Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Best Places to Raise an LDS Family




Oh, my dear Mormon friends...someone at the Mormon Times was clearly not paying attention to my blog, as I have time after time given examples of why Pennsylvania is such a great place to live.  But alas, you don't have to take my word for it, because now it's official:


The book "Best Places to Raise an LDS Family" ranks State College, Pennsylvania as the #1 PLACE to raise an LDS Family Outside of Utah!

Again...no surprise there!  We actually live an hour east of State College now, but we did live in State College for two years of our marriage and that is where my first two children were born...In a hospital over-looking Penn State's Beaver Stadium...and a field of sheep!

To determine the best places to raise an LDS family, they looked at data that generally fell into seven categories:  LDS Culture, Education, Crime, Economic Environment, Health, Household Characteristics, and Housing.

Pennsylvania is a peaceful, beautiful place.  Things are simpler here, calmer, more real.  People work hard and know how to have good clean fun.  People are helpful, good neighbors, kind, generous, faithful, and they care about their communities.  And they love children here.  They love families.  When I am out and about with my children, people are so supportive and kind.  If you are raising children, this is THE ideal place.  I wasn't sure how I'd like it here long-term when we first moved here, but I didn't have children yet then, and I had moved to State College straight from Washington, DC, so it was a bit of a huge change of pace for me.  But now that we have a family, our needs are different, and this place, these people bring us a lot of joy.

Right now, we are waiting to hear the latest developments on our promised Temple in Philadelphia, PA...the first temple to come to our state.  I hear things...like the temple might end up coming a lot closer to us than Philly, but we'll just have to see about that...

Seriously people...what more proof do you need?  Move here...now...there's an open lot right next to mine just waiting to be built on.  We could be neighbors!  :)

You can read the rest of the rankings here.


22 comments:

  1. Yay, I grew up right by #2 - Idaho Falls, Idaho. But we're very happy in the midwest albeit not in one of the two locations they give. :)

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  2. when that city in Utah was ranked #1....all the rabble rousers moved there....be careful what you wish for.

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  3. http://www.ldschurchtemples.com/philadelphia/

    there's the update for you. I just saw it yesterday

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  4. great photos of area....http://www.ldschurchtemples.com/philadelphia/construction/

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  5. I love pennsylvania! Every time I've visited it I've come away feeling like I wanted to move there! I told my husband, after this report came out, "See, if we don't move back to Utah let's try to go to Pennsylvania!"

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  6. well, we all known that Brigham Young said...This is the place. Personally I love living in Utah despite your mom's prejudices. I loved BYU and have lived in California, Brazil and then Utah again. It was my refuge when I divorced many years ago in California and I moved here with my 3 young sons. It is home still. It's kind of like Zion is wherever the pure in heart are and it's possible to raise a good LDS family anywhere.

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  7. Oh darn, Colorado didn't make the list. I really hate moving though. :)

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  8. Ha, Danelle! Well, just grow where you are planted...maybe you'll make the list next year! LOL

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  9. love that post...Billy moved to a quiet country farmhouse with 3 1/2 acres for that reason...to try to raise good LDS girls...I pray for them to achieve that goal and desire, because no matter where you go you have to pray for the best. Living there is wonderful and with no t.v. the girls are loving every moment there...and the girls are now helping to keep the farm looking great. I always say no matter were you live, its how well you teach and raise them.

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  10. I agree, Millie! It's the environment that one creates in the Home that matters most. But it's still fun to have our area ranked!

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  11. I love Pennsylvania! I grew up in Massachusetts. I have a brother in PA now who actually used to live in Bellefonte with his family, not far from State College - they were in the ward there.

    I couldn't get the link to work to see the rest of the places . . .

    Judi :)

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  12. Well...it is a great place to live. That's where we started our marriage and family. A lot of sweet growing moments there. I miss it at times and in some shopping situations like spices and furniture. We also had great association with the Amish. I also miss the change of seasons. When you live where everything is brown and sage, you do miss the color. I never did get my North, South, West, or East when I did live there.

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  13. I can't believe Houston didn't make the list. HA!

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  14. Glad to see Oregon representing with 2 slots. Not surprised that Portland didn't make the list despite having a temple and 9 stakes but it is HARD to raise your kids right here and even harder to live on one income. Go Corvallis!

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  15. I too live in PA and LOVE it!!! Not State College but close enough! Love your blog and how willing you are to share your beliefs with others. I love being LDS and love finding other blogs that share their love of the gospel! Amazing work!

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  16. Ok, Jocelyn, you've convinced me. If you can find a job for my husband when he's done with school, we'll pick up and move there. (His best friend is already doing his residency in Phili, so it'll be great.) We've always wanted to live outside of Utah. The Grandmas might have a hard time with it though. Oh well, we'll go wherever it is we're supposed to. :)

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  17. Hmmmmm ... Interesting that you'd post this story now. My husband and I have the feeling that we're only supposed to be where we are for a short time. The problem is, we have NO idea where the Lord wants us next. Maybe this will give us some guidance.

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  18. Jocelyn - they lived there from 1995 until 2004 - I think it was - so you were there after them. They still miss it and would love to go back there.

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  19. wow, very interesting. We are kind of in limbo now, but Penn is kind of far from my two granddaughters in Calif. But I long for the simpler life with good neighbors.

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  20. You are cracking me up! I love my home state of Washington but I do admit some people who care more about families and their community would be nice. My husband went to a town meeting the other night and was looked at very weird because they never expect town people to actually show. A slower pace does sound appealing too. Do you guys have soccer fields? That's my husbands profession currently.

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  21. oooohhhh, so tempting, i would love having you as a neighbor, if only the hospital were closer.. sigh.

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