Sometimes I find myself in situations where I realize that I'm the best that God has at that particular moment to do that particular thing. Inevitably, I stare at the circumstances wide-eyed and feel bad that there isn't anyone more competant around. This has happened a lot to me lately as I have become known in our ward as the sign language translator. My freshman year in college, a whoppin' eight years ago, I took Sign 101, 102. I dropped out primarily because I was planning on going on a mission and that would fufill my languages of learning requirement at BYU and mostly because frankly, I was crummy at sign language. I illustrate the point by the fact that I got a B- in Sign 102. That was my worst grade in college except for the semester that I decided to take honors anatomy as an English major. I stopped taking sign and promptly forgot all the limited sign I knew.
Flash forward seven years later to a ward pinic at 20th and Lehigh last spring. I met Jessenia, a deaf teenager that the elders were teaching. We started talking. I remembered enough sign to sign the phrase "I don't know sign. I've forgotten everything." And that was it. After Jessenia's baptism I became her visiting teacher and in the process of time I've gone from understanding 10% of what Jessenia says to me to now understanding about 80%. Yes, my sign has improved but the biggest reason is that I have gotten to know Jessenia so I know the kind of things she talks about and I've gotten pretty good at guessing.
Anyway, long story short, last week the elders in the other ward baptized Johnny, another deaf man. I understand about 7% of what Johnny says to me. But the problem is that people think I sign. Last week I translated the entire baptismal service and the subsequent bishop's interview and this week I got called into sacrament meeting to translate the confirmation. There I was sitting on the floor in front of Johnny, knowing that I didn't know the signs for confirmation, priesthood, and a slew of others. And I looked at the situation before me and silently thought/prayed "And I'm the best you've got?" I don't know if the take away lesson from all of this is tsk, tsk, you should've studied harder in college or God uses you all up, even things you barely think are usable.
I really don't know. Either way it's pretty humbling.
2 comments:
I don't know why this post made me cry. I love that God is using up all of you, and you are so willing. I think it's great that you have been able to use your sign, or learn more whatever the case may be. I took up through the Interpreting class, and still am waiting for an opportunity in church to be forced to use/improve it. Maybe instead of waiting I should be active in pursuing it. Anyway, good job!!
I am so excited that you started a blog Shelley! You are such an amazing writer! I love it!
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