u/Low-Leadership-6476

People around me keep telling me I need to get into a relationship. The problem is, I’ve tried. I’ve gone on plenty of dates, put myself out there, and nothing meaningful has come from it. Dating today honestly feels exhausting. Divorce rates are high, people seem less committed, and you’re expected to risk everything you’ve built if things don’t work out.

Living in Utah doesn’t make it any easier. I keep running into women who are either lukewarm in their Christian faith or are deeply Mormon, and neither is what I’m looking for. At some point you just get tired of investing time and effort into relationships that clearly aren’t going anywhere.

I know what I bring to the table, and I’m looking for someone who brings something to the table too. Being a good mom someday is important, but it can’t be the only thing. Too many people settle because they’re afraid of being alone. I’d rather stay single than spend the rest of my life with someone who isn’t truly compatible.

One piece of advice I’d give is don’t rush into marriage when you’re young. Give yourselves time to grow. You don’t fully know yourself in your early twenties, let alone another person. I’ve only had one serious relationship, and looking back, I realized I was more in love with the idea of having someone than with the person themselves. That’s a mistake I don’t want to make again.

Have standards. Don’t lower them just because you’re lonely or because everyone else thinks you should be in a relationship. The right person should complement your life, not just fill an empty space.

Women shouldn’t feel pressured to date someone who doesn’t meet their standards, and men shouldn’t either. At the same time, don’t expect someone to completely change who they are just to become your ideal partner. People should be accepted for who they are, not for who we hope they’ll become.

It’s no secret that women generally get approached more and have more dating options than men. I don’t blame women for being selective they should be. But men need healthy standards too. Standards aren’t about thinking you’re better than someone else; they’re about protecting yourself from committing to the wrong person. Too often people ignore red flags because they’re caught up in the excitement of a new relationship. By the time the honeymoon phase wears off, they realize they were in love with who they hoped the other person would be instead of who they actually were.

DESCRIPTION:

Hey! Figured I’d give this a shot.

I’m 24 from Southern Utah. I’m 5’8” and currently on a weight loss journey. I’m a pretty laid back guy who’s easy to talk to and always down for an adventure. I’d rather be out in the mountains, around a campfire, or taking a road trip than going to clubs or bars. I love making people laugh, having real conversations, and just enjoying the little things in life.

WORK:

I work as a maintenance technician at a resort.

Every day is different. Plumbing, electrical, HVAC, drywall, appliances… if something breaks, I’m usually the one fixing it. I honestly enjoy working with my hands and figuring things out.

HOBBIES / INTERESTS:

Outside of work I’m usually:

* Camping

* Hiking

* Fishing

* Playing softball

* Golfing

* PC gaming

* Reading my Bible

* Hanging out with my dog Nix

* Spending time with friends and family

* Going on random drives

Huge Broncos fan too, so football season is my favorite time of year.

FAITH:

Jesus comes first in my life.

I grew up LDS but stepped away a couple years ago after spending a lot of time reading Scripture and praying. These days I just call myself a Christian. My relationship with Christ is what matters most to me, and I try to let the Bible guide how I live my life.

I’m definitely not perfect, but I’m always trying to grow closer to God and become the man He’s called me to be.

WHAT I’M LOOKING FOR:

I’m looking for someone who genuinely loves Jesus and wants Him to be the center of her life.

Denomination isn’t a huge deal to me as long as Christ comes first.

I’d love someone who’s kind, honest, loyal, can communicate well, enjoys being outside, and wants something serious that could eventually lead to marriage. I want my future wife to also be my best friend.

PREFERRED AGE RANGE:

I’d probably say somewhere around 20-28, but I’m not completely set on that if we genuinely connect.

LONG DISTANCE / RELOCATING:

I’m open to long distance, but only within the U.S.

I don’t mind putting in the effort if it’s the right person. I’d rather find someone who shares my values a few states away than settle just because someone lives close. If things got serious, the goal would obviously be closing the distance.

God bless! ✝️

I’m a 24M and I’ve been out of the church for about 2 years now. I wanted to share some of the reasons I left and see if anyone else had similar experiences.

I’ve always been someone who questions things and wants straight answers. Whenever I brought questions to my bishop or even my stake president, the response was almost always “have you prayed about it?” or “have you fasted?” instead of actually addressing what I was asking. It felt like I could never get a direct, honest answer.

One of the big things for me was tithing. 10% is a lot of money, and I struggled with the idea of it being required. I asked why it was necessary, especially when Jesus never charged people to enter temples. The answers I got were things like “it keeps the lights on” or “it supports the church,” but that didn’t sit right with me—especially when I was under the impression that temple workers were volunteers.

I also questioned why the church has such a massive amount of wealth. Yes, they do help people, but why hold onto so much excess? And what difference does my contribution really make when the church is investing in large corporations, including ones that go against what they teach members to avoid?

Another thing that bothered me was how discouraged questioning felt. Growing up, we’re taught to say we know the church is true and that Joseph Smith is a prophet, even as kids. Looking back, it feels like that kind of conditioning starts really young, which makes it harder to question things later on.

I’ve spent a lot of time praying and trying to figure things out, and honestly, the conclusion I kept coming to was that the church just isn’t true for me.

I’m curious—has anyone else had similar experiences with leadership not answering questions directly, or struggles around tithing and church finances?