Normon Love Part 2: Five Fun Facts about Mormon Dating
By: Jenny Pate and Jason Woodward //
Yesterday, we talked about how Mormons go about meeting people to date. But what happens once they actually start dating? What do they DO? Well, although there are seriously hundreds of weird things we could write about, we’ve decided to keep it short and sweet. So here are Five Fun Facts about Mormon dating that just might convert you….buuuut probably not.
1. It’s kind of like being in middle school.
Roller-skating, putt-putt, scavenger hunts, riding bikes, carving pumpkins, building gingerbread houses, making arts & crafts and dropping dollars at the nickelcade — no, that’s not an activities calendar from Mrs. Stratton’s third grade class. It’s a list of common Mormon dates.
2. NCMO = Mormon One Night Stand.
In a world where “hooking up” means “making out,” the one and done of Mormon still-chaste-premarital-activities is the NCMO, or the the Non-Committal-Make-Out. Much like the standard non-Mormon hit it and quit it, the NCMO carries all of the fun but none of the obligation. Unlike the standard non-Mormon hit it and quit it, the NCMO ends at first base.
3. Church is fair game.
Sure, you go to church to learn more about Jesus and His gospel…but when you’re Mormon and single? You also go to scope out the local talent. In a lot of cases, church is the only place you’ll ever run into some of these people. And while getting someone’s number after a sacrament meeting might feel a little unconventional, you’ve gotta work with what you’ve got.
4. The courtship timetable is considerably (and often unbelievably) shorter.
To understand how some Mormon marriages happen so quickly, you’ll need a quick conversion chart (sort of like dog years): dating for one week in Mormonland is like dating for one month in the outside world; dating for three months is like dating for a year, and if you’ve been dating for two years you’ve basically been married for six months. You might even have a kid on the way.
5. Everyone has the “perfect nephew/niece/family friend/neighbor/granddaughter/pool boy“ for you.
Once single Mormons reach a certain age, the adults in their lives feel a special calling to find them as many incompatible dates as possible. They mean well, of course, but at times it seems like they’re gathering material for a hidden camera show that everyone finds hilarious but you. Dates are set up without regard to geographical feasibility, physical compatibility, emotional chemistry or realistic probability. Sometimes they even overlook the part where the person doesn’t speak English.
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As difficult as Mormon dating may be, it’s actually pretty great to date a Mormon. We’re generally a driven, happy bunch. Mormons really do make fantastic significant others and even better spouses. Find yours this Sunday at your local LDS Church Meetinghouse!
Tune in tomorrow to learn about the next step in finding Mormon love.
Chelsea
February 15, 2013 at 2:16 am //
HA! I love it! I recently had a conversation with a bunch of my non-lds girl friends about past dating experiences, and I think it was truly the first time I realized that Mormon dating (hearkening back to your Jr. High paragraph) was rather unique. Turns out though, the non-lds girls were jealous because it sounded “just like the movies!” Go Mormons!
Chelsea
February 15, 2013 at 2:17 am //
PS: I love this blog. You guys are doing a fantastic job!