Lamar Folkett of the Leicester England Stake calls himself a “huge military enthusiast.”
“I’ve always wanted to be in the military all my life. Basically, preferably the Royal Air Force or the Army,” he said.
But he can’t join the army. Folquette was born with spina bifida, a condition in which the spine does not develop properly in the womb. He’s paralyzed from the waist down, so he’s doing what he calls “the next best thing.”
The 20-year-old is on a plane.
Folkett said he had always had a passion for flying and his mother, Satomi Folkett, wanted to help him realize his dream. After some research, she found Aerobility, a British charity that teaches disabled people like Folkett how to fly planes.
He spent seven years learning how to fly with instructors and flying over many of Britain’s famous landmarks, which he said were “indescribable”.
Folkett looks forward to clearing his head in the sky when things get tough. Some people find flying on a plane overwhelming, but he says he doesn’t find it that way.
“It’s actually not that stressful and freeing.”
But Folkett’s path to flight seems to be different than for many others. Tasks like boarding a plane and using the plane’s controls require a unique approach.
Still, that doesn’t prevent him from taking off.
Mr. Folket is unable to use the airplane’s foot pedals, so he uses a hand control attachment instead.
“Everything is a challenge that I overcome,” he said.
Testimony honed by flight
The young pilot also said that flying strengthened his faith.
“You get a better understanding in a spiritual sense of what God has created for us. It’s like getting closer to heaven,” he said.
But that moment of awe didn’t come without a close call. Birds and other planes flew alarmingly close to his plane, putting Folquette in a dangerous situation from which he was saved, he said.
“Usually I’m relatively slow in terms of my reactions and hand-eye coordination, but when I’m flying, all that feels like it kind of goes away and I’m usually at my best,” he said.
Folkett was able to recover from such situations thanks to his superior reaction time, a talent he said he was blessed with in the air, and attributed it to divine awareness.
“Heavenly Father knows that this is what I love to do and has given me the ability to do things properly.”
He also said that these experiences strengthened his testimony.
“Heavenly Father has protected me many times. I cannot deny His existence,” he said.
lessons from the king
Flying is just one of Folkett’s many passionate interests. When he’s not in the cockpit, he volunteers at the Richard III Visitor Center in Leicester, providing knowledge to wandering visitors and explaining how different locations are connected to the life and reign of Richard III.
Many details about King Richard intrigued Folkett, but his favorite fact is that King Richard suffered from scoliosis.
However, despite his condition, King Richard accomplished great things as a king and as a warrior. This fact inspired Folkett.
“If he has scoliosis and can do that, what can I do? Obviously I can do quite a bit.”
Mr Folkett’s dedication to volunteering was reflected this year when he was nominated and shortlisted for the prestigious Young Man of the Year award at the Lord Lieutenant of Leicestershire Awards, which recognize the contribution of young people across England.
“It was unbelievable. It was such a shock,” he said, recalling the moment he found out.
He is juggling volunteer work with university, where he is enrolled in a course that teaches people with disabilities how to prepare for work.
He admits that even if you’re focused, the college environment can be mentally demanding. However, listening to music, especially the Tabernacle Choir on Temple Square, helped him stay true to his values.
“When you’re in college, you do it all day long,” he said. “It just gives me the rope to heaven.”
Folquette said hymns are a type of prayer.
“I feel like I’m praying for help and protection from the sins of the world.”
This year has been full of change for Folkett, and his mother said he has overcome each step with faith.
Folket moved from his parents’ home to become a dependent. Although this move did not require him to change wards, he chose to attend the new ward anyway, abandoning the support network he might have been able to maintain from his childhood ward.
These changes caused concern to his mother, who stated that she would have made the changes gradually. But true to who he is, “he wants to do what the Lord wants,” she said.
His temporary changes coincided with important mental changes.
“My son is really motivated,” Satomi Folket said of her son’s decision to receive the temple endowment. She recalled telling him it wasn’t a decision that needed to be rushed, but he insisted it was what he wanted.
Folket led temple preparation classes with priesthood leaders, and the serving brethren helped prepare him for the temple he regularly attends.
Folket’s faith and optimism have contributed to a fulfilling life, but there were moments when she wished she wasn’t in a wheelchair — a “dark side” that people don’t see, and wishes she could do more.
But he says knowledge of the gospel helps and deepens his understanding of his divinity.
“I was sent here for a reason, and there’s a reason for my existence,” he said.
He learned that things may seem difficult and impossible to overcome, but with the support of family, the Spirit, and God, they can be overcome.
