Week 102 - Mission Accomplished!

My grandfather Needham Potter, and family with 2 missionaries, circa 1907

On Monday, May 27, 1907, a local conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints concluded it's final session at about noon.  This meeting had been held in the newly constructed Church building near Albertson, NC.  James Lewis Rushton (a second cousin to Susan), was a missionary serving here at that time. He had left his wife and children in SLC, UT.  He had helped my grandfather, Needham Tyndall Potter, along with others, build that Church building. He found out during that last session that he was being transferred to Lumberton, NC. In his journal, he described the scene at my grandfather's house that afternoon.  The picture above was taken very near this same time period. This is an exact quote.  "There was a sowerful sight at NT Potters all the family was crying I was crying    crying President Berrit came in and said it is not a funeral but I tell you I would not of felt any worse no matter what could of happened It was just the same as leaving my home again" [sic]

That pretty much sums up today at church, and the whole week really.  It's just been very hard to say goodbye to so many people that we love.  I'll give the "sowerful" highlights as best as I can.

Seems like we had lunch or dinner with somebody almost every day.  Monday we had lunch with Betty Jo and Mary Lou to say goodbye.  They are always fun to hang out with.  They were both a significant influence on me as a kid/teenager growing up.  That night we went to see Jennifer and Roger Edwards.  He cooked for us!  They have a wonderful family, which we got to know better.  She gave a talk in church today and did a great job!

Susan, Mary Lou, Betty Jo

Tuesday, our favorite landlady Sandra, and her husband Melvin, took us to Taco Tuesday and on a field trip in historic Kenansville. Lunch was great! Then we toured the Liberty Hall.  The town of Kenansville was named after the Kenan family and Liberty Hall was their home.  The tour was interesting if a bit long.  The home was constructed in the 1700's.  The Kenan family was instrumental in starting the first public university in the United States.  It was UNC - Chapel Hill - the Tarheels.  Now I know why they call the football stadium Kenan Memorial Stadium!  Sandra and Melvin have been way too good to us!

Liberty Hall

Melvin, Sandra, Susan, Dwight

The Edwards Family feeds the missionaries

Wednesday we went to Tarboro to see our friends JD and his daughter Lori.  We've been visiting them since the beginning of our mission.  JD is now in a nursing home.  That was a tearful goodbye.  Then, while Susan was doing some packing, I went with our friend Greg to lunch at Kings BBQ in Kinston.  Buffet.  I almost didn't eat too much.  That was a tearful goodbye.  We met the missionaries at Wolffencia's later and gave her a little graduation present.  She was so appreciative!  Worked on family history.  Saying goodbye to those girls has been tearful. Edit by Susan: I love those girls so, so much!

Alandjina, Susan, Leila, Wolffencia

That night the Elders had another baptism.  On Wednesday because we were going to have zone conference on Saturday in Fayetteville.  A sweet young Haitian, Alexandrine was ready!

Elders St Louis and Bates, Alexandrine with her family, Elders Hansen and Haffen

On Thursday I met Elder Adkins (they're replacing us) at Butterball.  I wanted him to meet Luz, the recruiter I work with.  I also wanted him to get to know his way around.  It went well.  That night, we took Luz to dinner at Longhorn.  She told us her story.  She has an autistic son, which I didn't know.  She's been a great help as we've worked together to find work for our Haitian friends.

Luz, Susan, Dwight

Friday was my birthday!!  We had zone council that morning.  Susan and I made lunch for the 30 of us.  These missionaries are so impressive and hard working.  We're gonna miss working with them every day. Two of the elders we've worked with for a long time, surprised me with a birthday cake!

The Goldsboro Zone is the best!

Elders Hansen & Bates

Then, we headed to Raleigh where Susan treated me to a steak dinner at The Angus Barn.  Nice atmosphere!  They made me a birthday cake!  Afterwards we went to our son's house to say goodbye to their family and our daughter's family.  That wasn't as tearful, because we know we'll see them soon.

I lacked 3 getting all the candles out!

An impossible task!

Saturday was a full day.  We left early to go to Zone Conference with our mission president and three zones of missionaries.  All our Haitian missionaries were there.  It was a great conference.  Susan and I were able to bear parting testimonies.  We saw so many missionaries that we've been able to work with.  There were a lot of tears in those goodbyes.

The Haitian District at zone conference

Elder Potter, President Stevens, Sister Stevens, Sister Potter

We're gonna miss learning from and serving with the Stevenses.  We basically started with them, but now here we are leaving and they have a year left.  These are wonderful mission leaders!  The ones we needed!

Saturday night we had dinner with our friends (he's my friend from as long as I can remember) Mark and Patricia.  We ran into the stake president and his wife and mother-in-law at dinner.  

we've been able to see Mark and Patricia several time over the last 2 years.  Those were tearful goodbyes.

Susan, Patricia, Dwight, Mark

Elder and Sister Potter, Judy, President and Sister Jones

After dinner, we had promised the Lafortune family we'd come say good-bye. They are the family that probably kicked off this Haitian adventure.  They invited the young missionaries and several of our Haitian friends.  They made a Haitian feast!  Of course, we had to eat again.  Evens sang a hymn, solo, without music, to us and just wept when he finished.  Those tears last night carried over to today.  We got home late.

For today, no pictures, just tears at Church.  When the teacher asked for a volunteer to say closing prayer for the 2nd hour for the Haitian Group, someone there suggested that I pray for them.  I have.  I do. I will.  I did.  The tears seemed unending.

At this moment it's 11:46 EDT and I'm signing off as our mission comes to a close.  It's been hard at times, but joyful always.  We're not sure we could have done more, but we hope we did enough.  We can't imagine it could have been any better.  We thank God for giving us this opportunity and we hope he's pleased with our efforts.  We know our lives have changed forever!

Love you all.

Good night.