Tender Mercies 5.3.15 letter 1

Last Monday was full of Tender Mercies! Little Miracles. I’m so grateful!

Sunday night I was checking my sub finder web site like I always do to get a job for the next day. I had one all settled for Lydia Hawk in their preschool from 8:45-3:30. Monday morning, I did my usual – take Keagan to seminary and try to go back to sleep for an hour or so before I really have to get up. I was awake, so I got into the shower. @7:30, Ray came running into the bathroom and said, Keagan just called, there has been a shooting at North Thurston. I’m going to pick him up. I started crying (you know me) immediately and said a quick prayer and hurried to get out and ready for the day. All I could think of was last year in Marysville when 4 kids were killed by someone with a gun. Shortly after, Keagan called me (and he was trying not to cry.. although he won’t admit that now) and told me he was safe and he was a few streets away from the high school and talked to me until Ray picked him up. Keagan was home by 7:45. I was never so glad to hug him and know that he was safe!  So many blessings right there! I had woken up early, already was getting ready, KEAGAN WAS SAFE, and he was home so quickly. I didn’t have to worry and wonder.

Here is what happened to Keagan:

He got dropped off after seminary. He was in the commons. Around 7:20 (the first bell rings at 7:25 and it hadn’t rung yet) they heard a loud noise. He said that everything was silent. They weren’t sure what it was, maybe it was one of the tables falling or something.. Then another shot went off and it was total chaos. People were running and screaming. He said it was a mass exodus for the exits. He tripped and fell, skinned his knee and someone grabbed at his back pack trying to get out quickly and ripped it. He said he just ran to get as far away as possible. He said a teacher was motioning for him to come into one of the building.. but he just kept running and then called us. (I noticed that I had 3 missed calls when I got to my phone). So luckily Keagan was home safe quickly! When Keagan was running out of the building, he heard a loud thud.. it was Mr. Olson tackling the kid with the gun. He was able to calm him down and get the gun out of his hand and no one was hurt! Some of the kids hid in classrooms. Some were made to meet in the stadium. It took them a while to get home. I’m actually glad that Keagan did what he did and we had him home safely so soon!

I was actually glad to go to work. I knew that if I had stayed home, I would of just been reading all about it and been crying all day with the “what ifs”.  My job that day was a little crazy.. but fun. The preschool usually has at least 2 assistant teachers and 1 lead. All of them were out, so the lead teacher was a sub and then me. We managed just fine, but it was busy and I didn’t have time to think about the earlier days events. (another blessing!)

This event was all over the news and even world news. I think Mr. Olson was interviewed on Good morning America. I’m just very grateful for the safety of our community and great teachers!

Our poor kids are pretty shell shocked! I’ve heard a couple of reports of loud noises and kids freaking out. There was a balloon that popped in the gym and it was really loud and echoed and several kids started crying. There have been some crazy threats about others with guns. Mostly, though, it has brought the community together. There has been several other schools wearing their purple to show support to NT.

All is well, and now I can tell you about the rest of the week. 

Love,

Sis Shoop

4.26.15

This week I subbed at mt. View for 3 days. 2 for playground duty and one in the resource room. It was pretty fun. One thing that was fun was that mt. View has a lot of kids from our ward. I was cracking up as some of them were looking at me, trying to figure it out. Henry nelson kept looking at me.. so I said hi to him, and he said hi, but kept looking back at me. I could tell he was trying to figure it out! Anna Cheney just came right up to me, HI sister shoop!! & one of my preschoolers from last year started talking to me and her friend,  how do you know her?! & Leah, says, she was my preschool teacher as she skips along.  My favorite though was 11 year old Blake Erickson. He looked at me and I could see in his face... please sister Shoop, don't embarrass me. Haha It reminded me of how Jesse and Josh used to look at me when they were 11. And that's what really made me smile!! Sorrynotsorry... Jesse and Josh for harassing you so much when you were young! ;)

 

We had a stake woman's conference yesterday. It was pretty good. Pres Turner was one of the speakers.  He was the best one! Not that is too much of a surprise. . They had the classrooms at the stake center set up into different sharing stations they called them. The rooms had different themes. A sewing room, family history,  service ideas, a pinterest room!, a temple room (it was obviously,  so beautiful! !) And some more. I didn't make it to all of them. There were 3 speakers and 20 minutes or so in between to go look at the rooms and/or visit.  And then lunch afterwards.  It was a pretty good day.

Today, before church we had the missionaries over for lunch. They're so fun. I love having them over. We have 3 for a couple of weeks.  I guess there was an emergency transfer somewhere. The Missionaries told us the President ended up switching around 10 different companionships.

I love when they share a short message at the end. And getting to know them a little bit!

Church was good today. A couple of things that I loved..

Watching Keagan pass the sacrament and was leaning down with the tray for some kids just melted my heart.

Also, there is this sister that just got baptized 6 months ago or so.. the bishop asked her to say the closing prayer in sacrament mtg. She was sitting next to me. She was so nervous, but said yes. It was so sweet to watch her and hear her prayer, she did a great job.

We're at my mom's in shelton now, so I need to go. But my step dad just said the funniest thing.. Keagan was talking about wanting to date. My step dad said, you need to worry about a mission not dating a much. Girls are like fruit.. a new crop comes ever year. Hahaha There's your thought for the week.

Love ya!

Sister shoop

4.19.15

Hello everyone.  I'm so happy to write you every week! During my week I sometimes ponder or think, what should I write "my missionaries". Thanks for serving and letting me write you. :)

Earlier this week, in utah it snowed! (Hahaha) Melissa called me complaining about it.. and being the good mom I am.. I sent her back this picture I attached.  It was beautiful sunny here, it was from our front window. (and that was the only picture I took this week)

Melissa is doing good! She just got another job. She is starting a receptionist job/sales job this week. It will be noon to 4 m-f, and then her older job at a sandwich place called kneaders really wanted to keep her, so they offered her hours of 8-11 m-f. That will be great, so when she starts college in the fall she can choose which job suits her better. And, yes she's still dating chaz. ;)

I had ward conference today for lacey 5th ward. They have a fairly new bishopric,  Bishop Peters. His wife just had a baby in the last day or two. It is the bishops responsibility to talk during ward conference.  He wasn't there today and hs first counselor gave the talk. It turned out to be a great lesson that president coppin talked about. He said our church is great where it has a system where there are no questions.  If the president or bishop is unavailable,  then it goes to the first counselor.  He also said how happy he was that the bishop made his family a priority. In our church family is supposed to come first. Pres. Coppin said, we learned a great lesson from the bishop this day. I think sometimes as members of this church we get caught up in our callings are super important (which they are) and don't think that a counselor or someone else can do our job. Family is most important! 

The bishopric counselor talked about taking time to slow down and enjoy moments in life and not be so busy. And also taking the time to go to the temple. 

My calling is, so great! For sharing time this year we are talking about the sacrament. We are talking about remembering Jesus and to think of him during the sacrament. The presidency divides up sharing time, so we each only 5-7 minutes or so. I have pictures that I have them come pick from that they tell me if it's something they can be thinking about during the sacrament or not. I have the obvious pictures of Jesus, baby Jesus, baptism, Jesus being baptized,  scriptures, and a temple. For the not good ones, I have all pictures of things that are good and fun, but not to think about during the sacrament like playing with your pets, playing on the playground, video games,  playing sports, building with blocks, etc.  (Let's face it.. we've probably all had some of those thoughts in our minds during the sacrament. ..)

Did everyone hear? Aericka Corrigan got her mission call to Hamilton New Zealand!  Somoan speaking. She reports to the mtc July 29th.  Pretty exciting!!!!!

Have a great week! I love you all!!! And of course, pray for you often!

Love, 

Sis Shoop

4.12.15

We rented a condo up in eden, a half hour up to he mt from ogden.  We didn't do too much, but we got to visit with lots of friends and most importantly just hang out as a family with melissa. 

We watched a lot of family fued and we brought the wii along and played games. The condo was nice and had racquet ball courts, pool table,  hot tub, tennis and basketball. 

The most fun and enjoyable part for me was just to relax and be goofy with my family.  Watching melissa, keagan, and aurora tackle each other and tease each other. I'm so grateful for forever families!!!!

As you can see melissa hasn't changed much.. by the pictures. . She's still as goofy as ever. That is one of the many things I miss and love about her. A dollar bill fell beside the washer and dryer and I told miss and keagan whoever found it could have it, so they were so funny and "fighting" over who could get it.. and then with keagans bum n the air miss couldn't resist (pretending) to spank him. It was a few days of just being silly together. Our tv had the game show channel. I don't know how many episodes of family fued we watched and yelled out our answers.  So fun!

We did go up to logan one evening and saw our rms price and Anderson.  That was fun! And then we met up with some of the falter family for ice cream.  They were there visiting kylee and lauren. We were joking that we have to come all the way to utah to see each other! Ha!

We also went to provo one day and saw where miss lives and works. W had dinner at cafe rio with our other rm, kearney. The food was awesome, I'd never been there before.

Yesterday, I got to go with the youth of their baptism temple trip. It was wonderful. I also got tg o ride up with Jemma Williamson and visit with her. That was pretty great, too! The spirit was strong! I got to hand out the towels. That's actually my favorite job.. I've done it a few other times. It's great to be able to see them up close and the glow of their faces!!

Today was fast and testimony meeting because of conference last week. It was one of the best in a long time! Bishop said a few words before about what a testimony is and to keep it brief. I think that really helped the spirit! Keagan bore his testimony and that really made me a mess... hahaha and then we sang, I know my Redeemer lives. That one I can hardly ever get through. We also had a family move in that has a deacon son!!!! For passing the sacrament today, one of the ym had to go sit down!!! That has never happened!  Exciting times!! :)

I love you all so much! I pray for you often!

Love, 

Sis Shoop

April 5th Utah

Here is the link to our trip to Utah in my other blog.

I missed a letter because I wrote it on my phone in Utah.

http://rdmkshoop.blogspot.com/2015/04/utah-april-2015-long.html

Utah trip

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!