3.29.15

Some weeks its seems like there is so much to tell and others... not so much. Today was a beautiful sacrament meeting. Our choir did a great job.

We  left just a few minutes early to go pick up elder Oliphant and carder to go to a musical stake fireside in centralia. We packed a lunch/dinner and ate on the way down. Oliphant needed to be there because of his awesome musical talents. It was a really good fireside and so much fun joking and talking with the elders on the ride. At one point we realized we accidentally left the cookies in the trunk. In our car you can pull the seats down and get stuff into the trunk. So funny,  hearing them..seeing them trying to get back there. They succeeded!  Those are the only 3 pictures I've got for you. I added a slightly blurry one. Funny story about that blue tie elder carder is wearing.. all the missionaries were suppose to wear purple ties, but carder forgot. As you can see, his tie was bright and would of stuck out.. so he traded with bro. Shoop..who just happened to be wearing a purple tie.

But, don't worry,  the next 2 weeks, I'll have picture and story overload for you!!  ;) We're leaving Thursday for Utah to visit Melissa and see some of our returned missionaries.  I can't wait and am do excited!

Have a great week!  Enjoy conference!!! I'm excited to hear from our prophet, apostles,  and other leaders!

Love ya!

Sis Shoop 

This week I enjoyed a couple of letters from Elder Jesse Williamson that I am including. This is his letter to me.

Hey! 

Sorry that this will be rather short... But thank you always for writing me Sister Shoop :)

So this week was quite hectic. We had a sweet activity with the youth friday and saturday which was a lot of fun, but the sand thing about this week is changes... I now know how oyu feel when the missionaries that you come to love leave :P But from the other perspective. The missionaries really do miss you too. And they will never forget either :)

But hey, atleast I will get to have another learning experience by being a Zone Leader. Never really wanted to be one of those though... dats. Never really liked them... hahaha

Thank you for everything Sister Shoop :) I also say Hi to Keagan and Brother Shoop :D

Elder Williamson

and my letter to him

My heart aches for you. Change is always hard for me and especially when you grow to love people! Thank goodness for modern technology so when you get home you can keep in touch with some of your people. I know how much you loved your little branch. It has been great to hear your stories and seeing/hearing you learn and grow!

One of the times we had a stake temple day, we were in the Celestial room afterwards and got scolded to be quiet. Everyone was greeting each other and hugging and talking to loudly. I’ll never forget Marcie Turner saying, I think this is what it will be like in the next life. We will be all excited to see each other and greeting each other! I’ve had several people in my life that I truly love move away. I’m so grateful for the knowledge of the gospel that binds us together and that if we live worthy we can see them again.. forever! What a glorious reunion it will be! I just hope I can live worthily for that blessing!

We went to transfer meeting yesterday. 3 of my missionaries that I knew well went home. One of them I get to see in a few days! The next 2 or 3 transfers will be someone that we have grown to love going home. It has been so fun, though when they go home that we can talk and send each other messages! When we go visit Melissa this week, we get to see some of them! I can’t wait! The best part is actually giving them a hug!! That is the hardest part for me sometimes with the missionaries! lol

One of the missionaries said something in their talk about it saying in preach my gospel something like the relationships that you develop on your mission will always be a treasure to you and celestial.. or something like that. I tried to find it quickly... but couldn’t. Maybe you know what I’m talking about?

I said an extra little prayer for you for your changes. I’m sure you will grow to love your next area, too! And then you’ll be crying when you come home. 

love ya!

Sis. Shoop

and his letter back to me

Yeah, its hard to have changes :/ And well this morning made it even harder... I have emergency changes now... :/ I was just getting used to being a Zone Leader, I love my two companions that I have, I love the area that I am, but I have to leave so soon :( The hardest part is that even though I have been here for a week, I met this investigator that is a Single mother with two kids and I got to know her quite well this week and help her get ready to be baptized on the 25th of this month and I was so excited for it, but now I wont be here to see it :/ She is such a great person and has such a cute 4 year old daughter. Her daughter is one of the sweetest little girls I have ever met. haha, that always happens to me, theres always a cute little girl that i miss more than anyone else in my areas :P hahaha

But I am sure I will be fine in this next area. I just hope my companion isnt too bad... The president called me this morning and theres an elder having some sort of problems or whatever, I didnt hear exactly what was going on too well, but he is also going home really soon so I will probably have to babysit him until he goes home.... 

But we will see what happens haha, I go and do whatever the Lord wants me to do. I have a feeling its going to be hard though... especially since we had so much success in the area I am in right now with my two comps and being a Zone Leader... haha, I also thought there would never be anything that would suprise me in my mission anymore after being called as a Branch President, but this sure has surprised me x) haha

I like what the missionary said, that in every area we make relationships not just for this life but for forever. Even though I have only been here for one week I have made atleast one relationship that I will never forget :) I just got to remember to write in my journal because I am still not the best with that... haha x) 

Thank you for everthing Sister Shoop :) Keep up the good work at home! :D haha

Con cariño,

Elder Williamson

And this is the little (actually big) reasons why I write "my" missionaries. I love them!!

3.22.15

What a great week!

Its kind of funny, but I love St. Patrick’s Day. Its just fun. It’s fun to get dressed up in green. And teaching preschool on St. Patrick's day.. soo fun! We make a leprechaun trap to see if we can catch them.. and then the kids go around whispering because they don’t want to scare them off. It is the funniest thing! And then the leprechaun brings them something.. gold coins, chocolate. So the kid picture is my preschoolers dressed in their green on my couch.

The highlight of my week was Time out for Women. For those of you who may not know what this is.. Deseret Book sponsors it. They bring in performers and people to give inspirational talks. There was a Friday and Saturday session. It was at Benaroyal Hall in Seattle. I got to go with my very good friend, Jennie Klumker. It was so great and wonderful! The only bad thing was that I stayed up way too late)I think 2 a.m and then had to get up by 6:15) talking and so I’m a little tired.. but it was my own fault. (And I’d do it all again..)

So many things I could tell you about this conference! It was pretty amazing. Jenny Oaks Baker was there and played her violin. She is fabulous! It was one of those events where you were laughing and then crying and then laughing again and feeling the spirit so strong.

I think the one that touched me the most was talking about seeing the fingerprints of God everywhere. This is something I strongly believe in. Miracles or Tender Mercies, whatever you call them. She told this fun story of she was presenting for the first time. She wasn’t feeling well. She had been praying to feel better to present. She was nervous enough with out being sick. When she was getting ready to present, she had this bow/belt on her dress in the front and she couldn’t get it to stay. She was in the bathroom and another one of her friends was in there (in the stall) and she asked her, do you happen to have a safety pin? Her friend started laughing. She couldn’t figure out why she was laughing over this. She even said, was it not bathroom etiquette to talk to someone while they were in the stall? So, she asked again,and her friend started laughing hysterically and said to her, hand me your phone, I want to take a picture and show you something. So, she said, it was kind of weird, she handed her phone over the stall and then it was handed back to her and what she saw was a safety pin that was on the back of the door through the handle. She couldn’t believe it! Her friend got it to her and she safety pinned her bow/belt to her dress. She then related how Heavenly Father knew she would need that and put it where she could get it. And he cares about the littlest things in our lives. I’m not sure how he does it, but he knows and loves us all so individually that these little things matter to him, too. I love stories like that! I see this happening in my life all the time. I know Heavenly Father loves me individually and cares about me and knows my needs! I try to look for these tender mercies in my life and when I do, I see them often!

Another great thing at time out for women (tofw) was that I ran into one of my friends from my home ward up in Marysville. (picture of me and the lady in the glasses-Tonya) We were in Yw together! She told me that one of the ym from our home ward who was a year younger than me just got made stake president!!! That shocked me a little! He had been bishop for a few years. Its so funny when you’re not around them. I picture him still as a youth.. He was a nice boy.. but still a typical stinker of a boy, too. haha  He is a twin and him and his brother have always reminded me of Jesse and Josh! He reminds me of Josh! So, there you go, Josh.. Elder Williamson!! Future stake president!

I had another ward conference today in Lacey 4th ward. The theme for the year is temples. It is always so great to hear the bishops talk. Ward conferences sacrament mtg in our stake consist of the bishop talking, a musical #, and Pres. Coppin talking. Today Pres. Coppin was sick, so we heard from Pres. Warning. I love hearing Pres. Warning speak! Pres. Warning told us, too that Pres. Coppin has asked the stake presidency to rely on the spirit when they talk. They can make note of some scriptures they want to share, but he doesn’t want them to prepare a talk, but rely on the spirit. You can often see Pres. Coppin jotting things down during Sacrament mtg. Today Bishop Hakes made an interesting comparison that I hadn’t really thought of before. He was talking about how we make excuses to go to the temple:  I’m not feeling up to it, there’s too much traffic, I’m busy, I’m too tired, etc. You know all the excuses. He said now,  Would you go to work and call in and say, there’s too much traffic, I’m not coming in. I’m just not feeling up to it, so I’m not coming to work today. I’m too busy, so I can’t come to work today. No, you wouldn’t and that is how it should be with the temple. It should be important enough for us that we don’t use those excuses.

I’m getting excited for General Conference for a couple of reasons. I do love conference, but also we are going to Utah to see Melissa!!! I miss her! We are also going to see several of our returned missionaries. I’m pretty excited about that, too. Love those boys! (men.. but it just sounds weird to say that...)

Love you all! And you’re constantly in my prayers!

Love,

Sis. Shoop

And on my computer, I’m not sure why the font looks different on the top..I tried to fix it..

Oh, the other pictures

Amy Nelson being goofy as always at Tofw

Seeing Elder Oliphant and his companion again

And the bishop loves basketball! The March madness for college basketball is going on right now ( I don’t really follow basketball, so I don’t really know what I’m talking about...) But bishop came over after work one night to watch it with us.. or I was in the room with them watching it... and had dinner with us. I love our bishop! He is such a great man!

  

3.15.2015

Ok keagan news first! He got his drivers permit and started drivers ed! We made it in and out of the department  of licensing in record time! 15 mins! The person who took his picture  said, kind of a smirk, not a smile. Well,  that is normal  for him. 

I took him to the empty church parking  lot for his first  try to drive. Oh my goodness!  A little  scary..and  funny. 2 things he said. I was trying to not laugh too hard. I told him to check the mirror to see if he could see.  I asked him if he could see.. and he said, see what... myself? Bhahaha (and the funny thing was that he was totally  serious)

And then he kept using his left foot to brake. I kept telling  him, no left  foot.! He said, then why do you have a left foot? He was really getting  grumpy  about it...

He tried out for the choir and made it. We decided it's pretty  much his calling.. There's few males, lots of girls and they wear bow ties. Lol

I have been subbing at the schools a lot. I'm really enjoying it.  I do a variety  of things - recess duty, helping in the preschools, reading and math groups and kindergarten  helper. Two stories  from those jobs..

I w as  recess  duty and the 5th graders were out. There was a couple holding hands and walking behind the play structure  so maybe no one could see them. All the elementary  schools have a strict no pda policy.  I walked right up to them and that startled  them and then asked them what the rules  were.  After I told another duty.. they kind of got a talking to. It  was kind if funny..and kind of sad. It starts way too early!

The other one made my day! For my calling, we've been doing the sharing times in the other wards. I was at Lydia hawk and had just been  to the ward where the kids there would go. A little  girl came walking (more like prancing) down  the hall, stopped, and said to me, hey, I know  you! You were at my church yesterday!  So sweet.

I got to go out with our missionaries  this week  to a lesson. The lady was very sweet and strong catholic.  When the elder gave her the baptism challenge,  she said, if I can be both. Huh? We really didn't  know how to answer her. She said she believes  the BoM to be true, but her Catholic  church has lots of truths, too. She said if she had to give up the Catholic  church, she wouldn't do it.  So, we'll see. It was a good experience  for me, though.

There is also another lady  in our ward that has been  a member  for a couple of years. She doesn't  have much knowledge of the church.  She came over and we visited  for a couple of hours. She had some questions  like, how do I know what to read or how do I read my scriptures? I was able to give her some suggestions  and show her ideas on the gospel  library  app. It was a good visit.

Now we are getting  ready to go to one of those awesome  missionary  musical firesides.

Love  you all,  I keep  you in my prayers! Today I got to say the opening  prayer in sacrament mtg and I had to think, ok which  of "my missionaries " are in the ward? Which names do I say? It felt strange not including Lauren, Brooklyn, Hayden, and Logan!

Have a great week!

Love,  

Sister  Shoop

3.8.15

Not many pictures from this week. And the first one is blurry. Saturday we went up to kent to go to the district dance team competition.  It is one of the things I loved to go to when melissa was on the dance team. It was a lot of fun! It was great seeing Jadyn Williamson perform, too! The team did great and they are going to state!!!! Another bonus was that we got to sit with the Williamson s and visit with them. The only sad thing was that it was beautiful and sunny outside.

This winter has been so unusual,  but awesome.  It makes me feel a little bad (but not too bad...) Because it has been crazy cold and snowy in so many other areas.  Lucky us, I guess.

I have many favorite missionaries,  but a few of them totally tug at my heart strings! They call me "mama shoop" Something about being called that just melts my heart... hahaha   I got a message from the elders in my ward that Elder Oliphant wanted to borrow Melissa s violin and he is now in Lacey 3rd ward. I got to go bring the violin to him and visit with him and his companion for a little bit. It made my day! The other picture is of elder Oliphant and his companion,  elder Carder. Elder Oliphant is one of them that calls me mama shoop.  :)

Today was another ward conference.  Lacey 3rd ward. I love that ward. My mom was in that ward for many years. It's fun because I know so many people in that ward. 

This year the stake presidency has been talking about temples. Pres. Coppin said, something like (I knew I should of wrote it down) if you have a temple recommend,  treasure it, live up to its covenants,  use it. If you don't,  work to get one. I hope that I can always treasure mine! I love going to the temple and the peace it brings. 

The bishop also told a fun story about a someone he knew (maybe his relative) This person who he was talking about was a bishop. He took his ward members to the temple as often and regularly as he could. It sounds like pretty often. He told someone that really he's a lazy bishop. Whoever he was talking to was confused.  He said, I take them to the temple so the young men go on missions,  the youth so they get Married in the temple some day, the couples so they stay connected to each other and don't fight much and have happier homes. So, really I'm a lazy bishop, I take them to the temple so they're not in my office with their problems.  I have less work to do when they go to the temple.  Isn't that a fun way to look at it. I'm sure he was anything,  but lazy! 

Love you all! You're in our prayers!

Love, 

Sis Shoop

3.1.15

I have such an awesome story to tell!! Wednesday night my sister came over. (Aurora s mom) Aurora was in the dance festival practice. So Cindy, my sister, and I got to spend some time together. She kept mentioning things about some people in her ward. (she hasn't been active for at least the last 10 years.)I was very confused and tried not to ask too many questions or be too excited. Then she told me that the missionaries stopped by. I asked her, did they just randomly stop by or did they have your address? She said maybe Mom gave him my address. I didn't say anything but was thinking mom doesn't even know your address... So she told me this whole story of how they stopped by and she was talking to them and mentioned Aurora's name and one of them asked, Aurora Dilk? The one that is at the shoop house and lives in lacey? Cindy said yes that's my sister, Aurora is there a lot. The elder then said, I love Aurora and the shoops! So, then I was asking her, who was it? She couldn't remember. All she knew that is he had dark hair and wasn't from utah or idaho.(the not being from utah or idaho is a huge clue! :) ) so, I began texting my missionaries that were home to try to figure this out. With Adam chichoski's help, we figured out what ward she was in and it was elder Fuller who had been in our ward almost a little over a year ago. This was great news because I love elder fuller and aurora does too. Then my sister mentions to me, yeah I've been missing church. I kept calm, but I wanted to scream in delight! I just quietly said Oh? Then she said yeah I went to church last Sunday. I could hardly believe it. I knew I had to keep calm but inside I was dying and so happy! It was kind of funny because she was playing games on her phone, and I was texting to some of my returned missionaries. So I was texting them in all caps my sister went to church last Sunday! And they were texting me in all caps that's so awesome! So, hopefully something will come out of this!! Even if it takes a long time (which I'm sure it will the way my sister moves at things..) Hopefully this is a start!!!

My other great thing this week is friends.  I've been blessed with really good friends in my life.  When I was a younger adult, we used to have these long girls night out where we would talk about everything laugh and sometimes cry all night! We would end anywhere from 3-5 a.m.!! My friend,  Angela Redding unexpectedly came this weekend and some of us got to have a girls night out. We "only" stayed up until 330ish.  Haha   We got to spend most of Saturday together, too. (Picture is of me, Angela Redding,  Jennie Klumker,  and Sue Williamson)

 The only sad thing for me (well 2 sad things) a lot of our close friends have moved away, so it was a small group. And I wasn't really feeling well. In fact, today, I stayed home from church,  which I can't remember the last time I've done that. I'm sure I'll be better soon, though! 

This week, I went to the Capitol to visit my mom. She works there during session (January - April). I love the Capitol Campus anytime of the year! It is so beautiful!  I'm finally able to go there without feeling sad. It took me a long time to do that! Ray worked there for 16 years. When he was laid off a few years ago, it was one of the hardest things we went through.  But, it has been for the better in the long run.

Love you all! We keep you all in our prayers! 

Love,

Sis Shoop