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!