The phrase “don’t let them take the a’s out of your aloha” is a modern sentiment emphasizing the importance of retaining the core values of the Hawaiian concept of
aloha. By removing the letters ‘A’, you are left with “L-O-H,” which has no meaning. The phrase serves as a reminder to not let anything diminish or remove the genuine spirit of kindness, love, and respect that aloha represents.
The deeper meaning of aloha
While commonly used as a greeting or farewell, the word aloha encompasses a deeper philosophy of Hawaiian culture that can be broken down letter by letter, as described in the state’s “Aloha Spirit” law:
- A — Akahai: Kindness, to be expressed with tenderness.
- L — Lōkahi: Unity, to be expressed with harmony.
- O — ʻOluʻolu: Agreeable, to be expressed with pleasantness.
- H — Haʻahaʻa: Humility, to be expressed with modesty.
- A — Ahonui: Patience, to be expressed with perseverance.
Monday, September 22, 2025
Welcome Monday Morning. . .
Weekly CARES Team meeting, Student Visits, classes
Rest of the day in Office and getting ready for the week.
Finished the day at Ukulele class:
Tuesday, September 23, 2025
Started early with a trip to Kaneohe to have the oil changed and safety inspection done on the car:
Devotional Tuesday:
“In the October 2024 general conference, President Russell M. Nelson, with love and urgency, invited us: “Brothers and sisters, now is the time for you and for me to prepare for the Second Coming of our Lord and Savior, Jesus the Christ. Now is the time for us to make our discipleship our highest priority…It is neither too early nor too late for you to become a devout disciple of Jesus Christ. … [I]n a coming day, Jesus Christ will return to the earth as the millennial Messiah. So today I call upon you to rededicate your lives to Jesus Christ. … Come unto Christ and “offer your whole [soul] to Him.” [3]
Today I would like to echo the invitation of our beloved Prophet to each of you: “…make your discipleship your highest priority….Come unto Christ, and offer [Him] your whole souls,” and help others also to come unto Christ. If you do this, I promise you that you will feel the Savior’s love more abundantly in your lives, each day. You will have access to His saving and redeeming power to bring about a deep and complete transformation. You will have greater strength to overcome trials, avoid temptation, and learn to joyfully keep the two great commandments.”
Student Meetings for me and a Presentation for one of the Deans for Elder Hudnall. More Student Meetings and Whew the day is done!
Wednesday, September 24, 2025
BUT the day started on campus at 8am for Elder Hudnall and a Holokai Class presentation.
Sister Hudnall started it a little different:
The Blood Drive came to me. On Campus. One of the reminders as you leave the donation site is to “drink lots of water and don’t skip meals”. Not usually a problem so, we ate at the (The Caf) Banyan Dining Center for lunch:
Then over to the Hope Squad Class in the Stake Center across campus (oh, around the entire campus)
Then finished off at the Marriott for “Talk Story”
Thursday, September 25, 2025
In our Employee Bulletin today:
The church’s “The Family: A Proclamation to the World,” a record of eternal truths about marriage between a man and a woman and the creation of families, marked its 30th anniversary. All are invited to learn the gospel doctrine and principles taught in the proclamation, and apply it to their lives. President Russell M. Nelson said, “I promise that as you diligently work to remodel your home into a center of gospel learning, over time your Sabbath days will truly be a delight. Your children will be excited to learn and to live the Savior’s teachings, and the influence of the adversary in your life and in your home will decrease. Changes in your family will be dramatic and sustaining.” Church leaders bear witness that the proclamation can provide strength to individuals, families, and homes.
Bracelet Making for Hope Squad had a booth on the Aloha Plaza:
Sister Hudnall tracking down and meeting with students all over campus, Hale 6 – Hale 5 = meeting in the Stake Center
But ending the day quietly at the temple:
Friday, September 26, 2025
Morning Walk to the Point. Met some relatives of fellow missionaries serving at the PCC, always a fun gathering place to meet people and take pictures.
This is a morning of meetings. Elder Hudnall had a breakfast meeting down by the Marriott, and an uninvited guest poolside:
Then off to campus, the clock in the apartment at 9:30am. Temperature is the same inside and out:
More Student Meetings across campus and drop offs to the counseling center. To rush home to change and back to the PCC to finish the day.
Saturday, September 27. 2025
P-day and I did individual scripture study here at Secret Beach!
We did chores and errands and finished off with our Flu shots at Longs CVS.
Finished off the day with a visit from our friends The Armstrong’s.
Sunday, September 28, 2025
Our prophet Russell Marion Nelson passed away last night.
I know he has led us in the way God has asked of him. I know God gives us latter-day prophets to help us on our path to Him. I am grateful for the seven years we have been able to guided by President Nelson.
We took our landlord down to the airport this morning. We were able to attend Sacrament Meeting downtown at the Hawaiian Tabernacle on Beretania street.
The opening song for the sacrament meeting was “Praise to the Man” and the closing was “Come Come Ye Saints” but it was in Tongan:
And this congregational singing is my favorite kind:
It was the Primary Program. Such a wonderful surprise for us.
It was fun to meet up with another missionary couple from our mission Sister and Elder Lee. Elder Lee had served his young mission in the Honolulu Mission and he had fun stories for us as he took pictures of us in the gardens
And we waited in Honolulu to pick up our real reason to go to the airport:
Then stopped for lunch at Liliha’s and as we start for La’ie, our landlord Dennis called. He had been in and off airplanes and now his flight was canceled and needed a ride back to La’ie. Turn around in Kane’ohe and back to the airport for the third time today!
Made it back to La’ie and hurried off to the La’ie North Stake Center for Mission Fireside. We were treated to Steven and Julie Nelson. Began with a Beautiful Junior Missionaries Choir:
