A Sunday School instructor was once called to teach a large group of 16-year-olds. Counted among the students were two young men from solid, LDS Church-going families.

The teacher enjoyed having the young men in his class. They were good boys, arriving for class each week with scriptures in hand and thoughtful ideas to discuss.

When both of the boys missed class one Sunday, the teacher guessed they were sick or perhaps vacationing with their families. Then the boys missed a second and then a third Sunday. Concerned, the teacher asked the other teens if they knew the whereabouts of their two friends.



The students answered that both boys had found part-time work. Since they were new to the job, they were each required to fill the Sunday shift. The boys had told their classmates that they would be regulars at church again once they built some workplace seniority. Months passed, and the teacher rarely saw the two young men in class again.

Bishops and ward Young Men and Young Women leaders in many wards and branches may recognize this Sunday School teacher's concern.

The workplace has changed in recent years. Once "youth employment" was defined by fall harvests and maybe a few after-school hours bagging groceries at the local supermarket. But today, many young men and women in the church are balancing high school schedules with a demanding workweek. Jobs offering "banker's hours" can be a rarity for teens -- so many find work in a service industry (retail, restaurants and movie theaters) that's typically staffed after-hours, Saturdays and, yes, on Sundays.

More and more, Mormon youth are faced with the decision to work -- or not to work -- on Sunday. It isn't always a simple choice.

There are myriad reasons why LDS high school students are employed. Some simply enjoy the independence found in a steady paycheck. Ten or 15 hours a week manning the drive-through window might bring in just enough cash to pay for that first car. Others are earning money for missions or college. And in a chilly economy, some young members likely hold down a job to help their families pay bills and make ends meet.

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This story is provided by the LDS Church News, an official publication of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It is produced weekly by the Deseret News.