So, the missionaries that I've been teaching in the past 9 weeks are now officially gone! Only three remain because they got delayed, two of them are going to DC and one sister is going to Portland. The elders going to DC will leave on March 29th, while the sister is battling a foot injury and once it heals, she'll be able to leave. We will receive 7 new missionaries on Wednesday and I'm thrilled to start this process once again with them.
As I look back at the first week of their MTC training... I realized how much they have progressed in the language! Some days are incredibly frustrating, and some are really wonderful. I believe that everyone I have taught will improve their ASL and be fluent in the language in 2 years. For me, I always appreciate it when someone learns ASL and uses it for right reasons and to help the deaf community. I am truly thankful for the missionaries I have taught in the past 9 weeks. Not only I taught them, but by their willingness and determination to learn have taught me several lessons within my own life.
I figured that procrastination isn't the best thing to do, and the missionaries at the MTC always encourage me to finish my homework, studies, and such. They are truly a strong influence for me. Now, their language are not fluent, but they have learned the basics of how to communicate with people in ASL, especially to the people they will be teaching about Jesus Christ. It feels great knowing that my hard work has paid off and they have an ASL base to depart into the field of work and build their language from there.
I found a quite funny video collection of a deaf comedian named John Maucere, aka SuperDeafy. In these videos, he interacts with normal deaf people at deaf expos all over the nation. Check it out at this link - SUPERDEAFY
Thanks everyone for following this blog post! Next week's post will be about "from an ASL student to a native ASL signer" That should be interesting because I had one companion on my mission who became a native ASL signer even though he knew little once he entered the MTC. It is possible for anyone to achieve that through hard work.
So long guys and gals!
Austin
It's been fun getting know more about the deaf culture and see the things you go through in trying to teach it.
ReplyDeleteThat went by so fast! I can't believe how quickly these students have been given a pretty extensive primer in a foreign language.
ReplyDeletedude. i just had a deep though (and by that, i mean a shallow one that i haven't had before). are there special alarm clocks designed for the deaf? i have a hard enough time waking up to a siren in my ear, so it seems like other methods would be absolutely fruitless.
ReplyDeleteryan, yes, we do have special alarms clock for the deaf. they're insane. what we have is two different methods, and sometimes the clocks allow both to be employed at the same time. one, the clock is connected to a lamp which will flash. two, the clock has a vibrator where we put it in our pillows.
ReplyDeletehere's the link to the sonic boom alarm clocks that most deaf people use.
http://www.adcohearing.com/alarmclocks.html
Thanks for all the posts Austin!
ReplyDeleteI love that fingerspelling comic! hahahaha, I might have to steal that.
ReplyDeletehello :)
ReplyDeletewould you mind to check my ASL (American SIgn Language) videos here?
http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL6LAiHmiPF2b6TiGtm8ET-_AGI46Q8cqm
thank you and nice to meet you :)
I found your blog while looking up ASL missions. I recently submitted my papers and am waiting for my call, but I'm really really hoping I get an ASL mission. I've been learning sign language for three years now and I really hope I can be sent to where I can spread the gospel in the culture I love. It's been lots of fun to read your posts on here, thank you for taking the time to put it up. :) it helps me know what I got myself into. :)
ReplyDelete