Week 38 - Dwight

 

While I knew my dad was a member of the Albertson Ruritan Club many years ago, I did not know that he was a charter member.  I'm confident that when Sandra asked us to speak at the Ruritan club meeting this month, that she did not know that she as asking the son of a charter member and his wife.  However, we were still treated like royalty!  We had a lot of fun Tuesday giving a short presentation to the Albertson Ruritan Club members.  When we walked into the building to get set up, Susan found this framed, signed charter membership document with my daddy's signature (B. M. Potter) on the top of the center column.  I was so excited!  The document is dated August 15, 1953.  Confirmed with my sister Linda this week that at that time the family would have been living in one of the three houses that used to be about 1/2 mile from the Albertson crossroads.

David & Jean Whaley, Susan

Ruritan Club business portion of meeting

We thoroughly enjoyed presenting at this meeting.  After introducing ourselves, we talked a bit about what missionaries do and introduced the FamilySearch Tree app, which we love.  Several people downloaded the app and within the next day or so we made an appointment to do a family history class at the Albertson Library.

Do any of you use Ham Radio?  Me neither, but I got an education this week when I went to Greg's house to learn what I could.  I'm trying to determine how I'll put a radio on our mountain property when we get back home next year.  Greg talked to someone in Mexico City I think it was.  We listed to people in France, Great Britain and maybe Germany?  It was amazing!

Ham Radio master Greg at work

This has been a hard week for many members of our family as we have mourned the loss of my 27-year-old great nephew (my sister Linda's grandson).  Monday night Bishop Young gave his mom and sisters blessings.  As the week has progressed, it's gotten a little easier.  All of Linda's kids came for the funeral and having everyone here helped to eased the grief just a little.  Later in the week, I was asked to give his dad a blessing.  The three girls each asked for another blessing that same day as well.  Donald, my brother-in-law helped me and we all felt heavenly presence as the blessings were given.  The funeral was held on Saturday and I was one of the speakers.  It was a wonderful service and we felt the outpouring of love for friends and family.  It's interesting that Susan and Rachel (Linda's daughter-in-law) both had similar glimpses of the spirit world with my nephew and my parents together surrounded with love, peace and happiness.  It was a message meant for the family that he is happy and surrounded by many people that love him.

We went to teach Logan a lesson this week and his grandpa, Mike, invited us to stay for dinner.  I guess when we saw that he was making spaghetti and I told him it was Susan's favorite, he felt obligated??  In any case, as good as it was, I hope we're there next time he makes it! 

Our next door neighbor, Linda Rouse, brought us Chew Bread this week and welcomed us to the neighborhood.  She's so nice!  And, all the bread is gone.  It was delicious!

We continued to teach Haitians in Mt Olive, teaching I think 6 different people this week in French.  Oui oui, or as they say in Creole wi wi!  I love it and my French is getting better after all these years.  There are so many of these people that are looking for God right now and I suspect we will be busy for a while trying to help them find Him.

Friday we spent the morning helping make BBQ plates for a youth fundraiser for the Albertson Ward.  They cooked 4 whole pigs, made about 450 plates of BBQ pork, coleslaw, potato salad and hush puppies.  Plus, they assembled nearly 100 one-pound containers of BBQ.  Many members of the Albertson ward were there, working together, having fun, squawking like siblings and doing a lot of work and deliveries.  Quite a remarkable event!

 

Late in the week, we spent a couple of hours at the horse show in Williamston.  It was quite a fun learning experience.  We'd been wanting to go with our friend Darry and his wife Shelby and their granddaughter Riley.  Shelby and Riley were actually part of the competition at the show.  They did great and we loved it!  The horses were beautiful!  Next time we hope to see Riley in barrel racing.

Shelby ready to show her horse

Maeci was interviewed for baptism today and did great.  Still waiting for mom's permission, but we're ready when she is.

  

This week's events have caused me to reflect on our Heavenly Father's Plan of Happiness more than usual.  While the part of the plan that helps us better understand the state of our spirits after death has certainly been on my mind, I've also considered how in some ways we are all royalty as literal children of God.  Our spirits, the part of us that is the real us, that continues to live when we die, did not just appear when we were born.  We lived with our Father in Heaven before we came here.  He is our loving Heavenly Father.  He chose our elder brother Jesus Christ to be our Savior and Redeemer.  He told us about His plan for us and we rejoiced.  How grateful I am for the knowledge that I am a child of God, that we are all children of God and He knows us perfectly.  We love you all!  Until next week.