Things to know

Regularly read by 50,000+ readers in over 140 countries around the world, "Dear Bro Jo" is published several times a month.

This is column is just one guy's opinion, and while he does his best to keep what he thinks, says and writes in-line with the Gospel of Jesus Christ, "Dear Bro Jo" is not an LDS Church website. (And Sister Jo thinks you should know that he's sometimes wrong, and often way too opinionated for his own good.)

Nothing here is meant to take the place of talking with parents, leaders, or Church authorities. Please, if you need serious help, talk to a trusted adult, leader, and / or professional counselor.

Please like our Facebook page, and check it often for Discussions, Notes, Events and just General Good Stuff!

Everything here is copyrighted. If you're going to quote any part of anything here, please get Bro Jo's written permission. You can reach him at dearbrojo@gmail.com.

Monday, March 30, 2009

First Date "Promptings of the Spirit"

Dear Bro Jo,

I go to LDS Business College in Salt Lake City. I'm happy with my quantity of dates, and most of them are pretty nice guys, but it seems like every guy wants to stroll through Temple Square on our first date, then they get all romantic, start talking about "fate" and "destiny" and "promptings of the spirit" and then the next thing I know they're talking about how we're meant to be together forever - ON THE FIRST DATE!

What is it with these guys? Do they all take the same "how to repel a girl" class?

I just want a "normal" date; is that too much to ask?

- City Girl

Dear City,

Yes. They all went to the same "How to Repel A Girl" class.

It's offered on Sunday afternoons at 4pm, with special meetings held in the Conference Center (that's why it had to be built so large - didn't you know? - because there's such a large group of guys enrolled in the class).

It's also true that none of these guys recall the story in President Hinkley's biography where Sister Marjorie Hinkley relates a similar experience. Remember? Some boy told her that "the Spirit has told me we're to be together" and she responded with "well he hasn't said anything to me!"

I don't know why guys do this, but when I was at LDSBC (a LONG TIME ago) girls used to come to class on Monday mornings with the same story. Maybe you should take it as a compliment . . . every girl I've ever known this to happen to is very, very pretty . . . so you must be too.

(Note: Sisters this does NOT mean that if this doesn't happen to you that you're an escapee from the kennel! It just means that you've been fortunate to not be hounded by overly superficial and shallow Brethren).

If I were to guess I think guys say it because they're horny. Seriously. I think it's a line. I think if a guy drops the "Spirit spoke to me" line on a first date (or even the first few weeks) it's because he's trying to get smooched.

Kiss him if you want, but I think you'll be making a mistake. Anybody that pulls something that cheesy should be made to wait.

(Heck, I don't recommend kissing on the first date anyway)

Now, I DO BELIEVE that the Spirit prompts us in all things, most especially marriage. One of the very few times I felt the Spirit so strongly I was powerless to resist was when I was prompted to propose, but I assure you it wasn't our first date. Or our third. Or our tenth. Or our fiftieth . . .

Yes, I did start to feel on our First Date that the future Sister Johnston was the love of my life, but I needed a lot more information before I was ready to act.

- Bro Jo




No comments: