A new American Sign Language (ASL) Sunday School presidency has been created in the Church to better support the needs of members in the United States who are deaf and hard of hearing.

The new presidency was organized under the direction found in General Handbook section 15.2.1 by Elder Peter M. Johnson, General Authority Seventy and chairman of the ASL Board of Education, which provides ecclesiastical oversight and support for ASL needs that span geographic boundaries.

There are only about 20 ASL wards and branches nationwide, and the average deaf member lives about 235 miles from an ASL congregation. The presidency’s top goal is to “find and invite all of those isolated members to join an online gospel learning class where they can be strengthened by gospel truths directly in ASL,” said the new president Marriner Merrill.

There are currently about 15 deaf teachers who will teach classes for adults ages 35 and older, including Come, Follow Me, Gospel Foundations, Temple Preparation, and an ASL Addiction Recovery class based on the Church’s Addiction Recovery Program.

How to Sign Up for ASL Religion Classes

ASL adult religion classes

• For adults ages 35 and older
• Visit ASLgospelstudy.com or email deafsupport@ChurchofJesusChrist.org

ASL seminary and institute classes

• Seminary for youth ages 14-18
• Institute for young adults ages 18-34
• Visit aslseminaryandinstitute.com

Learn more in the article “New ASL Sunday School Presidency Serves Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Members.”