Should She Skip Her Junior Formal?

Dear Molly and Peter,

I love your new column I think it's great. I'm 15, so some of the stuff applies, but a lot of it is still in the future, but it's kind of nice to hear about the exciting things that happen when you're older, and the problems that come up, because sometimes it feels like 15 is the worst year ever. Think about it, I wanna date, but can't for another year, I'm old enough to do things on my own but can't drive, for a year. The whole year is like sitting in a doctor's waiting room. It sucks. So I live in a place with not a lot of Mormons, and so I wanted some good Mormon advice. I don't turn 16 until February, but I'll be a junior at school which means that I can ask someone to the Winter Formal, cause it's a girl ask guys, but the dance is right before winter break, so it's like december 13th. I was talking to some of my friends, and we were saying all the things we were excited about for the next year, and they started talking about the dance. They're all older than me, most of them are already 16, and none of them are Mormon, so I said something lame about it sounding good, but I really want to go, and it's not like it would be a real date, because there's no guy that I like to go with, so it would just be friends, but it seems so unfair that just because I'm a little bit young I'd only have half my winter formals to go to. But I want to be righteous too, and do the right thing. What do you guys think?

Anxious for Winter

Peter: Dear Anxious, you don't have to have a date to go to the dance, you can go by yourself, or with some of your friends. You'd probably have more fun. First dates are super stressful. If anyone asks why you didn't ask someone it would be a great chance to bring up the church.

Molly: Anxious, I really feel for you, but I have to agree with Peter on this one. You know that you shouldn't ask someone on a date before you're sixteen, you just want someone to give you permission. It might be hard, but you're going to feel better making the choice that you know is right. If you go ahead and do it, you'll feel bad about it all night. Trust me I've done enough things I knew I shouldn't to know how bad it can feel.

Peter: Sometimes when we see hard lines in the gospel, we see that they're arbitrary and think that a little fudge won't matter. You're right, being 15 and 364 days really isn't that much different than being 16, but an important part of the gospel is obedience. Sometimes we do things just because we're told to. So in that sense 16 is a lot different than 15 and 364 days, because one follows the rule and one doesn't, and sometimes that's enough.

Molly: Besides this might give you a chance to have another fun activity with your friends. Invite them over to your house, play a bunch of music, and invite tons of boys. It won't be the winter formal, but I'll bet you'll have fun anyways.

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