Annual General Conference – October 2025
Monday, September 29, 2025
Began the morning driving down the island to Makapu’u Lighthouse Trail:
What a beautiful way to start the morning at 6am so we could be back up to La’ie for our 10am weekly CARE Meeting. We were on our bikes today so that Mindy and Spencer could have the car. Then student meetings, intern class, more meetings.
Dinner was UTAH peaches with Grandma Sycamore Bread/Toast. Mindy brought us some favorites.
We finished our day at Ukulele class. (No pictures). Mindy and Spencer had a sunset beach evening.
Tuesday, September 30, 2025
Devotional Day!
Excerpt from this devotional:
“In my final year, to my surprise, the whole first term of that religious instruction class was spent on the topic of “Mormonism” (as the minister termed it). More particularly, it was focused on the perils of Mormonism and why he said it was wrong.
During the first class, the minister warned everyone about what they should do if they came across “Mormons.” Everyone in the class pointed at me and said, “But Jared’s a Mormon.” After the class, I spoke with the minister, and looking up at me with all sincerity, he told me, “I can get you help.”
In that moment, brothers and sisters, I needed to know whether or not the restored gospel of Jesus Christ was true. Was The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints the Lord’s restored Church on the earth? A moment of reckoning had come in my life. It was a moment that required more than just “[trifling] with the words” of God. [9]
For the next few weeks, I devoured all the books I could in relation to the restored gospel. I read those in the school library. They weren’t very positive. I read those from my father’s mission. Most importantly, I read the Book of Mormon; and as I read the Book of Mormon, I came to know that it was the word of God and Another Testament of Jesus Christ. As I prayed, I came to know that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God, and that this was the Lord’s Church on earth. From that moment, I invited His immeasurable grace, His power, into my life, and the blessings have been incalculable.
Act in Faith, Receive the Miracle
Reflecting on that moment, I realize that I was required to act in faith before the miracle was received.
As Elder Hartman J. Rector once put it, “…the blessings come in the second mile”. [10] In other words, they come after we act. When we act in faith, mighty miracles happen in our lives through His power. This pattern of acting in faith to receive His power and greater light and direction from God, is exemplified throughout the scriptures.
President Nelson has taught:
“Once we make a covenant with God, we leave neutral ground forever. God will not abandon His relationship with those who have forged such a bond with Him. In fact, all those who have made a covenant with God have access to a special kind of love and mercy. In the Hebrew language, that covenantal love is called hesed.” [21] Russell M. Nelson, “The Everlasting Covenant”, Liahona, October 2022”
A wonderful devotional by their friend Jared Ormsby.
We had lunch with Mindy and Spencer, Ken’s Fish Market is a favorite and it was a fun lunch. Then back to work for us and off to the beaches for them!
We got to finish off the day with dinner at Pounders!
Wednesday, October 1, 2025
Early appointments on campus with students that were scheduled six weeks ago.
So, I didn’t get to take Mindy and Spencer to the airport, but Dad was able to. Aloha Oe’
Wednesday Hope Squad is today:
AND
Then we drove back down to Honolulu for a movie night with the Wayts. “Downtown Abby”
Hope Squad Launches at BYU–Hawaii to Strengthen Peer Mental Health Support
October 01, 2025 09:00 AM
News Journalist
Hope Squad, a peer-driven mental health awareness and support program based in Provo, Utah, is now meeting weekly on the campus of Brigham Young University–Hawaii.
Elder Greg Hudnall, founder of Hope Squad and current service missionary at BYU–Hawaii, said the establishment of Hope Squad at BYU–Hawaii represents a significant advancement in promoting mental health awareness among a diverse student body. Students are gaining the skills necessary to engage in informed discussions about mental health issues and challenges within their respective communities and cultures. The initiative aims to systematically reduce the stigma associated with mental illness on campus, one student at a time. Moreover, Hope Squad members are positioned to disseminate these valuable resources within their home community.
The program invites students eager to learn how to recognize when their peers are in distress and provide meaningful support. Participants receive training in identifying suicide warning signs, practicing self-care, establishing healthy boundaries, and helping those who may be struggling. In addition, they support school-wide efforts to educate the student body about suicide prevention.
The initiative comes amid a difficult time for the BYU–Hawaii community, which has experienced two student suicides in recent years. Hope Squad leaders say the program is a response to those losses and aims to build a culture where students feel safer, more connected, and more comfortable seeking help.
Students Finding Strength in Hope Squad
For Nicole Milla, a senior from Guatemala majoring in biology, the Wednesday gatherings have become more than just a class; they’ve become a way of living differently. She said that learning how to spot warning signs of suicidal behavior has carried over into her friendships. “For me, it gave me an opportunity to learn and practice awareness of signs of suicidal behavior, like my friends who are feeling down,” Milla explained. “I’ve seen situations where I’ve been able to use the things we’ve learned in Hope Squad in my everyday life.”
Her experience highlights what organizers hoped would happen: students taking what they learn from the group and quietly applying it in conversations, in hallways, or with roommates who may be struggling.
Sophia Valles, a sophomore from the Philippines majoring in psychology, said she came into the program thinking she already knew how to comfort others. But sitting in the circle of chairs each week, she found that genuine support involves more than just kind intentions. “It’s fun! I’ve learned so many things,” Valles said with a smile. “Before, I thought I knew how to comfort people, but now my knowledge has been broadened, because now I know the proper ways to help a friend in need.”
For some, the program has been deeply personal. Kalela Stone, a junior from Illinois double-majoring in psychology and social work, first came to Hope Squad after being invited by a friend. A single mother raising her young son, she said she was drawn to the sense of belonging she felt in the group. Now serving as the Hope Squad student assistant, Stone said the community has changed how she views connection on campus.
“I think everyone could be a Hope Squad member,” Stone said. “Especially here [at] BYU–Hawaii, where the diversity allows people to have the desire to uplift others and to build that sense of community. There’s just something about having this support system, whether they’re a Hope Squad member or not, that you can feel they’re not judging you. There’s always somebody new and somebody different. We all have differences, but the one thing that the Hope Squad does is that it shows you the things that are the same: we all deserve to have friends, college is already hard enough, and making friends shouldn’t be.”
Together, their voices capture what Hope Squad is becoming on campus: not just a training, but a network of students who see one another a little more clearly.
Voices of Support
James Faustino, dean of students, said the university sees Hope Squad as more than a program; it’s part of a cultural shift. “Hope Squad represents a vital step forward for our campus. We are committed to ensuring every student feels they matter and has someone they can turn to. Bringing Hope Squad here doesn’t just address immediate needs—it aligns with BYU–Hawaii’s mission and vision.”
“I love the name Hope Squad and the feeling it brings. Hope provides strength beyond measure, and Hope Squad reflects that spirit on our campus.” Faustino adds. “Having a peer-led program at BYU–Hawaii aligns with our mission to develop servant leaders who care for one another and minister to those in need. More than just a program, Hope Squad represents a cultural shift where every student knows they matter and has someone to turn to. We believe it will help foster the intercultural peace and unity we seek as a university.”
Sister MiLinda Hudnall, service missionary and Elder Hudnall’s wife, emphasized the global influence of BYUH students. “BYU–Hawaii is a place to make a worldwide impact. The students here spread back into their countries, and the world changes because they have changed, and their interactions and connections have changed. They move this through their families, places of worship, places of teaching, and places of employment. Suicide awareness and prevention can be changed in each location they relocate to with the help of their time on this campus and the introduction of Hope Squad into their lives.”
She added, “If one wants to establish a culture change on campus in the area of mental health and make a lasting impact on the stigma of mental health, it’s Hope Squad. Through this systematic change in connections and interactions, students change the way they see themselves, their interactions with others, and the systematic foundation of their school.”
Kaeo Alo, a clinical counselor and Hope Squad advisor, expressed gratitude and excitement that Hope Squad has found its place at BYU–Hawaii. “It provides a place where students can come to develop knowledge and skills to support friends, loved ones, coworkers, and fellow peers,” Alo said. “I am excited because of the positive impact this program can have on our campus ‘ohana, and also on communities across the world as our students return home to their countries.”
He added that he hopes Hope Squad will “normalize receiving love, support, and empathy from others” and eventually “grow into a model to follow regarding suicide prevention for universities, high schools, and elementary schools across the state of Hawai‘i.”
The Future of the Squad
Elder Hudnall said creating lasting change takes time. “We believe that ‘hope’ is our greatest future with these young people. It takes two to three years to change the culture of a school. I believe the Hope Squad is the beginning of that change. The leaders of this institution are supportive and want the campus to be more united and for every student to feel valued and connected to their peers. Even small acts of kindness can create ripples of positive change that build momentum over time. I hope the impact of Hope Squad on the future will be that more students feel comfortable discussing mental health challenges, asking for help, and being willing to visit the counseling center for assistance.”
Hope Squad meets every Wednesday at 4 pm in the Stake Center Cultural Hall. Students interested in joining can attend any week. As Sister Hudnall described, the vision is that the lessons learned at BYUH will ripple outward: changing lives on campus today, and reshaping families and communities worldwide tomorrow.
https://deanofstudents.byuh.edu/cares-team
This is the area of my focus on the mission
Thursday, October 2, 2025
Thursday Morning Walk
Regular Counseling Center Staff Meeting
Student Mtgs \Visits at the Health Center with Students
More Student visits and trips to Longs CVS Drug for their prescriptions.
District Meeting tonight. La’ie District 2 Temple Night
I had located a family of 11 children, 5 of them had been sealed to their parents, but I found the other 6 siblings. It was a wonderful session of joining this family together forever.
Friday, October 3, 2025
Rainbow Morning Walk
Meetings started early again. Meeting students on campus. Today’s schedule is very full with five appointments back to back, lunch with the Lunch Bunch and then BYU Football at the apartment.
Dinner with the Crosby’s – Jeri’s birthday celebration.
Saturday, October 4, 2025
Conference starts early here Hawaiian time is 6am for a 10am Mountain Daylight Time!!
We drove around the island between sessions
We listened to the second Saturday session in Halawa at our friend Tracy Mayer’s apartment. It was nice to be in a different place for one of the sessions. Lunch on the Leeward side of the island:
Worked our way back around the island
Quick trip but so nice to connect and two more great Conference sessions.
We have the PCC tonight. Shaka and then moved to the Market Place:
Whew, the day is over!
Sunday, October 5, 2025
General Conference, we still get more!
Remember we start here 6am (5:30am Spoken Word)
I count on General Conference every six months. It helps to keep me balanced to be able to listen and rely on the words of our prophets. I enjoyed the World News between the sessions.
I will end with a quote from Elder Kevin G. Brown:
“First, God is a loving Heavenly Father. “Because of His divine attributes, our Heavenly Father gives us every good gift, each with His eternal perspective and vision in mind.”
Second, agency is the gift to choose to act. “Why do we have agency? To choose good, to choose Christ, to choose eternal life — again and again.”
Third, a testimony comes through the power of the Holy Ghost. “A witness from the Holy Ghost is greater than sight. He is the preeminent witness of the Father and the Son.”
A testimony is enduring and should not expire.”
I know that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the ordinances there in are eternal. I am grateful to be sealed in the temple to my husband and children/grandchildren and for the eternal family that we are.
I know that Jesus Christ is my Savior and his sacrifice and suffering are for me. It is the plan of God and I am so grateful to be a part of it and for the knowledge I have. I count on these things and rely on them hourly/daily in my life. I love Him and I say this in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
Love,
