Week 8 - Dwight

 In 1901, my grandfather, Needham Tyndall Potter, joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day-Saints in Duplin County, North Carolina.  On Sundays, they would hold a Sunday School in his home.  I have a copy of the attendance roll for that Sunday School and Granddaddy was the 1st person listed and he attended every week.

When I was a boy, every year we had the Potter Family Reunion at an old Church building, maybe a quarter of a mile from where my grandfather lived.  I had always been told that his brother, Allen Potter had donated the land for the Church to be built and that Granddaddy had donated the lumber.  Several years ago, when I was serving as bishop in Mt. Olive, the missionaries asked me if I knew Needham Potter.  I told them that he died before I was born, but he was my grandfather.  The reason they asked was because a member of the Church from Salt Lake City was looking for a Church her grandfather had helped Needham Potter build in 1907.  I called her and she sent me a portion of her grandfather's missionary journal from 1907, which indicated that he and his companion went often to Needham's house to make shingles, or to do other work on the Church.  In May of that year, they held their first meeting there and took a picture of the group attending.  That missionary's name was Lewis James Rushton and is a not-too-distant relative of Susan's (small world!)  Apparently Elder Rushton had grown quite fond of my grandfather and his family, because after that 1st meeting in the new Church, he was transferred out of the area.  Before leaving, he visited Needham and said of that visit  (without corrections) "I was apointed to laber Cumberland Co and there was a sowerful sight at NT Potters all the family was crying and I was crying  President Berrit came in and said it is not a funeral but I tell you I would not of felt any worse no matter what could of happened It was just the same as leaving my home again" 

That Church building has been moved and is now being used as a barn, but it's still standing 116 years later!

The left side as shown above is the original building and the right side was added later.  I have a copy of the picture that was taken at that 1st meeting, but alas it's in Utah and not digitized.  Here's a picture that was taken just a little later.  Granddaddy is on top kind of in the middle of the door.

Sorry to talk about my deep deep roots in North Carolina and so much family stuff.  Being here, I just can't help it.  

Here in North Carolina, and all over the South Eastern USA, we have a grocery store that has a unique name.  Nowadays, it's pretty modern.  Along with the regular stuff, you can get some unique stuff there, like collards and chitlins and ham hocks and real lard, just to name a few.  Along with others in these parts, we lovingly call it "The Pig."

This week we had another wonderful discussion with a relatively new friend that we love very much, Lorie. She is determined to go to the temple and be sealed to her parents.  We also made friends with another great family that haven't been to Church in a while. They have amazing children that want to be baptized, so we're teaching them the lessons  They had a great time at Church today and enjoyed meeting new friends.  I had lunch with a dear old friend this week, visited another and we had dinner with loved relatives.  Have I mentioned that we LOVE being in this little slice of North Carolina??

Sometime soon I plan to start a regular post/blog or something entitled "We Talk of Christ."  That comes from the Book of Mormon prophet Nephi.  I want to explain our purpose as missionaries and then each week "Talk of Christ" by quoting a Christ-themed scripture or two from the Bible or the Book of Mormon and elaborate on lessons learned from that scripture.  Still trying to figure it out, but I figure that I/we could all use a little more Jesus in our lives.  We love Jesus Christ and know you do too.  Love you all!