Deseret News | 'Something sacred happens every day' in early-morning seminary

Reader comments
'Something sacred happens every day' in early-morning seminary

Wes | 4:31 a.m. May 10, 2009

Seminary was the most miserable experience of my teenage years having be forced to wake up early to repetitious items that we already heard. They should do seminary online these days is my recommendation.

Early Morning Seminary | 8:39 a.m. May 10, 2009

God Bless Sister Pickren!! Good Seminary teachers are a Special Breed!!

I remember Early Morning Seminary. Some students were there because it was their Parent's wishes that they be there, but I enjoyed the experience. I was there on "my" choosing. All of the kids in my class went to a different High School than I did. We were "car pooled" all together by parents to get to the meeting place, and they were all "car pooled" to their high school, but I alone (going to a different High School) rode the public bus all the way to my High School which was about a half hour ride through the streets of West Los Angeles. Later down the bus route some other kids that went to my High School got on the bus closer to the school.

One of my Seminary teachers was a Chemistry teacher
at Beverly Hills High, which was one of the schools that my school compteted with in sports.

Seminary was a bit of a sacrifice for all those involved, But it WAS WORTH the getting up Early and all the travel routines to get that "Spititual
Bite and/or Much More" each morning.

EasternMOM | 9:23 a.m. May 10, 2009

my kids go at 5:15 am for a 5:30 am class

Comments continue below

Pam W | 9:29 a.m. May 10, 2009

I think Seminary is like so many other sacrifices we make. The blessings may not be readily obvious until we have willingly and with our hearts made the sacrifice for the right reason. I'm an adult convert, so never attended Seminary, but have worked with the Young Women and saw first hand the difference it made for the girls who attended.

eeBee | 9:33 a.m. May 10, 2009

Sorry you had such horrible experience, Wes. Most kids that take seminary would tell you it's the best part of their day.

lee | 9:48 a.m. May 10, 2009

Early morning seminary is not useful, it hurts the kids educational process, removes them from after school activities like Cheerleading, Basketball, Academic competitions. Home study is much better. The ones who do partake of early morning seminary socially believe that they are more righteous than others. What a laugh. How many of these kids rebel at 18? Look at the Church records. Force feeding the youth. The minute they get of age, they say SEE YA LATER!.

To Lee | 10:23 a.m. May 10, 2009

Sorry you have such bad feelings about Seminary. It was the best part of my four years of High School. Sure we woke up early and tired, but the experience as I look back on it now years later was worth it. I had 1 fantastic teacher, 1 bad teacher for two years, and one I can't even remember. The fantastic teacher will remain in my heart forever as beloved. The bad teacher? He tried his hardest, but like me was busy, had lots of kids, worked long hours, and now I can see he was a great man. I learned alot from him as an adult.

Seminary is what YOU make it, just like any church meeting, it's all about your attitude.

Anonymous | 11:27 a.m. May 10, 2009

At 15 I was a new convert, kicked out of home after baptism. I chose to attend 4 years early morning seminary and believe it separates the sheep from lambs. It truly was a sacrifice but was character building and fortified me. My own children attended 4 yrs early morning seminary, did morning newspaper routes, sports all year, and activities. Early morning Seminary is not the problem, it is a choice and blessing! It requires time budgeting and skillful self discipline which benefit students and teachers. I taught early morning seminary and know the sacrifices are made by all but are WORTH IT. "You get out of it what you put into it since effort brings rewards." I work in high school and see the difference it makes in students every day. Bless the early morning seminary program that brings more blessings despite real sacrifices by all. Real effort and commitment are needed but are rewarded.

Anonymous | 11:43 a.m. May 10, 2009

Seminary is not a requirement in the Church. You do not have to attend seminary in order to be temple worthy or to be a good person. I learn more doing scripture reading at home than I ever learned in seminary.

Glenn | 12:06 p.m. May 10, 2009

Seminary is is probably the most destructive part in the social development of young mormons. It is one of the prime reasons that most mormons cannot make a social connection with those outside the church. It's pretty sad.

Fredd | 12:17 p.m. May 10, 2009

If its sacred why are we talking about it?

Question? | 2:28 p.m. May 10, 2009

I attended early morning seminary have grown up outside of Utah. It is not an option for my son, however. Requests for early morning and home study seminary are reviewed by a board of seminary teachers and your request is "approved" after they pray about it. My reasons for wanting my son to do so are our own and the request should be honored. I guess my question is "what is the purpose of this story?" if we don't have early morning seminary in this state?

Anonymous | 3:37 p.m. May 10, 2009

We are truly blessed in Utah to have release time. I feel the pain of those who are not fortunate enough to live among the saints.

You'd recognize my screen name-- | 4:40 p.m. May 10, 2009

--but I'm preserving my cover.

* "We are truly blessed in Utah to have release time. I feel the pain of those who are not fortunate enough to live among the saints" *

What makes you think that because we don't live in Utah, we don't "live among the Saints"? Maybe we're fortunate not to, if living in Utah means being exposed to these attitudes.

I teach early-morning seminary in California. This experience builds youth in ways that 5th period release time, as if the gospel were just another class like math or history, doesn't. These kids sacrifice. They give of their time and energy to enjoy the fellowship of other believers and be nurtured by the word of God. It's like a tithe of their time, as it also is for early-morning teachers, who aren't paid.

None of my students have more than 3-4 LDS schoolmates. No one goes because their bf/gf/best friend is going, or because being Mormon is popular or fashionable in San Francisco.

Not everyone graduates. Those who persevere have really earned their diplomas and accomplished something unique. I salute them.

To:Question? | 5:24 p.m. May 10, 2009

The paper edition of the Deseret News is a Utah thing. The internet version of the Deseret News is WORLD-WIDE... Most of the World does not have "release time" Seminary. When living in Orange County, California a while back, the numbers were there to do "release time" Seminary, but getting the local schools and others to co-operate was a major problem.

Lots of people from all sorts of direction made a lot of fuss about having anything special for any
"religious" cause. There are those few in California, who with their lawyers, want to even stop the Pledge of Allegiance, because of the phrase
"Under God". So far, the school children still can salute the flag at school.

We live in a terriblly vulerable world when it comes
"religious freedoms". Be Grateful that that kind of thinking hasn't dominated yet in Utah and Idaho.

It has been challenged already, just hasn't dominated yet. Some schools are even afraid to mention the name "Jesus" at an Easter Party during the school day. Easter Bunny and searching for eggs is OK, but to mention "Jesus" is "criminal" because not all believe in Jesus. "Political Correctness"
IS god!!

To "Question" | 5:33 p.m. May 10, 2009

The daily seminary program aka "early morning" is organized by the stake president. CES has a coordinator that helps train teachers, gathers reports etc. It is the stake president's decision on how the program is run in the stake, not CES

Remember Scripture Chase? | 7:18 p.m. May 10, 2009

I attended early morning seminary in 9th grade and realease time during my sophomore and Junior years in Idaho Falls. I hated all three. The teachers were sanctimonious and had absolutely no sense of humor. And most of the "eternal" doctrines they taught us have now been abandoned anyway.

DCnTN | 8:42 p.m. May 10, 2009

I both attended and taught early morning seminary. One year I interviewed each of my students individully while my wife fed the rest breakfast. I asked them, "Do you come here because you want to or because your parents make you come?"

I found the answers interesting. Instead of being divided between the kids who seemed most committed to the church and those who less so, the freshman and sophmores all told me they came because their parents made them and the juniors and seniors becuase they wanted to. It was an eye opening experience.

I do have to say I was relieved when my youngest turned 16 and I didn't have to get up and drive a child to seminary any more.

Anonymous | 9:41 p.m. May 10, 2009

For years I bragged that my son said early morning seminary was a great way to start the day. It wasn't until recently I found out he meant that because he was allowed to drive to school. All my kids did enjoy seminary though.

Bill | 10:05 p.m. May 10, 2009

Our Ward has a very good seminary teacher and all of the teenagers attending seem to love her. Each one on a regular basis during their talks or even during testimony meetings will stand and bear testimony of the sacrife they have.

For many it gives a spiritual upliftment to the start of their day. If more of the kids felt compelled to go but not forced I believe many would get a lot out of it. My son went for two years before he dropped out. The reasons I later found were not mine but peer pressure from those outside the Church. If he had continued I feel he would have gained more out of it that he would have without it.

I feel each and every able teenager should attend but for the right reason. When they do I feel they will gain a greater understanding of the Saviour, sacrifice and obeidance to the commandments of God. This is what seminary is all about.

to "You'd recognize..." | 10:05 p.m. May 10, 2009

What do you mean early morning seminary teachers aren't paid? My mom taught for years and received a check each term. Not huge, for sure, but she was paid nonetheless. My sister teaches now and she is paid as well, more than double what our mom was.

Bill | 10:16 p.m. May 10, 2009

Seminary teachers are not paid for their services. However, they receive an allowance for time traveled and for anything they should buy for the class. They are still a lay ministrey as the rest of us are. They are not given a salary to teach.

Aaron | 10:32 p.m. May 10, 2009

Seminary teachers are given a small stipend to cover the cost of seldom-served refreshments. If it were a salary, it would work out to be less than minimum wage if you only count the hour that they teach each day.

Now, total up the hours for preparation and training and you'll understand that seminary teachers are true volunteers. Your Mom and sister are angels!

You'd recognize... | 10:40 p.m. May 10, 2009

Here I am again.

In a couple of weeks, I'll submit my request for reimbursement. This is not a salary. I drive probably 2,000 miles a year for seminary purposes, including to and from class (wards are farther apart here than in Utah), conferences, and local teacher meetings.

The reimbursement is nominal, the same rate as the IRS deduction for charitable travel. I think it's 14 cents a mile. At the price of gas in California, that's about what it pays for, not factoring in tires, brakes, normal vehicle wear and tear, and time. Every teacher I know buys more supplies than we bother to get reimbursed for.

And we don't have a problem with that.

Like any calling in the Church, this is intended to be service to the Lord and His children. It isn't supposed to pay our mortgage or grocery bill. Anyone who serves in the Church thinking they'll get rich needs to find another church.

giselle: loved seminary | 6:10 p.m. Aug. 2, 2009

I live in mexico and attended seminary at 6 pm, I got home very tired after school , sometimes I just had the time to eat som snack and hurry to seminary. I had the same teacher in all 4yrs, she is wonderful, I learned a lot there, you can get bored if you dont have a good attitude , dont read and dont do your part, but if you do what you are suppose to it is the best experience for a teen. and I still remember the scripture master thingy!

I am 21, now I look forward to be called as a seminary teacher

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