American Sign Language: My Story

Last night our family went to Aspen Grove (near Sundance, Utah) for one evening of an ASL retreat. I was one of the voice interpreters for the guest speaker, Carolyn MacCaskill. To hear (really 'see') Carolyn's story was quite humbling. She is a beautiful Black woman and she is Deaf. She is the 8th Black person in the USA to receive a Ph.d! (Four of the Ph.ds were male.) It was a pleasure to be in her company. She works at Galluadet University in Washington, D.C. Galluadet is the only university for Deaf people in the world.

I feel so blessed that Heavenly Father lead me to learn sign language within a week of me joining the church back in October, 1976. I felt a complete overwhelming desire to learn sign language, though I hadn't even met one deaf person! Another newly baptized member, Paul Durata, was learning some signs and when he saw me fingerspelling with the missionary that taught me, (Elder Gary Cervo), he showed me my first sign, the sign for "help". That was it and my life was changed forever!

I took a class at El Camino College in the Fall of 1977. My teacher was Jeff Lenham. He told me that I would become an interpreter within a year. I really was blessed with the ability to learn quickly. People would ask me why I was learning sign language. My response was always, "Heavenly Father has a plan." Secretly I thought I might have a deaf child because I didn't have any idea WHY I absolutely HAD to learn ASL.

In the middle of my next class, in April, 1978, the Los Angeles Deaf Ward divided. One half of the members started a new ward in Chatsworth, CA. Guess where the other half were moved to? The Torrance IV Ward for the Deaf was established and they met in the Hermosa Beach Ward Bldg. The same building where I attended church!

That very first day that the Torrance IV Deaf Ward began, 30 years ago, was one of the most thrilling days of my life! Judi Ghent was there and she said, "The walls were ringing with 'Where is Mary Bonham!'" Deaf people, at least a couple hundred of them, were right there in our building! I was one of less than a handful of hearing people who "knew" sign language. Heavenly Father's plan for me became oh so clear! I was in heaven!

I have been happily enjoying the sweet company of Deaf people ever since! There is an entire world of wonderful people that I never would have known if Heavenly Father had not planted the desire in me to learn their language. My life has been richly blessed because of my association with Deaf people. (30 years later, I realize how little I "knew " ASL back then. Luckily the Deaf people were patient with me and taught me along the way. Rich, rich memories, sometimes very funny memories, are sprinkled into my life because of these fabulous people.)