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I am sure most of you are familiar with Laurence - Page 2 - Mormon Doctrine Studies - Posted: 2nd Jan, 2009 - 3:49pm
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Autism - Aspergers - Special Needs - High Functioning - Low Functioning - Autism In Mormonism - Special needs Members that face challenges in the world as Members of the Church. Are Church leaders and teachers sensitive to the issues surrounding those who may need their support with understanding the special needs of those around them? Controversial Mormon Issue.Post Date: 17th Nov, 2008 - 5:05pm / Post ID: #
Mormon Autistics - Autistic LDS - Autism & Mormons - Page 2
Lds Forever
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| Unfortunately, I haven't met many of these people where I live but quite the opposite. Our son was removed from 3 different special needs schools because he has been both a witness and a victim of corporal punishment by the hands of teachers, an archaic method of discipline that even though is now technically illegal, still enforced, accepted and encouraged by most parents in schools. That's why I home school. |
I am grateful you have access to the internet so you can become involved with LDS parents all over the world who may have children with autism. It must be so frustrating not to have a support system in the area you live. Good for you home schooling. I'm sure you are doing a fantastic job with your son, and the Lord will bless you.
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| Proverbs 22:6 Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it. |
I know you will be blessed in your efforts to teach your son and so will he.
| Rather off topic, but... I will invite my sister to your website about your son. She may be interested in it, and may have some helpful ideas for you. She has two sons that are autistic, ages 11 and 8. |
 Message Edited...Persephone: Please look at how we use the Quote Tags here. When you do not use these tags source material that is not your own may appear to be yours when it is not. See our Constructive Posting Policy. |
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Mormons and Autism LDS Autistic Autistics Mormon
I was reading a very disturbing story of an LDS autistic child who committed suicide in 2006. He was high functioning, great grades, etc but his social approach was like any other autistic child. Very sensitive to criticism, taking everything literally, etc. He was teased endlessly at school every single day, he was heartbroken to be living life this way. And like the mother said, it is true that it takes a village to raise a child but it also takes a village to destroy one.
He had a very small body like a 12 years old and despite being 16 and a Priest, he was told he was too "short" for the Sacrament table. He also collected fast offerings which is usually a responsibility of a deacon.
The saddest part of all is when the telephone rang at their home the night before his funeral. "You know where your son is?" the caller asked. And then, laughter.
Source 9
By the other hand, you have this story about Adam, an autistic child playing a basketball game at Church and how "angels" are not found only in Heaven....
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| One day, my whole perception of Church sports changed. It had seemed that competition drove each team. Everyone wants to win, and no one wants to lose. But on this particular day, every boy was going to play. That's what the Young Men president told me. He said that my son Adam could play. Adam is 12 and a very important part of our family and of his deacons quorum in the Brentwood Ward in the Portland Oregon Stake. Adam has been diagnosed as being borderline autistic. He also has a seizure disorder. With these conditions, he is developmentally delayed and is working on improving his motor skills. Today, though, Adam knew he was going to play basketball on the deacons" team. He was excited, and he kept asking about it all the way to the stake center. "Adam's basketball game?" would be his question. My reply was, "Yes, your game." I had some concerns. How would the deacons respond with Adam on the court? Would they be careful with him out there? Would they let him handle the ball? Everything began as church games should, with an opening prayer. Each team was receiving last-minute instructions from their coaches that when Adam was on the court there would be special concern for his safety. No overly aggressive moves would be tolerated. The game began. With about two minutes to go in the first quarter, the coach called for Adam. With some coaxing Adam went to the scorer's table and checked in. The official whistled him into the game. At first, Adam played defense. Not knowing exactly what he should do, when everyone else ran to the other end of the floor, he did too, laughing all the way. Adam loves to run, especially when others are running with him. At the two-minute mark of the second period, Adam again entered the game. With one minute left, our team had the ball out-of-bounds. Tyler received the ball from the referee to throw in. Adam, just a few feet away, was the only one open. Tyler gently threw him the ball. Adam caught it, turned around, tucked the ball under his arm and ran. No one called traveling. He made his way through the players to the basket, took aim, and shot. The ball hit the rim and bounced off to one side. One of the opposing players picked it up and without hesitation handed the ball back to Adam. Again Adam aimed and shot. Those watching used all the body language they could muster to help the ball go in. Another miss. The ball was given back to Adam. This time a basket. Everyone cheered the biggest cheer of the game. Adam exchanged high fives with his team and the opposing team and the half ended.... |
Mormon Autistics - Autistic LDS - Autism & Mormons Studies Doctrine Mormon
A very interesting article that deals with moms of special needs children in the Church and how parents, members, and leaders many times deal with these things, some in a positive way others not so positive. If you want to know how to help or wonder how someone who has a disabled child feels, read this short article:
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| The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints needs a more systematic, comprehensive approach to understanding, supporting and spiritually feeding children with disabilities, five moms said Friday. Fellow Mormons routinely look away from the disabled, especially those with autism, the moms said during a Sunstone Symposium session in Salt Lake City. They tend to talk down to all such children, even when the disability does not involve mental capacity. They proffer religious platitudes about how parents of special needs children must have earned the assignment by good behavior. It doesn't have to be that way, the women said. One Mormon bishop assigned six different members to watch an autistic child during part of Sunday services so the parents could get a break, said Amy Nelson, a mother of four, including an 11-year-old son with Asperger's syndrome and a 9-year-old son with autism. She added the church has created a resource Web site, disabilities.lds.org, which, according to the site, was created "to offer support, comfort, and an increased level of acceptance toward those with disabilities." Nelson's family, nonetheless, has struggled. "It is difficult to be the family whose child runs up and down the stand, turns on and off the lights, repeatedly flushes the toilet and so forth," she said. "People tend to blame the parents." Some parents of the disabled ask whether church is worth the struggle. For Jeni Grossman, the answer was a definite "no." About 25 years ago, Grossman and her husband joined the LDS Church in part because Mormon missionaries taught them that "those born with physical disabilities were once valiant spirits in the pre-[mortal] existence" and that the Mormon priesthood "has the sole authority on Earth to heal in the name of Jesus Christ." The bishop promised them their son Zachary -- who had spina bifida that left him unable to walk or run -- would be able to do so when he went on a mission at 19. For the next 14 years, Grossman said, her son endured humiliations such as having to crawl up the steps to his Sunday school class because there was no ramp. When Zachary was ready for his mission, though, the bishop politely informed them the LDS First Presidency instructed bishops to stop sending the disabled on missions. Their world collapsed, Grossman said, and they left the church. Their son has since earned a college degree in religious studies, traveled all over the world by himself and become a Catholic. "With the Catholics, he finally felt God's love again," she said. Elayne Potter Pearson, author of Learning to Dance in the Rain: A Mother's Holistic Approach to Helping Her Child with Down Syndrome and Autism , believed all the platitudes about her strength and the religious reasons for her daughter's condition. She became supermom personified, but the effort nearly drowned the family in chronic fatigue, perfectionism, anti-depression pills and addiction. Eventually, they turned to more natural means of coping with the stress of caring for Heidi, who, at 21, has returned to her sunny self. "Both my marriage and her siblings survived what we call, 'Hurricane Heidi,'" Pearson said. "We all as a family healed... |
Page 2 Mormons and Autism LDS Autistic Autistics Mormon
In my experience most Members, especially those who are over Members with special needs do not take the time to find out about the particular conditions of such Members so a lot of assumptions take place and statements are made that do not help but sometimes hurt - if not the person who is Autistic but the one looking after them as well.
Mormons and Autism LDS Autistic Autistics Mormon
I feel sorry for you LDS forever, I don't have any children, let alone an autistic child, so I can't possibly know how you feel, I just know how frustrating it would be to teach your child something simple like how to come his/her hair, and you tell him/her over, and over, and over, with little to no success, just when you think they have got the concept down, the next day they totally forget everything you had been teaching them. I"ve met people that have, after a car crash, gotten their brains messed up. That would also be a horrible thing to experience as a parent, one day you see your child working to get a Masters degree, the next day, they are working out how to speak. Edited: haleray on 6th Nov, 2009 - 6:59pm
Mormon Autistics - Autistic LDS - Autism & Mormons
Please don't feel sorry for something that Heavenly Father has probably planned for a very long time.
Yes, it is both frustrating and depressing at times as you see the challenges changing as he gets older. I am grateful though he is high functioning, meaning he is fully verbal, do most things by himself (bathe, dress, etc), do Math, English, etc like a regular child. Most people don't realize he is autistic until they see his social approach which is his main challenge.
Mormon Autistics Autistic LDS Autism & Mormons - Page 2
I just read this wonderful story of this sister who did not have a calling in primary but after seeing a new family in Church struggling with their autistic kids, she decided to help by sitting down in primary and help one of the kids. This is LOVE.
QUOTE "A new family is moving into our ward!" This statement always brought an air of joy and excitement to our small congregation. Our Primary wasn't very big, so the thought of more children and potential leadership help was pretty exciting.
During the next meeting, *Brother Johnson, an older member of our ward, shared information about the new family - his family. The husband, Chad, was Brother Johnson's son. Chad and his wife, Anne, had five children. The family was wonderful, Brother Johnson explained, but a few of the children had special needs. One boy was autistic and two other children had Asperger's syndrome. I wondered, what this would mean to our ward, to our Primary. Because our ward is very kind, I knew the next question most people would ask was, "What can we do to help?"
Brother Johnson asked for our patience and understanding as a ward. He explained that his son's family was amazing, though the children could be a challenge. What an understatement that turned out to be!
The Johnson family's first Sunday in sacrament meeting was rough. Their six-year-old son, Gavin, had the hardest time. He made a lot of loud noises, slapped his legs and yelled whenever his mother tried to correct him. His little sister and older brother also caused a commotion. The congregation tried to ignore the distractions, but it was difficult to disregard the loud outbursts from the back of the room.
Primary was worse. Gavin jumped from chair to chair and talked so loudly that whoever was speaking would have to stop until Gavin could be quieted. The older primary children tried to ignore his behavior while the younger ones kept asking why Gavin acted as he did.
The next Sunday, Anne took a few minutes during Sharing Time and explained autism to the children using terms they could easily understand. She talked about the different way Gavin's brain functioned compared to a regular person. Anne explained the noises he made and the leg slapping as the ways his brain made sure he was okay. This helped both the children and the teachers understand more about him. From that point on, the kids were much more accepting of Gavin and more tolerant of his behavior....
During the next meeting, *Brother Johnson, an older member of our ward, shared information about the new family - his family. The husband, Chad, was Brother Johnson's son. Chad and his wife, Anne, had five children. The family was wonderful, Brother Johnson explained, but a few of the children had special needs. One boy was autistic and two other children had Asperger's syndrome. I wondered, what this would mean to our ward, to our Primary. Because our ward is very kind, I knew the next question most people would ask was, "What can we do to help?"
Brother Johnson asked for our patience and understanding as a ward. He explained that his son's family was amazing, though the children could be a challenge. What an understatement that turned out to be!
The Johnson family's first Sunday in sacrament meeting was rough. Their six-year-old son, Gavin, had the hardest time. He made a lot of loud noises, slapped his legs and yelled whenever his mother tried to correct him. His little sister and older brother also caused a commotion. The congregation tried to ignore the distractions, but it was difficult to disregard the loud outbursts from the back of the room.
Primary was worse. Gavin jumped from chair to chair and talked so loudly that whoever was speaking would have to stop until Gavin could be quieted. The older primary children tried to ignore his behavior while the younger ones kept asking why Gavin acted as he did.
The next Sunday, Anne took a few minutes during Sharing Time and explained autism to the children using terms they could easily understand. She talked about the different way Gavin's brain functioned compared to a regular person. Anne explained the noises he made and the leg slapping as the ways his brain made sure he was okay. This helped both the children and the teachers understand more about him. From that point on, the kids were much more accepting of Gavin and more tolerant of his behavior....
Mormon Autistics Autistic LDS Autism & Mormons Mormon Doctrine Studies - Page 2
I am sure most of you are familiar with Laurence Kim Peek, or "Rain Man" as many people know him. He was the mega-savant who inspired the character in the Oscar-winning Tom Cruise movie "Rain Man." He died on December 19th, 2009 of a sudden heart attack. According to his father he graduated from LDS Seminary 20 times, memorized all of the church scriptures and talked about his religion in venues all over the world. My question in this case is, how come he was never baptized?
QUOTE MURRAY, Utah -- Laurence Kim Peek, or "Rain Man" as many people know him, basically served a mission his whole life, said his father.
Peek died at his home on Dec. 19, 2009, of a sudden heart attack.
He was the mega-savant who inspired the character in the Oscar-winning Tom Cruise movie "Rain Man."
Peek was never baptized into the LDS Church. "He's a child of God," said his father, Fran Peek, referring to the belief that those who are children chronologically or mentally do not need the ordinance.
Fran Peek said LDS Church President Thomas S. Monson was a very dear friend to his son and they often talked.
Kim Peek graduated from LDS Seminary 20 times and has the certificates to prove it, his father added. He memorized all of the church scriptures and talked about his religion in venues all over the world.
"He's been a missionary his whole life," Fran Peek said.
Peek died at his home on Dec. 19, 2009, of a sudden heart attack.
He was the mega-savant who inspired the character in the Oscar-winning Tom Cruise movie "Rain Man."
Peek was never baptized into the LDS Church. "He's a child of God," said his father, Fran Peek, referring to the belief that those who are children chronologically or mentally do not need the ordinance.
Fran Peek said LDS Church President Thomas S. Monson was a very dear friend to his son and they often talked.
Kim Peek graduated from LDS Seminary 20 times and has the certificates to prove it, his father added. He memorized all of the church scriptures and talked about his religion in venues all over the world.
"He's been a missionary his whole life," Fran Peek said.
TOPIC: Mormon Autistics - Autistic LDS - Autism & Mormons