About

My name is Teresa Powers. I am a freelance community interpreter by trade. Although I love my job, being in the community and working in various settings, my true joy comes from intepreting at church and watching my fellow brothers and sisters grow.

As a community interpreter, I was quite comfortable in many different settings and meeting a wide range of language needs. I still remember my first Sunday interpreting sacrament meeting. I wondered if my hands were actually working in tandem with my brain; I even forgot to close my eyes during the prayer. I was nervous to interpret in this setting more than any other I had been in despite the fact I was quite comfortable with the setting itself and familiar with the vocabulary.  In many ways it was quite a different challenge, though the framework and structure of interpreting were no different than community work.

As I served over the years both as an interpreter and a teacher, I was blessed to witness and personally experience the gift of speaking in tongues. Working closely with the Deaf members of my ward has taught me a lot about where information gaps are and has opened my eyes to a better understanding of the importance of cultural mediation, preparation, and taking the time to invite the spirit.