Profile: Reed Hahne

This is the experience of Reed Hahne who is serving in the Nauvoo Illinois mission. If you have a mission experience that you would like to share, please let us know.

From Karen Hahne, Nauvoo, IL

Mother of Reed Hahne (born with Down syndrome)

We have always felt that Reed belonged with typical peers in school and community acitivities. he is the youngest of 6 children who also felt that it was his right to belong. So he attended the neighborhood schools in Orem, Utah. There we found wonderful young people who became his friend and supported, encouraged and included him in all things.

When he turned 18 he was ready to leave high school and prepare to go on a mission because all of his friends were doing that. We talked together and knew that it would never happen if we expected to send in mission papers and have him called on a regular mission. Instead we began exploring options in our community. WE approached Jack Christensen, the director of the LDS Institute of Religion in Orem and told him about Reed and his dream for a mission. Bro. Christensen had a vision of what a mission for Reed at the Insitute would look like, and by working with our local Bishop we designed a service mission for Reed.

Our Bishop (Keith Peterson) went so far as to adapt application papers and an "official letter" with mission expectations for Reed. He got his letter in the mail which said that he would be serving a service mission, he would live mission rules ( no dating, etc), he would take the bus to the insitute, live at home, grooming etc.

Reed lived up to all of the criteria. He served for almost 2 years and grew through the experience. Who wouldn't when serving with Bro Christensen, his staff and the institute teachers???? It couldn't have been better. While there he also took an insitute class each day and sang with the Insitute choir, and served in the bapistry at the Mt. Timpanogos temple.

When we decided to go on a mission we were very discouraged by the response we received from the church temple department. We called the mission department and explained that there would be three of us going together. Fortunately we received a much more accepting reception and through the process of talking to an Elder Schenk who was serving his mission there we were encouraged to turn our papers in. We included forms from Reed, which were ignored, but Bob and I received our call to Nauvoo. We then called Pres. Samuel Park of the Illinois mission and asked him to send Reed his official call. ( Pres. Park was released the day we arrived in Nauvoo, but he was instrumental in getting us here). He asked us to send a sample letter to him which we did, and then he sent Reed his official call from Nauvoo.

As always, Reed has had to proved himself. We found missionaries who were not sure that he could give the tours in the sites, but who now are among the first to serve with him. We had only been here two weeks when Reed was called to serve in the temple and set apart as an ordinance worker. Any doubt about his ability to learn the temple ceremony was quickly dispelled. He serves there 2 days a week and then is on site the other days.

We could go on and on regarding the growth he has experienced. He's surrounded by a whole mission that loves him. The Mission President ( Neal Lewis) calls him, Elder Hahne, the younger.

He loves the Young Performing Missionaries who have come to spend the summer. He loves the Senior Missionaries and the Temple missionaries. We are in an incredibly wonderful, safe place and he has grown so much in abilities, confidence and testimony.