Week 78 - Dwight

A lot of cool things to write about his week, with it being Christmas and all, but one of the seemingly small things, that means a lot to me, happened today.  We took someone home from church and as we were driving through town, we saw Jean Claude sitting on his front porch.  Jean Claude is a new member of the Church, for about 8 months, that used to come all the time, but hasn't been for a couple of months.  He's older (76ish) and is going blind because of glaucoma.  We've been trying to reach out to him for a while with no success.  We had a great, short visit and he seemed happy to see us.  He promised to come to church next week.  That will be fantastic!

Also, I now have two people that seem eager to help me translate sacrament meetings.  It's Elder Bates and Wolffencia (not yet baptized).  Translating for these meetings is a burden, that's been very rewarding and hard. I've learned a lot, but it's so good to have people that can start to help that gives me a break and actually will allow us to occasionally take other assignments if needed.

It's been great having our daughter, Caroline, here all week as we celebrated Christmas together!  Monday we went to lunch (Mexican Monday) with Jim Walker (originally from Mt Olive) and the Kinston sister missionaries.  Nichol McPhail DeVarona, also originally from Mt Olive, was there with them.  She babysat our kids when we lived in Mt Olive years ago.  It was so good to see her again and catch up a bit.  That night we were able to help the elders teach a few people close to being ready to be baptized that are working through some things in preparation.  Both of them are amazing people.

Mexican Monday with Nichol, Sister Missionaries Kinston, Susan, Caroline, Dwight and Jim

For Christmas, our tradition has always been to open new pajamas on Christmas Eve and then on Christmas morning, we parents would make the kids line up and wait. Then, we'd go by the tree so we could see their faces and take pictures as they came in.  This year we got the pajamas, but we all waited in the hall to come in together.  It was fun!

Dwight, Susan, Caroline seeing what Santa brought us!

On the afternoon of Christmas we had a baptism.  Wilgimps Jean was baptized, and we had a lot of people show up!  It was great and he was so excited!  Later, we went to my cousin's house for Christmas dinner and just enjoyed a lovely meal and time together.

Wilgimps

Wilgimps with his favorite senior couple!

Wilgimps with the young missionaries that helped teach him

Christmas Day baptism attendees

The day after Christmas we headed to Raleigh to spend the day with our son Jacob and our daughter Alyssa and their families.  We decided to cook Mexican tacos, making the corn tortillas ourselves.  We had a blast playing games and hanging out with some of the coolest people in the world!

The family gathering for dinner

 

Jacob, Caroline, Alyssa, Daniel (Alyssa) and Anna (Jacob)

Jacob, Dwight, Alyssa - chef and sous chefs at work!

Friday night we had dinner with someone that's been on our minds a lot lately, Darry Hargrove and his wife Shelby.  Bishop Young and Lynetta (my cousin) were also there, along with some of Darry's family.  Then on Saturday we were able to spend some time with the Lafortune family and the Fils Aime brothers (Susan claims them as her kids!)  They had been at the baptism on Christmas day and we were delighted that they both came to church today.  Jean Edrice will be baptizing his brother Christmonor next Sunday if all goes well.

Jean Edrice and Christmonor

We miss our family that couldn't be here for Christmas and so many friends back home in Utah, but we love what we're doing.  Perhaps we're helping some few as we serve, but we feel we're the ones being helped by all the people around us.  We're thankful the Lord trusts us enough to send us here at this time.  Thanks to you all for your love and support!  We hope you all had a merry Christmas, and we wish you the best in the new year!

Love Elder and Sister Potter

Week 77

This week was so busy, it felt like we had to schedule time to breathe. 😁 I don't know if any of you remember several months ago when we became wedding planners and decided to get out of that business and never do that again. Well... we're back in business, and we did it again. All week, between teaching and visiting, we worked on wedding stuff for an awesome Haitian couple. Early in the week we had our multi-zone Conference/Christmas Party. It's always fun to hang out with the young missionaries.

Dwight playing a game. He came in second. :)

Santa with our wonderful Mt. Olive missionaries.

One day this week we took a Haitian sister from Goldsboro, Judeline, to the temple to do baptisms. Later we had some lessons in Mt. Olive, then a Christmas party for the Woodington Ward-- we took the Faison kids, then back to Mt. Olive for a Haitian activity.

With Judeline at the temple

At Woodington Christmas Party with
Faison kids.

Friday we had some lessons, picked up the wedding cake, and decorated for the reception. Saturday was the wedding at the church and the reception. Later we went to Raleigh where the couple was sealed for time and all eternity. It was an amazing day.

The Michels, Janviers, and Potters

After the temple we took everyone to dinner. It was entertaining listening to Dwight translating the menu and watching our friends trying to decide what they wanted. Luckily our waiter was patient. :) After dinner, the night was not over. We went to Jake's house where we picked up Caroline--Jacob picked her up from the airport for us. We visited for a while and went home exhausted!

Caroline and Von

Caroline sang prelude for Sacrament meeting today. She sang three French Christmas hymns. It was beautiful and brought the Spirit to the meeting. We are so happy to have her here.

During church, Dwight was translating (as always), and Elder Bates came and sat by him to help him find a scripture. Dwight gave Elder Bates the microphone, and had him read the scripture. When Elder Bates tried to hand the microphone back, Dwight motioned to him to hang on to it and keep translating. Elder Bates translated for a little while (and did great--not that I could understand him), and Dwight looked so happy!!! I think this is going to be a great blessing for my companion!

This week may have been super busy, but it was amazing in so many ways. We had lessons and activities with the young missionaries and they helped us so much with the wedding. To any of their parents that may be reading this, thank you for raising such good young men. Also we have Caroline here with us. And, finally, there are reminders of Christmas everywhere! We are so grateful for our loving Savior Jesus Christ. We want to be more like Him.

We love you all!

Sister and Elder Potter

Week 76 - Dwight

We've had an amazing week, so why do I feel so blah?  We went to the temple with several of our Haitian member friends, met an apostle, took 3 sisters to meet Santa Clause, and so much more, all wonderful and exciting events and yet, like Nephi, I feel to exclaim "why should my heart weep and my soul linger in the valley of sorrow, and my flesh waste away, and my strength slacken, because of mine afflictions?"  Like him I'm trying to pick myself up a bit. "Rejoice, O my heart, and give place no more for the enemy of my soul."  I don't mean to start on a downer and I will get through this, because I know in whom I can trust.  "O Lord, I have trusted in thee, and I will trust in thee forever."  Serving this mission is one of the best things we've ever done, but sometimes it just gets hard for a minute and you have to just pick yourself up with the Lord's help and keep going.  I'm in one of those few moments, and I'll be stronger on the other side.  Pray for me!  Now on to this week's news.

JR catches the biggest fish!

This week began with Susan staying home to work on grandkid Christmas gifts while I took my buddy JR fishing.  He caught more fish than I did and his biggest fish was bigger than my biggest fish. (Maybe that's why I'm so depressed!)  It was a fun and tiring day.

Tuesday at district council was good, but a bit sad.  Several of the missionaries that we love are either leaving for another area in the mission or going home.  Elder Hansen has been in Mt Olive for 7 months learning and teaching in Haitian, among these humble people.  He's heading to Fayetteville to continue that work.  Two of the young sisters are heading home.  We're gonna miss them all!

District council at work

Our beautiful district sisters

Sisters Stone & Leavitt - going home:(

Elder Hansen leaves Mt Olive

We continued helping a few families this week by helping Saintemene and Evens Lafortune complete their applications for social security numbers at the SSA office.  Then we helped them open a bank account.  The next day, Saintemene, Eveline and Wilgimps went to the Butterball plant for job interviews and pre-employment physicals.  Eveline's blood pressure was alarmingly high, so they would not complete her paperwork.  Since the job starts tomorrow, Monday, we took her to the doctor that day and she was prescribed BP meds that should help bring it down.  Apparently this is a common problem among the Haitian people.  We also helped order and deliver temple clothes for four of our members.  There are just a lot of fun things we get to do that brings a lot of joy to the people we're helping!

The ward Christmas party was this week.  We picked up Wolffencia and her two sisters, Aleingina and Leila, and took them to meet Santa!  It was a fun party, but watching the two little girls eyes when Santa came in was precious!

Ward Christmas Band w/children

Wolffencia, Leila, Aleingina

Aleignia greets Santa

Leila greets Santa

Saturday was a full day as we got up early to head to the temple in Raleigh for Nesly's endowment, a special blessing to members of the Church as they make additional covenants with Heavenly Father.  He and Marie are being married in the temple next week (more to come of that next week, and don't worry, wedding planner Susan is on the job!)  We also had a whole mission zone conference since Elder Niel L Andersen of the 12 apostles was visiting.  It was great to meet him and to be taught by him.  We got to finally see my grand nephew Elder Pedersen (my sister's grandson) at this conference.  

Elder Pedersen

Nesly, Marie, Marly and Davidson

Davidson, Marly, Marie, Nesly

Elder & Sister Andersen, President and Sister Stevens

Our whole mission w/Elder Andersen

Potters top left, Elder Andersen bottom right

After going through the week, I'm already starting to feel better.  I'm just so grateful that through the good times and the bad, the down times and the up, the hard times and the amazing, our Savior is there.  Even when we don't recognize it, He's still there.  When no one else quite understands what we're going through or struggling with, He does perfectly because He has experienced it all.  I can see His hand extended to me and to you as He invites us and patiently waits for us to come unto Him.  I need Him!  I trust Him!  I love Him!  Thank you all for your examples of faith and love and for your prayers.  We love you!

Elder and Sister Potter

Week 75

I can't believe another week has already come and gone. I know I probably say that a lot, but it's true. My brain cannot wrap around the fact that in about 3 weeks we will have been on this mission for 18 months! This week we visited a few people we hadn't seen in a while. We saw our good friends JD and his daughter, Lorie Ann. They are some of the first people we met while serving in the Woodington Ward. We also went to dinner with Vickie and Chester Wiggins (we see them all the time) and our long-time friends Bernard and Roseann Jones. Our boys played T ball and basketball together when they were little. The dads coached and the moms were the best cheerleaders.

Roseann, Bernard, Susan, Vickie, Chester, Dwight

We've mentioned our friend Charlemise several times, but I always forget to take a picture. After our visit on Wednesday, we took this picture. She is such a sweet, good girl. It's in her nature to be kind and to follow Jesus.

Charlemise and Susan

Some of the members of the Haitian Group had a new experience this week. They sang in a choir for our Stake Nativity Walk (Crèche Festival). Most of them had never heard the songs before. I don't think any of them had ever sung in a choir. We only had two Sundays and right before the event to practice. They did great! Monica even sang a solo! She is so brave! They want to have a Haitian Group Choir be a regular thing! I love that it was a good experience for them.

Choir singing at the Nativity Walk

Our fabulous Zone at the Nativity Walk

Dwight, Monica, & Susan at the Nativity Walk.

The Elders from Mount Olive...
Elders Hafen, Hansen, Bates, and Smithson.
They are amazing!

Monica and Susan at the Nativity Walk.

We got to spend some time with the Albertson Ward at their Christmas party... I'm sure I'm repeating myself again... I love the people in Albertson!!! I wish I'd taken more pictures, but I was enjoying visiting and forgot. :)

The Albertson Sisters

What's a ward Christmas party without Santa?
This Santa happens to be a close relative of Dwight's.

Another highlight this week was the Albertson Christmas Parade. We got there late, actually right as it was starting. We followed the emergency vehicles... firetrucks, etc. to their place in the parade, then we pulled off the road in an empty field across from the starting point of the parade. It was a much bigger parade than I expected. Here are a few pictures.

Lifted truck... how do they get in that thing?

Santa in his sleigh

The Albertson Ward float. It's a tractor with a
nativity and a bunch of youth and adults. I didn't
get my camera out in time to get a good picture.

Saturday we took a group of new Haitian members to the temple to do baptism for ancestors. We had two young women, two young adult men, and an adult woman. We had a great trip... much learning, an abundance of the Spirit, and lots of laughter on the drive up and back. These wonderful people have captured our hearts.

Alin, Dwight, Monica,
Susan, Ruthnael, James,
and Marie at the temple.

One night this week, we were leaving a friend's house, and we instantly noticed the moon. It was a brilliant sliver in the night sky. Without thinking, Dwight took out his phone and took a picture. I ran to the truck because it was freezing outside, but then took my phone out and took a picture. The beauty of God's creations never ceases to amaze us.

Dwight's photo (If you look closely in the top
left corner, you can see Venus.)

Susan's photo

We are so very grateful for the opportunities we are having as missionaries. As we are teaching others, we are learning so much. We love our Savior Jesus Christ! We are thankful for you, our family and friends. We love you all so much!

Sister and Elder Potter