Hi, I'm Hans

I'm a high-functioning autistic. I program computers. I'm a Mormon.

About Me

The very first thing you should know about me is that I am Autistic. Autism is the name for any number of conditions that reduce the social area of the brain, sometimes in favor of other areas. For an Autistic, communication is difficult, and they are often seen as quirky and perhaps ostracized for their condition. Luckily for me, not only do I have high-functioning autism (which means that I can still function well in other areas), but I also have a loving mother who went to college to learn social work, and was able to help me immediately. I am striving towards perfection every day, understanding my autism as a tool to conquer the world.

The thing that I love to do most is to program virtually anything (excuse the bad pun). I have written progams (mainly video games) for several platforms, including PC, Web, mobile phone, and (interestingly enough) graphing calculator. An exhibition of my work can be found at www.betafreak.com.

Nowadays, I am a senior in high school, with high aims toward college. I am very popular in my school, and have recently been elected to our Homecoming Court - 1 of 10 boys and 10 girls in a class of over 300. I am very thankful that I am well liked in my school, for I know that I can stand as a beacon to them. I am also taking difficult AP classes and am working very hard academically.

Why I am a Mormon

I personally love the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. My parents were members, and I grew up in the Church, but that does not dilute my understanding of why the Church is so important.

The biggest reason I have for being a Mormon is that I find sanctuary to help me through this troubling world. Many people are confused and don't know what God's plan is for them - most are unaware that we even have a loving Father in Heaven who cares for us and loves us no matter what mistakes we have made. As a result, in these troubling times and conditions, they despair. I testify that this is true.

As an Autistic, I faced even more trouble and uncertainty, because I mistakenly believed that my autism would be my downfall, and that I couldn't succeed in a world where things such as smarts didn't matter - in this economy, things such as computers would be seen as luxuries and abandoned. I also believed that my autism would ruin my chances of having a wife and family, something I wanted and still want desperately.

However, the message of the gospel tells us what the world cannot. It proclaims that we have a Father in Heaven who loves us and truly cares for our well being. It tells us where we came from, why we're here, and where we are going when we die. It proclaims the universal Atonement, in which Christ sacrificed his life so that we all may live again and be cleansed of our sins. And it proclaims that all of God's faithful servants will not be unjustly treated, that none of the blessings that God has to offer will be denied them.

How I live my faith

I am a devout member of the Church. Every Sunday, I attend church meetings, as well as Sunday School and a group for boys my age. I, along with other boys my age, am also a priest in my ward, which means that I help officiate ordinances such as baptism and the sacrament (an ordinance by which we renew the covenants we have made with God, such as the ones we make at baptism).

On Monday evenings, our family holds Family Home Evening, a time when everyone is home to talk about spiritual things, discuss family matters, and have fun together. Everyone in the family has a chance to conduct meetings and give lessons, as well as to show talents that they have been developing.

On Wednesday evenings, I go to Youth activities, where me and other priests do things ranging from visiting boys who aren't coming to meetings to Boy Scout activities to climbing mountains. Other youth have their own groups as well, and we sometimes combine for larger activities.

Every month, I also go home teaching. Me and a man I am assigned to go and visit several families each month, giving them gospel messages and checking up on them. It is very profitable to us, especially if any part of the family isn't coming to church. It is also fun to see them and be their friends.

In my daily life, I am always careful to follow the church's standards and be an example of the believers. In school, I keep my standards high and do things based on what I know to be right, not what the crowd blindly follows. I also talk about my church life daily, hoping to help others become interested in the church and enjoy what I enjoy. I also study the scriptures daily, and pray to Heavenly Father morning and night to recieve divine inspiration and take advantage of Christ's Atonement.

What do Mormons believe about the nature of God?

Hans answered...

God is our loving Heavenly Father, the literal father of all the spirits of mankind. As such, we are created in His image, and He has a body that is much like ours, except that it is immortal and incorruptible. He is perfect in every way, and the supreme ruler of the universe, but He is kind to us, and wants us to become as He is. We can speak to Him personally in the name of Jesus Christ, and He can speak to us through the Holy Ghost. He has an infinite capacity of thought, perception, and love, and can thus love all of His children infinitely.

Everything that He created and instituted - the Earth, the living things on the Earth, the Church, the Atonement, our families - is for our benefit. Even the terrible things that happen to us are for our benefit, because God knows that the best and only way to learn and grow is through challenge and trial.
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Kathleen answered...

This question is easily answered in the words of one of the children's songs "I know my [Heavenly] Father lives, and loves me too". We believe in a loving God, who knows us each individually. Another way I know that God loves me because he has heard and answered my prayers many times. Some people think that God is angry, but I do not believe that is so. Matthew 7:11 reads, "If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to those that ask him?" I think that just explains it all- as parents we want the best for our children. God, our Heavenly parent, wants the best for us, too. As parents, we recognize that giving our children everything they ask for isn't necessarily what's best for them. God does this for us also.

What do Mormons believe concerning the doctrine of grace?

Tamara Forsyth answered...

We are all saved by grace no matter how we have lived our life, as long as we believe in Christ and believe that he is our Savior. Most Christian religions believe that this is all there is to being saved. Mormons believe this for the part of being saved in which the body of flesh is reunited with the spirit. For this part of being saved, yes, Mormons believe that all people, no matter how they have lived their lives, will be saved and have their body reunited with their spirit at the resurrection through the grace of God. However, Mormons also believe there is another part to Christ's atonement and being saved, and that refers to his taking on of our sins. To be saved from our sins, and take upon us the name of Christ such that his atonement will wash away our sins and we will have everlasting life in God's presence, we must repent of our sins. After we have done all that we can do, then the grace of God will wash away our sins because of Christ's atoning sacrifice on our behalf.