Sunday, Potsdam NY Branch

 Mike was invited to speak in sacrament meeting in the Potsdam Branch while we were visiting. He did a really good job and spoke on his testimony of the Book of Mormon and some of his missionary experiences directly related to the Book of Mormon.  He even ended on time. We did not take into consideration that there are also announcements that they make after sacrament meeting ends, so it did go over time just a little bit after all. Sunday school was taught by three sister missionaries and they did a lovely PowerPoint presentation about missionary work and how well it's going in the Potsdam area. And how much better they would like it to go.  They have great goals to make the branch award again. That would be a very nice thing to happen in both Potsdam and Messina. 

The Relief Society lesson was a little bit shorter, but pretty normal for most relief societies. There was less than 30 sisters there. There were only two young women in the branch that day ( they have 4). I did not see any primary children there. It is a very small branch. Irene said about Primary, "it depends on who comes to church that day."

After our meetings, and the visiting that Mike needed to do after church, we went back to the Burnett's and took a little catnap. She fed us a nice dinner of chili and cornbread. She had made a pork roast for us on Saturday night when we came. Sunday evenings any kids and grandkids that are in town come over for popcorn. Sunday night they met outside in their screen room that is fairly new and nice in the backyard. But it was chilly! I was rather chilled by the time we came in, and I was wearing long pants and a jacket. Our first night here Mike had been a little bit chilled at night, so they gave us another blanket on this night. I definitely needed it. I went to bed with socks on, and a extra blanket over me. Their house is very comfortable, and so are their guest beds. We could have chosen to sleep upstairs in a guest room with a double bed, but we opted to stay downstairs on the same floor as the bathroom and sleep in twin beds in Chrissy's old room. It has been difficult for Dale and Irene, as they miss their Chrissy who passed away in March. She has a lots of collections still here in her room. But Irene was able to move out some of the clothing to make room for some guests. 

 It has been a lot of fun just to be able to sit around and visit, reminisce about the mission Days of  yore.

Looking over their back pasture. They presently have sheep out there.

Sunset over the pastures across the road with the mist settling in over the field. This road has a 55 mph speed limit on it! The car is just fly by! It's going to scary trying to pull out of their driveway.

The back of Dale and Irene's house.

Visiting and munching inside their screened in room. 

I have seen several Amish horse and buggy carts go by their house. And I have heard them, also. It is rather quaint. But I never have been able to get a picture. A young, newly starting into the business, Amish Carpenter built their screen house for them. They have also done other handiwork around their home, which has been evolving and expanding through the decades.