I am currently going through a divorce and might be moving to Utah to be near my family. The question I have is this:
I lived in Utah during the 80’s and found the strong Mormon influence put me at a disadvantage in the work force and in my personal life since I am a ex-Mormon woman. My family assures me that it has changed there in Utah, and I am curious to what other peoples experiences have been. This is a big move for me and I would like to have some sense of what the local environment is like before I move there.
The area I am looking at is fairly rural–near Payson where my sister lives. She obviously wants me to move there, so she says what she thinks I want to hear–but can someone living there give me a more objective opinion?
The two churches are probably across town from each other, given the number of blocks between them.
I think it’s easier to be non-Mormon or ex-Mormon in some areas than others. You probably wouldn’t have any problem in, say, Park City or Salt Lake. Also, in certain areas (I don’t know about Payson) there has been a huge flux of out-of-staters moving in, changing the dynamics of the community. If Payson is one of the more popular places (again I don’t know) chances are it’s not as bad as it was in the 80s.
This is bound to turn into those “Utah is restrictive” “no it’s not” arguments before too long. So before I get attacked let me say I am just providing this as one person’s factual personal experience.
So some facts: is Utah mainly LDS? Some figures say yes others say no. As Pepper pointed out, some areas moreso than others. Payson, is still pretty much LDS.
The other factor to consider is not how many LDS people are there but how it will effect you. Are you the type of person who gets their panties in a bunch if laws or rules that seem to lean toward one moral guideline rather than another? Utah might not be for you if you don’t share the same views. (Then again a lot of cities/states lean that way, be it Baptist in the south or Catholic in the Boston area).
I would ask myself “did the way Utah used to be really bother me a lot, just a little or not at all”. If you felt really isolated and secluded, maybe visit for a while and see how it works out, but make no mistake the prevaling attitudes of smaller cities are still pretty LDS centric (families, clean living, attending church and church functions). And most of the rules and social engagements are bound to reflect it.
It’s not as bad as it was in the '80s, but I wouldn’t call it non-member or ex-member friendly, per se. A small town in Utah will lean towards the LDS membership whereas SLC has become, IMHO, much more accepting of non LDS citizens.
Payson is a bit smaller then Spanish Fork. There is only 6 miles between the two cities. Springville is 12 miles from Payson (just south of Provo) and although a small town, I believe it’s a little bit bigger then Spanish Fork. When I lived there, there were two sides of town so to speak. A lot of members of the church, but there was also a fair amount of non members who seemed to band together. I dated a “biker dude with tats” who lived in the same apt complex - not something you would expect to find in Utah years ago.
Now, if you want to consider SLC, let me know. I can tell you a lot more about how it has changed.
Yep, Payson is pretty much booneyville. I’d bet they don’t sell beer on Sundays, and you can probably guarantee the city pool won’t be open on Sunday either. However, if these minor inconveniences don’t bother you that much, it might be worth a try. Yeah, you may have issues getting a job because you don’t wear the right underwear (particularly in Payson). Will other kids or their teachers tell them they’re going to hell. Maybe, it happened to my kids 10 years ago.
Like cadolphin pointed out, things are much different in Salt Lake. What kind of work would you like to do? Do you already know other people in Payson? Give us some more specific questions, and we’ll get back to you. (Provided the hamsters allow us to.)
Good luck.
