About 3 weeks into our mission, the Oklahoma Tulsa Mission President, President and Sister Shumway were to travel the mission with Elder and Sister Choi , a General Authority of the Council of the Seventy for training and also to hold a Zone conferences with the missionaries. They have two children Taylor, 15 who had just started high-school the prior week and Abby who is 12 and in Junior High. They are very self sufficient but just needed adults to be with them while the parents were gone. The Shumways have happy spirits, enthusiasm and rejoice in being alive and living while being very humble and thoughtful to others and also being very organized.. President and Sister Shumway carry the Love of Christ always with them and enjoy a wonderful sense of humor also. This is a picture of them. President Shumway has been in the stake presidency many years until called to be Mission President
Taylor, Sister Shumway, President Shumway and Abby
They have 4 grown and married sons and a married daughter at home that are running the businesses that he was doing before coming on this mission. Abby is adopted from China. It is a miracle and a precious story that she is with this family.
We felt it such a privilege to be in the Mission Home with President and Sister Shumway and enjoyed being with Taylor and Abby while the parents were touring and training. Taylor is a bunch of fun. He likes football, plays the violin very well, and does well in school. He has a quick mind and has the gift of gab. I told him that he should go into speech and debate and become a senator. On the way he could become a lawyer and help with his Dad's businesses. He liked that idea. Abby is also very smart, dependable and helpful. She quit doing gymnastics that she was very good in and was trying to decide what sport she would like to try next. She chose tennis
We also got to meet Elder and Sister Choi. They are so gentle, polite, kind and thoughtful. They also know how to live by the promptings of the spirit. We feel that this world could use many more people like them.
The Shumway's came and spoke in our Stake Conference. They said that the Oklahoma Tulsa Mission or OTC mission stands for "Open Thy Mouth" She said she had gone to the grocery store to purchase some meat. While waiting at the meat counter, she was so exhasuted she thought that perhaps then was a good time for a quick nap, so she closed her eyes. Next thing she knew someone was pointing a finger and tapping on her Missionary name badge and said, "What does that stand for?"
Sister Shumway thought, "I guess I better wake up and get to work and Open Thy Mouth", so she explained about the Restored Gospel and got their name and phone numbers to give to the missionaries.
President Shumway spoke and told us that sometimes we make things too hard and told the story about his oldest daughter. When she was quite young, Sister Shumway called Pres. Shumway during the day and urgently said that this daughter had put an eraser up her nostril and they had tried everything from tweezers to pinching the nose, etc and it wouldn't come out. On the phone she said, Oh, I will try the vacuum which she proceeded to do with the child screaming. Of course it didn't work so he said, "Have you thought to call the emergency room?" She replied with "oh that is a good idea". After hearing her talk for a minute, he heard her say, "Dear, blow your nose", which she did and it came right out.
President Shumway said that all we need to do is be brave and do OTC (Open Thy Mouth) and mention the restored Church of Jesus Christ to people. It was a great Stake Conference meeting
I am so impressed with the hospitality of the people here. They will talk about everything even politics and religion and don't get upset. They allow everyone their own opinion and just pleasantly talk about it, some have strong opinions, but they laugh about it. They don't get mad at each other or contrary. I haven't seen any cigarettes laying around, no drinking bottles and very little litter. I have only seen about 5 people smoking here and all were in their cars, until this past month when some people moved in to this complex. Two of them smoke almost constantly and they have dogs that leave doggy dew. A notice was sent to our apartment that cigarette butts and doggy dew had been seen on the grounds here.
I quote, "It has come to my attention that quite a few cigarettes are being thrown off the balcony/patio areas. It's disturbing enough that there are those of you who feel comfortable letting someone else pick up your trash, but it is quite obviously a fire hazard as well and as such will not be tolerated". (they gave suggestions about getting a receptacle to place such things in and then said, " your neighbors should not be subjected to such a unsightly mess nor should anyone have to be concerned about the fire danger.For those of you who are responsible concerning trash and/or disposing of cigarettes properly, I appreciate you very much. And I'm quite sure your neighbors appreciate you as well". It also had info about how to pick up after their dogs and where to dispose of it.
I thought it was well said and I am impressed with how people treat each other honorably.
We have also been traveling to the different wards to the addiction recovery meetings. The couples that host the groups are called on a mission for that responsibility and are the nicest people. After meeting and doing some teaching/training with the the host couple, we stay for the meetings. The people who come are open and are striving diligently to have a better life. It is so rewarding to see them sharing and finding joy in small steps of success or getting support and suggestions from the group when a set back occurs.
This past week,the Sister of the last host couple we visited with said she grew up in a country somewhere by Vietnam ((I think) and that she experienced every kind of abuse there was/is, but she found the gospel, which helped her turn her life around, found a good man for a husband, (who is a lawyer and was a bishop till just recently), they have several children and all are really enjoying life. She is happy and is able to share her life sincerely and with easy grace. They will be great hosts for the addiction recovery group.
She was telling us that one of her children in an elementary grade school class had a sharing time in her school class. The teacher told them to think of something they could bring and share information about it to the class and then give something about it to each of the children in the class. She and her mom discussed many things. Her daughter finally came up with wanting to give each child a Book of Mormon. They got one for each class member and then she painstakingly wrote a special message in the book specific to each child. She took them to school, stood in front of the class and told them about the Book of Mormon and then went around the class and gave one to each student. All went well until another teacher found out during the day. She informed her teacher and her that they could not be given out on the school grounds. She was told to gather them up. The child was devastated and had to go around and pick up all the books. She and her mother, who was there for the occasion, decided they could give them back to the chldren on the other side of the bus stop which was off the school grounds after school was over. Most of the children lined up to get one and the bus had to wait for them to finish. Children in her class who were absent that day, asked to have one the next day when they were back to school. Also, there were other children in other grades that heard what had happened came up to her the following days and asked if they could have a copy as well. Heavenly Father works in wondrous ways!!
Love it, don't you?!!!
1 comment:
It sure is fun to read about all of your wonderful experiences and the awesome people you get to meet. Sweet potato pie and hush puppies! Oh man am I jealous!
Post a Comment