LDS Church doing better with disabled, panel says

Deseret News (Salt Lake City), Aug 16, 2004 by Larry Weist Deseret Morning News

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has made great progress in recent years in dealing with and understanding the needs of its disabled members, but more needs to be done, members of a Sunstone Symposium panel agreed Saturday.

The awareness of people with disabilities in the church has mirrored that of society as a whole in the past 30 years, said panelist Janis Ferre. She is the mother of a deaf son who completed a two-year mission to England and is now earning a master's degree.

"The church is trying to serve average families and members (who) need help in understanding the needs of the disabled. I get frustrated when I need to educate members that people with disabilities are part of the church like everyone else," Ferre said.

Panelist Rebecca Worthen-Chandler has interviewed a number of people in the church with family members who have disabilities. She spelled out several things ward members can do to help members of their congregations.

"Once people know what's expected, they can do it," she said.

When dealing with others' disabilities, "first do no harm," she said. "Don't inflict your theology on others. It can be very hurtful for parents to hear that if they prayed harder, their child could be cured or perhaps they are not living right."

She related the experience of a mother of a 2-year-old girl who had a series of strokes and other major health issues. "People would say to the mother, 'This is a test. If you have enough faith, she will be cured.' "

Unless someone is really willing to help, they shouldn't offer their assistance, Worthen-Chandler said. "Respect the privacy of families, but cautiously continue to offer help. Don't give up. We have systems in place on the ward level to help families, but sometimes people should be asked if they would help others rather than being assigned."

A woman in the audience who had lost a leg to cancer said she sometimes is offended when Sunday School teachers give lessons and remind class members they should be grateful they have two eyes, two hands and two legs. "I raise my hand and ask, 'Does that make me less than anyone else?' "

She said teachers should be careful how they give lessons about people with disabilities, adding she doesn't like to be treated differently than others.

E-mail: lweist@desnews.com