Moving to Utah from Maryland? (Provo, Orem: home, buyer, high school)

[mleblanc138]

I am almost 19 and considering moving to Utah from Maryland for some time before my Mission. I was wondering what Utah is like. I've heard about things like bad traffic, bad drivers, and an "inversion" in the winter. I'm also wondering how different the Church is in Utah, as opposed to places like Maryland, where Mormons are a small minority. I have a friend I grew up with in my local ward out there now and he makes it sound amazing. The local missionaries I hang out with think I should move out there too. I've been in the Church my entire life and have never set foot in Utah.

I looked on lds.org for stake information and I counted 18 stakes in Provo(not including BYU stakes), 18 stakes in West Jordan, 24 in Orem, and at least one if not multiple stakes for practically every town/community in the Salt Lake metro area. Provo or West Jordan alone each have more stakes than the ENTIRE STATE OF MARYLAND(11 stakes in Maryland) . It almost makes me scream with excitement.

[newtoutah]

Originally Posted by mleblanc138

I am almost 19 and considering moving to Utah from Maryland for some time before my Mission. I was wondering what Utah is like. I've heard about things like bad traffic, bad drivers, and an "inversion" in the winter. I'm also wondering how different the Church is in Utah, as opposed to places like Maryland, where Mormons are a small minority. I have a friend I grew up with in my local ward out there now and he makes it sound amazing. The local missionaries I hang out with think I should move out there too. I've been in the Church my entire life and have never set foot in Utah.

I looked on lds.org for stake information and I counted 18 stakes in Provo(not including BYU stakes), 18 stakes in West Jordan, 24 in Orem, and at least one if not multiple stakes for practically every town/community in the Salt Lake metro area. Provo or West Jordan alone each have more stakes than the ENTIRE STATE OF MARYLAND(11 stakes in Maryland) . It almost makes me scream with excitement.

Im from Maryland, but I can't say anything about the LDS situation since Im not that religion. I do know the mormons that I knew back in MD aren't anything like the ones out here. And MD's traffic is nothing compared to what is out here. Here they have no common sense

[coolcats]

At your age, if you move to Utah, you’d probably be going to a student ward of some type. When you have a bunch of college-age kids away from home for the first time, your student ward provides a good opportunity to make friends because you are all in the same boat. If you aren’t going to BYU, you can still take classes at Utah Valley University and still be a member of a BYU student ward. The U of U and USU have a lot of student wards also. I had never set foot in Utah in my life, until I started my mission at the MTC. I stuck around home between the time I graduated from high school and left on my mission. I think my year would have been more memorable if I had enrolled at BYU. So I think it’s a good idea. When I came back, I enrolled at BYU and I enjoyed it.

[navyman1]

I moved from Md to Ut in May after getting a job with a federal agency in SLC. I'm also a member of the Church, having converted at age 13. I've grown up most of my life on the East coast. Here are my observations/suggestions to date:

1. I love the dry air...do not miss the muggy East coast air at all, especially in Md.

2. SLC itself is about 50/50 mormon/non-mormon. Within the mormon population, you will find a very wide variation of spiritual activity. I've been taken aback a bit at how cavalier/casual some members are about the Church; many others take the Church for granted. For some Eastern mormons like myself, that takes some getting used to. Yet, at the same time, the principle of free agency is VERY important to me. I highly respect the free agency of all others, and work hard not to judge anyone. I know that even many non-mormons here are wonderful people with a good, kind spirit. Believe it or not, near downtown SLC, there's a shop called "Jack Mormon Coffee Shop." That made my BIL and I laugh heartily.

3. Since you are quite young, be sure you come to UT with purpose and focus. I concur with another poster here on the idea of attending college while you are here, preferably BYU where everyone is held to high standards.

4. Utah's air will not be as clean as Md's. If you live in SL valley or north, you will sometimes smell the pollution from the nearby oil refineries. In addition, when the wind predominates from a northernly direction, you'll also smell the Great Salt Lake's dead brine shrimp. For newcomers, it's a distinctly unpleasant smell, but you get used to it pretty quickly. In addition, on many days, the mountains will be slightly clouded by inversions.

5. The pace of life is a bit slower here than in Md. I notice that many people who grew up in UT have this "I'm not in a hurry" personality. I enjoy this, but when I need something from someone, I also have to be patient too

6. Bottom line: I'm a happy camper here in Ut, and finally found a buyer for my Md house, so my wife & four devil doggies (basenjis) will soon join me after a 3-month separation!

[newtoutah]

Originally Posted by navyman1

I moved from Md to Ut in May after getting a job with a federal agency in SLC. I'm also a member of the Church, having converted at age 13. I've grown up most of my life on the East coast. Here are my observations/suggestions to date:

1. I love the dry air...do not miss the muggy East coast air at all, especially in Md.

2. SLC itself is about 50/50 mormon/non-mormon. Within the mormon population, you will find a very wide variation of spiritual activity. I've been taken aback a bit at how cavalier/casual some members are about the Church; many others take the Church for granted. For some Eastern mormons like myself, that takes some getting used to. Yet, at the same time, the principle of free agency is VERY important to me. I highly respect the free agency of all others, and work hard not to judge anyone. I know that even many non-mormons here are wonderful people with a good, kind spirit. Believe it or not, near downtown SLC, there's a shop called "Jack Mormon Coffee Shop." That made my BIL and I laugh heartily.

3. Since you are quite young, be sure you come to UT with purpose and focus. I concur with another poster here on the idea of attending college while you are here, preferably BYU where everyone is held to high standards.

4. Utah's air will not be as clean as Md's. If you live in SL valley or north, you will sometimes smell the pollution from the nearby oil refineries. In addition, when the wind predominates from a northernly direction, you'll also smell the Great Salt Lake's dead brine shrimp. For newcomers, it's a distinctly unpleasant smell, but you get used to it pretty quickly. In addition, on many days, the mountains will be slightly clouded by inversions.

5. The pace of life is a bit slower here than in Md. I notice that many people who grew up in UT have this "I'm not in a hurry" personality. I enjoy this, but when I need something from someone, I also have to be patient too

6. Bottom line: I'm a happy camper here in Ut, and finally found a buyer for my Md house, so my wife & four devil doggies (basenjis) will soon join me after a 3-month separation!

I have to disagree with you with the bit slower pace than MD....there is no way this place is any slower than MD....at least in MD not everyone in the world is in a hurry..its seems like here they just cant' wait to get in front of u just to slow down or slam on their brakes

[frogandtoad]

Originally Posted by navyman1

I know that even many non-mormons here are wonderful people with a good, kind spirit.

Even non-Mormons can be wonderful people? Is that kind of like "even some black people aren't criminals"? See the insult embedded there?