Week 100 - Dwight - Count Down Week 3

 

1st R Elders Hansen, St. Louis, Hafen and Bates.  2nd R Bobby Maples, Dwight, Susan, Davidson Michel, Romual Petit-Homme, Bishop and Sister Heath

Where to start?  Some pretty historic things happening for the Haitian Group this week.  First, tomorrow marks one year since the group was created.  Second, on Thursday we got our first Haitian missionary arriving in Mt Olive, Elder St. Louis.  Third, Romual Petit-Homme becomes the first among our Haitian converts to go take out his endowments in the temple yesterday.  Fourth, we increased the number of missionaries teaching Haitians in Mt Olive by three!  There are now seven young missionaries working with Haitians in the Mt. Olive Haitian Group area.  Two now live in Goldsboro and three actually are assigned to speak French and will be teaching in French.  And fifth, there is one more historic event that will be happening in about a month, but you'll have to wait to hear about it at the end of this post.  So, keep reading!

There are several people we have been helping to teach that have recently committed to be baptized.  They include Geremene, who is amazingly on like page 250 reading in the Book of Mormon.  She's doing great and is scheduled to enter the waters of baptism this next Saturday.  The other two are Kettly and Mitaylove who are scheduled for the next week. 

Dwight, Susan, Jaden, Geremene, Elders Bates and Hafen

Elder Hafen, Dwight, Kettly, Mitaylove and children, Elder St. Louis

 We love giving service to our Haitian friends.  This week we worked on a work permit for Christmonor, were able to finish getting Dufond past his pre-employment physical at Butterball.  His blood pressure is still high, but he squeaked in.  Something he, and many other Haitians struggle with.  We took Leccius to the bank and afterwards he wanted to go to Walmart, which we were glad to do.  He bought a couple of things and I got a couple.  He bought two bouquets of flowers, which he had me help pick out and had no idea what he wanted them for.  He made me let him pay for the couple of items I had and then when we got to the car he gave the flowers to me and to Susan.  It melted Susan's Heart! He had just the biggest smile on his face and felt so good being able to say "thank you" to us for the help we've been blessed to be able to give to him.

Flowers Leccius gave us

Early early Wednesday morning, we got up and headed to the temple in Raleigh with all four young missionaries and Leccius.  He wanted to go before Elder Nordgren left.  Sadly, Elder Norgren completed his 2-year mission this week and headed home.  It was a great, quick trip.  Leccius was able to be baptized for his dad and witness a sister being baptized for his mom.  He was also able to baptize Elder Nordgren for some of our family members.  Just a great day in the temple!

Elders Hafen and Bates, Dwight, Leccius, Elders Nordgren and Reheis

Friday I took my buddy JR to lunch at our favorite spot and as usual ate too much.  I think it's going to be tough on both of us when we leave, but we plan to hang out as much as possible before then and we plan to come back in the fall to go fishing!

Saturday morning, my long-time friend Mark met me to go to the old church that my grandfather helped build in 1907.  It's been moved from it's original site and is being used as a barn, but is starting to fall down.  My granddaddy donated the timber for the church and did a lot of the work along with a 2nd cousin of Susan's that left his wife and children in Salt Lake City to come here on a mission.  The owner said I could go get some of the boards off of it for keepsakes.  So, Mark went with me because he knows stuff and he has tools.  I told him a little bit about the history and he was able to help me identify what was most likely original side boards, wall and ceiling boards, window framing with hand sawn cuts and many old cut nails.  It was like we were pulling nails that my granddaddy nailed into that building so many years ago.  We're hoping to preserve a little bit of that history by make a few picture frames and other small pieces of art.  I'm so grateful for a grandfather, who in 1901 listened to the missionaries and with his nephew decided to accept the restored gospel of Jesus Christ.

Mark and Dwight in front of what's left of the old church

My Grandfather is on the back near the middle of the door - About 1908

Today we began our "farewell tour" in earnest.  We actually went to church in the Woodington Ward, where we started our mission.  It was good seeing everyone.  Many old and new friends there we will miss.  We stopped by the Faisons to say goodbye.  Since we missed church in Mt Olive, we're had several calls asking "you haven't left yet have you?"  This isn't going to be easy!!!

Dwight, Susan, Allison - her mom died while we were in Woodington and we had some very spiritual experience together

Dwight, Aarayah, Decantis, Jay, Susan

We learned today that another historic event will be happening for the Haitian Group the first week of July.  Elder David A. Bednar, one of our 12 apostles, will be coming to North Carolina and will be meeting with the Haitian Group!  We're sad we won't be here, we're but so excited for our little group.  This will be something they will remember forever!

We love you all!

Love Elder and Sister Potter