Dear to the Heart
"This life is the time for [every person]
to prepare to meet God" -Alma 34:32
Hi! We're Becca and Brian! We believe that God's church should be the most welcoming and supportive place on Earth for people with disabilities. Some temporal places are still more inclusive right now, but Christ asked His disciples, "What do ye more than others?" (Matthew 5:47) and we want to have a better answer to that question.
Joseph Smith said "All the minds and spirits that God ever sent into the world are susceptible of enlargement." and Elder Marion D. Hanks continued, "It came to me forcefully that God expects that His handicapped children will be given an opportunity for that enlargement, and that His disciples will accept the great responsibility to be concerned that they are."
If you have a disability, you aren't a placeholder that just need to be stewarded until the next life. You can learn and grow in ways that work for you, and we can support you in strengthening you agency and testimony. We hope these resources can improve people's mindset and understanding of some of the Lord's lost sheep.
"I'm grateful for everyone who has helped me prepare for my mission. I've been hoping I could do this for years. I'm grateful that they'll let me serve. I know God lives and I'm excited to share that with others. I know Jesus is my Savior and He loves all of us. I know we can find joy in Christ!"
A mix of humor and heart to help change your head. It's ok if supporting people with disabilities doesn't come naturally to you, but that doesn't mean you can't make a difference!
Becca and Brian work on all of this together, but Becca prepares some messages all by herself, and we want to make sure those are easily available!
We can learn a lot from what's happened to others, good and bad. A lot of times people just don't have experience with disabilities, so when someone arrives they don't know what to do. These stories, we hope, can help.
A combination of general strategies and weekly Come Folloe Me suggestions to help make your lessons more inclusive.
Disability experiences can vary quite a bit by region and even by ward. We are collecting feedback on what is and isn't working so we can all learn together how best to support people with disabilities.
Church callings ordinances can be tricky to navigate when someone's independence is in question. We share a bit about Becca's experiences and ideas for how to proceed in your own ward.
A little more about Brian and Becca, how we got here, and what we're hoping to accomplish with this project.
Want to help? Good news! Check out these ways you can get involved or learn for yourself!