MiLinda Hudnall

Monday, August 26, 2024

Well, it finally came. I turned 62 today. I have a couple of videos I want to attach of the grandchildren singing and brightening my day. I hope it works. Friends at the office decorated and a fun lunch.

From Ohio

From South Jordan, Utah

The Ukulele shop showed off their skills with a rendition of Happy Birthday for both of us.

Ukulele Shop showing off

Tuesday, August 27, 2024

Happy Birthday to Greg! Celebrations continue. The best part of any of our celebrations was that we began the morning with a phone call with our Missionary Granddaughter Hermana Gunn who is serving in the Las Vegas Nevada Spanish Speaking Mission.

We were then able to be at the temple.

Oh, what a beautiful morning! For this birthday guy!

Fun celebrating at the office and lunch with co-workers. What fun Hawaii Birthday’s!

Wednesday, August 28, 2024

THE day we’ve been waiting for. Family is coming!!

Then a trip around the island back to Laie (stop at Zippy’s for lunch) and wait for evening!!

They are here:

Honolulu International Airport

The Gunn’s had a couple of delays in San Diego on their layover, but they finally made it LATE Wednesday night. They also LOST their four hours, so it was very late for them.

Missing TWO bags of luggage (they traveled to Long Beach)

Thursday, August 29, 2024

Catch up day!! The FOUR hour difference is a little difficult the first day. We had to make the return trip down to Honolulu for two reasons, oh three reasons. We had to retrieve the two errant bags, we had to make a Costco run (because it was closed by the time the delayed flight made it in) AND Joshua had a baby tooth come out and it was attached to the braces and needed an urgent orthodontic visit. Hawaii Orthodontist saved the Day!!

The first beach (Electric Beach) of the trip

Friday, August 30, 2024

The day started with a trip to the Laie Hawaii Temple. Elise and Joshua were able to be baptized for 4 family names each. It was a magic start of a very full day.

We then changed and continued on with the scheduled day:

At the Falls

And that was just the beginning of the Water Fun:

We moved it along to Turtle Watching at the place on Kamehameha Hwy where the “turtle traffic” is the worst but also called Laniakea Beach.

We made our way back toward Laie and stopped at Turtle Bay Beach for hours of fun and sun:

And more Turtle Sitings

What a day!

Saturday, August 31, 2024

Sherri’s Birthday!! And we celebrated at the PCC – Polynesian Cultural Center. It was a phenomenal day. It begins with a Hukilau Canoe Parade down the Canal. We then visited all the different islands and learned about the cultures and special things about each one individually. Dinner at the Gateway Buffet and finished off with Elder and Sister Hudnall volunteering at the Ask Me spot near the Shaka and sitting on the third row for the “Ha – the Breath of Life” Fire Show.

Sunday, September 1, 2024

Whew, thanks for the Sabbath Day! We had Church, time for a nap, More meetings and then the Mandatory Sr. Missionary Munch and Mingle Potlock Dinner. It was do much fun to attend together and be able to show off family to our Missionary family. Then we ended the day at the Visitors Center and a walk around the temple grounds.

Monday, September 2, 2024

Labor Day holiday day! Starting off the week with our morning walk, joined by grands!!

Quickly moving on to the activities of the day, FISHING

Fishing Farm Hawaii near Wahiawa, HI on the North end of the island. Fishing for Tilapia and being able to eat our catch:

Success and Lunch:

Finishing the Day off with family. Our son-in-law Josh has a cousin, Heidi Burgoyne who lives here on Oahu with her family in Waialua. We met up at Hale’iwa Habor Beach for a day of padddle boarding, snorkeling and fun. Ending with Pasta and an amazing Sunset:

We added in a Mostimoto Shaved Ice for Lunch and an Angles Halo Shaved Ice for Dinner!

What a nice interlude between Summer and Fall for us here in Hawaii. We have LOVED having family with us.

I’ll end with the scripture that we’ve been repeating with this wonderful family each night:

Alma 37:37

“Counsel with the Lord in all thy doings, and he will direct thee for good; yea, when though liest down at night lie down unto the Lord, that he may watch over you in your sleep; and when thou rises in the mourning let thy heart be full of thanks unto God; and if ye do these things, ye shall be lifted up a the last day.”

I testify of the wisdom of this counsel in the Book of Mormon and know that through my focus on these when I begin my morning and night, when I invite the Lord into it with me, I am always Lifted up.

With our Love,

Elder and Sister Hudnall

Monday, August 19, 2024

Today’s Monday schedule is a clue as to what a fully functioning Semester is going to be like on campus?

When we arrived in May, we were at the tail end of the shorter Spring Semester. There isn’t a Summer Semester at BYUHawaii.

I started an EARLY morning with a webinar from the East Coast to help keep up my CEU’s for my license. Then the “workday” started. Meetings at the office, first a presentation to the vice president, move right over to the Office of the Dean of Students and training for his staff. Quick walk over to the PCC (Polynesian Cultural Center) for another meeting with HR and the Employment Team. Lunch was delayed until 5pm.

Then hustle to Ukulele Class at the Heber J Grant building on campus. Whew

Tuesday, August 20, 2024

Back to the regular schedule of being able to walk at 6am (instead of sitting at the computer). We walk the point and off around Laie every morning. I take a picture each morning off the Laie Point:

Then it skipped away from a regular schedule as we drove into Honolulu to pick up our landlord who was returning from Japan and needed a ride up North. THEN, we went into the office and had a “normal” Summer Office day with catch up and paperwork.

Wednesday, August 21, 2024

I guess I really don’t know what a “regular office day is”. Today started out at the “sustainability farm” with brownies and student employees.

We had another presentation this time at the Office of Service and Leadership.

I finally remembered to take a picture from the back

Then Greg did the same thing during my part of the presentation.

Meetings with Faculty preparing for the return of the students and the beginning of Fall Semester. The day had a great finish. We were able to attend the Laie Temple and participate in the updated Endowment Session. There is such a feeling of connection with those that have passed on. We were able to help one of the sister missionaries get some of her family names done before the closing of the Laie Temple. It will be closed for 7 weeks. There is some major upkeep and maintenance jobs scheduled for this down time.

Thursday, August 22, 2024

Fourth Presentation this week. We had the weekly employee training and I remembered again to take a picture.

This is the 30th presentation/training that we’ve held since we have been here in Hawaii. Now, we are ready for September and Fall Semester.

Friday, August 23, 2024

Our Friday Brown Bag lunch that we hold for the Senior Sister Missionaries and the Senior Elders on campus. It’s a way to help the missionaries connect during the week. We each work in different areas on campus and have the focus of that a department all week long.

Saturday, August 24, 2024

What an amazing way to start the day,

Each of the “villages” in the PCC (Polynesian Cultural Center) have a Saturday morning Devotional annually. Today is the Tahiti Village. What a welcome:

What a wonderful theme, presented in three languages. Tahitian, French and English!! The talks and the music. It was so uplifting and inspiring:

These are students from BYU Hawaii that work and learn at the PCC

We ended our day where we started. It was our volunteer time and this week it was at the Hale Ohana Luau! BUT, what a rainy and wet evening. Didn’t even get a photo, too wet, here comes Hone (Hurricane/Tropical Storm)

Sunday, August 25, 2024

Hurricane Hone is “gradually” moving away from the Big Island but will continue to bring gusty winds and widespread rain to the region, the National Hurricane Center said in a Sunday afternoon.
Hone strengthened to a hurricane (https://apple.news/A5vOUrfTCRyedj3zfqSLbHA) overnight as it inched closer to the Big Island. By Sunday afternoon, it was notching maximum sustained winds of up to 85 mph, making it a Category 1 storm, as it hovered about 100 miles southwest of Kailua-Kona.
The hurricane center said Hone is moving west at 8 mph and will continue in that direction for the next few days. A tropical storm warning continues to be in effect for Hawaii County.
The island’s residents could get anywhere from 6 to 12 inches of rain and an additional 3 to 5 inches in south-facing slopes, which can lead to flooding. “Life-threatening” surf can also be expected on
the island Sunday, the hurricane center said.

BUT, the day ended pretty nice. We were stuck inside somewhat and Greg took advantage and baked!! Lemon glazed cookies!

We were able to connect with family through FaceTime and calls today to make for a great Sabbath Day!

We are anticipating a wonderful week this coming one. Family is arriving for a week of wonderfulness. Sherri and Josh and their family and Mindy are ALL flying in on Wednesday!!! Can’t Wait!

We are assigned to attend the 4th Married Student Ward on campus. When we were getting ready for Sacrament meeting I mentioned to Greg that it is nice to attend sacrament meeting without having to participate. This last month we have had multiple assignments throughout the two weekly meetings each week. Whew. . .

We arrived right on the hour and made our way to our seats on the stand. Not having to play or lead!! A few minutes later as the meeting is starting, the bishop comes to shake our hand and tells us that the speakers have not come, can we give talks today?!?!?

We spent the Opening Song searching our phones, Opening Prayer pleading for direction, and the thankfully long announcements and callings working through our phone files for previous talks to pull it together. I’ll end this new trial of a newsletter with the information from today:

Your Great Adventure – The Hobbit

We like the Hobbits use much of our day and energy to obtain comfort in our daily lives. Reach out and serve and learn to “tolerate” the difficult things in this mortal life.

“Consciously keep striving. Learn to love him, and Inspire you to keep His commandments. Remember discipleship isn’t about doing things perfectly, it’s about doing them intentionally. He merely wants you to keep intentionally trying.”

The Hobbit – Elder Uchtdorf – “Your Great Adventure”

https://youtu.be/hhG_SY-LhPE?feature=shared

Love,

Elder and Sister Hudnall

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HUD’s from Hawaii