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Special Needs Mormon Members

This article made me think of the following questions:

Special need members refers to members who may have some physical or mental handicap.

1. Do you have special need members in your Ward or Branch? Are they given callings or assignments?

2. DO you know who they are, do you talk with them? Do others friendship with them and make them feel accepted?

3. What are some good ways we can help them feel 'at home' in a class or activity?

4. What are some good teaching methods for those who may have special needs?

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Awwww...*sigh* I read the whole article and brought tears to my eyes! what a wonderful story of life! what a wonderful story of hope!. I just loved it!.

Yes, I do. Sad to say, I know one particularly but I don't see him having any calling or assigment.

Yes I know who they are, I talk to them and I try to make them feel comfortable. We even joke sometimes but I suppose I could do better than what I'm doing. Although I see the members in my branch totally ignoring them. It makes me sad and angry at the same time.

By sitting next to them, asking them how they like the activity. Asking the teacher of the class to involve them more...you know...to make them feel that they fit in!

This depends of the kind of disability that the person has. If the person is deaf, it would be nice if there is somebody in the Church who knows sign language that can interpret it for the person, if they're blind, to help them to sit in front so they can listen well the class. I think the key is making them feel comfortable, not really making a big deal out of it.

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There was a boy in my old ward a couple years ago with some strange disability perhaps a form of terets but sometime like during sacrament meeting he would start yelling out his mom would try to calm him and if he didn't stop would take him out. What can we do with members who seem beyong reach it we should not deny them from coming but what would be a workable way so everyone can be happy? Babies cry too and it is not his fault but somtimes these things can ditract from the spirit. Do you know what I am trying to say?

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In our town we have three wards and then there are more across the river. Among these wards we have several who have special needs as we have two deaf schools and special needs housing here and there.

In our ward we have a Downs Syndrome young man who so looked forward to turning 19 so he could serve a mission just like everyone else. When the time came, his parents were able to set it up with the Stake Presidency so he could do tasks near home to fulfill his desire. I also am reminded of another young lady with like desire who was called to serve in a historical location and worked in the gardens.

IMHO, I believe that if, for example, you have six Deaf individuals/members or non-members in a multi-ward situation that the Deaf should go to one ward and there have the necessary interpreters to meet their needs, vs. having them go in their home boundary area.

Deaf is a culture, just like hearing. They bond and grow from one another just as hearing do. When they are seperated, there is less of a chance of growth happening and more of a chance of inactivity occuring.

I have an A.A.S. degree in Interpreting for the Deaf and it just breaks my heart when I see they are seperated by boundary lines because I know what is eventually going to happen. It is like mainstreaming one Deaf child in a school full of hearing. There is never full inclusion.

It would be like me, an English speaking member going to a Spanish speaking ward. I would never feel fully "in" no matter how much I learned the language and culture. I would never be of that ethnic origin.

Paula

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Yes Joel, I do and it takes a lot of patience and understanding to just remember that they are a child of God too and sometimes in life situations aren't going to be exactly as we think or hope they should be.

When you see that he is starting to get out of control, perhaps a silent prayer that he will be comforted during his time of need and distress.

I am sure his parents are more exhausted than you or I at their uncontrollable outbursts and it never hurts to have some Divine intervention or at least petitioned for from others who care.

I have found that sitting close to the front helps to "drown" (for lack of a better word) out babies crying and fussing toddlers. I feel for their parents as I have been there. It is not easy, especially when you have one who is teething or has had a rough night.

Paula

Special Needs Mormon Members

I am reminded of my brother Jeff who was blind and retarded. He died when he was 9.

I struggled with having his work done, as I knew he was perfect and had an "automatic in" to the Celestial Kingdom. But, I got to thinking, "What if I don't have his work done and he wants it done? What if someone comes along years later and sees his name, but that his work was not done, while the rest of the family is?" They would then have it done, not realizing my reasons for not having it done. (Other than my children, I am the only member in my family.) So, I decided to have it done.

It was on a temple trip with a bus load of members. I passed out names to do and told no one about anyone. After the day was finished, I was sitting on the bus thinking about all the work we had gotten done and waiting for some kind of affirmation that the work was accepted by someone; anyone.

Soon, the man who did my brother's work came up to me, with the most spiritual look about him. He said, "Someday, when we have a chance I would like for you to tell me about Jeffrey Keith Tomey." I said, "Well, he was my brother." He replied, "When I did his work today, the spirit was SO strong." He then just walked off and left me, of course, teary and grateful that my brother had gotten through to me through the ever-so-thin veil.

The next year my mother died and I knew that he was teaching her in preparation to my doing her work the following year.


I never questioned again having one's work done, no matter their state in life.

Paula

Special Mormon Members

That's a wonderful story Ldsinowa, thanks for sharing it with us

Joel, I perfect understand what you mean and you know something? I used to get kind of angry when I used to hear babies in sacrament meeting crying and fussing around until Heavenly Father sent me a hyperactive little boy and I now, only now, fully understand all the mothers who deal with this kind of situations of baby crying and fussing. Can you imagine the frustration for a mother who her child is mentally or physically challenged?, I can just only imagine the frustration and struggles they live every day. I think the members should be more than understanding, maybe offering themselves to take out the child for a moment from the meeting while the mother can at least spend sometime in sacrament meeting or like ldsiniowa said, maybe offering a silent prayer. It really bothers me when a child is fussing and the members turns their heads to watch him and stare at the child or the parents, it is just annoyning, I do understand also that the parents have a responsibility of not disturbing the peace of other people too, they should leave the meeting when the kid gets out of control.

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we have a deaf member in our baranch.  Yes he has a call in primary.  Since I am the only member that do sign I talk to him.  I am teaching sign language in church now so that we can have more members to talk to him.  He is good with us cause other member write and he write back it taks time but we manage ok I think.