I promise to use what scarce and limping powers I have for good... My training amounts to an ongoing empirical vamp.

<softshoe>

Hi! My name is Heather, I'm in Richmond,VA. I have been called as the stake coordinator for the deaf, but have found my calling to reach far beyond the stake boundaries, however, I feel like the lone reed, out in the wind, trying to figure out what I'm supposed to do all by myself! So, needless to say, the Lord has been my best friend in trying to coordinate and get organized. We have about 4-5 "interpreters" in our ward. Our ward has been designated as the "host ward for the deaf". We have one deaf woman who actively comes, another couple who try to come but due to family situations in northern, va they have to travel up north every weekend, and another deaf woman who never comes to church but loves to come to the activities. There are deaf throughout our area, we are just having a difficult time trying to find them, get missionaries to them (because none of the missionaries sign) and either reactivate the inactive deaf members, or get the deaf investigators taught. I'm trying to work with the stake and surrounding stakes, to figure out how to find those people, because they reach all over our area, not just our stake. I just started school this week, ASL 4, to try to get a certificate. I would like to become a certified interpreter. I have just learned to sign through a hearing family who moved to our area and they all sign and began to teach willing people in our ward. This neat family has taken up the "call" to serve our deaf brothers and sisters and help them be a part of the gospel. Before they came out here, there was no one. So we are pretty much inventing the wheel out here in VA. SOOOO any advice would be GREATLY appreciated!!! Any tips for how to run the deaf program in a host ward would be WONDERFUL!! I need all the help I can get!!!

Heather Welcome,

I am so glad that you have joined us. I am Jessica, and I am the Deaf Program Corrdinator for the Kalamazoo, Mi 1st Ward and the Kalamazoo Stake. There are tons of different ways to go. I think in some of the other threads there are suggestions, if not I will get on later and reply here. This is a wonderful and a challenging call... I am glad that you are here with us, and hopefully we can help.

-Jess W

Hi Heather,

Here's another welcome from Kalamazoo! Jess is right - read through some of the other threads, and probably that will generate some specific questions that the group here can help you with. As you'll see, the members of the group have different situations and experience levels, and we all have LOTS of advice to offer.

Glad you've joined us!

Hello people! I sure am happy to see this discussion board.

My name is Julia Shumko and my husband is Steve Shumko. He is deaf and I am hearing. We live in Stansbury Park, UT (that is about 30 miles west of Salt Lake City). I am not an interpreter. I'm just a hearing wife who is struggling to help her deaf husband understand what is going on in Church.

I started a blog on the internet over a year ago about our experiences together in the Church and outside the Church. It is located at http://a1wholesalegifts.com/blog/ If you read all of that, you will have a pretty good understanding of where I am coming from. Basically I was thrown into the Sign Language Interpreters ocean without a paddle. Sometimes the only thing that keeps my head above water is a good sense of humor.

Besides the blog, I participate on an LDS discussion board and on the alldeaf.com forum where I get to do some venting. It's nice to finally find a discussion board that combines the LDS and deaf into one forum. I might actually find some people who understand what it's like for me.

I look forward to reading some threads and doing some posting.

I learned sign from a deaf neighbor who is now Miss Deaf Iowa. Her family moved away when she was 6 and I fogot alot of sign. I am in the ITP program at Kirkwood Community College and I hope to graduate in Spring 08. I am married and I have three kids. I also teach ASL II at a diffrent Community COllege about 45 min. away every Tuesday night this coming Fall. I did teach ASL I & II in the Spring. Is anyone going to Nauvoo this July?

Well, alright! Iowa represent! Can you tell us about the Deaf/interpreter landscape in Iowa? I've heard the numbers are pretty good for Nauvoo and that they are really needing interpreters (Anne posted that here). Are you going?

1) Bradley Godfrey
2) Provo, UT
3) I'm a Video Interpreter by profession, but I attend the Utah Valley Deaf Ward and help out with interpreting when I can. Im the Young Mens President so we sign and speak at the same time or sign while someone voices for us.
4) I interpret sacrament meetings once a month and some ppi's. occasionally I will interpret for baptisms or blessings that a deaf member has been ask to do at a hearing ward.
5) I was born into slavery as a interpreter, my mom is Deaf. JK... We attended the carmicheal Deaf branch in the sacramento area while i was very young. It was dissolved into a hearing ward so we attended the hearing ward close to us in rosemont. I eventually went to serve an ASL mission in the New York South Mission. When I returned home I attended the Carmicheal Deaf Branch, which came back from the dead I was so happy to see, I helped out the missionaries when I could. I soon moved to Provo, UT and started attending the Provo Deaf Ward. I work for Sorenson as a video interpreter and freelance for CES when they need a interpreter.

There are alot of great people in here I see alot of people I am familiar with, those who I dont know, I hope to talk to you soon

Any questions?

Welcome, it has been a bit quiet here but I am excited to see a new person.... i am excited to hear more about your experiences in your ward, and as a video interp.

-JEss W

Name: Jed Paton

Location: Kuna, ID

Ward: Deaf group in Meridian Idaho

Interpreting: Interpret every now and then for whatever is needed.
Interviews, Elders quorm, Stake Conference, Sac mtging, Scouts, YOU NAME IT.

Served a mission in MN, and TX 1998-2000. Went to UVSC and took many wonderful classes from Doug. I am currently working as a sign lanugage teacher in the Meridian School District at a High School here called Mt. View, also doing some interpreting there. I am also on staff at BSU (Boise State University) as an adjunct professor of ASL. I teach 101 AND 102 and am the CC (concurrent credit) teacher for the high schools. Also working for video relay company in idaho. In my Masters program of Public administration at BSU.

I am glad I found the site. I see a lot of old friends and look forward to the discussions and advise. Thanks!

Hello,
My name is Jenai Axelson. I learned sign in Provo. I served as in the deaf branch in Riverside CA. Now I am in a suburb of Chicago interpreting for one 13 year old deaf girl. I learned my signing in the "Provo Deaf Branch" and at BYU.

I briefly visited the conference in Nauvoo last month. It was great to visit old friends. I took the girl from our ward, so she could see that there were other deaf members of the church. I wish we could have stayed the whole time, but schedules didnt allow it.

(Jenai, your interpreting for seminary question was moved to here. That way it can have its own thread for responses. Thx. Mod.)

Name: Natalie Aries
From: New Mexico
I'm learning ASL, someday would love to be an interpreter. As far as I know we don't even have a deaf ward in NM.
I've taken lessons from a girl who taught at church, that lasted about a year then she moved. I then went on the ASL classes offered at the University of NM through continuing ed. courses. They only offered 2 levels of 8 week courses. When that was done I asked the teacher how do I learn more, where do I go? She offered us (three students total) private lessons in her home. By the way the teacher was Deaf. We all jumed at the chance. We did that for over a year on and off but had to stop when my third baby came along. That was over a year ago and now I just try to keep up my skills by signing to my kids. I would love to do more but don't know where to go at this point.
When I found this site I was so excited that there were people out there willing to answer my millions of questions.
That's me in a nut shell. Nice to "meet" all of you!
Natalie

1) name - Renee Olson

2) where you are located - Atlanta, GA

I'm not currently interpreting in the Church but I used to. My husband is a nonmember and he really likes our ward (Glenridge Ward/Atlanta Stake). He attends every week with me and is active on the Activities Committee with me so I feel it's best to stay where my husband is comfortable.

However, I interpret everywhere else. I mostly do education, but am really a freelance interpreter. This last weekend I interpreted Time Out For Women with a very good friend of mine. She and I had a great time and made lots of new friends.

I am Georgia credentialed and graduated from the Sorenson VIP program to help interpreters get their national certification. I will be taking the national exam as soon as it's offered here in the southeast. I've been an interpreter for 20 years and am now teaching my son who also hopes to enter our field.

I love attending workshops no matter how far away they are. However I hate flying so I always look for those that are close enough to drive to. I have a serious sign language library and look forward to adding to it from the things I learn here.

Looking forward to meeting you all!

Renee, welcome! We're glad you found us. (How did you find us? :) I think you're our first Southeaster. I hope you'll feel free to dive in, pick around the forum, and even start new threads for people to follow. We'd certainly like to know what's going on in your corner of the Church, and the TOFW program you recently participated in. I hear rumors from time to time that these are being interpreted in areas of the country where Deaf LDS membership is either low or nonexistent; I'd love to know how your experience went.

Welcome.

I think the PG-rated answer would be...I met Renee when she prayed me into the bathroom at the last session of the new Nauvoo Temple dedication on 30 June 2002.

Further details require the remittance of one soft-serve twist cone, fat free frozen yogurt. .

I volunteered my services for the Nauvoo Temple dedication and that's where I met "E". Five years later in August of this year she ran into another sister who knew me. So she asked that sister to give me her email address which she did this last weekend at TOFW. As soon as it was over I contacted E and she gave me this website which I have prayed would be out there but never knew about.

Doug, didn't you teach workshops at the LDS interpreter workshops in past years? I think that's where I've met you. I really wish the Church would sponsor those again. I'm still using my tote bags from the last one. And I still wear my t-shirts from it.

Renee

/blush/ Guilty as charged; I was the coordinator of the last one in 2001. And I agree: I wish BYU would sponsor those again. I think there would be better luck doing those regionally than hoping BYU might sponsor them again. Hence the hope that the discussion board here will help fill some of the gap.

And I still wear my T-shirts from way back when also. Welcome.

Why doesn't BYU want to sponsor them anymore? I think 125 LDS terps came to the last one. Just how many of us do they need to make it worth having? It was truly a magical time! I was the only black interpreter there and still I felt right at home. Don't they understand we NEED that time with each other? I would think doing it regionally would take a LOT more work! But, hey, what do I know...I've never coordinated anything on that grand of a scale before. I just know I miss them.

1) Eliza Porter
2) where you are located? Gainesville, Florida
3) working in (name of) Deaf group/branch/ward? I interpret for my son (3, deaf and cute) as much as he will pay attention Once a month we drive out to St. Augustine (90 min away) and totally enjoy being with the group there.
4) what is interpreting like on Sundays/other days (all three hours? Sac mtg only? RS/PH? etc.)
St. Augustine has a huge ward, with about 10 deaf adults and 3 deaf children. During Sacrament meeting one sister interprets the speaking, another the songs and a man signs the Sacrament prayers. The Deaf SS class is always an adventure for me. The teacher is an English professor and he signs so fast! They have interpretation in RS as needed. The EQ president is Deaf and there are about 5 other men in that group.
5) other stuff that helps us know more about each other (Deaf mission? CODA? in an ITP now? etc.) I didn't know any ASL when my son was diagnosed with a hearing loss 3 years ago. We have a lot of the church videos, and all the Signing Time videos. I took a level 2 ASL class at the community college but they haven't offered anything higher since.

I grew up in Falls Church, VA, and didn't really know it was strange to have 10 kids in a family because 5 families in our ward did. I majored in Music Ed. at BYU and taught in Kearns for 2 years. I'm happy with my life, but I kind of kick myself to know that I lived in 2 places with great access to ASL. Now that I need it it's really hard to find. I really look forward to reading and posting on this site.

Welcome, Homey!

Anne Leahy
Falls Church, VA

Welcome, Eliza. We're glad you found us. When you get back out to St. Augustine again, tell the Prices hi for me. (MP and I were in the MTC together.) What ward do you attend in Gainesville? I'm sure the folks over at http://www.deaflds.org would like to put you on the proverbial map.

DS

My name is Chip Royce and I am a CODA... (Hi Chip!) I figured out early on in life that this was my calling (to be an interpreter) so I just rolled with it. I started off terpin for my parents and their friends in various settings... church, medical, educational and the occasional but seemingly too often "can you call this insurance company/bill collector/angry unreasonable person for me?" Then I turned 7 and realized that it wasn't worth the icecream sandwiches I would earn as payment.
All kidding aside, I have always endeared the priviledge of being born into and living among the d/Deaf culture (ok... I couldn't help but try to make another funny)
I am currently a full time+ freelance interpreter where I mostly contract with InterWest Interpreting. I also have the unique opportunity to terp for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in various settings. I have not been a member of a Deaf Ward/Branch since before I was married in 2000.

Hello! I'm Marcia Marshall.

I live in Troy, Michigan, just north of Detroit.

I interpret for one deaf woman in my ward, the Troy, MI ward.

I interpret for her all 3 hours (sac mtg, Sun School, RS) with the help of another woman who comes from another ward to help me.

I learned ASL at BYU (1992-5). Now I work as a freelance interpreter in my community and also as a VRS interpreter at a local Sorenson office. I have NIC certification through RID.

I am married with 7 children.

Welcome, Marcia. You'll find that Michigan is fairly well represented here; c'mon, K-Zoo, give Marcia a little Home Peninsula welcome. We hope you'll come back and write often. Cheers.

Hi, my name is Natalie and I'm working out here with the Deaf in Olathe, KS (Olathe 3rd Ward). I have a deaf daughter, now about a year old, but started learning ASL several years ago when my Deaf neighbors were taking the missionary discussions.

In our Ward, we have a level-4 interpreter (just took the level-5 exam and waiting for results), as well as several other dedicated and committed interpreters of varying degrees of skill. Between everyone, all three hours of Church are interpreted. We also have a Deaf-only Sunday School class. Years ago we had a branch, but as is pretty typical (if I understand correctly), the branch crumbled. Although we've had interpreted services in the meantime, and a couple active Deaf members still around from a long time ago, we are just setting up a plan to start reaching out to the broader Deaf Community again. We're in the process of setting up interpreter training classes, Deaf culture classes, a plan for general ward awareness, and consistent social events for the Deaf. It's going to be GREAT--with the Lord's help, of course!

I'm looking forward to being part of this forum. And if anyone has experience and/or advice on getting started again, your thoughts are most welcome and appreciated!

Hi I am Wayne Randolph and I interpret at the Olathe Kansas 3rd Ward. I have been a free-lance Interpreter for 25 yrs and a VRS Interpreter for 2 1/2 years.

Hey WAYNE! Glad to see you on here, too!

Natalie and Wayne,

Welcome to the Board. We look forward to your thoughts and contributions here. Thanks for making our community that much better.

I am Jane S. Walker
I live in Herriman, UT (a few miles from the Oquirrh Mountain Temple)

I am interpreting for the Legacy Creek Ward, Fort Herriman Stake on Sundays for a Deaf Couple who recently decided to attend their neighborhood ward because of their 3 hearing children.

I interpret all 3 meetings for the husband. The wife has been attending Sacrament meeting and SS and going to The Salt Lake Valley Deaf 2nd Ward for RS and SS. She now has informed me that she will be here also for all three meetings. EEK.. I put a shout out to find more people willing to help. I don't think I can split my for RS and PH without causing some major body damage.

I served a Deaf/ASL mission in 1987-1989. I served in the San Bernadino CA Mission (which now is the Riverside, CA mission) which comprised of the Deaf Branch in Riverside and the Deaf Twig in Lancaster, CA. I checked and both are still up and running, which is great news. I was then transferred to the NJ Morristown Mission and served the Deaf in the Emerson Ward, Bergen County. We had about 4 regular Deaf members and about 4-5 interpreters (from that ward) that we trained in classes. It was a lot like this situation, but I have more resources I need to tap into in SLC. I learned ASL in the MTC in Provo UT. I came home. Listened to the spirit and entered the Deaf Education Masters program at Utah State University. I graduated with a BS in Elementary Education and a Masters in Deaf Education. I was certified as an interpreter until I had my first child. It made it too difficult to teach school and interpret so I let the interpreting go. I have been teaching at USDB since graduation in 1992. I have taught Elem Ed, Early Intervention, and now Junior High. I moved into this stake 10 years ago. There has been a few Deaf children in the boundaries, but never a Deaf Family. It is the first for the stake. I was called by the Stake President to coordinate this ward and help them be self sufficient. Any advice would be great!

Hello,

I just recently found this board and got signed up. I'm not sure that I truly belong, because right now I'm not actually doing any church interpreting, but I hope to in the future!

My name is Elaine and I live in Kennewick, Washington.

When I do help with church interpreting, it is usually in Richland, Cottonwood ward, which is the assigned ward for Deaf in the tri-cities area here. There is usually 1 other interpreter and we cover all 3 hours. There is usually one deaf lady there, so we only go to Relief Society. In the past there was a Deaf Sunday School class.

I am a new interpreter. So new, I don't actually like to tell people I'm an interpreter. Then they expect me to know a lot more than I actually do! I work as an educational interpreter, one year at middle school level and one year in the elementary school.

I got involved with the Deaf community when I needed some *me* time and found an ASL class being taught at the local Deaf Center. It sounded interesting so I took all the classes they offered. Then I enrolled in a distance learning program for interpreters through Spokane Falls Comm. College. The challenge of learning ASL and interpreting has been and continues to be wonderful!

Although my family responsibilities preclude me from regularly serving as an interpreter right now, I hope to be back again. Meanwhile, I am "mentally interpreting" each week to try to keep my skills up.

I have loved reading through the many older posts on this site, but see that there has been little posted in the last several months. Hopefully this is only a momentary lull! I look forward to learning from so many experienced and qualified interpreters!

Good Evening Family --

Just a quick update on my whereabouts. I have left the Washington, DC region, and will be in the greater Salt Lake "City" (Anne checks her gazetteer to confirm the heady assumption that she lives in a Metro Area) for a while.

In a few short weeks, I've already been conscripted to cover some Stake-level functions for friends who serve as coordinators in their local units and pro-bono meetings for the Mothership downtown. I will continue attending a family ward as I always have, and provide scab labor as needed. I will have Diet Coke in my bloodstream during all assignments, and utter the word "crap" in the Church Office Building.

Those of you out in the Field, I was you once. Even at the risk of appearing unwilling or uncharitable, defend your self-preservation and learn to prioritize your physical, spiritual, and emotional reserves! Manage members and leaders' expectations. Please place the mask over your own nose and mouth first, then assist others as necessary...

Anne
Party Secretary, The Party of "No"

1) name: Nedra Hunt

2) where you are located: Spokane Valley, Washngton

3) working in: Everygreen Ward (hearing), Spokane East Stake

4) what is interpreting like: Sundays voice to sign first 2 hours and sign to voice during 3rd hour and for Young Women activities

5) other stuff: I interpret at the community college during the week and am working on my national certification

Welcome, Nedra and Elaine. Nice to have more Washingtonians represented. Hope you'll feel free to contribute.