"Angel" Mutual

Sister Holfeltz & Angie

For nearly ten years before we moved from Draper to St. George Angie participated in Special Needs Mutual. It is an amazing program sponsored by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for special needs "youth" twelve years and older. It is organized just like any mutual program should be with Young Men and Young Women presidencies, advisors, scout leaders and assistants, music specialists (when deemed necessary) and activity chairpersons (when needed).

The thing that makes this program special is the "youth counselors." They are high school juniors and seniors who are called for the period of September through May to be one-on-one buddies with the special needs youth. They are assigned specifically to one person to become their friend, their role model. Angie has developed some very special relationships with her counselors, even though they have moved on with their lives -- on to college, on to marriage, on to parenthood -- they still keep in touch occasionally. She will never forget them and their love and kindness.

(As a side note, we lovingly call it "Angel" Mutual because Angie had a hard time saying "Special Needs Mutual." Besides, we think it fits better.)

We had heard about Special Needs Mutual for several years, but it just seemed like ANOTHER thing on our very long "To Do" list at that time. Special Needs Mutual first touched our lives when our oldest daughter, Jaime, was called to be a Youth Counselor. She insisted that Angie come along. Immediately Angie was hooked. When Jaime was released, we couldn't even consider dropping Angie out. She looked forward to it every week. Up until then, each day ran into another, but suddenly she was keeping track of the days of the week. She always knew when it was Thursday.

Angel Mutual is a very special, safe place for Angie. We don't have to worry about who she is with. It is HER world and we are only allowed to visit occasionally (according to her). SHE is the star. The program is for HER. She is loved unconditionally, just the same as she loves others. No one laughs at her and her friends, only with them. It's a wonderful place full of love. Miracles happen there every week. People grow in, oh, so many ways. The Spirit is so very strong because these special youth are so close to it.

This program was started in 1989 by a mother who had a daughter with special needs. It was obvious that, although the ward was good to her daughter and tried to include her in everything, she still was on the sidelines looking in. She got permission from her priesthood leaders to hold a little class with her daughter and some of her friends. From there, Special Needs Mutual was born.

Originally it was intended to help those with Special Needs, but it also touched the lives of each of the special needs person's families. Now it touches so many more lives. It reaches out to the leaders and youth counselors and their families. Beyond that it touches the ward mutuals who provide activities each month and then goes on to touch everyone who attends the Sacrament Meetings. I can't begin to express the way it has touched our lives as a family.

Another special thing about Angel Mutual is the activities. Once each month an assigned ward mutual plans and executes an activity for our "youth." For the regular mutual it is a service project, for our mutual it is a major event.

Our mutual reciprocates by providing a Sacrament Meeting for their ward. The Sacrament Meeting program is awesome, probably one of the most spiritual experiences most people will ever have. A family will share their story, the mutual sings "I Am a Child of God," a few special needs persons and their counselors share their testimonies. The meeting is closed with the mutual singing and signing "In This Very Room." Seldom is there a dry eye in the crowd. When the meeting is over, the congregation seems to hesitate to break the spirit by moving on to other meetings.

Activities are carefully planned and executed. Great care is taken to ensure that the special angels get to experience the same kinds of things the "normal" population takes for granted. Each year they do an opening social. The Young Women enjoy the Personal Progress program (adapted of course to their level of abilities) and work toward receiving the various recognition awards. The theme and values are emphasized. The Young Men work on Scouting. Some requirements and all age limits are waived. It is so wonderful to watch these special angels receive an award they may have worked years on achieving.

At Angel Mutual they celebrate all the holidays that come along. There are joint activities each month. In the early Spring they have a Road Show. Everyone is included and has a part. During the year there is a talent show. Every person who has the desire may share a talent, even if it takes several weeks to accomplish and even if they have to be limited to two minutes each!

The activities are well supported by family and friends. We always had to move to a Stake Center for the Road Shows, and even at that, parking was limited. Even families of the Youth Counselors came! Bishops, Stake Presidents! This was a major event.



Angie was so happy at Angel Mutual. It gave her something to look forward to each week. She knew she was loved and appreciated for who she is. She felt important and special, something we all need to feel about ourselves. She was learning about the gospel on her level. She had friends. She was among others she loved besides her family. Many of these people do not have the ability to communicate with one another on a verbal level, but their ability to communicate spiritually cannot be described in words. It was something that had to be felt and observed.

Angel Mutual is especially important for those who are no longer involved in the public school system. Suddenly they are without a social activity. Angel Mutual fills that void.

Angel Mutual is a blessing to so many people. It is a shame that no one in Southern Utah has heard of it. We determined when we arrived in St. George that it is time for the special needs people in Southern Utah to experience the blessings of Angel Mutual. We are making it our mission to get one started.

Angela Joy -- Our "Angel of Joy"

Anyone who knows us knows we have a very special daughter who has Down Syndrome. Keep in mind that she is not "a Downs." She is Angie who happens to have Down Syndrome. Down Syndrome is not a person. It is a condition that occurred at the moment of conception. I always marvel that an extra chromosome should cause so much trouble. If anything, it should result in the individual being gifted.

Angie has been a complete joy in our lives. (Thus the middle name "Joy." We named her that in faith because at the time we had no clue.) The world was a very dark and scary place when we were told of her condition right after she was born. Our minds wandered in so many horrible directions. Our world -- and that of her siblings -- was changed forever. We were so fortunate to have supportive doctors and family to buoy us up during that first year. People who understood and loved us -- and her -- unconditionally.


Infancy and childhood weren't too difficult once we got past the acceptance stage. There were some health issues. A good deal of time was spent in doctors' offices and hospitals dealing with challenges like a partial ASD (a whole in her heart), atresia (blockages) in both ears, leg perthes (a joint condition in the hip), loose neck muscles (a result of poor muscle tone) which resulted in the fusion of her first two vertebrae and a condition in which one leg was growing faster than the other. (Thank goodness these things didn't hit us all at once!) Other than that, there were the usual colds, flus, ear infections, tonsilitis. And believe it or not, we were grateful!

Angie was blessed with teachers all through her school days who loved her enough to insist that she learn and progress wherever possible. They didn't sit back and make excuses just because she was "handicapped." And they (among others) shared some priceless advice which has helped guide us in guiding her.

Angie began her education at the age of two. She attended Jordan Valley School (for special needs children). We mainstreamed her into the "normal" population when she was in the third grade. All through her public school education she attended classes where she could interact with others and learn certain skills, but her academics were taught in either resource or special education classes. After graduating from high school, she went on to "college" at South Valley School, another school for special education students where job training and social skills were greatly emphasized.

Upon graduating from "college," she worked in the kitchen at Draper Elementary School as an assistant. She helped prepare the lunches and assisted in serving. It was her job to fill the fruit cups, prepare the silverware, etc. The lunch ladies were so good to her and she loved her job, even though it remained a volunteer position.

We moved to St. George in December of 2005. Her adjustment went better than ours did. Even though she did not find work right away and she no longer had "Angel" Mutual, she didn't seem to struggle; maybe it's because her grandparents (Mom and Pop McCloud) live only ten minutes away now and her sisters (Jaime and Lisa) are in Las Vegas, which is only an hour and forty minutes from door to door. Angie has a gift: she can adjust to being anywhere as long as she is loved and has time to watch a few movies in peace and quiet.

In 2007 we attempted to find Angie a real job, one that would pay her. But the job market was so poor, even for "normal" people, that we decided to let her continue volunteering at our neighborhood school , Coral Cliffs Elementary (in St. George). She is happy there and loves the ladies she works with. Besides, nearly every dime she might make would be deducted from her social security. It's not worth the paperwork.

She is now 25 years old; and as I look back, I can see that most of the challenges we had with her were only bumps in the road, not major roadblocks even though they may have seemed such at the time. She truly is a gift from our Father in Heaven. She is very close to the Spirit and is a constant reminder that we are all children of a loving Heavenly Father and he most assuredly has a plan for all of us, including her.

Disneyland & A Quarter Century

Jaime had been wanting to go to Disneyland for a long time and she had been dreaming about taking Angie. So on April 26, 2008 that trip to Disneyland became a reality. The occasion (not that one was needed) was Angie's 25th birthday. Jaime and Rob were kind enough to include me.

It was a wonderful, carefree vacation. Rob made it his responsibility to take care of all of us and make sure we were comfortable and had plenty of liquids -- and ice cream.

Angie was such a great sport! She had very specific ideas about what she wanted to ride after she caught on to the whole experience. We rode nearly all the rides in the Magic Kingdom and the funnest ones in California Adventure. We had to coax her a little at times when the lines went up and over, but she braved through it and was willing to "go again." I'll never understand how she can be afraid of heights and yet love the roller coasters . . .


We surprised her with a Princess Luncheon where she met Ariel, Belle, Cinderella, Princess Aurora (Sleeping Beauty), and most importantly Snow White. A couple of the hightlights at the luncheon were her stealing Rob's napkin in a panic to wipe her mouth and her popping out of her chair and leading the entire restaurant as they sang happy birthday to her.

We found ourselves wearing out in the afternoons, so we went back to the hotel for a nap and had a leisurely dinner before returning for evening adventures.

Some of our favorite quotes from Angie were "Urry, Mommy. Snow White waiting," (this said as we were packing for the trip) "go again," "BORING!"

Thanks again to Jaime and Rob for including me in this once in a lifetime vacation.

Girls Just Wanna Have Fun

Jaime has successfully combined her two families. We have a great time together. In May of 2006 we attended Women's Conference at BYU and had such a good time we decided that Women's Conference should be a tradition each year unless, of course, someone is sick or having babies. Those are the only two excuses.

It is a time for "mature" women to just be girls. No responsibilities, no worries, no men. How often does this opportunity come along? Would you believe these two old gals could be so silly as to dance on the desk in the dorms? (This is my mother and me.)

Women's Conference is a great three days of spiritual feasting with lots of laughs and giggles and sillyness. We work on service projects, which make us feel good that we are doing something for others who have so much less than we do. There is plenty of time to talk and share, read, play games.

Women's Conference 2007 did not disappoint. The weather was a little cool with the overcast skies, but our spirits were not dampened because girls just wanna have fun -- even in the rain!











Best friends... Good times... Great memories...

Our Nation's Birthday!

Check out some of the fun things we did on the Fourth of July. Mom and Pop jointed us for breakfast at Lin's Market. We dropped over to Worthen Park to check out the activities there. Jaime and Rob came up from Las Vegas. We had a great American barbecue with homemade sloppy hamburgers and the trimmings (including Mom McCloud's famous macaroni salad). Rob's brother, Jimmy, and his family found a great spot to view fireworks on a hill south of St. George where we had a perfect view of the entire city. We enjoyed chocolate chip cookies made by Angie and Jaime and watched the excitement.

It's always fun to celebrate our country's birthday.

Hello, Internet World

This is Shauna and this is my first blog post. I have succumbed to the pressure! My family hopes this site will become a treasure trove of memories and a place to capture the small things that happen each day that matter the very most in the end.

Enjoy!