I Moved To Utah. Everyone Has The Same Question!
According to the most recent census, Utah is the fastest growing state in the nation. While it is only 30th in terms of population, the growth of 18.4% is quite a bit higher than our national growth of 7.4%. Our family contributed to this growth when we hit the road in summer 2020 and moved to Salt Lake County from the midwest. Moving is stressful. Moving a family to another state is even more stressful. Moving during a pandemic is something I hope I never have to do again.
Since arriving, we have done our best, within the limits of Covid restrictions, to start exploring here and nearby. There is so much to see and do. The mountain views that you get while just running errands haven’t gotten old. It’s so beautiful to look at that even sitting at the DMW isn’t as bad because the smart people who designed the building put windows all around so that you can enjoy the view while you wait. We went cross country skiing and my daughter tried snow boarding. We’ve taken several road trips, enjoying our proximity to places like Moab, Yellowstone, Las Vegas and California.
I’ve also noticed there is an overall positive feeling here. I think it has something to do with the growth. It feels exciting to look around and see homes being built, and new restaurants and businesses opening. I live in an area with a lot of transplants from out of state and it’s cool that people are so happy to be here. I can’t speak for all of the newbies, but it seems like there is one thing everyone comments on about Utah, and it has nothing to do with all of this beautiful scenery.
You have probably guessed that it’s the Mormon thing. “Are you Mormon now?” “What’s it like living with all of those Mormons?” “You won’t have any shortages there because Mormons stock up on things.” That last one was news to me. I have probably met some Mormons since I’ve moved here, but here’s the thing, I really don’t know for sure. Yes, there are a lot of LDS churches around, that I do know. But, in my experience, Mormons do not have to tell you they’re Mormon as soon as you meet them. And while I am aware that the church does send missionaries all over the world, I have never felt recruited in any way since moving here. If I did want to check out a Mormon church, I’d have to do all of the leg work myself.
While there are less practicing LDS members in Salt Lake County now (there is actually significant growth in other counties), church members still make up over 46% of the population here. That’s a lot. Does it affect me at all? Not really. I will say that the architecture of the churches and temples is beautiful and consistent and I like that. I also know that the Mormon church has invested a lot in downtown Salt Lake City and it’s a very nice city, easy to navigate and lots to do. Utahns love to point out the grid system and it really does make things easier for a new resident.
I certainly don’t resent the questions about Mormons and Mormonism. I know people are genuinely interested and curious. It’s just that the LDS church, while ever present in the background, has no effect on my daily life here. I feel free to live my life as a somewhat lapsed Roman Catholic in peace and if I can do that, and do it in a beautiful setting, I can’t ask for much more.
Sources: APnews.com — https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-utah-coronavirus-pandemic-census-2020-covid-19-pandemic-560c4f5406724b83a81efe56b1011616, Salt Lake Tribune — https://www.sltrib.com/religion/2021/01/14/salt-lake-county-keeps/#:~:text=Utah%20County%20now%20has%20539%2C573,much%20larger%20Salt%20Lake%20County.
