As a missionary there was an Autistic young man (20s) who lived with his parents in the ward I was serving in. For some reason whenever we would come over for dinner he would always call their house his restaurant. "Elders, you come to my restaurant?!" He was such a nice person and always a riot during dinner. Well he was asked to be the youth speaker, which is silly since he's not young, (but I get it). He got up there and started to read the simple prepared talk that his mom wrote for him when suddenly he stopped. He moved to the side of the pulpit and started singing "Go ninja, go ninja go! Go ninja, go ninja go!" from the Ninja Turtles 2 movie with Vanilla Ice. His mom walked up to the pulpit and in a yelling whisper said, "Get down here now!" Then he pointed to us in the congregation and said, "Elders, come to my restaurant!"

The crowd was in an extremely uncomfortable silence. My companion and I laughed hysterically. Easily the funniest moment of the mission.

Anyone have a funny story they'd share?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/26/2012 12:48PM by jameswilmons.

As someone who works with those with autism, I am disgusted that you admit to laughing at those with autism. Clearly you have no knowledge of the condition, you just as clearly look down on those who have it. You digust me.

We weren't laughing at him! It was a funny situation and he did it to entertain. We used to bring him along with us on lessons all the time. He was as much a friend to us as he was a member of the ward.

He did it because he thought it was funny so we laughed. Why wouldn't we! We loved this guy. He was one of the few in the ward that the missionaries liked working with.

You clearly spoke without knowing the situation. How does what I said show I "clearly look down" on autistic people? You judge like a TBM!

Mister, you just called me a TBM. Them's fighting words.

Even before I read this explanation of your relationship with him, I didn't think your reaction was looking down or obnoxious. He was funny, and you laughed.

I find laughter to be repulsive in any form or locality. But by all means, exploit someone with disabilities and explain it away with this nonsense.

newexmo Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I find laughter to be repulsive in any form or
> locality. But by all means, exploit someone with
> disabilities and explain it away with this
> nonsense.


Thanks, Bishop!

newexmo Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I find laughter to be repulsive in any form or
> locality. But by all means, exploit someone with
> disabilities and explain it away with this
> nonsense.

Wow, really? You sound like a really fun person! So if a person with a disability does something funny, we are not allowed to laugh with them? That makes so much sense! What if the poster would have laughed at something someone of a different race did; would he be racist? You don't even know the poster or what his intentions are so I would get off your high horse and quit judging like a TBM.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 02/26/2012 05:57PM by ehb.

Sheesh, get a life!

My youngest is autistic and he has done similar things. I laugh too. That is the only way to deal with the tragedys that come with autism. I cry with him when he cries and am happy with him when he is happy.

I remember once my autistic boy wandered up to the the pulpit during fast and testimony meeting. He stodd up tall and was quiet for several moments. Everyone was on the edge of their seats wondering what words of wisdom would roll forth. I was expecting the canned child testimony we hear so often. To everyones shock he yelled "HI!" into the microphone and sat down. I laughed hard and still love to tell the story.

What offends me are the people who have no patience for his restlessness and get angry with him for not being "reverant" or that don't understand why he will only wear shorts and a white shirt with no shoes to church. He is 11.

I actually have been diagnosed with autism last year and, dude, lighten up. Autism isn't some tragedy the way Autism Speaks ads always try to portray it. If we do something funny and want you to laugh with us, do it. I love making people laugh.

Seriously - you hit it right on! She acts as if autistics are not normal people who like to make people laugh. Who's the discriminator here?

Haha, that's good stuff.

We had a really backwards family in our ward. Both parents were mentally handicapped and/or mentally ill, and they had 3 kids together. They had terrible hygiene and very low income - so their hair was always a mess, they smelled awful, their dirty clothes didn't fit, etc..

Seemed like they never made it to church as a whole family. One FaT meeting, the mother just came with the oldest. I think he had some kind of autism, as well (definitely some kind of mental disability). They always sat right down in the first row, alone (wasn't a big ward, so the first few pews were generally empty.)

So she gets up to bare her "testimony" about how thankful she is that the ward is so good them, and in the middle of it, her 16- year old son stands up, starts doing that raise-the-roof dance, and shouting "Go Mom, go Mom!"

And it was the same situation - awkward, but hilarious.

But seriously. He did it to make everyone laugh. If they weren't stuck up Morgs in SM they would have.

My son has autism. My brother had cerebral palsey. Neither of those two facts somehow qualify me or make me particularly special, but I play those cards nevertheless.

I don't think jameswilmons wasn't making fun of autism or being heartless. I think he was just pointing out a very awkward situation (the kind that happen all the freakin' time) for which this uber-uptight culture NEVER seems to have an adequate response.

Life is messy. We all have pain and struggles and challenges. How grateful I am for the gift of humor to help us make it through challeging, awkward events like this! Too bad the scriptures couldn't have indicated once or twice that it is okay to smile and be happy and laugh once in a while instead of always being so damn sullen and serious and quick to attack another person for finding levity in a particular struggle.

Levity and humor are never appropriate.

Are you being sarcastic?

There was a four year old in our ward that was well known for being naughty.

One day he was acting up in class. The teacher asked him what he would have to say for himself if Jesus was in the room.

He broke into full song and dance, singing, Bad boys, bad boys, Whatcha gonna do? whatcha gonna do when they come for you?

I was laughing so hard I had to leave the room. His timing was impeccable!

There was a family in our ward with four or five very young children and the mom ALWAYS seemed to be pregnant. The kids were all between 12-14 months apart. They were great children, though; really funny and precocious. The family was kind of Mormon Royalty and always sat near the front row.
One FaT meeting, the uber-pregnant mom got up and went to the podium to bear her testimony. One of her daughters, who was very outspoken and also smart as a whip, bellowed, "MY MAMA IS GOING TO HAVE A BABY BOY SOON AND HE GONNA COME OUT HER BAGINA!!!" The ENTIRE church heard it and you could hear a bunch of people stifling laughter. It took about five minutes and a bunch of dirty looks from the bishopric before everyone quieted down. The mom quickly bore her testimony and rushed back to her kids. I'd be willing to bet a bunch of the kids in the ward had never been told anything but the utmost sanitized version of the "birds and bees" talk, so some of the parents probably had a lot of 'splanin' to do that evening!

Haha. Classic!

This wasn't a FaT meeting, but during a particularly long sacrament meeting, my sister was trying to keep her kids quiet while the high council sparker droned on. After offering different games, toys, and food to keep my niece quiet something wonderful happened. The high councilor got eerily quiet while he fought back tears and the room went silent as my sister whispered, "Here. Here's a coloring book with Jesus in it." In the quiet of the room my niece, to show her displeasure at this latest attempt to settle her down said very loudly, "I don't like Jesus!" Everybody in the chapel heard, including the speaker.

Another one of those moments that had people awkwardly trying not to laugh. It was funny. If people were allowed to laugh in SM, maybe people would want to go more often.

someone on here posted about the little kid being coached by his parent and said...

" The Church is Through I know the Church is Through"

Great thread, other than the Debbie Downer moments! Keep the stories coming!

When my daughter, now 26, was about 6 she had a blue dress that was layers of ruffles. She had gone out to get a drink when a few minutes later I could hear a chuckle that started at the back of the chapel and was moving towards the front. When I turned around to see what everyone was chuckling over - there was my precocious 6 year old twirling as she walked up the isle watching her dress flow out - sorta dancing. She still remembers it to this day - it was hilarious.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/26/2012 02:00PM by bigred.

I once attended a ward that had quite a few unusual characters.

One time, an elderly woman in the ward stood up and said, "I would like to bear my testimony that the church is true. I am SO thankful to know that we will all be ressurrected after we die. I always wanted to meet Elvis, but I never got the chance. Now because of the ressurrection, I know that I will have the chance to meet him in the next life."

After a pause, she continued, "And also, I always wanted to meet Liberace. I know he was a little strange, playing for the other team and all, but he played the piano so beautifully - the Lord just HAS to forgive him. I know he will. I just know it. And that is why I KNOW that I will get to meet Liberace in the next life. I am so thankful for my knowledge of the ressurrection."

I always heard people complain about family wards being too loud, but I would much rather have the entertainment of watching the kids do funny things than everyone be silent.

jamesw: Here, please, they're "Dry Councilors"
newexmo: james DIDN'T CALL YOU a TBM, he said you Judge like one; Relax, it's a common characteristic, and not easy to loose (quickly).

Laughter is O.K. here; only Loud Laughter is suspect!

But light-mindedness....is that a-okay?

Bud Light Mindedness?

light-mindedness isn't in my department (neither Light-mindedness); 'sorry'.

and, to make it worse, that department is having boss & budget problems, it's likely you'll be On Your Own, for quite a while...

This didn't happen during an F&T meeting, and it didn't even happen to me, it happened to a coworker of mine on his mission, but I have to share it anyway.

Ok, so they brought this "stubborn old Cuban guy" named Oscar with them to church. This guy had Diabetes and Parkinson's disease, and sat in a jazzy. Elder Miller(my coworker) and Elder Gomez were going up to give talks, when Oscar says out loud "Gomez, Gomez, I need a drink of water." After they get back, Oscar says even louder this time, "Miller, Miller, I have to go the bathroom." By then, everyone is busting out laughing.

This was a few months after "Talladega Nights" came out to the theatres.
About halfway through F&T meeting a young newlywed sister closed her testimony by saying she was thankful for her “smokin’ hot husband”. Well it turned into a little bit of a contest with the sisters. And a few others, including the first counselor’s wife followed suit and closed their testimony by being thankful for their “smokin’ hot husbands”.

TBM newlywed women competitive with each other? Who would've thought?

This incident occurred in Jr. Sunday School or Primary)l.
The meeting opened with no one to give the scripture-of-the-day.
My son (about 4-5 yrs. old), raised his hand and volunteered (being a very intelligent boy, he had a scripture memorized, and ready).

He stood up before the group, and quoted Prov.11:22:

"As a jewel of gold in a swine's snout, so is a fair woman which is without descretion."


(Our ward had a leader with a sense of humor, as she reported this story to me, and said she about swallowed her tongue to keep from laughing out loud.)

PS: Previously, we had a family home evening on funny scriptures. (I still have the list of them.)

A sorta strange single sister started to share her testimony. She explained that she had always been told that satan could not be in the temple, but she knows she was tempted by him while he was there. She said the following:

"I was in the temple and this image kept coming into my mind.... It was something bad.... Satan was tempting me... I can't tell you what it is, because it is so bad... I tried to read scriptures, and get it out of my mind, but it kept coming back. (long Pause)... OK, it was a male penis!"

She then explained that she prayed hard, and God took it out of her mind. There was an uncomfortable silence.. but I will never forget it.

I was in a single's ward in Boise, and a woman came up and for one minute testified that the church was not true. That we are not Christain, and have all been tricked." No one stopped her. She then calmly walked out of the chapel.

More irritating than funny - a lady in my home ward got up and said the spirit directed her as to which isle to go down in the grocery store and which food products to buy. Made me cringe.

Awkward "testimony" - In my singles ward a girl got up and went on and on about how she likes to slit her wrists.

Back in the 70's there was a man in our ward that would get up and bare his testimony every month. He would always cry. It was a running joke in our family (at least amoung the kids!).