While we might be different from the world, it's always important to remember the why behind the reasons we stand out as "peculiar people."
I have been a Mormon my whole life. My father converted as a young man, and my grandparents on my mother’s side welcomed the missionaries into their home to try and “prove them wrong,” only to find that the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ was what they had been missing.
For 22 years I have benefitted from the dedicated examples of my parents, enjoyed the atmosphere and culture of the church, and I have loved the teachings of Jesus Christ. As I have grown, I have noticed that Mormons can sometimes be considered social anomalies. Certain commonalities amongst members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are not quite “normal.” Here are of some of my experiences with these so called “abnormalities.”
Getting Married Young and Having Large Families
The family is central to the Creator’s plan for the eternal destiny of His children and is ordained of God. Marriage between man and woman is essential to His eternal plan ("The Family: A Proclamation to the World"). “Children are an heritage of the Lord" (Psalm 127:3). For Mormons, the family is eternal. It is the greatest opportunity for us to achieve happiness on this earth and is a vital part of our Heavenly Father’s plan for us in the eternal scheme of things. So, why wait?
I married the love of my eternities at the ripe age of 21. We had both recently returned from different missions and had started school again. We both had at least two years until graduation and only had a four-month engagement. Neither of us had a very solid plan for the future, and we were definitely not financially secure. When my classmates saw my engagement ring they usually complimented it first and then asked, “Why?”