Are their Mormans who are practicing plain dress, simple lifesytle, producing own food etc.

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I am looking for a family or familys who are members of the LDS church who practice plain dress, simple living, producing own food, homeschooling and I want to know how this affects you in your ward.

-- Erika in MMississippi (aewood1@juno.com), February 12, 2001

Answers

Well, it really depends on which ward you are in. I've been in some wards where the people were really uptight, and others that were rather relaxed about such things. We are encouraged to garden, stay out of debt, and I know a few people who are homeschooling. I don't think that anyone would really object to any of those things. annette

-- annette (j_a_henry@yahoo.com), February 12, 2001.

hi Erika. We are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. We are avid homeschoolers and enjoy simple living, producing our own food, and shunning designer fashions. I don't know exactly what you mean by plain dress, but it's been a long time since I've spent more than $2 or $3 for a dress (I love to garage sale.) We get along fine with our city friends at church. Some of them do wonder why we want to live so "far out".(We're about 10 minutes from church.) But it's just as hard for me to understand that they enjoy living on a lot and not cultivating anything other than a lawn. A couple of ladies have brought their children out to see the animals and pulled back from the offer to "touch" an "animal". ;-) But I am as amused by them as they are by me. I must say it has been much easier for us and much more enjoyable because we have a "neighbor" family around the bend who is more like us, probably, than any other friends we've ever had. They are also LDS, and have children the same ages as some of our children--we trade off driving to seminary and other activities. They are also homeschoolers and "Countrysiders." They've helped us rob bee hives. We've bought and butchered rabbits and chickens together. We put our heads together on homesteading concerns and homeschooling concerns, and sometimes feel we are sane only because of each other. If you are interested in having an LDS e-pal with similar interests or in otherwise chatting more, please e-mail me privately. I'd love to get to know you. mary

-- mary, texas (marylgarcia@aol.com), February 12, 2001.

Most of my family still living in Utah are LDS, and while none homeschool, I have an aunt and uncle who lived pretty much as you described while they were raising their children. I often write my aunt now for info on how to do "farming" things, that I'm sure she is familiar with, but I don't know the first thing about! Mary in Texas would be a good one to answer your questions, I'm sure! Jan

-- Jan in CO (Janice12@aol.com), February 12, 2001.

We are LDS and although we are not totally self sufficient we do attempt to be. We try to stayout of debt except for house payment and utilities as well as some dentist bills etc. Our autos aren't all new but are all paid for. We grow some of our own food and raise chickens for eggs and meat as well as goats for milk. We only have an acre of land so we are somewhat limited but we attempt to do our best. Or children do not do homeschool. They enjoy the interaction with friends at school and participate in sports and music there and it is good for them. We don't have a problem with the schools. Our dress is probably plain compaired to some but not what you would call odd or overly simple compared to others. We try to keep our lifestyle as simple as possible although it is a struggle to do so. Our ward accepts us fine, or as far as we know it does. We don't worry much about acceptance, we just attend and enjoy it. We just live as we feel is right and respect others choices as much as possible. Good luck to you in your quest and in what you are doing.

-- Marv in Utah (pebes@mstar2.net), February 13, 2001.

I am not LDS but Baptist. I lived for many years in a small town (at that time) in Toole, Utah. Had both my children there. The LDS church women adopted me and taught me how to can, grow and many things which I will always be grateful for. I do remember wanting to homeschool my girls which were too young then without any support, in fact it might have been illegal at the time because I remember a story of a man being arrested for homeschooling. That of course was in l981 - l984. I did homeschool my children all 12 years, oldest just started OSU and the youngest will go to OK Baptist University in fall. Actually, I have a question and it is do a large portion of LDS people homeschool. In all my 12 years of homeschooling my girls and in different states, ILL, KY, OK plus oversees and knew of only one family that was LDS that homeschooled?

-- Debbie (bwolcott@cwis.net), February 15, 2001.


I went all through high school and the first year of college in Utah, and NEVER met anyone who homeschooled. Doesn't mean there aren't LDS folks there now, or elsewhere who do homeschool, but not when I lived there. Times have changed, tho, so it may that more people do. I do know a lady there whose daughter in another state, also LDS homeschools. Jan

-- Jan in CO (Janice12@aol.com), February 15, 2001.

I am LDS, have 6 children ranging in age from 14-8. This is my 5th year to homeschool. I knew of a couple of families in my old ward that homeschooled, and have a friend in New Orleans that homeschools her children. I began homeschooling my youngest daughter first, due to poor health, then pulled the rest of them out the following year since we were having so much fun. My youngest has never gone to public schools. I am glad I did, now we have no choice, due to the kids health problems, but to homeschool, but that is OK. I love it and so do they! :-)As to my current ward...we are the oddballs, but some women are telling me that they would homeschool if they could stand to be around their kids that long. (they say this with a smirk, they love their kids)I love to make as much stuff from scratch as I can, but I also have health problems, so am loving getting bulk size mixes from Waltonfeed.com.

-- Cindy in Ok (cynthiacluck@yahoo.com), February 17, 2001.

To Cindy in OK. Hi I am an okie too. I am sorry about your family's health problems but, you will be glad to homeschooled your children. You only have them a short time, mine our inCollege or going to start this August so it is over for me. I have all those years with them by my side. By the way my oldest is at OSU and there are quite a number of LDS students on that campus. Good Luck, Debbie

-- Debbie (bwolcott@cwis.net), February 17, 2001.

Hey, I'm LDS and it seems plain livin' is accepted depending on where you live. In my ward in the Columbia Basin in Washington State, I was the city girl. The neighbors and church friends taught me to quilt,can, garden, and live close to the land. They were all farmers. When I moved to Salt Lake City, most everyone here were....well, city people. Now I am considered a bit odd because I can food and homeschool. It's easier upon moving into a new ward to let it be known you're an ecentric, get it over with, than any new project in the back yard is just another new,crazy project. One day, I was digging holes for the old milk-jug-in-the-ground watering trick on some squash.Our Bishop came by and snuck up on me and scared me. But I got him back. When he asked what I was doing, I told him that I was planting milk for our family food storage effort. He wasn't sure if I was kidding or not. City boy!

-- joyce Mahoney in Utah (joycemahoney@qwest.net), February 18, 2001.

I got a big laugh out of the milk-jug-in-the-ground thing! Planting milk!!! I had not heard of using those for slow watering, makes sense! I will have to do that and then I, too , can tell the city folk that I am planting milk! ROTFWL!!!!

-- Cindy in Ok (cynthiacluck@yahoo.com), February 18, 2001.


On the topic of LDS homeschooling, check out our new site: http://LDSHomeschooling.org . Our mission is to unify the LDS homeschooling movement. There are LOTS of LDS homeschoolers all over the country. You can see more on our site.

Daniel :-)

-- Daniel Hopkins (webmaster@LDSHomeschooling.org), July 18, 2001.


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