Subject: Much better week
From:
potter.j.b.mabos@myldsmail.net
Dear Family,
How glad I am to here that everyone is ok. Well, almost everyone, I haven't
heard anything about Mariselle, Horacio, Sabrina, and Alex, but other than that,
everyone is still alive and they all still have their homes. I am so grateful to
here that. That is an answer to my prayer. Please let me know about Mariselle,
Horacio, Sabrina and Alex.
Thank you all for your prayers this week, it's over and much better. The funeral
was very nice. There were tears, but no screaming or anything like unto it. I
spoke (just a few words) and the missionaries sang a song (Dear to the Heart of
the Shepherd). The entire service was very beautiful and sweet.
THe funeral was an LDS funeral, but at the end, time was allotted for the family
to get up and say things if they liked. They did. One of his brothers got up
there and had the whole family get up and sing a song with (When Jesus passes
the list, I'll raise my hand and say sign me up.) It was super sweet. After the
funeral was the best part. One of his sisters stood up and said that her brother
loved mariachi's and that we would be hearing from one. THen this Mariachi band
comes in and starts singing and playing. THey go right up to the coffin and sing
to Faustino Alarcon. IT was way sweet and too cool. I mean how often do you get
to see that!!!!
Thursday was the burial. There were only two of the screamers, his mom and one
if his sisters. WHen they started putting the body into the ground... it was
awful, but nobody threw themselves on the coffin, so that was nice. The sister
did have to be dragged away by two other men, I think she started to faint. I
think the worse part about the funeral is that one of hte brothers wanted is
friend to say a prayer. Since everybody there speaks Spanish (some speak
English) I don't think they understood that they were going to start putting the
body in the ground. So the guy starts praying, the two ladies start screaming,
everybody's crying, the guy starts praying louder (hehehe, oh man!). It got to
the part where he had to shout to pray over everybody, it was funny, but only to
me. The wife is doing very good, she cried softly and that's it. She's been very
strong.
Friday was our first normal day all week, and then Sister Bennett and I spent
Saturday and Sunday being sick. We are 100% today and glad for it! I love you
all so much! Thanks for all of your uplifting letters and emails this week. It
really meant a lot to me.
With Lots of Love,
Hermana Potter
I am enclosing some pictures of me. The first one is Sister Bennett and I at the
Science Museum. Then the second one is me posing with a t-rex (I was one of
those in my former life ). The third is Sister Bennett and I wearing these
toilet bowel covers on our heads. The last is me at the state line.
Date: Mon, 18 Aug 2008 18:40:41 +0000
Subject: My Transfer story> From: potter.j.b.mabos@myldsmail.net> > > > Hello!!!!> So for all those who believed that I wasn't transferred... SURPRISE!!! They transferred me to Lynn! I was pretty surprised myself, but I suppose that's the mission life. So, the Assisstants to the President called me Wednesday night, while we were at a dinner appointment and our conversation is as follows:> "Hello, this is Sister Potter."> "Hello, Sister Potter, this is Elder Stevens. How are you?"> "I'm doing good. How are you?"> "I'm good. Hey, the office elders called and they want the address to your apartement."> "Why do they need the address to our apartment?"> "Because they do."> "Why?"> "To pick up your stuff."> "My stuff? I'm not getting transferred."> "Then to pick up Sister Whiteley's stuff."> "But she doesn't need her stuff picked up, she has the car."> "You are going to be able to fit all of your stuff in the car?"> "What are you talking about? I'm not getting transferred!"> *then as a sidenote to his companion* "Sister Potter didn't get her transfer call?"> "WHAT DO YOU MEAN I'M GETTING TRANSFERRED?"> "uhh..."> "WE'RE AT A DINNER APPOINTMENT! THAT'S AN F- ELDER! I'M DONE TALKING TO YOU AND I'M HANGING UP!"> THen I hung up on him. Well, Sister Hawkins called back and, yeah, I got transferred. I stayed up way late packing and I went to transfer meeting and now Sister Whiteley is my companion and we're in Lynn. Since Lynn was closed to Sisters previously, we're opening the area, which means we have no previous investigators to work with and we have lots of open time, but I'm not worried, the Lord has a way of filling out the time in his own way. Anywho, that's been my week.> I love and miss you all!> Hermana Potter> > > > p.s. the first picture is one that Sister Hawkins drew for me. She likes fantasy and anime, so I asked her if she were any fantasy creature what would she be and she said I dragon. Then I asked what I would be and she said a gnome. All I could think of was a lawn gnome, but she guaranteed me there were such things as cute gnomes. So I asked her to draw me a picture of the two of us as fantasy creatures and this is what she drew.> The next picture is when we had a slumber party when Sister Whiteley was getting transferred (the night before we knew that I was leaving as well). SO left to right is Sister Leininger, Sister Hawkins, me and SIster Whiteley.> The third picture is Sister Hawkins and I with one of our investigators, Monica. Monica crochets and she gave us these hats that she had made.> The last picture is me, SIster Aviles, and Sister Lamberti. This picture was taken when I was first transferred to Lynn. I hope you like them all!> p.s.s Don't make any comments about my weight!!!> p.s.s.s Bishop Castillo, I can't email you but you CAN email me, I'll be sending you a letter soon>
Date: Wed, 13 Aug 2008 20:31:50 +0000> >
Hello One and all,> So.... I am not being transferred. I'm staying in the Cambridge Family wards in the English program. It's not a surprise though because by next transfer we're going to be short a Spanish sister all over again (so right now we have 7 Spanish sisters, one Spanish sister comes in tomorrow, and one goes home in September, and one comes in in November. SO they couldn't reopen Lynn, because they would just have to close it again in September, but I'm ok with that. I love it here in Cambridge). So, yeah, Sister Hawkins and I are together for yet another transfer! YAY!> Ok, I promised to tell you about Norma's baptism. So she got baptized on June 13, her birthday. I was in Lynn at the time, but I was able to go because I was still in the same zone. It was so awesome. It was just so amazing. I love Norma so much and it meant so much to me that she got baptized! I've known her since my first day in the field (which was my first lesson and her first time to be taught by missionaries). Norma has really changed and she has a testimony of God answering prayers and that Joseph Smith truly is a prophet. Her testimony was slow in coming, but the Lord worked with her little by little. At her baptism I said the opening prayer and her daughter, Jackie, asked me to sing "As I have Loved You" with her. It was so sweet.> What really converted Norma was Jackie. Jackie is 6 and loves the church. She can read and she loves the hymns, praying and reading the Book of Mormon. One day Sister Ostler told me that Jackie would be what converted Norma. We decided to use that to our advantage. We began teaching Jackie and Oswaldo (4 years old) the lessons adn they loved it!!! They loved participating and knowing what was going on. This was really good because it allowed Norma to relearn all the info she already knew in a non agressive environment. Right before I was transferred we decided to buy a children's Book of Mormon for Jackie, hoping Norma would read stories to her from it. It worked. The children's Book of Mormon helped Norma to better understadn the people and the stories. She finally enjoyed reading it. Then one day the Revere Spanish ward were asked to feed the missionaries for a zone conference and Norma participated in that. After everyone left the building, and as Norma started to leave, she was filled with the desire to be apart of the church and never leave. Shortly thereafter she told Sisters Ostler, Elsie and Washburn, and shorty after that, she was baptized. IT was so awesome to be apart of it. If I could just share that joy with everyone, I would be so happy. Right now, I'm just so happy becasue of Norma's decision and the blessings she's received. Life isn't easier for her, but it helps knowing she's chosen the right path.> I love you all,> Hermana Briana Potter> >
> Date: Mon, 21 Jul 2008 18:27:58
+0000
>
> Hey Everyone, 21 July 2008
> Guess who got email back? Our mission!!! YAY!!! We are all so excited!!!! So
the rules are the same as before: I can’t email my friends and I have limited
time on the computer, but I don’t care because I am just so grateful to have my
email back! YAY!!!
> Ok, well you all should’ve been getting my emails from my aunt, so I should
only have to clue you in for the past several weeks… let’s see. Well, I am now
in a new area, actually I’ve been put in the English program for this transfer.
There are several reasons why, but one of the bigger ones is that the mission
was short a Spanish sister, so it was either a Spanish trio or into the English
program, and so into the English program I have gone!
> Yuppers! So other than getting email back, there hasn’t been anything too
exciting. It’s been wicked hot and Sister Hawkins, my new and lovely companion,
has been sick, so life has been hectic managing those two factors into our day.
Of course, I do have a funny story to tell, and tell it I shall.
> So, we are teaching a mom, Ana, and her 10 year old daughter, Ananuku. They
are from Kenya and Ana has a British accent. It’s definitely exciting. So, we
were teaching them the plan of Salvation which talks about where we came from,
why we’re here and where we’re going. President England wants us to invite
people to be baptized, with a specific date, after the second or third lesson,
so it’s after this particular lesson where we normally extend a baptismal date.
Well, the lesson went really well and they both understood the plan of Salvation
really well. Then I extended the baptismal date.
> Ana was shocked. “Baptized! I’ve just barely met you! You’ve only come over 4
times to my house.” Well, we talked about that some and then I, not feeling that
I received a very clear answer to my questions, extended the date again. It was
really funny. She looked at me and said, “By you?” I said, “No, I don’t have the
priesthood, a man would have to baptize you.” By you she meant by your church,
but I totally missed that. Anyways, it was really funny, and though she didn’t
accept the date, it was still a really good lesson and she is actually still
very receptive. Actually, I’ve not ever taught anybody who told to not come over
anymore just because we extended a baptismal date, though I have received many a
no’s and many a yes’s.
> Well, sorry life isn’t more exciting. I love you all very much and I miss you
very much as well. Don’t worry about me, I’m doing great.
> Love Always,
> Hermana Justine Briana Potter
9 JUNIO 2008 DEAR FAMILY, HOW ARE YOU ALL DOING? I AM DOING GREAT AND I AM LOVING IT HERE IN LYNN! SISTER LAMBERTI AND I GET ALONG VERY WELL AND WE LAUGH A LOT. IT WAS SO MUCH FUN TO BE TOGETHER ON OUR 1 YEAR MARK! SO IN OUR CHURCH AN ACTUAL CHURCH IS CALLED A WARD, BUT IF IT'S REALLY SMALL (IN THE SENSE THAT THERE ARE NOT A LOT OF PEOPLE) THEN IT IS CALLED A BRANCH. BRANCHES TEND TO BE A DEMANDING AREA TO SERVE IN BECAUSE THERE ARE LESS MEMBERS AND THE SAME AMOUNT OF WORK, BUT I LOVE IT! SISTER LAMBERTI AND I STAY PRETTY BUSY. WELL, MOST OF THE PEOPLE IN THE BRANCH REMEMBER ME FROM WHEN I WAS THE STAKE CHOIR DIRECTOR, SO THEY ARE BOUND AND DETERMINED THAT I LEAD THE MUSIC. IT DOES NOT BOTHER ME, IT IS JUST INTERESTING. I AM ALSO GOING TO BE TEACHING THE PIANO! HIJOLE! AND SO MY MUSICAL ADVENTURES CONTINUE....NOW FOR A FUNNY STORY! SO WHEN I FIRST CAME TO THE LYNN APARTMENT I INSTANTLY LOVED IT. IT IS JUST SISTER LAMBERTI AND I IN THE APARTMENT, WHICH IS PERFECT BECAUSE THERE IS NOT ROOM FOR MORE. UNFORTUNATELY THE APARTMENT WAS FILLED WITH THINGS THAT SISTERS JUST LEFT BEHIND. OUR FIRST P-DAY TOGETHER WE CLEANED OUT THE 5 CLOSETS AND UNDER THE BATHROOM SINK. WE THREW AWAY 3 BAGS OF TRASH AND OUR TOYOTA COROLLA TRUNK WAS STUFFED (LITERALLY) WITH STUFF TO GIVE TO THE SALVATION ARMY. LAST WEEK WE WENT THROUGH THE KITCHEN. WE WERE BOTH SITTING NEAR THE FRIDGE. I WAS GOING THROUGH THE CUPBOARDS UNDER THE KITCHEN SINK AND HANDING SISTER LAMBERTI EVERYTHING THAT NEEDED TO BE THROWN AWAY (WHICH ENDED UP BEING A 30 GALLON TRASH BAG FULL). SUDDENLY, SHE SCREAMED AND I INSTANTLY JUMPED UP ON THE STOOL I WAS SITTING ON. I THOUGHT SHE SCREAMED BECAUSE SHE HAS SEEN A ROACH AND SO I WANTED TO BE PREPARED. (THE TRUTH IS I HAVE NOT SEEN A ROACH DURING MY MISSION) I ASKED SISTER LAMBERTI WHAT SHE HAD SCREAMED ABOUT AND SHE TOLD ME THAT SHE SAW A MOUSE POKE IT'S HEAD FROM UNDER THE FRIDGE. THAT WAS MY UNDOING. WHILE REMAINING ON THE STOOL, I LITERALLY STARTED CALLING EVERYBODY THAT I COULD THINK OF. SISTER LAMBERTI SCREAMED AGAIN AND WENT AND SAT ON THE TABLE. I ASKED HER WHAT HAPPENED AND SHE SAID THAT THE MOUSE HAD RUN FROM THE FRIDGE TO THE STOVE. I WAS CLOSE TO HYSTERICS. WE BOTH WORKED UP THE COURAGE TO LEAVE OUR PLACES OF SECURITY AND WE RAN DOWNSTAIRS TO WHERE THE BRANCH PRESIDENT LIVES. I THEN DEMANDED THAT HE GO UP THERE AND TAKE CARD OF THE MOUSE. WELL, IT TURNS OUT THAT THE MOUSE WAS A RESIDENT OF THE SECOND FLOOR, BUT SINCE THEY WERE REDOING THE APARTMENT, HE FOUND A WHOLE WAS BEHIND THE STOVE. PRESIDENT SEALED THE WHOLE AND LIFE WAS BLISS AGAIN. WELL I LOVE YOU ALL TONS!OH, ONE MORE THING. EVERYONE WANTS TO KNOW WHY I EXTENDED MY MISSION, SO I SHALL TELL YOU ALL. LAST TRANSFER I REMINDED PRESIDENT ENGLAND THAT I WANTED TO GO HOME IN NOVEMBER. WE TALKED ABOUT IS SOME AND HE SAID THAT SINCE I COULD STILL BE HOME FOR CHRISTMAS AND SCHOOL BY LEAVING THE DECEMBER TRANSFER THAT I SHOULD GO HOME THEN. SO, BASICALLY HE ASKED ME TO STAY AND I AGREED. OK, NOW OFF I GO!! I LOVE YOU ALL SO VERY MUCH HERMANA POTTER
Subject: Justine Briana Potter - Letter 1
Date: Tue, 18 Mar 2008 01:28:16 +0000
17 MARCH 2008
ST. PATRICK'S DAY HAPPY EASTER ( OR RESURRECTION DAY)
HELLO! WELL I HOPE YOU ALL ENJOYED RECIEVING THREE OF MY LETTERS THIS PAST WEEK. I KEPT PROCRASTINATING TO SEND THEM, BUT I FINALLY DID IT! YAY!
WELL, NOTHING TOO TERRIBLY EXCITING HAPPENED THIS WEEK. IT WAS ONE OF THOSE THE-DAYS-ARE-LONG-BUT-THE-WEEK-IS-SHORT. YEAH, I CAN HONESTLY NOT THINK OF ANYTHING. WELL, SOMETHING FUNNY HAPPENED TODAY. TODAY IS ELDER PAYNE'S BIRTHDAY SO WE DECIDED TO GO OUT TO EAT AT CHILI'S. WHEN SISTER OSTLER AND I ARRIVE THERE WAS A TABLE WITH 6 MISSIONARIES AND NOT ROOM FOR MORE. WELL, THAT WAS REALLY AWKWARD, BUT TWO OF THE ELDERS MOVED TO ANOTHER TABLE AND WE SAT WITH THEM. THAT LEFT TWO SISTER AND TWO ELDERS ON ONE TABLE AND TWO SISTERS AND TWO ELDERS AT ANOTHER TABLE.
SISTER OSTLER AND I SAT DOWN WITH ELDER ADAMS AND ELDER GRIMM. I ASKED THE ELDERS IF THERE WAS ANYWAY THAT WE COULD MOVE TABLES. ELDER ADAMS ASKED WHY AND I TOLD HIM "BECAUSE IT'S LIKE WE ARE ON A DOUBLE DATE." ELDER ADAMS FACE INSTANTLY TURNED RED AND HE MADE THIS REALLY AWKWARD FACE. HE SNAPPED AROUND TO THE TABLE BEHIND HIM AND HE ASKED THE OTHER ELDERS IF THERE WAS ANY WAY WE COULD MOVE THE TABLES TOGETHER. SEVERAL MINUTES LATER WE WERE ALL SITTING AS ONE GROUP AT ONE TABLE. WELL, AS FAR AS MISSIONARY WORK, THAT'S AS EXCITING AS IT GETS.
I DID PLAY ALL FOUR SONGS IN CHURCH ON SUNDAY. THE WARD CHORISTER WAS NOT ABLE TO COME TO CHURCH SO WE DID NOT HAVE HYMNS ON CD TO ALL THE SONGS THAT I CAN'T PLAY. NORMALLY I PLAY 1 SONG FOR CHURCH. WELL I RE-PICKED THE HYMNS ( WHICH WAS HARD BECAUSE I CAN ONLY PLAY WELL ENOUGH FOR ANYONE TO SING ALONG), SET EVERYTHING UP AND STARTED PRACTICING. THEN, THE WARD CHORISTER'S HUSBAND CAME UP TO ME AND ASKED ME IF I NEEDED THE HYMNS ON CD BECAUSE HE HAD BROUGHT THEM. I JUST LOOKED AT HIM AND TOLD HIM NO. I LAUGHED.BELIEVE IT OR NOT, I PLAYED THE SONGS PRETTY WELL AND IT WAS REALLY NICE. I PRAYED I REALLY PRAYED THAT I COULD HAVE THE SPIRIT WITH ME AND HAVE THE LORD'S HELP.
ONE OF THE SPEAKERS MENTIONED HOW HE HAD FELT THE SPIRIT THROUGHOUT THE MEETING AND I JUST FELT SO GRATEFUL TO BE A PART OF IT. I JUST THINK IT IS SO AMAZING HOW THE LORD ALWAYS ANSWERS OUR PRAYERS WHEN WE SINCERELY ASK WITH AND OPEN HEART AND A WILLINGNESS TO DO. THIS WEEK WAS A REALLY BEAUTIFUL WEEK FILLED WITH TENDER MERCIES OF THE LORD. I LIKE THAT PHRASE, IT COME FROM THE BOOK OF MORMON, " BUT BEHOLD, I, NEPHI, WILL SHOW UNTO YOU THAT THE TENDER MERCIES OF THE LORD ARE OVER ALL THOSE WHOM HE HATH CHOSEN, BECAUSE OF THEIR FAITH, TO MAKE THEM MIGHTY EVEN UNTO THE POWER OF DELIVERANCE." ( 1 NEPHI: 1:20 P.3) I JUST KNOW THAT WE CAN ALL EXPERIENCE THE TENDER MERCIES OF THE LORD AS WE HONESTLY SEEK OUT HIS WILL IN OUR LIVES AND ACKNOWLEDGE THE MANY TENDER MERCIES WHICH SHOWER OUR LIVES. I DO LOVE YOU ALL VERY MUCH AND I KEEP YOU IN MY NIGHTLY PRAYERS. LOVE, HERMAN JUSTINE BRIANA POTTER
Subject: Justine Briana Potter - letter 2
Date: Tue, 18 Mar 2008 01:54:03 +0000
10 MARCH 2008
HELLO EVERYONE!
JACINDA GAVE ME YOUR E-MAILS. THANKS FOR WRITING BACK! IT IS ALWAYS NICE TO RECEIVE MAIL ISN’T?
WELL THIS WEEK WAS A GOOD WEEK. IT’S HARD TO BELIEVE A NEW TRANSFER HAS STARTED. I AM GLAD TO BE HERE, BUT I FEEL I WILL ONLY BE HERE FOR ONE MORE TRANSFER (6 WEEKS). I LOVE BEING COMPANIONS WITH SISTER OSTLER. WE WERE IN THE M.T.C. ( MISSIONARY TRAINING CENTER) TOGETHER FOR 3 WEEKS. IN FACE, SHE LIVED ONLY A COUPLE OF DOORS DOWN FROM ME. SHE AND SISTER LAMBERTI WERE CLOSE WHILE IN THE M.T.C. THEY TALKED TOGETHER ALMOST EVERY NIGHT.
BEING WITH SISTER OSTLER HAD REALLY BEEN A LEARNING EXPERIENCE. SHE IS 23 AND SHE IS SO AMAZINGLY NICE AND MATURE. SHE IS SPECIALLY GOOD AT NOT JUDGING OTHERS. I HAVE LEARNED TONS AND I LOVE HER DEARLY. WE GOT ALONG GREAT-JUST LIKE SISTERS. IT IS KIND OF NICE TO HAVE AND OLDER SISTER. (SMILEY FACE) SISTER OSTLER AND I GO HOME THE SAME DAY, SO IT HAS BEEN A TRULY GOOD TIME.
SO, NOW FOR A GOOD STORY. SISTER OSTLER AND I DO SERVICE AT THE IMMIGRATION LEARNING CENTER. THIS PLACE IS AMAZING AND THE PEOPLE THERE ARE AMAZING! I LOVE IT. WE DO SERVICE THERE ONCE A WEEK AND WE STARTED ON WEDNESDAY. WE WORK WITH A LITERACY CLASS. BASICALLY WE GO TO THE CLASS AND THE TEACHER PLACES US WITH A STUDENT AND THEN WE HELP THE STUDENT READ.
THE TEACHER TOLD ME THAT WHEN WE LEARN TO READ, WE LEARN PHONETICALLY AND SOUND IT OUT UNTIL WE MEMORIZE THE WORD. AFTER THAT WE CAN JUST READ IT. KIND OF WHAT YOU ARE DOING RIGHT NOW. THE STUDENTS HAVE LEARNING DISABILITIES AND THEY DO NOT KNOW ANY OR MAYBE JUST A LITTLE ENGLISH. THESE PEOPLE SKIP THE SOUNDING OUT PART AND HAVE TO GO STRAIGHT TO READING. I MEAN THEY LEARN PHONETICS BUT THEY STRUGGLE WITH APPLYING.
I WORKED WITH FRITZNEL FROM HAITI. HE WAS DOING REALLY WELL. HE WOULD READ A PAGE AND I WOULD HELP. THEN HE WOULD TELL ME ALL THE WORDS THAT HE STRUGGLED WITH. WE WOULD THEN REVIEW THE WORDS UNTIL HE COULD PRONOUNCE THEM BETTER, UNTIL WE CAME TO THE WORD “JAY’S”. FRITZNEL WOULD LOOK AT THE WORD AND SAY “JAMES”. I WOULD CORRECT HIM AND HE WOULD STILL SAY “JAMES.” WELL, I THOUGHT IT WOULD HELP IF HE COULD LOOK AT THE WORD JAMES SO THAT HE COULD SEE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE TWO WORDS. NOPE, THAT WAS A NO GO.
I SEARCHED INSIDE FOR A WAY TO HELP HIM SAY JAY’S. NOW THAT I THINK ABOUT IT, I GUESS IT WAS NOT TOO BIG IF HE COULD NOT SAY IT, BUT AT THE TIME I FELT IT NEEDED TO BE SAID CORRECTLY. THEN IT CAME TO ME, USE RHYMES. THEN I SAID, “ BAY, JAY. BAYS, JAYS.”
THEN HE REAPED IT AND DO YOU KNOW WHAT? HE COULD SAY IT. THEN HE TRIED TO SAY JUST JAY’S AND HE SAID JAMES. IT WAS CUTE. POOR FRITZNEL WAS A BIT FRUSTRATED SO WE MOVED ON AND THEN CAME BACK TO IT. HE IS A SHARP COOKIE, SO HE DID GET IT IN THE END.
WELL, THAT IS MY EXPERIENCE FOR THE WEEK. I HOPE YOU ENJOY IT. I THOUGHT THAT IT WAS FUNNY IN A CUTE WAY.
I LOVE ALL YOU ALL,
HERMANA JUSTINE BRIANA POTTER
Letter 3
3 MARCH 2008YESTERDAY AT CHURCH WAS AN ACTION PACKED DAY WHERE WE WERE RUNNING AROUND FOR THE LAST TWO HOURS OF CHURCH. MANY AMAZING THINGS HAPPENED THIS WEEK, BUT THE BEST PART HAPPENED YESTERDAY AT CHURCH. NORMALLY AFTER YOUR BAPTIZED YOU RECEIVE THE GIFT OF THE HOLY GHOST THE FOLLOWING SUNDAY, AND IF YOU ARE A MALE, YOU RECEIVE THE PRIESTHOOD THE SUNDAY AFTER THAT. OUR WARD MISSION LEADER FELT THAT JORGE REALLY NEEDED TO COME TO NEW MEMBER TEMPLE TRIP ON MARCH 8TH. TO DO SO, JORGE WOULD NEED TO HAVE THE PRIESTHOOD, WHICH HE WOULD NOT RECEIVE UNTIL MARCH 4TH. EVERYTHING WAS ARRANGED, THE DAY OF, FOR JORGE TO RECEIVE THE HOLY GHOST AND THE PRIESTHOOD, AND JORGE WAS SUPER LATE!
I WAS SO DEVASTATED, NOT ONLY WOULD HE NOT GO TO THE TEMPLE, BUT HE WOULD NOT HAVE THE HOLY GHOST AS WELL. THEN THE BISHOP SURPRISED ME. BECAUSE I PLAY THE PIANO, I ALWAYS SIT UP FRONT, SO RIGHT BEFORE THE BISHOP CLOSED THE MEETING, HE CAME UP TO ME AND ASKED IF JORGE HAD RECEIVED THE HOLY GHOST YET. I WAS SURPRISED AND I TOLD HIM NO, SO HE CALLED JORGE UP AND JORGE WAS TO RECEIVE THE HOLY GHOST! I WAS SO FILLED WITH JOY THAT I CRIED. JORGE WAS JUST BEAMING! IT WAS SO BEAUTIFUL. 5 MINUTES BEFORE THE LAST CLASS ENDED, SISTER OSTER AND I WERE DOING SOMETHING OUTSIDE OF THE BISHOP’S OFFICE. JORGE CAM OUT OF THE OFFICE AND SHOWED ME HIS TEMPLE RECOMMEND! I WA SO HAPPY. THE BISHOP TOOK JORGE TO THE LAST CLASS AND JORGE RECEIVED THE PRIESTHOOD. IT WAS SUCH A HUGE BLESSING. YAY!
NOW TO ANSWER THE QUESTION OF
INQUIRING MINDS. I GHOST TO GOT TO S.V.U. BECAUSE THAT IS WHERE GOD WANTS ME TO
BE. YUP, NOTHING TO EXCITING, BUT THEN EVERYTHING ABOUT IT IS SO EXCITING. I AM
IN ONE ADVENTURE, PREPARING FOR THE NEXT. YAY! OH! AND I AM NOT PURSUING LIBRARY
SCIENCE. SINCE BEING ON MY MISSION I HAVE COME MORE IN TUNE WITH WHAT I ACTUALLY
WANT TO DO. YUP. I GUESS YOU’LL GET MORE ON THAT STORY ON MOTHER’S DAY, WHEN I
CALL!!
LOVE,
HERMANA JUSTINE BRIANA POTTER
Subject: Justine Briana Potter's Letter Date: Sat, 22 Mar 2008 03:03:22 +0000
27 FEB. 2008
HELLO EVERYONE!
SO WE CHANGED OUR PREPARATION DAY TO TODAY SO THAT WE COULD GO TO THE TEMPLE! IT
WAS A VERY NICE AFTER BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION. ACUTALLY, WE WENT BECAUSE WE ARE
ALLOWED TO GO EVERY QUARTER, SO WE WENT. TRANSFER CALLS WERE LAST NIGHT. NORMALLY TONS OF PEOPLE ARE
TRANSFERERED OUT OF OUR ZONE, BUT THIS TIME THERE WERE ONLY TWO PEOPLE
TRANSFERRED: ELDER PHIPPS (ONE OF OUR ZONE LEADERS) AND SISTER WORTHEN. SISTER
WORTHEN LIVES IN OUR APARTMENT AND HAS ONLY BEEN OUT 6 WEEKS. SISTER DUNCAN HAS
BEEN TRAINING HER. WE WERE ALL SURPRISED THAT SISTER WORTHEN WAS BEING
TRANSFERRED! I AM GOING TO MISS HER. SISTER DUNCAN HAS BEEN ASKED TO TRAIN
AGAIN, SO I DO NOT KNOW THE SISTER WHO WILL BE REPLACING HER. I LOVE BEING IN REVERE, I DO NOT WANT TO BE TRANSFERRED, BUT
MY DAY WILL COME SOON. WELL, THE NEXT TRANSFER WILL NOT BE UNTIL APRIL 10TH,
SO I WON’T WORRY ABOUT IT.
GUESS WHAT, MY 9 MONTH MARK IS SATURDAY (WELL, IF FEB. HAD 30 DAYS, IT WOULD BE
ON SATURDAY) NO BIG CELEBRATIONS, PROBABLY JUST PREGNANT PICTURES, IF I CAN
BRING MYSELF TO TAKING THEM! DON’T ASK! IT’S SOME WEIRD SISTER MISSIONARY
TRADITION!
MY BIRHTDAY WAS REALLY SPECIAL AND I REALLY ENJOYED IT! THANK YOU ALL FOR REMEMBERING ME. ON MY BIRTHDAY THERE WAS A HUGE SNOW STORM, SO AFTER DISTRICT METTING WE WENT TO THE APARTMENT ALL DAY. SISTER DUNCAN AND WORTHEN FOUND MANY OCCASION TO SING TO ME AND CLELBRATE MY BIRTHDAY. I HAD A BISCUIT WITH A CANDLE IN IT, A CAKE, AND ANOTHER CAKE, DINNER, ANOTHER CAKE…..IT WAS DEFINITELY A DAY OF CAKES: 3 FROM THE SISTERS, ONE FROM ELDER KOERPER (MY DISTRICT LEADER) AND ELDER ALGER, AND 2 FROM 2 DIFFERENT MEMBERS. I HAD THE MOST AMAZING GODLEN BIRTHDAY! NOW MY FAVORITE PART, JORGE ALVAREZ’S BAPTISM! YAY! IT WAS A REALLY NICE BAPTISM AND HE WAS JUST SO EXCITED! AFTER HIS BAPTISM HE TOLD SISTER OLSTER, AND LATER TOLD ME, THAT HE WAS HAPPY AND THE HE WANTED TO CONTINUE MAKING GOOD DECISIONS.YAY!
SISTER OSTLER AND I FEEL SO HAPPY FOR JORGE, WATCHING HIM CHANGE WAS TRULY WATCHING THE MASTER’S HAND AT WORK! I WILL ALWAYS CHERISH OUR APPOINTMENT WITH HIM THE TUESDAY BEFORE HIS BAPTISM. JORGE, WHO DID NOT LIKE TO READ THE SCRIPTURES BECAUSE THEY MADE HIM SLEEPY AND JORGE WHO USED TO DRINK, TOLD US HOW HE HAD A FRIEND AT WORK WHO OFFERED HIM SOME ALCOHOL. JORGE TURNED IT DOWN AND WENT TO ANOTHER AREA TO WORK SO THAT HE WOULD NOT BE TEMPTED! IN THAT SAME APPOINTMENT HE OPENED HIS BOOK OF MORMON AND BEGAN TELLING US THAT THE LESSON THAT WE WERE THEN TEACHING MATCHED UP EXACTLY WITH WHAT HE HAD READ. THEN WHEN WE WENT TO LEAVE, WE LEFT HIM WITH A GENRAL CONFERENCE ADDRESS FROM THOMAS S. MONSON, SO THAT HE COULD READ IT AND PRAY TO KNOW IF THOMAS S. MONSON WAS A PROPHET.
THE TALK JORGE CHOSE WAS 3 PAGES. SO, SISTER OSTLER AND I
DECIDED NOT TO LEAVE HIM WITH A BOOK OF MORMON CHAPTER TO READ. AS WE STARTED TO
LEAVE, JORGE ASKED WHERE WAS HIS BOOK OF MORMON READING? HIS WIFE, A MEMBER,
TOLD HIM HE HAD PLENTY TO READ ALREADY. HE TOLD HER THAT HE COULD READ BOTH AND
THAT HE WANTED TO READ BOTH! ISN’T THAT AMAZING? I LOVE WATCHING PERSONAL
CONVERSION, IT IS A GOOD REMINDER TO ME THAT I AM ONLY THE INSTRUMENT IN GOD’S
HAND, BEING BLESSED WITH THE OPPORTUNITY TO WITNESS THIS MIRACLE. THERE IS NOT
DOUBT IN MY MIND THAT JORGE WAS PREPARED BY OUR FATHER TO BE TAUGHT BY US. HE
WAS ALREADY LIVING ALL THE COMMANDMENTS BEFORE WE EVEN BEGAN THE FIRST LESSON.
LOVE YA,
HERMANA JUSTINE BRIANA POTTER