Dating can be a difficult process, no matter what your age or stage in life. But for Latter-day Saints, dating can be especially tricky when you’re trying to maintain adherence to the Church’s standards. If you’re a Latter-day Saint (formerly known as Mormon) who’s looking to date within the faith, here are some tips on how to approach dating as a Latter-day Saint:
General Rules And Dating Tips
Before we get into details, we just want to outline a few general tips to help you get started.
- Don’t start dating until you turn sixteen. Only then can you begin to seriously date with the intention of finding a marriage partner.
- Remember that ultimately, you want to marry someone who shares your faith. This should be your number one priority when considering who to date.
- Be patient and take things slow. Don’t rush into anything serious too quickly. It’s important to get to know someone before you start a serious relationship with them.
- Communicate your expectations and standards early on in the relationship. This will help avoid any misunderstandings later on.
- Keep the dates scarce. You don’t want to overwhelm yourself or the person you’re dating by seeing each other too often. If things start getting more serious, you put yourself at a greater risk of defying the Words of Wisdom.
- Be sure to date in groups or double dates whenever possible. This will help ensure that you’re staying true to the Church’s standards of modesty and morality.
- Don’t be afraid to talk about your faith with the person you’re dating. In fact, it’s important to do so! This will help ensure that you’re both on the same page when it comes to your beliefs and values.
- Pray for guidance as you navigate the dating world. Ask God to help you find someone who is worthy of your time and attention.
These are just a few general tips for Latter-day Saints who are dating. Now, let’s get into the specifics.
Where To Meet Other Singles Of Your Faith?
Of course, one of the most important things you need to consider when dating is where to meet other singles of your faith. After all, you want to make sure you’re meeting someone who shares your beliefs and values.
Here are a few ideas for where to meet other Latter-day Saint singles:
Church Functions And Activities
This is probably the most obvious place to meet someone, but it’s also one of the best. Church functions are a great way to meet people who share your beliefs.
Mutual Friends
Another great way to meet someone is through mutual friends. If you have any friends who are Latter-day Saints, ask them if they know anyone who might be interested in dating.
Online Dating Sites
There are a number of online dating sites that cater specifically to Latter-day Saints, and you can read more on one of them here. This can be a great way to meet someone if you’re not able to attend church functions or activities, or if you’re just returning from your mission.
How To Plan A Date As A Latter-Day Saint?
When you’re planning a date as a Latter-day Saint, there are a few things to keep in mind. First and foremost, you want to make sure that your date is wholesome and uplifting. This means avoiding anything that could potentially lead to temptation or sin.
Here are some specific ideas for wholesome dates:
- Go on a hike together and enjoy the beauty of nature
- Visit a local museum or art gallery
- Go out for a picnic in the park or fly a kite
- Go to dinner and have a conversation
- Visit a local theater and enjoy a show
- Go out for a soda or water, not coffee or beer
- Play tourist and walk around your city or town, checking out the local sights
- Cook dinner together and then play games or watch a movie
As you can see, there are plenty of options for fun, wholesome dates. Just use your imagination and be creative!
What Are The Church’s Standards For Dating?
The Church has very specific standards when it comes to dating.
First and foremost, on top of avoiding alcohol, tobacco, hot drinks, and drugs members of the Church are expected to abstain from sex before marriage. This means no sexual intercourse, no matter how “consensual” it may be.
In addition, members of the Church are expected to avoid any type of sexual immorality. This includes things like pornography, masturbation, or any other deed, thought or activity that might arouse them, which includes passionate kissing and lying on top of death other.
Now, the church does understand that thoughts like these occur from time to time. That’s perfectly fine. What’s not is indulging in them. Practicing self-control in this area is crucial.
Following these standards may not always be easy, but it is important to remember that they are in place for our protection and happiness. By following them, we can avoid a lot of heartache and pain in our lives.
As for kissing, holding hands, hugging, and other, non-sexual forms of intimacy, the Church’s standards are far more relaxed and easy-going.
Kissing is more than allowed, even encouraged, as long as it’s done in moderation and with good taste. That means no tongue or steamy kisses. Pecks that last for a second or two are more than enough.
The same goes for hugging, holding hands, and other forms of affection. Just use good judgment and don’t go overboard.
What If Your Partner Isn’t A Member?
If your partner isn’t a member of the Church, that’s perfectly fine. Everybody has different beliefs, and you shouldn’t force your partner to change theirs.
However, it is important to remember that the Church’s standards for dating still apply, even if your partner isn’t a member. This means that you should still abide by your faith’s standards, even if your partner doesn’t.
Just keep in mind that it may be difficult to find a long-term relationship if you’re only dating people who aren’t members of the Church. It’s important to be on the same page when it comes to religion, habits and beliefs if you’re looking for a serious, committed relationship.
Conclusion
As you can see, despite a few differences, the LDS’s standards for dating are actually pretty reasonable. You can go out, have fun, share a kiss or two, and get to know someone without having to worry about crossing any lines.
This kind of dating can be a great way to get to know someone without having to worry about the physical stuff. You can focus on getting to know them as a person, which is ultimately what’s most important.
So, go out, have fun, and fall in love. There’s a single Latter-day Saint waiting for you just around the corner!
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