Rosie Card is the founder of Q.NOOR, a clothing company that creates temple, baptism, and blessing dresses, and the host of the Q.MORE podcast, discussing questions about culture and doctrine in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. A former model, BYU grad, and returned missionary, Rosie is also the author of Model Mormon, the story of her experience in the modeling industry and discovering that true happiness isn’t found in looking beautiful, but in seeking to become more like the Savior. She recently returned to attending her local ward after years of experience in singles wards.
Highlights
5:00 Experience as a model
5:50 The story behind her book, “Model Mormon”
6:30 How and why she started Q.NOOR, creating temple dresses that help women feel comfortable in the temple
9:35 What started the Q.MORE podcast: discussing questions openly in conversations
13:55 People usually just need to know that they aren’t the only one with questions
14:20 Leaders should encourage people to turn to God for answers
17:40 Getting away from making singles wards all about dating
18:15 The sense that single adults need to get married so that they can “join the rest”, when we all actually have the same purpose to become like Christ
20:25 The unintentional message that singles wards exist to push marriage
21:25 Being comfortable with singleness
22:40 The focus on relationship discussions in singles wards needs to be balanced out
23:40 If you want to have lessons on chastity or healthy sexuality, be straightforward about it all instead of tiptoeing around the subjects
26:10 YSA activities are great, but YSA are no longer “youth”
27:10 Sometimes we treat singles like children instead of the adults they are
28:35 Single members are growing and progressing in the same ways as married members, but through different experiences
29:45 Stop it with the date boxes
30:25 Dating committees: We should be encouraging men and women to have the maturity and confidence to date, not facilitate dating for them
33:20 Ward Council that built activities around their network and skills for YSA
34:55 Unintentional disrespect for YSAs: they don’t need adult supervision, they aren’t kids, and they are no less of contributing members in the Church
38:55 Consider: a 28-year-old single adult is as capable as a 28-year-old married adult
40:20 YSAs have more time than same-age married adults-with-children and could potentially contribute even more in a calling, not less
42:10 The myth that a YSA can’t have the same opportunities to contribute or serve in leadership callings in a family ward as they would in a singles ward
45:10 Discussion of what dissolving singles wards could do for everyone
47:25 Sacrament meeting coordinator calling
49:55 Decided the topics, speakers, and order of speakers as a member of the Ward Council
51:40 Local ward bishops could use this to take those tasks off their busy plate
52:25 How she worked with the bishop in the coordinator calling
53:50 Encouragement for YSA bishops: have open and honest discussions with the people in your ward about their experiences there
56:55 Observations of the Church and the gospel from the outside have helped her have more compassion for others who might feel disenfranchised
Links
Q.MORE podcast
Q.MORE podcast with Kurt: Thus Saith the Lord
Rosie’s book, Model Mormon
Q.NOOR.com LDS temple, baptism, and blessing dresses
@RosemaryCard on Twitter
Watch the Single Saints Conference, a deep dive into single adults in the Church
I agree so much with what was said. I am married and only attended a singles ward for a short period of time, but I was supremely bothered by the culture of the singles ward being focused on marriage. The focus of any ward should be Jesus Christ.
I support whatever the Lord feels is necessary for His church. I was disappointed when the YSA Stakes and Wards were made independent. I don’t feel that specialty wards, other than the possible exception of language-based wards, are a good idea. It tends to give the idea that the church unit is about something other than helping people come to Christ.
Thank you for this podcast episode (and this podcast in general) – very needed.
I was in a singles ward in Utah over 20 yrs. ago and never felt like it focused on dating or marriage. I had a great experience. My daughter is in a singles ward in Utah now and from what I can tell, they don’t even talk about dating or marriage ever, let alone focus on it. From what I can tell, it’s a great experience for her.
I do see some problems, but they have nothing to do with the leadership. They have to do with the members and with dating.
A problem I noticed with the members of her ward is that as soon as a person goes on one date with or sits by a person of the opposite sex, mamy see the two as a couple or exclusive.
That is rididulous and that needs to end. The members need to get these silly ideas out of their minds. Let people sit by people and date them without discussing their relationship with others and noting in your mind that the 2 persons are “taken.”
Only if the teo make an announcement should this change.