Sunday, May 4, 2008

The Mormon Code

No I'm not talking about the honor code or anything like that, I'm talking about the secret language of Mormons. You know what I'm talking about, we all use it. This is the secret language/code for "Yes I'm a Mormon, are you?". And you know what, this Mormon code has come in handy several times.
Lets start with an easy one, Mormon Identification #1: BYU Memorabilia. This is an easy way of Mormon identification. Example - I bought some warm ups from DI that had a BYU logo on it (Cheryl's cheer warm ups, who ever Cheryl is), and at the Boston Marathon every year, I'm able to find Mormons, just by a little Y on my pants. Then we talk and are best friends. This also goes for license plates frames, tire covers, trailer hitch covers, and window stickers.
Identification #2: the Mormon Mom Jumper. No this lady is not related to me, but her dress is the typical Mormon jumper. All of our mom's have had one at one point or another in denim or some lovely floral pattern. I identified some Mormon's in Florence because of this lovely denim number. What does large family with mom in denim jumper speaking English mean - Mormon.

Identification #3: You might have seen these roaming around, and I would imagine this falls in line with large family and mom in denim jumper. But here we have a giant van (for large family - Mormon......or Catholic) with a sticker for every member. We saw this lovely van in Nauvoo. Why else would you go to Nauvoo unless you were Mormon?Identification #4: Young Married couple, (or in our case, too cool for school.) Yes, if you see a really young couple that is married, chances are they are Mormon or crazy. That is what people at work think. They also assume that you must be a newly wed, because you are sooo young. Oh yeah, and they are usually really gooey and lovey because they've only been together (dated, engaged and married) for 6 months.
Identification # 5: Clothing. Ok- clothing is obviously a huge identification factor. Long shorts and a Shade cap sleeve shirt in 110 degree weather, must be Mormon. Oh Shade, where would Mormon modesty be without you? In big trouble, that's where. And I'll just tie this in with the extremely young married couple, who are also dragging along their 12 month old L'Vern and are pregnant with their second kid. They must be Mormon.
The great thing about all this language/code, is that once you have identified Mormons, you are best friends. Case in point, we went to church in Cambridge with our Harvard friends. We wore our church clothes down town to get some lunch and then proceeded to church. As soon as we got out of the subway station, we put on our dress shoes and started off to the church building. While changing our shoes, some other Mormons came out of the subway. They said "You look like Mormons, do you know where the church is at?" We all consulted our maps, and one guy got on his cell phone to consult his friend. A Mormon drove by that we didn't know, but we all squished in his Prius and went to church (they were runners too, which makes us not only friends, but kindred spirits). Mormons = Best Friends.
If I have forgotten anything that is worth mentioning, let me know:)

12 comments:

vanessa said...

The other day we were driving and someone had a Wisconsin license plate but it was a vanity plate that said PROVO UT. I'm pretty sure they were Mormon too.

Kate said...

I love it. You don't realize the value of these subtleties until you don't live in Utah any more.

Erin said...

-G-lines
-RULDS2 stickers on the back of a van
-the "glow"
-Sprite at restaurants
-Peter Brienholt concerts
-Jerusalem Center backpacks
-Large groups of young adults who would normally be at a bar, hanging out and eating ice-cream
-Plaid button up shirts (that goes for men or women)
-"Oh my heck"
-American Idol contestants. We have a very high representation there you know.

that's all I can think of.

Funny post.

Melanie said...

all so true! I don't do the BYU thing though...since I didn't go to BYU. When people at work find out I've been married 6 years and I'm only 26, they sort of freak out. One person even said "you sound like someone from that polygamous group." Can you believe that!!

the lunch lady said...

Last year on Waikiki seeing my first Mormon sighting -- they were fully clothed, just like me. It was a glorious thing.

Bill said...

I believe that all Mormons should boycott RULDS2 stickers.

In Mexico the Church has a cooler, braver sticker: "Be Happy. Be Mormon." I like it.

Janel said...

You guys are Hilarious! That was great! Just wanted to say hi! We walked by your old place yesterday and two men were moving furniture out of the Apt, underneath where the Ellis' lived...anyways It totally reminded me of the guy that would yell BILLLLL from outside...haha.

JoSue said...

I saw a van once with stickers for mom and dad and three cats. haha I laughed when I saw it. NOt sure if they were mormon though. I love the grandma picture. It has that background that we used to have in like 3rd or 4th grade pictures. Thanks for the laugh.

Kate said...

CJane had a post with family stickers on a car, but one of the parents was crossed out, I'm guessing they were divorced, but it was pretty funny.

Chelsea and Evan said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Chelsea and Evan said...

Haha! It is so true. We saw someone the other day with a navy blue hat and a big Y on it. We almost approached him. But, we realized that his hat was from Yale...that could of been awkward!

S said...

Hey Kate! I found your blog thru JoSue's. Funny post!When you live in Idaho you don't notice Mormons, we all blend together. My random "Mormon Sighting" was a few years ago I was at the Louvre, and right in the middle of the Renaissance art was a guy wearing a BYU hat. I could see the Y across the room. It made me feel like I was back in Idaho.