It seems almost beyond belief that members would give up their Saturdays to clean the chapel.

On top of paying hefty tithes and fast offerings,mind you.

When do these people have any personal time?

Husbands who often have to commute to work, mothers who need a break from housework, children who should have some fun experiences with their parents on weekends - the Mormon church sucks it all away.

I pity TBMs

is that we have so much family time. For our so-called FHE, we replaced it with a new tradition where we eat out as a family on Monday nights. We've tried some really fun restaurants and the kids still say "Remember when we went to that one place..." We spend a lot of Sunday afternoons watching football and talking and laughing together. Or, in the summer, we go to the lake. We all get along so much better because not only is there less pressure but we have time to do fun things to counteract the pressure we do have. And have fun experiences with our kids. I mentioned in another post that in a couple of weeks our stake is having a Mother/Daughter breakfast and "getaway". But most of the activities seem to be centered around setting a good example for your daughter and/or following the gospel. DD and I are planning to go out for breakfast, go clothes shopping and get pedicures. She is really looking forward to having Mom all to herself and being the center of attention. Instead of the church obligations being the center of attention. Funny thing, DD's friend (who's dad is in the bishopric) asked her if she was planning on going to the "getaway" and DD told her our plans. She reported her friend was really jealous.

All Mormonism cares about is Mormonism. I'd never clean their bathrooms.

...what would you rather remember? All the hours you spent cleaning the chapel and attending boring meetings?

Or all the happy hours you spent with your family?

No contest, right?

When I was in junior high, my father made me and my two brothers clean up the high school football fields on Saturday mornings. The money we were paid went to support the local Mormon branch (Pottstown, PA), because the church wouldn't cover it. Other people took their families to the Friday night games, and I got to pick up their sticky cups and hot dog remains the next morning. I lost my Saturdays and received no pay. At the church branch on Sundays, I was treated like crap. Monday through Friday I went to school with angry redneck bullies. I was the only Mormon kid in the school, and they gave me hell. Result: Exmo.