I've always been a bit fascinated by sign language. My mom taught me the alphabet when I was younger, and just a very small handful of useful words. In college, I took a couple American Sign Language (ASL) classes, and to be honest, I didn't do very well. (I averaged a B- or C+, and even failed ASL 202 because I missed the final exam.)
After Munchkin was born, I really wanted to do baby sign with her because I knew of so much research that confirmed signing to babies helps with language development. She was a signing-pro by 15 months. So much so that she was better than I was and creating her own signs! I quit signing to her because I was afraid I couldn't keep up with her, and that she'd make up signs that weren't real (kind of silly now that I think about it...).
Late last year, I felt a prompting, if you will, that I should brush up and learn more sign. My favorite way to learn signs when in college was by watching songs performed in ASL; so, I downloaded many of the Primary Children's Songs in ASL to my kindle and during Sharing Time (since I was a Primary teacher and just sitting with my kids during this time) I would watch the songs that the kids were learning. I would try to practice very small in my seat, trying not to attract attention. No one ever said anything, and I figured no one noticed (or they just thought I was an inconsiderate jerk to be watching my kindle all through Singing Time).
Until, one fateful day, the Stake Primary Presidency was visiting during a Ward Conference. The Singing Time leader asked me to come up and sign "My Heavenly Father Loves Me" to the kids. (NO warning! Not even before Singing Time started... just out of the blue, "Hey, Sister Neeley, I know I've seen you signing. Can you come up now and teach the kids the first verse in sign?") Now, this is one that I had not practiced in sign... the kids had not even learned the song yet, and I didn't know the song well (I'm a convert, and did not learn the songs as a child). I couldn't say no, though. I knew what they were doing: trying to impress the Stake Primary Presidency. So, I got up and ...
I made most of it up.
No lie.
I just made up signs, assuming one else knew ASL, no one would notice. I felt humiliated, but tried to not let on. I mean, the key to making people believe you is to just act like you know what you're doing, right???
No one noticed that I was making stuff up. I knew about 1/3 of the words, and pantomimed the rest. After Primary, the Stake Primary President found me and asked where I learned sign.
BUSTED!
Or so I thought... I mentioned that I had taken a couple classes at BYU, but was very rusty, not fluent at all, and quietly admitted that I had "made some of it up because I forgot some of it." She laughed and told me, "oh, I'm sure you're just being modest. You learned at BYU!" I politely thanked her for the compliment, and mentioned that I had to go pick up Munchkin from Nursery. That was it. I thought I'd escaped.
A few months later, shortly after putting the kids to sleep, this kind Primary President called me and told me of her plans for the primary children to sing and sign "I Am a Child of God" during Stake Conference in a few weeks, and she wanted me to lead the children in sign and sign to the congregation at Stake Conference! I hadn't been practicing during Singing Time at church anymore (didn't want another surprise request, and figured I had been rude to watch the sign videos and should pay attention to the leader, set a good example to my kids, etc), so I was even more rusty. Terrified, I told her, "I think you and Heavenly Father trust my signing abilities far more than I do. But if Heavenly Father thinks I can do it, and calls me to it, then I can and will sign at Conference."
Six weeks later, after watching and practicing "I am a Child of God" in ASL almost everyday, I stood at the front of Stake Conference and signed with 2 Primary children who had taken the challenge to learn the whole song and sign with me, facing the congregation where all the Primary children stood and signed the 1st verse and chorus to the song. It was incredibly beautiful. I couldn't sing the words without my voice cracking as I teared up, so I could only sign.
I know Heavenly Father helped me to learn the song in sign. It was not something I could have done without divine help. He blessed my efforts and gave me power to communicate through the Spirit to those at Conference. The gift of tongues... only for my hands. It was an incredible experience.
The next week, I was released as a Primary teacher for the 8-9 year olds and called as the Assistant Ward Primary Music Leader (the regular music leader is about to have a baby and the Primary Sacrament Program is in 10 days!). It's now my new goal to learn all the Primary songs in ASL, and use signs to help teach the songs to the primary children. My current songs that I'm learning are "A Child's Prayer" and "My Heavenly Father Loves Me."
Also, it seems Munchkin never forgot what she knew in sign either, and she is voraciously learning as many new signs as possible. She asks me to teach her new signs everyday, and asks to watch videos from the library of books performed in ASL. She uses signs frequently throughout the day, too. Papoose, I'm hoping will catch on soon. I've already noticed that Munchkin's language abilities are far advanced for her age, and Papoose is perfectly average. Papoose is slowly catching on, but she's already over 1 year, so she's not picking it us as quickly as Munchkin. As I learn more, I try to sign the books I read to them, as well.
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