The season is finally changing to late fall and winter is getting close. This beautiful tree with yellow fall leaves still on the tree and many on the ground, that we saw in Mt. Olive, is just a sample of beautiful foliage and an indication that colder weather is on the way. I'm not sure I'm ready for winter, but, ready or not, here it comes! The Haitian people, I have found, like cold weather even less than I do! I don't think it ever gets cold in Haiti, so they really don't know what it is. We didn't get any snow last year, but it feels like Jack Frost won't ignore us this year as I'm predicting right now several mid to large size snow storms this year - just so our Haitian friends, who are just recently here, will have that experience for the first time.
Monday for P-Day, I left Susan home making Christmas gifts for the kids and went fishing in the surf on the beach with my friend JR. He stays home almost all the time and needs a chance to get out and it was such a beautiful day. For a few hours, we were catching so many we were getting tired reeling them in! I even caught 2 at one time! Later in the week we had a fish fry at his house for lunch.
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| JR-biggest sea mullet ever - 15 inches! |
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| Dwight- not too shabby either! |
We had several experiences teaching this week. We went to see a new member, Judeline, and worked on her family history. We planned a trip to the temple in a couple of weeks to do baptisms for her deceased family members, including a sister. She's excited! We taught Charlemise and her roommate Rodeline, as well as Alin's wife, Anselene (who's still in Haiti) about the Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and felt our testimonies of Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon grow. We taught Wolffencia (18 yrs old) and her two little sisters and cousin the Gospel of Jesus Christ lesson and felt our love for the Savior grow. They were all at church today. We taught the Lafortune family the first half of The Plan of Salvation and felt our Father's love and our appreciation of His plan for us grow. We had a lot of other small teaching experiences and just feel gratitude that we get to serve this mission in this land that we love, among people we love!
We basically had 2 Thanksgivings. The first was on Thanksgiving day with the family of the bishop in the Albertson ward. He is married to my 1st cousin's daughter. They live close to where my great-great grandfather, Daniel Potter, Sr. settled in the early 1800's and the cemetery where he and many of my ancestors are buried. We talked about family connections. It just felt surreal, being there within a few hundred feed from where 7 generations of my ancestors and relatives have lived for the last 200 plus years. I felt close to them.
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| My 1st cousins once removed and 1st cousin twice removed on Thanksgiving |
Our 2nd Thanksgiving was Friday night. We went to Raleigh to have leftovers and spend a few hours with our son Jacob and our daughter Alyssa and their families. We were treated to a lot of still good food, a piano recital, a reenactment of Little Red Riding Hood and time to talk about family memories. It was great!
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| Elayna (BB Wolf), Clara (LR Riding Hood) and Sully (wanted to be in the picture) |
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| Santa's Elves |
These weeks are passing way too quickly and we're trying to slow it down, but it's not working. Susan, I believe is finally back to 100% energy, or close. She makes everyone she sees feel loved, even when language barriers produce few words. Having her be sick for a few weeks has shown me the huge impact she's having on the people here. She loves them and they know it.
Thank you all for your prayers and love. We need it. We feel it. We pray for you and love you right back!
Love,
Elder and Sister Potter
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