July 13, 2025

Mid-July

Monday, July 7, 2025

It is Summer, we still have meetings and appointments on campus, but it is different. There isn’t the structure, the hustle and bustle of student life. It is Professional Development time for the faculty and staff and time for Ward Camp in the community and holidays/vacations.

This morning we did a de-brief for the Crisis Team. In our office building, the meeting went well and long, but . . .

Ukulele class in the evening and the drive home afterward:

Another day on island!

Tuesday, July 8, 2025

July in paradise . . .

And meetings on campus. . .

Back to the PAD for lunch and I rode back to the office:

And an early day to be at the PCC for our volunteer hours – Ask Me at the Gateway Terrace:

Wednesday, July 9, 2025

On our walks, we look for coins and when we find one:

“Find a penny, pick it up; all the day you’ll have good luck!”

Some days we find other coins, our collection so far:

It was a mid-week laid back day. We did office hours, I tracked down a couple of students.

Then we went home and got ready for a fun surprise birthday party for one of the Elders here in the mission. Elder Terry Harris. His wife Nancy is an amazing cook and we had a delicious meal but, the cake!! Now I have a very high standard for German Chocolate Cake! Her’s is my favorite:

Thursday, July 10, 2025

We don’t have devotionals during the Summer break on campus, so I’ve been delving into some of the previous conferences each day to find a devotional. I wanted to share this one with you this week:

Elder Quentin L Cook in his October 2021 address:

“I was deeply moved as I read what the Prophet Joseph Smith declared as he was confined in Liberty Jail: “O God, where art thou? And where is the pavilion that covereth thy hiding place?” Joseph inquired how long the Lord’s people would “suffer these wrongs and unlawful oppressions.”

As I stood in Liberty Jail, I was deeply touched as I read the Lord’s answer: “My son, peace be unto thy soul; thine adversity and thine afflictions shall be but a small moment; and then, if thou endure it well, God shall exalt thee on high.” It is clear that opposition can refine us for an eternal, celestial destiny.

The Savior’s precious words “My son, peace be unto thy soul” resonate with me personally and have great significance for our day. They remind me of His teachings to His disciples during His mortal ministry.

Prior to Christ’s suffering in the Garden of Gethsemane and on the cross, He commanded His Apostles to “love one another; as I have loved you” and subsequently comforted them with these words: “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”

One of the most cherished titles of our Lord and Savior⁠, Jesus Christ, is “Prince of Peace.” Ultimately His kingdom will be established including peace and love. We look forward to the millennial reign of the Messiah.

Notwithstanding this vision of the millennial reign, we know that world peace and harmony are not prevalent in our day. In my lifetime, I have never seen a greater lack of civility. We are bombarded with angry, contentious language and provocative, devastating actions that destroy peace and tranquility.

Peace in the world is not promised or assured until the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. The Savior instructed His Apostles that His earthly mission would not achieve universal peace. He taught, “Think not that I am come to send peace on earth.” Universal peace was not part of the Savior’s initial mortal ministry. Universal peace does not exist today.

However, personal peace can be achieved despite the anger, contention, and division that blight and corrupt our world today. It has never been more important to seek personal peace. A beautiful and beloved new hymn, written for today’s youth by Brother Nik Day, titled “Peace in Christ” declares, “When there’s no peace on earth, there is peace in Christ.” We were blessed to have this hymn just before the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic.

This hymn reflects in a beautiful fashion the aspiration for peace and appropriately emphasizes that peace is anchored in the life and mission of Jesus Christ. President Joseph F. Smith declared, “There never can come to the world that spirit of peace and love … until mankind will receive God’s truth and God’s message … and acknowledge his power and authority which is divine.”

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2021/10/46cook?lang=eng

Looking for and finding Peace in Christ!

Then, Elder Hudnall was asked to make an “Elder run”

The Mighty Change of Heart

The young Elders move between the Honolulu Mission and the La’ie Mission. It was Elder Hudnalls privilege to drive the mission van to Honolulu and back with these great missionaries.

He got back in time for a quick lunch with friends from the Mainland, Erwin and Piilani Purcell at Seven Brothers in La’ie:

What a fun lunch and time with old friends!

Friday, July 11, 2025

Beautiful Sunrise at the Point for the morning walk.

Our friends the feral chickens always along the way:

and then. . . Off to the office and student visits!

Lunch with the missionaries as the campus starts closing off with the new construction underway:

A friend from home has moved to the island for a travel nursing job. I got to drive around the island and meet up with Tracy Mayer!

Saturday, July 12, 2025

And then, a Saturday Annual Island Devotional!

Aotearoa

Last year Aotearoa was our first introduction to the Island Annual Devotionals. We’ve come full circle and we’ve been able to attend all six islands and the Mission Settlement Annual Devotionals. It has been a blessing, one that we got to share with a few visitors who were here on the weekend of their presentations!

We went back to the PAD and hurried with Pday cleaning so we could spend the afternoon in Kaneohe with our friends The Fishers:

Preparing ourselves for the matinee of Jurassic World Rebirth at the Regal Windward Theaters. But. . .

And they were delicious. . . Worth the trip

The Movie. . . I was startled awake a couple of times but made it through it. Then we made a stop at Safeway for groceries and saw this on the way back:

Scary (skeleton) Feral Chicken in Kaneohe . . .

Sunday, July 13, 2025

Our ward meetings at 8am. . .

Back to the PAD for breakfast and FaceTime with family, then worked on this Newsletter. It was a quiet afternoon, And then:

Hope Squad Sunday picnic:

Summer get together between semesters

A quote that I will close with this week is from “The Infinite Atonement” by Tad Callister:

“The Savior’s love was not a love for the righteous only; it was not an abstract love; nor was it demonstrated by one dramatic sacrificial act and nothing more. To the contrary, it was a day-by-day, hour-by-hour, even moment-by-moment love! … Love was exhibited in every conscious, waking moment of his mortal life. Love flowed from every pore, every thought, every act. As naturally and regularly as we seek air, he sought to bless.” (Chapter 15, pg. 159)

I Love my Savior, our Lord, Jesus Christ.

Love,

Elder and Sister Hudnall