Day 11

It's basically impossible to overcome the missionary-like temptation to check out the old catholic churches in Latin America. This one shown here was built in a pueblo just outside of Chinandega called El Viejo. It really was a beautiful church and it has been there a couple hundred years. It was impressive especially when contrasted to the homes and living circumstances a lot of the people have here. Many of the streets in this area aren't even paved. It was good things we went to a church because Rowley has been trying to figure out all the bad words here in Nicaragua. I'm just trying to be a "great samaritan" by helping these people improve their lives and offering them hope of something more, and Paul is trying to learn how to swear.

We had a little meeting tonight with some of the stake leadership and a couple of the bishops. Paul and I presented the idea that there ought to be some sort of network here between the members. In a few short days we've discovered different services the members' businesses offer and the other members have no idea about it. We felt like these people are all trying to get ahead independent of each other. Anyway, as of this Sunday there will be a formal LDS business network in Chinandega. Every ward is going to pass around a list where everyone with a business can write down what they do. We are going to collate and type up this list and then create a catagorical stake networking list that will be distributed to all the members. It'll take some work, but we think it could have a pretty significant impact.