Genuinely one of the most eventful weeks of my life. And I freaking love it. We left the MTC early Tuesday morning, which sucked because I genuinely love my MTC district, they're actually the goats! Okay so we flew from Utah → Texas → Amsterdam → Lyon. And while we were in Amsterdam, I walk past this one guy who's just like slumping over, I don't think anything too much about it, I thought he was just tired or something. I read my scriptures and literally 2 minutes I look over and see 2 guards giving him CPR while he's still breating... Then a swarm of 8 other guards come running over and one guy starts setting up a pop up screen thing so we can't see aything. So it's just me, and about 23 other young sleep deprived lil Mormon Jits that genuinely watched some dude just die. (Hopefully not but still.)

So that was that, then we fly to Lyon, that was super hype. We meet our Mission Presidents, and they're actually D1 chillers. Like literally so nice and smart. We throw our bags in a van and then all us newbies go with a few of the missionaries that've been here for a while, and we take trains to go to the church, which was so cool, becuse the entire time we were just talking to random people about Jesus. And bro, MTC French was not real, Like I knew I was in Bot Lobbys when I was there, but it's like way different in the real world (Where all my hopes and dreams come true) The day after we did a Lyon tour with sister Schow (the mission president) and it was so fun to be back in Europe and see all the cathedrals and all that stuff, but this time I was talking with as much people I possibly could, in a language I don't rlly speak.

I got a new Dad. Lemme explain. So the term Dad on the mission, is your trainer. My Dad, Elder Dansie is actually the freaking best. He speaks incredible French, and is from out west, sorta north-east of Las Vegas (Utah) I went with him to his area, which is in Geneva, Switzerland! Genève is actually the best. We basically spawn camp at this place called the Gare. The train station. It's the most effective place for us because it's literally thousands of people coming in and out. Being a missionary has helped me prioratize what's good, better and best. And being at the gare has been the best use of our time, vs door knocking or anything else. 

Casting out a Demon. I'm officially day 2 in my mission area and we get this call from a daughter of a member in the other ward, about an hour away. She says that her friend has a bunch of depression and is going though things and needs a blessing and thinks the gospel could help her in her life. So Dansie and I go and take public transport out to her place which took about an hour, we knock on the door and this 5ft vietnamese lady answers. She's got these bangs covering her eyes, and I kid you not, I have never seen anyone with more cuts and scars in my life. As she opened the door I immediately felt my entire body shudder with chills and instantly knew something bad was in here. April, the Vietnamese lady with the cuts and scars literally was actively bleeding from fresh cuts on her arm and neck. It was honestly so freaky to see. It was just scar on scar and all that (I'll spare the details but you get the idea) So then we do the lesson (my first lesson ever, mind you), we talked about repentence, choosing christ and how he can help and heal you, and as we're reading Alma 7 in the Book of Mormon, April's reading and just stops. And says "I can't understand anyting, the voices are too loud" in the most monotone voice. She was like that the entire time. So Elder Dansie tries to explain what we're reading and she's like "I can't understand or hear anything" so then April's friend says "What if we spoke in English?" then randomly we just switch up in English instead of French and I'm like "Let's goooo I'm back in!" and now I'm explaining what we just read and the principles we're trying to teach. after that, we're gonna give her a blessing for the sick and afflicted, and also a blessing for comfort. Right before we give her the blessing, I turn towards Dansie and whisper "Yo how do we cast out demons and devils in her?" and he goes "That's what we're about to do right now" We are about to give her the blessibng and her eerie Japanese music is playing and I go "Do you want me to turn down the music?" and she goes "It helps with the voices" Bruhhhh. So Dansie gives her the blessing and in it goes something like "In the name of Jesus Christ, we cast out any evil spirits that may be in you" then after the blessing she just gets up and leaves for like 20 mins. Her friend comes over to us and says that as we were giving the blessing, that she could literally see a light surround both Dansie and I. We give April a book of Mormon, and she says she wants to learn more, but there's too many things going on in her head right now. Dansie and I just left, like legit one of the most weird interactions I've ever had. Kinda cool tho not gonna lie.

The mission work has been incredible. Our mission has this saying "Talk to anything that moves" and I'm literally doing that. literally anybody we say, I'll go and talk to them, it just sucks because my french is straight cheeks because I've only had like a month to learn, so one I run out of my phrases I know how to say, I basically tag team with Dansie and he jumps in. I freaking ove that kid. We're honestly making insane progress, We're crushing our goals and doing the literal best. Better then we thought was even possible. The guys keep saying this to me "Bro has infinate faith"and I honestly love it. It just show that you need faith to literally overcome anything. I love youall so much and can't wait to share what happens next week!(PS. my Pdays are on Tuesdays, so that's when I can send and respond to all you guys's emails and Messengers) (pps also join the google photos link:) https://photos.app.goo.gl/GFfrqVfhuKqk5Gbw8

Elder Shaw