Well we finally got our internet working somewhat. It quits every few minutes. Then it comes back on. Welcome to Jamaica.

The following is from Carl's journal:

Sunday night. It has been a very busy and enlightening two weeks in Jamaica. We spent the first four days in the mission home in Kingston while furnishing our apartment in Linstead. We spent the past eight days getting acquainted with the branch.

We spent three days with the Elders (Tirand and Matthewson) and one day with the sisters (Walker, Havili and Makai) We were issued a cell phone and pickup and assigned to help Linstead Branch become a ward. President Barrett asked us to assist with the activities and YM/YW programs. Today he also assigned me to teach a prospective Elders class starting next Sunday.

Carlene is a great companion. She is my navigator while driving. Traffic is very busy and the roads are full of pot holes. Driving on the left is demanding and requires our joint efforts.

Most of the roads are without names and the houses are not numbered, so you just have to learn where to go.  Every yard is locked up and protected by dogs. Unemployment is 50% and so you have to protect yourself as best you can.  People are walking to and from their homes or if they can afford a taxi they take it. There are few sidewalks so people are walking on the roads night and day. Some of the inactivity in the Branch is because people can't afford a taxi very often and they live far from the chapel. They do enjoy a visit from the missionaries. There are some bicycles but I've never seen a female on a bike.

There were about 80 attending church today but only 5 cars in the parking lot. (the missionaries were 2 of those)

Downtown Linstead on Friday and Saturday is a crazy place. Traffic is near impossible. People are everywhere, buying, selling, just hanging out, the town is full of life. People are friendly. We are the only whites in town, but they do tolerate us.

All the roads are narrow so most of the cars are small. The taxi's have red license plates as opposed to a light on top. Everyone drives down the middle of the road and then moves over to pass. If people drove like this in Lubbock they would lock you up and throw away the key. Here in Jamaica it's

JUST ANOTHER DAY IN PARADISE!!