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