How to Date a Mormon

With the many denominations of Christianity, relationships in which each partner grew up in a different church can run into some serious roadblocks on the road to happily ever after. Mormons, although Christian, have some beliefs and customs that might seem strange to people accustomed to mainstream Protestant faiths. If your new sweetie is a Mormon and you are not, it will take effort on both your parts to bridge your religious differences.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• The Book of Mormon

1. Read The Book of Mormon. Mormons follow the Bible, but The Book of Mormon also plays a large role in their faith. In order to understand more about your date's religion, you should borrow the book and read it.

2. Attend a service or two at the nearest tabernacle. Ask the person you're dating whether you can attend services with him. Keep an open mind and who knows--you might find parts of it interesting.

3. Keep the lines of communication open. When religious, philosophical or value differences arise, start and maintain a policy of the two of you sitting down and discussing them as honestly and respectfully as possible.

4. Talk to other couples. If you attend services with the person you're dating, you might find that you are not the only "mixed" couple around. Go online and see whether you can find a discussion forum geared toward the non-Mormon partners in a relationship. Knowing you're not the only ones can be a big help in making your relationship work.

5. Don't put your date in an awkward position. Mormons generally avoid all forms of caffeine (coffee, tea and soft drinks), so try not to put your date in a situation where it would be awkward to refuse these things. For instance, don't offer to meet in a coffee shop.

References

• The official website of the Mormon church
• More information about Mormonism