IDAHO FALLS-- As the world around him grew quieter, Samuel Wadsworth chose to open his hands to teach.
Now, every Saturday and Sunday evening at a church building in Ammon, the father of four helps facilitate free American Sign Language (ASL) classes, helping others find connection through the very language he’s learning to rely on.
Three years ago, Wadsworth’s wife and coworkers started to notice that he was missing parts of conversations. That led to hearing tests, which revealed that he was starting to experience sensorineural hearing loss, a type of hearing loss that gradually becomes permanent.
“Hearing loss, it's very elastic, you can't measure it. You could wake up deaf in the morning, or you can go deaf in 20 years, um or you may never go deaf, there's just no way to know,” Wadsworth said.
This discovery came as a shock for Wadsworth and his family.
“I was worried that if I were to become deaf, I would forget the sound of my wife and kids, what they would sound like,” Wadsworth said.
Wadsworth said that many things in his life prepared him for hearing loss, including his faith and the fact that his wife learned ASL before they married. He began to learn the language himself in January 2023, shortly after his diagnosis.
“The sister that taught my wife ASL, her husband is teaching me ASL. And he's played a huge role in my career in deaf education ever since then,” he said.
Learning ASL brought benefits beyond communication. Wadsworth said it also deepened his relationship with Jesus Christ. A few years ago, a deaf friend of his invited him to attend a Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints group that holds sacrament meetings and Sunday School in ASL.
“I re-learned the entire gospel in ASL. I learned how to pray in sign language. I learned how to give priesthood blessings in sign language,” Wadsworth said. “I've never felt more close to the Savior than using American Sign Language.”
Today, Wadsworth now helps facilitate free ASL classes every Saturday and Sunday from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Ammon Latter-day Saint church building at 5366 1st St. The group is not religiously affiliated.
“We want this to be free for whoever wants to come,” Wadsworth said. “We encourage families to learn as well. Learn together.”
To follow the group, visit their Facebook page. Other helpful resources are available on the Sign ASL app and Embark app.
To hear more from Wadsworth, listen to the full interview on BYU-Idaho Radio’s podcast on Spotify, YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts.