Week 47

This week passed by in a blur of fun, visits, teaching, French, saying good-bye, and saying hello. Monday we went with our friends the Andersons (from Cedar City, UT) and the Tichenors (from Mesquite, NV) on a true adventure. Jim Walker (from Kinston, NC) :-) invited us to take a ride on his air boat in New Bern, where his son has a dock in his back yard on the Neuse River. We had one too many adults on there, so every turn we made, because of the weight, the wake spray soaked us. It was sooo cold... brrrrr; I had goose bumps all over!!!

We saw some great sights on the river, but I was too busy chattering my teeth to take any pictures... birds, turtles, snakes, lovely homes (including Nicholas Sparks'). All was well. Until... we ran out of gas! For real. We had just passed "Nick's" house and the boat stalled. The emergency electric propeller wouldn't come on. There were lots of laughs. Finally, Jim called his son, James, to rescue us on a jet ski. James towed us to the gas station very slowly. It was actually kind of nice to see all the sights without getting sprayed by river water.

After we got back to the dock, everyone but me rode on jet skis. I just wanted to stay on land and dry out! I already knew that Dwight was a dare devil on small water craft, but I didn't know that Karma Anderson was also quite the dare devil; very different from the way I drive one--totally white knuckled. 

My smile is really my teeth chattering. :)

James to the resuce!

The group after our fun adventure

This is where we had to say good-bye to our friends. They headed to Raleigh for a flight the next morning. Later this week we said hello to Joseph. He's staying with us for a couple of weeks while his wife is in Germany for an internship. He's had a couple of good missionary days. He's even been able to use his Spanish with one of our Haitian friends and with Alex. He also played the guitar for Alex--a beautiful arrangement of the hymn  Where Can I Turn For Peace. Alex now thinks Joseph is a Spanish-speaking, guitar-playing hero. 

Everywhere we go in North Carolina is green. We've had a lot of rain, so the woods are green, the fields are green, the crops are green, and people's yard are green.

Corn a few weeks ago

Corn today :)

Dwight's truck, green grass,
pretty yard across the street, 
and a bird 

Help to see the bird :)

The LaFortunes had their baby. Mom and baby are doing well. We are so happy for them. Evens, the daddy and Luna, the big sister were at church today, but mom and baby aren't quite ready. We had a new friend at church today, Jean (pronounced kind of like John). He asked some great questions and excitedly made an appointment for Dwight and the young missionaries that are learning Creole to come back and teach him again. There are great things happening in this community.

Saintemene and baby girl

Dwight translating at church

Some of our friends at church and the young
missionaries Elders Reinhold, Hansen, and Bates.

The other day I saw this picture of Jesus. I can't remember now where exactly I saw it... on someone's Facebook post. I "loved" the post and moved on. Then I went back and looked at the picture again. I got a little teary looking at the little girl. I started to scroll, but went right back to the picture. I looked at Jesus and got more teary. Then I thought about all the times I know Jesus has cried with me, with Dwight, with my children. I started to scroll and went back again. I just sat there looking at this picture, pondering the love Jesus has for me... for each of us individually. I felt His love deeply as I continued to think about specific times He has held me. I couldn't scroll. I had to sit in His love. I finally saved the picture to remind me of this experience. 

We are literally spirit children of a loving Father in Heaven who has given us His Son to be our Savior, our Redeemer, our Advocate. They love us with a love we can't even begin to imagine. 

We love you all!

Sister and Elder Potter

Week 46 - Dwight

Where do I even start for this week?  What an amazing, happy, sad, busy week!  Our dear friends, the Andersons, from Cedar City, Utah came to spend a few days with us and just wanted us to do what we do so they could see what it's like to be full-time senior missionaries.  Later in the week they were joined by the Tichenors from Mesquite, NV. We lost several missionaries in our district either to going home or transferring.  Woodington finally got 2 young sister missionaries again!! The Lafortunes had their baby.  Our friend Steve had shoulder surgery (he seems to be recovering well.)  Our work with Haitians in 2 missions and 3 areas continued. We had several fun acts of service.  We went to a Down East Wood Ducks baseball game and they won! Alin started his new job and we played the senior-wed game on our Senior Missionary Devotional Zoom call, had dinner with some long-time friends, and . . . I got a professional hair cut for the 1st time in probably 40+ years!

Sister Finch from Woodington went with us to visit Terri, who moved into the area recently.  What a lovely person.  We had a wonderful visit.

We said "goodbye" to Sister Dennis and Sister Jorgenson (on either side of Susan above) for the last time as they departed their missions for home.  Other than us, only one of the missionaries from our district remained after this transfer.

Our service this week included, helping Alin get to work a couple of times, because of weird start times, picking up some donated furniture and delivering to those in need, hauling some missionary furniture between apartments and helping Judy with some electrical needs.

The lessons with our Haitian friends included lessons in Gastonia (Charlotte mission), Goldsboro, and Mt Olive.  There continues to be lots of interest among these wonderful people.

The Andersons arrived Wednesday in Raleigh. We had a superb Thai soup for dinner that Jacob made for us and afterwards headed for Albertson.  The Anderson's just joined right in as our missionary companions, and we've had a blast visiting, teaching and serving!  On the way to Albertson from the airport, of course, we had to stop and get Boberry Biscuits at Bojangles!

With Andersons at Sandpiper

With Andersons at Paul's Place - our favorite hot dogs!

With Andersons at the beach for a quick break

Robert and Dwight getting a much needed break!

At the barber in Pink Hill

Susan has been begging me for a long time to switch barbers (she doesn't think the one I have now is appreciated or paid enough!)  For the 1st time in several decades, I went with Robert to get a haircut and had a great time talking to everyone there about family history and really enjoyed the experience!

At the Wood Ducks game

Friday night, our friend Jim Walker, treated us to a Down East Wood Ducks game in Kinston.  We had a great time, but were sad to learn this would be their last season in Kinston.

Saturday night we were treated to a wonderful southern meal by our long-time friends Mark and Patricia.  Steak and chops, field peas, butter beans, biscuits, cheesy potatoes, corn on the cob, deviled eggs, wings and a delicious/heavenly strawberry shortcake dessert were all on the menu.  It was sooooo good!  Mark showed off some of his handy work in his shop.  It was just a really fun, memorable evening.

This week, with the Andersons visiting, The Tichenors coming by, dinner at the Pates, being with Alin and others as we serve each other, going with the Walkers to a baseball game and all the other interaction we've had with fiends new and old, just reminds us how important good friends are!  Jesus taught that the two great commandments are to love God and to love our neighbor.  We have felt the love and support of these wonderful friends this week and it touches our hearts and makes us feel, not only their love and strength, but Heavenly Father's love as well.  I think He is most pleased when we are loving and serving one another and we have felt this week, maybe more than any other time on our mission, the love and support of wonderful friends that we need and appreciate so very much.  This must be, at least a little bit, what Heaven will be like.  We love you all so very much!

Week 45

At the Battleship USS North Carolina 

We started this week out with a field trip. Half (19) of the senior missionaries in our mission met at the Battleship USS North Carolina. Since most of them are from Utah or other Western states, this was a new experience for them. After touring the battleship, we headed to the beach at Fort Fisher where we ate lunch and walked on the beach. Only two of us braved the still icy water. I asked Dwight why it was so cold. I thought the Atlantic was supposed to be warm. He replied with a wink, "Icebergs are still melting out there." One of those chilly waves surprised me and hit me from behind and somehow covered me in sand. I wish we had taken a picture of that.

Some of us before the tour

Dwight on deck

Elder Johnson on deck

"Captain" Johnson

Sister Johnson and me

We kept inching further out. I went
home pretty wet and sandy. I really
do love the beach.

All the other seniors had left, so we asked a nice
lady that was relaxing on the beach to take a picture.

That night when we got home we ran to wish our landlady a happy birthday. She reads this, so Happy Birthday Sandra! :)

I can't count the number of French lessons Dwight taught this week. I hear French so much, I'm starting to understand some of what he teaches. I've started reading the Book of Mormon in Spanish (very slowly) and using Duolingo. With French, English, and Spanish, we'll be able to speak to most everyone in North Carolina.

One night this week we had a great visit with Sister Barbara Howard and her daughter April. They were so much fun. We shared many stories. I especially loved to hear Sister Howard's stories from "back in the day." It seems every visit we go on, we find more people to love!

Dwight, Susan, Sister Howard, April

Dwight has been working overtime to help one of our new members get a job and a new place to live. He thought everything was good until... Dwight took Alin, our new member, to his job physical where they told him he needed glasses if he wanted to start work on Monday. Alin started going near sighted when he was 14. He's never had glasses before. His eyes are as bad as Dwight's (I've looked through Dwight's glasses... that's pretty bad.) It was a little miracle to get an appointment the next day. Then Dwight found a place that makes glasses in two hours. Long story short--Alin can see and can go to work on Monday. He was so happy when he put his glasses on and could see clearly for the first time in over 15 years. He kept hugging Dwight and thanking the lady that fitted him with the glasses.

On Thursday night we did a Family History Class at the Albertson Library. The ladies that were there found a ton of information about their families. It's so fun to watch people discover their ancestors. All the class members had stories to tell. We had them download the Church's app FamilySearchTree (or the website FamilySearch.org). The ladies loved that they could add pictures and stories to each individual ancestor's page. The librarians said we could come back and have another class! Dwight discovered he had a third cousin in the class when we did "Relatives Around Me" from the app.

Dwight and his third cousin, Amy.

We were invited to the Dixon's for another fish fry. All I can say is yum! They should really go into business! Before we ate, Dwight and I walked over to the pond--the one he takes his walks around most mornings. He wanted me to see the Geese and their goslings. They are so cute! I might want to take my bad knees for a walk just to see them!

Today is Mother's Day. Happy Mother's Day to all the wonderful nurturing women in all our lives. I was blessed with two mothers. They both taught me important lessons. Dwight's mom was a wonderful lady who loved everyone.

My mom taught me to always,
 "Remember who you are."

My mom is a wonderful example of love and faith.

Dwight's mother was
always sharing her testimony
of Jesus Christ.

We spoke in the Mt. Olive Ward today. One of the scriptures I used was Ephesians 4:32, "And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you." If we could all be that way with everyone, there would be peace on earth. We can start in our families and in our wards (congregations).

We love you all!

Sister and Elder Potter

Week 44 - Dwight

Clyde & Melvin Potter (a couple of years ago . . . or so!)

 On April 30th, 1916, 108 years ago this past week, my father Bernice Melvin Potter was born in a small house on what is now named Piney Grove Road.  It was located about 3 miles from Albertson and not too much further to Deep Run, North Carolina.  He and my mom, Clyde, raised us 8 children only about 4 miles from where he was born.  They have left us a lasting legacy of perseverance, determination and faith and I will forever be grateful for them.  We're so thankful to be serving our mission, living in a house 1 mile from my boyhood home and 3 miles from where my dad was born and is now buried.

Visit with Daddy on his birthday

Had strawberry shortcake for Daddy's birthday (his favorite)

Every week that passes seems to fly by.  We're staying busy and loving our time here.  A few of our activities this week included: borrowing hole diggers to move a mail box for Judy, visiting our friend Greg and having a great discussion, visiting our young friend Logan and helping him with his family history.  Last week, my friend JR and I went fishing one afternoon and had a bit of luck!  This week we had a bros' outing at his uncle Bob's house for a fish fry lunch with those fish.  So good!!

We had an amazing visit with Jeff and Linda Tyndall.  Linda grew up at Albertson (Linda Stroud) and I'm sure I'm related to both of them.

Jeff & Linda Tyndall

Thursday I had lunch with my good friend Doug and then we went to visit Alex to have a gospel discussion and reading lesson.  He's been doing so great and we were thrilled that he made it to church today! 

Friday was going to be a p-day (day to catch up on stuff) for us, but we decided to go pick up Alin, who just got baptized last week in Goldsboro.  He speaks little to no English.  We took him to Mt. Olive and helped him apply for several jobs.  That night we went to a Cinco de Mayo celebration and dinner at the Albertson ward building.  It was crowded and it was a lot of fun.  It ended up being a great day with Alin and hopefully he'll have a permanent job soon!

Local youth doing Mexican dances!

Saturday started by going to Kinston to the BBQ Fest.  The Kinston ward had a booth.  We had a blast working with the Kinston elders and the Stainbacks, giving out free bottles of water, talking to people about family history and giving away Book of Mormons.  That night we went to see the Lafortune family to give them English lessons.  It was a bit amusing.  Teachers and students were equally lost, but we had fun with it.  They are our English student guinea pigs.

Today we had 5 Haitian friends at church and 2 more that are members.  During the week I taught Alin's brother Aly over Whatsapp twice.  He lives in Gastonia, which isn't in our mission!  Resources to speak French or Creole are pretty thin in these parts.  It's amazing how much is coming back to me with a little practice and the "gift of tongues."

This has been a great, busy week.  Starting it out by remember my dad was wonderful, yet sad in a way because I still miss him.  It means so much to me to know that departed loved ones are not gone forever and that we'll be together with them again someday.  I know that is true!  Because of the atonement of Jesus Christ, families truly can be together forever and I'm counting on that promise!  Love you all.