What is it like living in Salt Lake City?

me | 11-20-2001 | me

[freedomcrusader]

I have a potential job opportunity in Salt Lake City, Utah, and I was hoping to get insights on living there from folks who have lived there, or are currently living there.

I don't mean to be biased/bigoted, but I've heard negative things about being Christian (especially Catholic) in Mormon Utah.

Any thoughts, insights, cautions, reassurances, etc. are greatly appreciated!

[culpeper]

What's up with that? Is it still a U.N. free zone? Its still on their website. http://www.laverkincity.com/unfree.html

[Utah Girl]

I love La Caille! I've been there three times, but never during the holidays. I may have to change that this year.

I was born in Provo, but my dad was transferred to California, but we moved back when I was 13, and I've lived here pretty much since then. I do like living in Utah and I am LDS. I work for a major software company in Provo, and I'd say it is 60% non-Mormon. I just got out of a team meeting, there are only two Mormons in the group. It hasn't been my experience that the Mormon always gets the promotion, but I am sure that it does happen.

We are very family oriented as a people. I'm single, which can be very interesting at times. I do have a friend who grew up as a non-Mormon, and some of the mothers in the neighborhood would not let her play with their children. That attitude is truly unfortunate.

The Catholic church is very strong here. Religion is very important here, and most Utahans are church-goers, regardless of what religion they are. SLC is 40% Mormon (the last time I heard), so is pretty diverse. You can find whatever you want in SLC, both good and bad. Liquor stores aren't open on Sunday, but there isn't any problem getting liquor or a drink. We have a major NBA team (the Utah Jazz, even though they stink this year), lots of college football and basketball, a symphony, opera, plays, etc. Plus the outdoor life is spectacular. You can drive for 20 minutes and be out in the boonies in the mountains or the desert. The skiing is some of the best on earth, the hiking is great, mountain biking is fun, there is fishing, hunting. Down south, there are many national parks, such as Zion's, Bryce Canyon, Lake Powell, etc.

I love living here, I love to go on vacation, but when I return, I am returning home.

If you have any more questions, let me know freedom, I'd be glad to answer them.

[Elsie]

bump

[riri]

Zion has got to be the most beautiful place in the world, IMO

We visited a place called Coral Sand Dunes or something like that..big coral colored sand dunes and not much else..really cool place, definitely worth seeing. I love Utah.

Funny my husband had a potential offer in SLC and I almost emailed you and asked you this very same question, Odd.

[Utah Girl]

I'm pretty sure that Salt Lake City has its own Democrat congressman, although the state legislature was trying to gerrymander him out this year.

Jim Matheson is the congressman for the Salt Lake City area. The Republican legislature did try to gerrymander him out, but I think that he would have had a tough time for reelection regardless. Matheson made himself out to be a Utah Democrat (more conservative and moderate Democrat), but has voted with the Democrats almost 100% of the time.

[tracer]

I just love being told what I believe and am by ignorant and rude people. When was the last time you listened to/watched General Conference or attended Sunday meetings in your local LDS chapel and heard how we revere Jesus Christ as the Savior and the Only Begotten Son of God the Father?

And where does it say that your absolutist view of the Bible qualifies you to be one of the few "true Christians" on this thread??

By your reasoning, most of the Christian denominations, whose view of the Bible ranges from its being the verbatim truth to a book of allegorical stories, do not "qualify.".

"Sorry," but the Church does consider the Bible to be the word of God. You should strive to avoid getting in over your head concerning things about which you are ignorant....

[moonman]

I still have a lot of respect for Mormons even if you happen to be (play) one.

Anyone who goes psycho like you just did definately needs to be prayed for. I will pray for you, Brother.

[Utah Girl]

But I was disappointed in the Great Salt Lake. It literally stank.

The Great Salt Lake has only stunk since the floods of 1983. The stink comes from the brine shrimp. I can remember going to the great Salt Lake as a little girl and floating there (the salt content is so high that you literally float.)

[vladog]

It was not the military that was pounding on the door night and day trying to get more Mormon converts. I will say it again if you are not Mormon in Utah you are not liked or wanted there. Kind of sounds like the Bin Laden crowd dosen`t it?

[Utah Girl]

Lots of events are oriented toward families, and it'll be a shock to see all the kids-- everywhere, big families.

I was a nanny in NYC for a year. I think I saw two pregnant women the whole time I was there, and they were both at church. I came home to Utah, and it seemed that every woman was pregnant! And there are kids everywhere, which is fun most of the time.

[doctor noe]

No problems if you like to ski...the best skiing offered in the U.S. within an hour of downtown SLC. Also, beer and wine are no problems to buy...liquor is easy if you plan ahead. Good restaurants, decent schools, mild weather and great outdoor activities. If you are a college hoops fan, the U of Utah hosts the NCAA western regional tournament (1st/2nd round) every few years (I think March 2002). The Huntsman Center is one of the finest hoop venues in the country.

[Utah Girl]

Whats up with the smog there? Last time I was there it seemed like it was coming from one big smokestack down by the highway. Is that a smelter?

That would Geneva Steel. Plus, Utah Valley tends to suffer from inversions, especially during the winter. But Geneva just closed down last week, so the air should improve a bit here.

[Robert Lomax]

'I think being a 'Christian' means you believe Jesus Christ is the one and only Son of God, our Savior. And that the Bible is the only inspired Word of God. Sorry, I don't think Mormons qualify.

Excellent point! I have always wondered and maybe someone here can answer this question: can a Mormon live without the Book of Mormon? Or can a person go to heaven without knowing the book of Mormon?

[Utah Girl]

You know what, I don't know. I just remember reading a little blurb in the paper last week about it. I'll have to find the article and ping you. A lot of LaVerkin residents were upset that it cost so much to be a UN free zone.

[freeplancer]

Wow! You are a bitter fellow aren't you? I am sure that you being in the military really gave you a great insight into the pulse of Utah, but right now you should concentrate on trying to be happy. Smile and share your light with the world you coo coo crazy boy.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO

[Enough_Deceit]

We lived in SLC for about two years in the early 90s. We still go back to visit friends. We are LDS. However, I never got a promotion because of my religious beliefs. Someone in corporate must have been holding out on me! :-) All in all, I really enjoyed SLC. However, I hated the winters. They have this "inversion factor" during the beginning of the year that is really gross. I think that this can best be described as a type of cloud cover that keeps all of the dirty air from rising. Whatever it is, it is dirty, gross, and gray. It is a very depressing time of year. My kids would pass colds and strep throat back and forth during this season. (The doctor said it was because the inversion layer kept all of the dirty air around, not allowing it to get replaced with clean, and just recirculating the germs.) Another thing that I didn't like was the small yard size. Other than that, I really liked SLC. We eventually moved back to the Phoenix area.

[Utah Girl]

Isn't Zions gorgeous? I love going down there. That's one of the things I like best about Utah is that the scenery is so wildly different. You have the mountains, where some spots remind me of Swizterland, we have desolate desert, Zions, and Moab. Just a beautiful wild place.

[fuquadukie]

I've heard you can have more than 1 wife.

Oh, sorry. You were looking for positives.

[Utah Girl]

I'm sorry that your experience here in Utah was so bad. Non-Mormons are wanted and truly appreciated. I worked with a non-Mormon for several years, and he couldn't wait to get out of Utah. He hated it here, he hated the church, he hated the climate, he hated the scenery, he hated everything about Utah. He finally found another job in Colorado and he and his wife joyfully fled this state. A few months later he emailed me, saying that he loved his job, but that the people there in Colorado were a bit standoffish, and that we were so much more friendly in Utah. I about fell off my chair with laughter. Sorry, but I think it is one's attitude that makes or breaks a place.