Dealing with the tragedy of infant deaths as Mormon parents - Martine & Stuart Smith Pt 2 | Ep. 1741

When Faith Meets Medical Tragedy: How Mormonism Shaped One Family's Response to Rare Disease

Few experiences test the boundaries between religious belief and harsh medical reality quite like watching a newborn child suffer from a devastating genetic illness. For Martine and Stuart Smith, this collision came in the form of epidermolysis bullosa, a rare genetic disorder so severe that their infant son's skin literally tore from the slightest touch. But the Smiths' story, as recounted in part two of Mormon Stories Podcast, reveals something equally important: how deeply LDS theological teachings about pre-mortal life, family planning, and divine purpose shaped how believing parents process incomprehensible suffering.

This intersection of Latter-day Saint doctrine and personal tragedy raises urgent questions about the pastoral adequacy of religious frameworks when confronted with medical realities that defy neat theological explanation.

The Doctrine That Set the Stage

Before examining the Smiths' specific experience, it's essential to understand the theological context in which they operated as young LDS parents in the 1970s. Martine had recently converted to the Church in Belgium as a teenager, bringing with her the idealism common to new members. Stuart, a chemical engineering student, shared the cultural assumptions of his LDS upbringing.

The period coincided with the prominence of Saturday's Warrior, a 1970s Mormon musical that dramatized LDS theology about the pre-mortal existence. The musical taught that righteous spirits in heaven eagerly awaited the chance to obtain mortal bodies on earth, and that faithful couples had a sacred obligation to provide those bodies through large families. This wasn't mere entertainment; it crystallized theological teachings about the Plan of Salvation that pervaded LDS culture and shaped family planning decisions.