One Loyd, One Class, One Hour, Two Very Different Stories
Loyd's Version of Primary Class (as given during dinner after Church):
While Making Dinner
Dustin: "One of the teachers from Loyd's class grabbed me in the hall between hours today. He looked really concerned and asked if Loyd had a speaking problem. I thought that was weird and told him that Loyd could talk just fine.
Me: Loyd have a speaking problem? That's really weird.
During Dinner
Me, turning to Loyd: "Loyd, how was Primary today? We heard you were really quiet today."
Loyd, said with great enthusiasm for a job well done: "Yes! I was super good. I made a goal to be really really good for my teachers today and only said like three words. I did a great job!"
Me, taken back by Loyd's ability to be quiet for an entire hour and not really believing it. Surely, Loyd talked more than that. He just can't help help himself from talking all the time.: "Well, that is pretty impressive. Thanks for setting good goals and being good in class."
End of Conversation
The Substitute Teachers' Version of Primary Class:
The Stake substitute teachers arrived in class excited to teach a great lesson and get to know this energetic class of 6 and 7 year olds from South Shore Ward. First, they introduced themselves and then asked the kids to do likewise. When the introductions got to Loyd it got interesting. Loyd tried to tell them his name using the made-up secret sign language he and Rebekah had made up at home. Gesturing wildly with his hands and fingers to write the letters of his name in the air, the substitute teachers were able to figure out that this little boy's name was, "LOYD" (Thank goodness the kid only has a four letter long name.).
At this point the new teachers thought to themselves, That's funny, the Stake Primary Presidency didn't tell us we had a deaf boy in our class. We'll just have to do the best we can to include him too. The two gentlemen subs pushed forward with their lesson, making sure to speak slowly and clearly so that Loyd could read their lips, trying their best to interpret his hand-signed responses.
And so it went for an entire hour. Carefully prepared questions were asked to the class (most of the children sat in silence, too shy to respond). Loyd gesticulated with purpose in his eye and a made-up sign language all his own. And two teachers patiently and studiously figured out the meaning of each enthusiastic finger waggle and arm wave. Loyd could not believe his luck at finding two such compliant playmates in his game of charades.
After a whole hour of lip reading and hand signals, the class went into Closing Exercises in the main Primary room to end the Sunday Block. As the class sat in the back of the room to watch the closing program, Loyd went instead to the front and sat by the other children taking part in the closing exercises program. A song was sung, a prayer was given, announcements were made, and then Loyd stood up to the podium and proceed to give a beautifully spoken talk on Easter and the Resurrection of Christ. The eyes of the two Stake substitute teachers got as big and round as silver dollars as the realization dawned on them. They had just been snowed over by a 7 year old. They had been conned. It turns out that Loyd wasn't deaf, but he sure was clever. :)
Moral of the Story:
If he sets his mind to it, Loyd can go an entire hour without speaking a single word. It's a Sunday miracle. :D
*****
PS: Yes, Loyd has now lost all three of his front, top teeth. We tease that at this rate he'll soon have fewer teeth than Baby Owen.
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