GlocalNet

I’m so tired and, yet, have to pack tonight and be up by 4:00 am. I’m ready to get this trip over. But, what a trip! IGE signed an MOU with the Vietnamese Government, and Glocal Ventures is in it! We are to provide a model for societal engagement that will spread throughout the country. This is historic. No. 4 of the MOU says, “Promote community to community relations between America and Vietnam, focusing on Vietnamese socio-economic development by carefully expanding the “Glocal Ventures” model as established in Lao Cai Province to other provinces.” Congratulations NorthWood! This is huge—this is you—all of you!!!!! Your work has taken all of us to a whole new level.

On another note, one of the speakers, Brett Scharff, was just incredible. He teaches law at BYU, and, yes, is Mormon. I like him a lot—he’s brilliant. We talked a lot of theology and other stuff. We talked genealogy, and guess what, I found out I’m related to Joseph Smith!!! No—just teasing—but he is! That’s his great uncle. His great-grandfather was Hiram Smith, Joseph’s brother. No—I’m not ready to convert, but always ready for a new friend.