The LDS Youth YouTube channel uploaded an inspirational video about a young man who has lived with a birth defect that affects his spine, but will never affect his testimony or sense of adventure.
Mitch Fennemore, who is currently serving as a missionary in the Family and Church History Mission in Salt Lake City, was born with spina bifida. When he got involved with boy scouts his family wondered how much he would be able to participate.
The young men in Fennemore’s ward wanted him to participate in high adventure camps just as much as he wanted to be involved in them.
“We came up with a design that was a metal frame. It had two harnesses: one on the front and one on the back. It was a camping chair we designed to fit in the middle,” said Jonathan Knudsen, Fennemore’s friend.
Throughout the camping experiences, two young men at a time would carry Fennemore up mountains, across rivers and through forests in what they call the “Mitch-mobile.”
“I think he wishes he could have been the one to carry somebody else in the Mitch-mobile but he learned a very valuable lesson as to what it means to allow other people to serve us,” said Angie Fennemore, Mitch’s mother. “And if we don’t allow that to happen to us, then how can others experience that wonderful blessing and opportunity?”
Mitch Fennemore expressed his gratitude for the young men and leaders that helped him. “I don’t know if they realize how much that has meant to me,” he said.
“It’s what Christ would have done. He was always there to pick us up and carry us when we needed him. That’s kind of what we wanted to do for Mitch. We wanted to be there and carry him when he needed it. I know the love those boys had for Mitch to continue to include him and keep him involved was one of the most Christ like things I’ve ever seen in my life,” Knudson said.
Elder Jeffrey R. Holland told Mitch’s story at the Boy Scout’s of America Duty to God Breakfast in San Diego on May 26.
Watch the video about Elder Holland speaking to the Boy Scout leaders on YouTube here.
Watch the video about the Mitch-mobile on YouTube here.
Kelsey Schwab writes for the Faith and Family sections of DesretNews.com.