I come from a very strict, devout MORMON family. Need I emphasize the fact that my family is MORMON? Now, let me attempt to describe how strict and devout we were. By no means do I want to give the impression that the things I list below were all insane or problematic, though many of them most definitely were. Nor do I pretend that my childhood was terrible, because in many ways it was as blissful and perfect as any child could have asked for. We were a very poor family, and the Mormon church provided a sense of belonging and mutual understanding with other members of the faith, social status aside. But the church also exacted absolute obedience to its laws and commandments, which is required if you desire the attached blessings. That being said, may I quickly describe my childhood as it relates to Mormonism:
• My parents were having as many kids as the Lord could bless them
]]with (9 to be exact and I was #5)
• We held Family Home Evening every week
• At church 1 hour early every Sunday
• Always wearing our "Sunday best" = white-shirt and tie
• Always sitting on the 2nd pew from the front
• Attending all activities, meetings and socials
• Attended and graduated from early-morning seminary all 9 of us
• Eagle Scout every one of us 6 boys
• BYU graduates every one of us
• Served as full-time missionaries every one of us boys and even one
]]girl
• No dating before age 16 and then only double-dates
• No football watching or sports of any kind on the Sabbath, fully
]]aware that keeping the Sabbath-day holy was the “simplest
]]commandment and easiest to obey”
• No television at all except occasionally Little House, Andy Griffith or
]]a Walt Disney movie
• No playing video games (we had an ATARI for 1 week then my
]]mom threw it away because it brought “too much contention in the
]]home”)
• Performing service at the drop of a hat
• Driving 2 hours away while at our vacation spot every year to attend
]]an LDS church
• Holding family prayer every morning and evening
• Reading from the Book of Mormon as a family every morning
]]starting from age 5
• Receiving father’s blessings every year before school
• Rarely seeing my dad because he was always busy with his work
]]and many church callings
• Not drinking caffeinated products and rarely even soda in general
• Caring for a huge garden full of everything from broccoli to
]]zucchini and canning everything under the sun which of course was
]]part of our hoard of food storage
• Going to Nauvoo several times as a child (being in Indiana made it
]]only a 6 hour drive)
• Making the rounds in Palmyra while attending the pageant
• Playing violin and piano and becoming proficient at the piano so
]]we could play the hymns at church and while on our missions (the
]]ultimate goal)
• Dinner at 6:00 every night as a family
• Taking notes during conference and no dozing off
• Feeling pressure to bear testimony every fast Sunday - making sure
]]to mention the big five (I know the church is true, I know Joseph
]]Smith was a prophet of God, I know Jesus Christ lives, I know he
]]died for me, I know [current prophet] is called of God as Joseph
]]Smith was)
Yes, we were that type of family. My mom was Wonder-Woman. My dad was Super-Man. No, really, we never missed a beat.
