking wards/branches in this area (covering a few stakes). People will drive long distances to attend services with their own, it is more of a cultural and social thing. There have been times when the wards have been closed and the Chinese or Spanish forced to the English wards and assigned according to their address, but it has always back-fired and the wards are re-opened. The good news for exmos is that they lose a few strong families/members when they do this.

I personally like all people in the same ward, probably because this is a multi-cultural region, but it is interesting to see the dynamics of the 'other' wards.

D