6 Things Latter-day Saints are Abnormally Good At
There are some things that Latter-day Saints are stereotypically good at. While these are usually jokes, sometimes we are genuinely good at these things. Like, abnormally good at them. Here are 6 things that Latter-day Saints are abnormally good at.
Stacking Chairs
We are good at stacking chairs. This is just because we do it a lot. After church meetings, stake conferences, mutual activities, basically anything that involves chairs. Latter-day Saints can put them away and stack them in record time. We are also great at unstacking them.
There is really no other reason that we are so good at this one—we just do it a lot.
Baking Cookies
Whenever someone new comes into the ward or ministering brothers and sisters are assigned, it is pretty common for an LDS person to bake cookies. Usually, this is just a way to break the ice. But man, the cookies are good.
Elder Neil L. Andersen said, “I challenge you to strengthen your efforts to spiritually minister to one another… To minister spiritually can begin with baking cookies or playing a basketball game, but eventually, this holier way of ministering requires opening your heart and your faith.” In other words, don’t rely on the cookies, but they are a good start.
Self- Reliance
For years we have been told to prepare ourselves spiritually and physically for any natural disaster. Each LDS family is supposed to have a 1-year food supply and a 72-hour emergency kit for each member of their family.
When I was growing up, my mom always told us that the reason we kept a one-year food supply wasn’t always just for us. She always said that it was just in case we needed to feed all of our neighbors for a month. This is what emergency preparedness is all about. Being prepared, but also looking out for your neighbors in the process.
Inviting People to Things
The prophets and apostles are masters at this. They are constantly inviting members of the Church to act. The most recent invitation from our prophet was to look for ways and make space in our lives to “Hear Him.”
We should be just as good at inviting our friends and family members to “Hear Him” as we are at following the prophet. There are many ways that we can do that, but sometimes you have to start small.
Related Link: A List of EVERYTHING Our Leaders Counseled Us to Do at General Conference (Oct. 2020)
Members of the Church are pretty good at making really cheesy fliers for stake dances, Christmas parties, and things like that. These are just a fun way to invite everyone we know to get to know about our Church.
Ministering Through Church Activities says, “Church activities can also open the door to many opportunities to minister. For example, Church activities can provide opportunities to participate in service projects that bless others and build positive relationships in the community. Church activities can also be a chance to reach out to less-active members of the Church and to friends of other faiths or friends with no religious affiliation.”
Helping People Move
If you are moving, you can almost guarantee that someone in your ward is going to offer to help you. We are basically legends when it comes to packing trucks like it’s life-sized Tetris. This is one of the best ways to be of service to others which is generally why the offer to help comes so fast.
The gospel topics essay on service says, “Those who are baptized covenant to take the name of Jesus Christ upon themselves. The prophet Alma explained this covenant to a group of new converts who wanted to be baptized. He observed that their desire to ‘come into the fold of God’ included a willingness to give meaningful service—to ‘bear one another’s burdens, that they may be light,’ to ‘mourn with those that mourn,’ and to ‘comfort those that stand in need of comfort.'”
This might help us to understand why Latter-day Saints are stereotypically so good at helping people move. It isn’t that we are secretly all part of a moving company, but instead because we hope to serve others the best we can.
Related Link: 10 Ways to Recognize the Mormon Family Next Door
Talent Shows
For some odd reason, members of the Church are stereotypically multi-talented. Although it’s been a while since any ward talent shows, let’s not forget about them. Because members of the Church are asked to share their talents with others, this seems like the most obvious way to do it.
In the July 1996 Ensign, Elder M. Russell Ballard said, “Today, a number of Latter-day Saint artists from all fields, from writers and musicians to painters and performers, are beginning to help fill the world with goodness and truth. Latter-day Saints are a special people.”
God gives gifts to those who will share them with others. Because we do our best to not “hide [our] light[s] under a bushel” the Lord keeps his promises and multiplies our talents. This principle also goes for those who aren’t members of the Church as well.
What else are Latter-day Saints stereotypically good at? Share in the comments.