AAAAAAGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yep, that's how I'm feeling. Here's the story. Oh wait! I'd like to apologize first to the people I didn't respond to this week. It is an absolutely hectic P-day, so I can't get to all of them. I promise I'll write all of you next week! Anyway, here you go...

Last Monday, whilst on my way to a service activity, we get a call from President Robinson. I was told that I would be serving as one of the four Singing Elders of the mission. In addition, I would be leaving the next day. I went about my busy day then came back home and stayed up late packing. I took the trip to Leiden the next day.

 

Upon arrival in Leiden I learned who I would be replacing, and just what this work really requires. We visit a different ward every Sunday in the area where we'll be performing. Performances happen roughly once a month. Then we go back to Leiden Mon-Wed and do "normal" missionary work there. Thursday through Sunday we are back in the ward where we visited on Sunday visiting all the members, investigators, and less-actives in that area, inviting them to the performance, and singing for them.

This past week we were in Belgium, Sint Niklaas, to be precise. We visited a good chunk of the ward, and I worked on learning some of the music, and it was quite spiritual. I'm also worn/stressed out to the point of taking off my shoes and dancing on our car just to release some steam. Oh, yeah, we have a car, too. And I'm going to have to drive.... In Europe... Yay? Just another thing on my plate. BRING IT ON!

So, a little bit on logistics. I am now in Leiden. My companion(s) are Elder Hunter (from Scotland) and Elder Pouwer (Houston, Texas. Mmhmm!). I will be replacing Elder Pouwer, who would have been leaving on Wednesday! However, there is no way I can learn all the music in time for the performance on June 6th, so President Robinson asked him to stay until then. He leaves the Monday after that. He sings the Baritone part of the Elders (normally, it's a bit) which means I'm learning parts much lower than I'm used to. It's a lot of work. Very difficult to fit everything we need to do in to the VERY SMALL amount of time we have in a day. I would say I wish that days are longer.... but if they were I don't think it would make a difference. That time would get filled with other stuff to do as well. The other two Elder live in Delft. We travel and stay with them in the areas where we work, so it's like half of my time is a four... or five... man. It's a lot of fun, and very satisfying, but draining physically, mentally, and emotionally.

I didn't think the first time I went on tour would be on my mission!

 

I'll talk next week, everyone!

Elder Shaw