The LDS Church created a DVD of most of the hymns in ASL. I had purchased a copy and then a couple of weeks later, the primary choruster gave me a copy. Since the hymns are in ASL, the signs are not the same as the words in the hymnbook. So in order for me to remember how to sign them, I’ve retyped the words exactly how they are signed. So far, I’ve only learned a few of my favorites, and still have a hard time remembering how to sign them. But I love it when we sing a hymn in church that I know how to sign.
Yesterday was one of my most fun days in Sacrament Meeting. Since Steve and I went to the Gospel Principles class, we got to the chapel after everyone else and there was no place to sit. So we ended up in the last row of the cultural hall where most of the children were sitting. We both agreed this was the best place to sit. Steve could look at everyone and there were no kids behind us kicking us in the back. The noise of children doesn’t bother Steve and it doesn’t bother me either. I am much more comfortable sitting in the back anyway. We sang three hymns that I was able to sign and sitting on the chair in the back gave me more room for broad gestures.
Our newly called Relief Society Presidency gave talks and two of them remembered to make us a copy of their notes. This was the first time anyone did this for us and I was touched. Having the notes helped us greatly. The last talk was the RS President’s. I chuckled because Steve had it read within a couple of minutes. He was done and ready to go home. But we had one more hymn to sign, Silent Night, my all-time favorite. The children seemed fascinated with it because most of them were watching us. This is one hymn they would easily be able to learn to sign themselves. It’s simple and very beautiful.
Filed under: Deaf in a Hearing Church, Signer vs. Interpreter
