Working with the YM - cougarguard.com — unofficial BYU Cougars / LDS sports, football, basketball forum and message board

MikeWaters · 02-18-2015, 09:36 PM

Got some rough news on a former YM. Now a young adult. Or was a young adult. Passed on. RM.

It's been interesting to see who has struggled and who hasn't. Even some that have gone on missions have struggled mightily, including the one that just died.

It seems that a good percentage are not active in the church anymore. And in all the cases I can think of, they were not on track to go to college. Even the two or three that went on missions and have since struggled (the third came home after being in the field for just a few months).

There have been several that seem to be doing well.

I feel like I can tell you who will "make it" and who will not before the age of 14. You look at the family, you look and see what the expectations are. You see what talents the kid has and how they carry themselves.

I can only think of one case of an at-risk kid that has done very well. Actually came home from his mission early, waited a year, returned on his mission. Now at BYU and married in the temple. Chaotic family, but he was very bright.

It bothers me that we don't do better. It bothers me that kids that grow up in a church youth program working with college-educated adults, can't figure out the educational system and make it work. It goes to show how important the family is. Almost all the influence is coming from the family, and only a small portion from the church.

The death of the YM--really hits home that the stakes are high. Physical death, spiritual death.

I'm still in contact with some of these kids that aren't active anymore, even though I've moved from their ward. They're not bad kids. And I like to think they'll find their way back someday. They are not worried about historical claims of the church--they're just trying to find their way in life. Get a good job. Afford their own place. A girl on the arm. And so forth.

02-18-2015, 09:36 PM	#1
MikeWaters Demiurge Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 36,367	Working with the YM Got some rough news on a former YM. Now a young adult. Or was a young adult. Passed on. RM. It's been interesting to see who has struggled and who hasn't. Even some that have gone on missions have struggled mightily, including the one that just died. It seems that a good percentage are not active in the church anymore. And in all the cases I can think of, they were not on track to go to college. Even the two or three that went on missions and have since struggled (the third came home after being in the field for just a few months). There have been several that seem to be doing well. I feel like I can tell you who will "make it" and who will not before the age of 14. You look at the family, you look and see what the expectations are. You see what talents the kid has and how they carry themselves. I can only think of one case of an at-risk kid that has done very well. Actually came home from his mission early, waited a year, returned on his mission. Now at BYU and married in the temple. Chaotic family, but he was very bright. It bothers me that we don't do better. It bothers me that kids that grow up in a church youth program working with college-educated adults, can't figure out the educational system and make it work. It goes to show how important the family is. Almost all the influence is coming from the family, and only a small portion from the church. The death of the YM--really hits home that the stakes are high. Physical death, spiritual death. I'm still in contact with some of these kids that aren't active anymore, even though I've moved from their ward. They're not bad kids. And I like to think they'll find their way back someday. They are not worried about historical claims of the church--they're just trying to find their way in life. Get a good job. Afford their own place. A girl on the arm. And so forth.