Week 52 - Dwight

 

Paul Von Richardson, Missionary, 1954

Hard to believe that in 3 days we will have been on our mission for a year!  It started a little slow, but it's flying now!

I start this week's blog in memory of my father-in-law, Von Richardson.  We celebrated what would have been his 90th birthday on Thursday the 27th of June.  What an awesome man!  I was his 1st son-in-law, and we became fast friends.  It's hard to remember a time when he and Carol didn't have extra people living in their home.  Sometimes it was extended family, or friends or even sometimes strangers that needed a place to stay!  He was such a good example of a kind, gentle, caring person. Everybody thought they were his best friend.  I know I did!  We miss you so much Papa Von.  Thank you for the wonderful heritage of faith and love you left us!

Happy Birthday Papa Von!

This was a great week!  A couple of days were a little slower than normal, but it was an exciting week.  Today we had 20 of our Haitian friends at church and it was great!  Through out the week we taught with the Goldsboro Elders, the Mt. Olive Elders, and some lessons on our own.  We're teaching Edgar, the Lafortune family, Paulson, Nelson, John, Jean Edrice, Saindeline, Wilguerson, John, and several others whose names escape me, all in French, with a little Creole thrown in.  Every day we're teaching 3-5 lessons it seems, and it is beyond amazing to be able to teach these wonderful, faith-filled, humble people.  Recently our teaching has almost exclusively been in French.  

Our daughter Caroline, on Facebook, almost a year ago when we were leaving Utah to come to NC made this post. After saying "see you soon" in French, she said, "No they won't be speaking French, but it just felt right idk y'all."  Little did any of us know then, that the feeling "right" part was that we actually would be speaking French, a lot!

Me in the back translating with a few of our friends

We have so many Haitians coming each Sunday that we don't have enough working headsets that allow them to hear my translation.  So, for 2nd hour several gathered close so they could hear me.

Lunch after church today

Today everyone brought breakfast food to share for lunch after church meetings were over.  It was a great event and language barriers are starting to fade just a little bit.

There are 3 Haitian brothers living in Mt Olive now.  Alin and Aly (twins) have recently joined the Church and their brother, Edgar, is studying to become a member. A 4th brother will be joining them soon.  We've kind of temporarily adopted them as they try to get settled in to new jobs and a new home.  They are hoping that their wives and children can join them soon. (Similar situation for many of the Haitian men here.)

L-R Alin, Edgard, Aly (Pierre Louis)

Without a doubt the highlight this week for me was going to the temple on Wednesday with my life-long friends, Gregory and Hugh.  Our families have known each other forever and we had a great time talking about our parents, grandparents and great grandparents and their history in the Church.  This was something I'd been looking forward to for a while - boys night out - and we had a great dinner, wonderful time in the temple filled with the spirit that accompanies doing work for our deceased relatives, and great company!

Overdue appointment at the Temple - Dwight, Greg, Hugh

With Papa Von's birthday this week and going to the temple, which centers on Jesus Christ and the family, I've just had so much to be grateful for.  I couldn't ask for a better family.  My own family I grew up with out here in the woods of NC and my wonderful in-laws from a slightly larger metropolitan area (Southern CA, L.A., area) who I love dearly, are all more that I could ask for..  I'm so thankful that Heavenly Father, provided a plan for us His children, to be sealed together as families, not till death do us part, but to be able to be together forever and ever!  We love you all!

Week 51

I feel like we start every blog kind of the same... we're really busy, the week has flown by, and the people are amazing. Well, it's another normal week with one lovely addition... Dwight made some sour dough bread with the starter that Joseph brought when he came to visit.

Not bad for a beginner, huh?

We've had some really good lessons with Haitian friends this week. It always surprises me how strong the Spirit is even when I can't understand most of what is being said. Sometimes I can't help myself--I have to interrupt and say a few words that they don't understand--Dwight then translates, and hopefully they feel the Spirit like I do. We went with the young missionaries one day this week and talked to some really nice people--we taught them on the spot.

Our zone has had 6 baptism in the past 8 days and has at least that many scheduled for the next week or two. We have 4 baptisms scheduled for our ward between now and July 6. There are 7 wards in our zone. It seems like the harder we work, the more people want to be taught. Our Haitian Group is so much fun and is growing. Today after church we had English class--I think this may be one of the most fun things we do. We get to see our friends personalities shine.

Dwight teaching Sunday School in French

On Tuesday night we went to our Ruritan Club (Albertson Community service club) meeting and got to meet and listen to the Channel 9 Meteorologist, Jerry Jackson. He talked about being prepared for the big storms. As he talked about the big storms he's covered, Dwight and I realized, we lived in Utah for all the big ones. We've moved back and forth between North Carolina and Utah. It would appear that us  living in North Carolina keeps the big storms away. :) (I forgot to take a picture)

Speaking of storms. In a blog a few weeks ago, I said everything here is so green because of all the rain we've had. I posted some pictures of the beautiful fields of corn, etc. Well, there hasn't been any rain to speak of for a few weeks, and the crops are drying up. We drive by fields that look like this.

Corn burning up in the field

We took the young missionaries with us to visit the Lafortunes for a little lesson and an English class. We teach 6 people at this house. The young missionaries taught in Creole. They have been assigned to learn Haitian Creole and are working really hard. English class was fun as always. I found a new friend at their house that made me miss my cat, Charli.

Susan and Princess

Dwight and I took a walk to the pond behind our house to check on the geese. If you saw my earlier post with a picture of them, you can see the babies are almost as big as their parents now.

Momma, babies, and daddy bring up the rear

Saturday we went with 5 new members to the temple for baptisms. We took Judy who was baptized almost a year ago. This was her second trip. We also took Alin and Aly Pierre Louis, the twins. Alin was baptized about a month ago and Aly a week ago. Brother Maples from Goldsboro brought two young missionaries and Romual and Wilfred. They were baptized a month ago. It was a great experience. 

Aly and Judy

Alin and Aly

The whole group

Alin and Aly

Life is good! Sometimes life is hard, but it is always good. I look back on mistakes I've made and trials I've had and can be grateful for them now. I have learned from these experiences and hope I am becoming a better person because of them. We have a loving Heavenly Father that knows us and what we need. We have a Savior that knows what we feel and knows how to succor us. With Their help we can turn our weaknesses into strengths. "And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them." (Book of Mormon, Ether 12:27) I was a very shy child (and still struggle with it at times), but I have prayed for help and worked to overcome this and have been blessed to be able to teach and talk with people. Also, when we struggle with something, we tend to have empathy for others who are struggling with similar things. Because I'm shy, I notice others that need to be included. That is a weakness that has become a strength. Now on to another weakness! :)

We love you all!

Love, Sister and Elder Potter

Week 50 - Dwight

 

L-R Susan, Dwight, Aly, Alin, at Aly's baptism

L-R Bishop Heath, Sister Heath, Dwight, Alex Benites, Susan, Tracy Cruz, James Cruz

It's really hard to know where to start this week.  So many things going on.  I'm gonna take it day by day so I don't forget anything important.

Monday, our friends Steve and Sheila invited us to lunch at their house and to give Steve a blessing.  He had to have surgery on his shoulder again.  We had some mighty good BLT's for lunch and gave Steve a blessing.  He had surgery Wednesday morning in Chapel Hill and seems to be doing really well.

Tuesday, I drove to Gastonia, NC to get Aly and bring him to Mt Olive.  He moved in with his twin brother Alin, both Haitians.  We've been teaching Aly remotely on WhatsApp, but he got a job interview at Butterball and decided to move here to be closer to family.  Aly had a baptism interview pretty soon after we got to Mt Olive.

Wednesday I took Aly and Kesnet to Butterball for interviews and it took almost 4 hours to get them through everything, including pre-employment physical exams.  Went well!  They start work on Monday!

Thursday was my BIRTHDAY!!!  Birthday presents A.M.  New pair of really nice shoes!!  We visited Alex for final temple preparations and stopped by to see Greg as well.  It was a fun day capped off with Susan taking me to the Country Squire Restaurant for dinner.  It's a really nice steak house in the middle of no where, that's been there for as long as I can remember.  My older brother Reed worked there when I was like 8 or 9 years old.  It was very nice!

Birthday at the Country Squire

Friday was the big day for Alex.  We took him to the temple in Raleigh so that he could make additional covenants with Heavenly Father and so that he could be sealed to his wife, Doris, for ever and ever.  He was so happy!  He cried through the whole sealing ordinance.  Several good friends were also able to come.  It was a wonderful, spirit filled, emotional day!

Saturday started with Aly's baptism.  He was baptized by his brother Alin.  Then, that afternoon, my friend JR took me to King's seafood buffet for my birthday.  Really, really good, but as usual I ate way too much!!

JR showing how to fill a plate!

Sunday, today, Aly was confirmed a member of the Church and was given the gift of the Holy Ghost. Then, he was ordained a priest by his brother Alin.  Another Haitian friend, Vaguens, was also ordained a priest today.  Such a great day!  Such a great week!

Throughout the week we have been able to help the Creole missionaries teach, either in person in Mt Olive or Warsaw - or on WhatsApp in several other locations.  The Haitian people are so humble and ready to follow Jesus Christ.  We're limited with language right now, but the young missionaries are learning quickly and are extremely busy!

Today is Father's Day.  I aspire to be a good father.  Still working on it.  We are literally children of a loving Heavenly Father.  He loves us so much and wants us to return to live with Him with our families.  His plan answers the questions, where did I come from, why am I here, and where do I go after this life.  He sent His son Jesus Christ to make it all possible!  We love you!

Week 49

This will probably be pretty short. We had Joseph and Caroline here with us this week. They both participated in missionary lessons and visits. And we tried to hit all the important places... Bojangles, Paul's Place, the beach, and Bojangles again and again and again and just "one more time"! I don't think it's the food they like as much as the nostalgia--okay, the Bo-berry biscuits are pretty delicious. We were having so much fun, I forgot to take many pictures. We did get one at the beach. (When we get home, ask us about the trip to the Bojangles on the way home from the beach on College Road in Wilmington.) :-0

At Carolina Beach-J & C swam for about 2 hours.

I really miss the daily sour dough bread Joseph was making. He left us starter so we can make our own, but we haven't done it yet. Also, at church today, I really missed Caroline and Joseph. Last week I sat with them, and during every hymn, I felt like I was singing in a choir. I love singing next to my children.

Random pic of Caroline from this week

One of our visits this week was to see Judy. She is always so much fun. We just happened to go by on her 72nd birthday. Later that day, we took her some carrot cake Dwight had made for our kids.

At Judy's house

We go to dinner ever three months with some old friends--Bernard and Roseann Jones and Chester and Vickie Wiggins. Dwight, Bernard, and Chester used to coach our boys in T-ball, football, and basketball over 30 years ago when we lived in Mt. Olive. It has been so much fun to reconnect. We have convinced the Jones' to come see us in Utah after we finish our mission. This time we went to a place none of us have been in many years... McCalls Seafood and BBQ. Caroline was our special guest. She wasn't even born when we lived in Mt. Olive.

Caroline our designated selfie photographer

Bernard, Roseann, D & S, Vickie, Chester

This baby bird was right outside our house one afternoon. It must have been injured because it didn't fly away. Dwight put medical gloves on and lifted him up on a bench. He fluttered back to the ground. We had to leave. We hoped his parents would come back to help him, but it rained really hard while we were gone. Our little friend that Caroline and Joseph had named Oscar, didn't make it. There were some tears shed. Oscar is buried in the yard.

Oscar

God's creations are so beautiful. That baby bird, a little toad I picked up at Judy's (our kids freaked out and said I would get warts), even little spiders according to our granddaughter, Elayna, "are so cute." His creations are amazing to me. As we drive around going from one appointment to another, I want to take pictures of everything. Today I went out in the yard and took a few pictures of things that caught my eye.

Looking down

Looking up

Looking into a corn field

At the top of tall tree

Down into the grass

Into the Magnolia tree in front of our house.
I wish these grew well in Utah!

These simple beauties make my heart sing! I believe if we notice and are grateful for the world around us, we will feel more true joy. 

We love you all!

Sister and Elder Potter

Week 48 - Dwight

 

Haitian Group, Organized June 2, 2024

Haitian Group

Today, the 1st Haitian Creole speaking group of the Church in the mission was organized by President Frankie Jones as part of the Mt Olive ward.  Pretty historic event.  It being Fast Sunday (once a month we fast for 2 meals to draw closer to God and share our testimonies with each other) the newly organized group continued with sharing of testimonies during the 2nd hour of church.  It was actually amazing as members and unbaptized friends alike talked about their relationship with Jesus Christ.  It was just a beautiful day and we feel so blessed to be a small part of what's going on with these wonderful people.

We had several opportunities to teach among the Haitian people this week, including a lesson with Aly, Alin's twin brother.  Alin was baptized a few weeks ago and it was fun having him there to help teach his brother.  Alin will baptize Aly when the time comes.  Alin also had the opportunity to go with the full-time missionaries on Saturday and they walked the streets of Mt Olive teaching people the restored gospel of Jesus Christ.  He hung with them for 7 hours!!

Joseph's Amazing Sourdough

Visitors

Our son Joseph has been here all week.  He's prepping for a half-marathon, so he's been running, a lot.  Caroline, our daughter, joined us on Thursday.  They'll be here all week.  Joseph loves to cook sourdough bread and we love to eat it - so, match made in heaven?

Service

We had a couple of opportunities for service this week.  Romual and his roommates still needed some blinds put up, so Joseph and I ran over there late Saturday morning to put the remaining 4 in place.  Also, earlier that morning the Ruritan Club, of which we are proud members, had an Adopt a Highway project picking up trash.  It was fun hanging out with the Albertson elite for a couple of hours, while trying to not get run over on Albertson's famous HWY 903!

Beautiful Sanders Family at the Temple

Caught a couple of innings at Mudcats' game with Jake and kids

Raleigh

We drove to Raleigh 3 times in 3 days this week!  Once to pick up Caroline at the airport, then to go to dinner with all the senior missionaries in the mission at President and Sister Stevens' house and finally to go to the temple sealing of Aaron and Lindsay Sanders and to see their 3 children sealed to them  It's always fun to hang out with the other senior missionaries and we feel loved when the Stevens invite us over to their home.  The Sanders' sealing was so touching.  When the children entered the room, Lindsay just started to literally weep for joy.  Such a special experience for us to be able to be there.  While in Raleigh each day we tried to sneak in some time with the grandkids.  So glad to be so close to a Jacob, Anna and Alyssa and their families.

Seaview Fishing Pier Live Webcam

JR baits his hook

Break at the Beach!

My good friend JR and I took a day off and went for one final spring fishing trip to Topsail Island (Beach).  It was a beautiful day, if a bit warm.  You'll notice there are no pictures of fish above.  We caught a lot of small pin fish and one small blue fish, but nothing worth photographing.  Still it was a fun day hanging out.  We didn't know that JR's sister Sandra and Susan would be checking up on us on the pier's live cam feed!  Good thing we behaved ourselves!

We're so thankful to be a part of this wonderful community and to be able to serve as missionaries.  The creation of the Haitian Church Group today was a great way to cap off a fantastic week!  This new group reminds us that God's work continues to move forward in the latter days as prophesied by Daniel, represented by the stone cut without hands that will roll forth to cover the earth.  We're so glad to be a very small part of this important work   Thank you all for your love and support!  It means everything to us.