Here's How the LDS Church Turns Toddlers Into Titans

My 13 year old spoke in front 300+ people today, and my 11 year old will soon.

Yes, LDS missions produce successful CEOs and founders, but those skills aren't developed at age 18. It starts at 18 months.

Here's how the LDS church turns toddlers into titans.

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18 Months - Nursery:

Nursery is basically daycare while parents go to Sunday School.

Kids are taught to sing simple songs, learn simple gospel principles and to not hit.

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Age 3 - Primary:

At age 3 kids graduate to primary, where they have to sit still for an hour and learn more songs & principles.

Primary follows a rigid schedule and lesson plan, and every primary class in the world is on the exact same schedule. 31,000+ congregations

They also have to stand and speak in front of dozens of other kids and adults once per year or so, usually with a parent whispering in their ear.

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They learn that they are of divine origin, and that a Being greater than them both loves them and holds them accountable to specific guidelines.

They're taught to have a belief in things they can't physically see or touch. They're also taught to be humble and apologize (repent) when they make a mistake.

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They're taught to hope that life will be better in the long run if they stick to these guidelines.

On Wednesday nights the older primary kids get together to do activities and build things with their hands.

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To recap, from age 3 - 11 they learn:

- Public speaking
- Accountability
- Divine origin
- Scheduling
- Optimism
- Planning
- Humility
- Creating

We've seen what happens when a kid is told they're worthless and stupid their whole lives.

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What happens when you tell a kid that they are of divine origin? That they are loved, capable and destined for greatness? That even if they don't have earthly parents that look out for them, they have heavenly parents that do?

Both (often) become self fulfilling prophecies.

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Age 11 - Young Men or Young Women:

This is the age that kids first speak in front of the whole congregation, and they'll often do it every 2 years.

Occasionally they'll be asked to speak in front of 8-12 congregations - 3,000+ people.

This is also the age that they get called to leadership opportunities, both the boys and girls.

President
1st counselor
2nd counselor
Secretary

Now they are the ones planning and teaching all the meetings and holding others accountable.

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They also hold adults accountable.

The adults in the room simply keep things moving, but the kids are literally in charge of all lessons and activities.

Sometimes this is akin to herding cats, and sometimes it's a powerful thing to witness. It's a process.

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Age 18 - Missions

By the time the kids reach 18 and 19 they are ready to leave their hometown and knock doors for a couple years, getting rejected tens of thousands of times.

This wouldn't be possible without the foundation built over their lives. Resilience.

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I met my co-founder @CoFoundersNik in Budapest Hungary in 2006 as missionaries and we've been best friends ever since.

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We've built and acquired companies totalling hundreds of millions of dollars, but if it weren't for our first 21 years who knows where we'd be today?

I'd probably be a Florida beach bum and he'd be playing guitar in a California coffee shop somewhere.

I'm grateful for my first 21 years that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints provided me.

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Would love a follow @mhp_guy if you like small biz content, as well as the occasional post like this.