Top 10 list of rules and counsel that we didn’t know, or like to pretend we didn’t know.
Hate to break it to you, but your kid’s sports aren’t really all that important.
In one of the many very best talks he has ever given, Elder Dallin Oaks made it pretty clear that it is not OK to ditch Mutual just because “I’ve got Practice” or “I have a game tonight.” In his Oaksian manner, he said: ” Some young men and women are skipping Church youth activities or cutting family time in order to participate in soccer leagues or to pursue various entertainments. Some young people are amusing themselves to death—spiritual death.”
Whaaaat? How can that be? If the FOMLs are ever going to be the next Steve Young, Danny Ainge, etc., they have got to make this a priority! Oh, and by soccer, I think he means any sport. (Do I dare risk bodily harm and say Dance is applicable?)
One last point: Upon multiple readings I determined that the words “Adult”, “Gospel Doctrine”, “Car Radio”, and “NBA Playoffs” were never uttered in the same sentence by Elder Oaks.
I agree that “youth’s “church activity” is not the same as “church activities” , but I don’t see where you can draw a line in the sand and say that one season is OK, but more than one would not? Sounds kind of arbitrary to me.
a youth’s “church activity” is not the same as “church activities” many many youth benefit from sport programs and are great examples to those on their sports teams. One season of sports that has a youth missing activities for 2-3 months is okay by me…if they are an active participant in their quorum or YW class. More than one season would not be okay. A youth who has a Gospel centered family life and is active in church is not harmed by missing a few youth activities.
I was so pleased to hear from the pulpit what I had believed for years. When I was growing up the church and its activities were the center of our lives (San Diego, CA). When I began working with youth in YM/YW I found that school and sports activities had replaced the church in the lives of many youth.
We have taught our children that the gospel and church activity comes first. Just this week at a band Christmas concert (Iowa) the mother of a friend of our 15 yo son thanked us for raising such a good boy. When their son was concerned about play practice on the same night as one of his church activities, our son said “I cover for you, church comes first.” The mother was so grateful for another’s kindness and concern. It comes back to “Seek ye first the Kingdom of God”.
I don’t have teenagers, but this is one serious pet peeve of mine! As a YW leader multiple times, this is probably one of my most disliked excuses. Maybe I’d feel different if I had teenage kids that were involved in sports and all. Yeah. I probably would. :-/