LDS couple on third date harassed for not being engaged yet

ALLENTOWN, PA- Robert Upham, 24, and Cynthia Klemm, 22, who have both been members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints their entire lives, recently went on their third date Friday night, sources close to the couple confirm. There are no apparent signs, however, that the couple will be getting engaged any time soon.

The date, which consisted of a moderately priced dinner at the Olive Garden followed by ice skating at a rink in south Allentown, was concluded by a kiss, but no proposal from Upham.

“I’m not sure what Robert is waiting for,” said Erica Martinez, who attends the same ward as the couple. “Cynthia’s such a sweet girl. And Rob's been back from his mission (Sweden Stockholm) for almost three years now. If the next date doesn’t end with some sort of eternal commitment, there’s going to be some real cause for concern.”

Klemm moved into the Riverside Ward in southern Allentown three months ago when she was transferred by the retail company she works for. Upham, a native of Allentown who recently finished college and now works as a public high school teacher, asked her out a short time later.

“They’ve both got their lives together,” said fellow ward member Sam Holston. “The next logical step is celestial marriage and children.”

When asked why he hasn’t popped the question yet, Upham responded, “I want to make sure things go okay financially in my first year of teaching before I even consider marriage. Plus I want to get to know Cynthia better.”

Klemm echoed her boyfriend’s tone, and added that she hasn’t “even met his parents yet.”

Craig McMurtery, Bishop of the Riverside Ward, is skeptical of such reasoning given by the couple regarding why they’re holding off marriage.

“We’ve got to look at this from an eternal perspective here,” said McMurtery. “Finances and meeting parents are all secondary. As long as they both share a love of this gospel, that’s what’s important. They can get to know each other after they’ve made all the everlasting covenants.”

Upham and Klemm have tentatively planned a fourth date this Saturday to go bowling and eat at Chick-fil-A.

“That sounds like a major downgrade,” said Martinez when hearing of their plans through the grapevine. “Nobody proposes at a place with pictures of cows painting misspelled words. It’s a real disappointment. They’ll both be damaged goods soon.”