Last year Hawaii managed to stay out of the way of five hurricanes. This year we’ve dodged the first one, Hurricane Madeline, which made its way yesterday just south of Hawaii’s Big Island and was downgraded to a Tropical Storm as it passed. Another hurricane named Lester is on it’s way here by Sunday, unless it also changes course and goes south of us. Sometimes hurricanes this close to each other merge and make themselves into huge weather patterns. In any case, we’re probably going to have heavy surf and lots of rain for the next several days.

Nina’s sister Pamela is flying into Honolulu on Saturday, staying through the 11th. She should get here just ahead of Lester’s arrival and may well experience her first hurricane! The probability is fairly low, though.

Today I took down the four ham radio antennas I had up at our previous house. Tomorrow I’ll look at the possibilities of getting a couple of them back up in the air. I’d really like to be able to do some ham radio play in the remaining five months we’ll be here. With the antennas down, we’re now completely moved out of the house on Lanihuli Street. The workmen are making good progress and are saying they’ll be completed mid-November! That would be wonderful if it really happened. The latest report from the Missionary Department in Salt Lake City is that we’ll need housing for at least 31 sister missionaries by late November. Depending on visa processing, it could be a couple more. Unfortunately, visa processing right now by the US Government is incredibly slow and more capricious than it has ever been.

Our new location is near the end of the road and right up against the Kualoa Mountains which bisect the Island of Oahu. Another road continues after the end of our road, but it is blocked off to vehicular traffic. About a half-mile up (and I really mean UP) is a huge fresh water tank. I walked up there and back yesterday for a very nice workout. Today is our Preparation Day, and Nina walked with me this morning. It’s a very nice walk on a paved, well-maintained road with plenty of trees for shelter from any heavy rains.

Up near the top of the road is a nice look out at the Pacific Ocean. This walk will be my morning jaunt most every morning from now on, weather permitting. While ‘buns of steel’ aren’t in my future, weak calves are currently making their presence felt….

This week started a new transfer and two new sister missionaries arrived today from the MTC. None of our sister missionaries completed their mission this transfer. One of our Chinese-speaking missionaries came back from her full field proselyting experience and two have gone out for that experience leaving us with a net zero gain/loss at the Visitors’ Center. The additional sisters later this year will be very welcome as they’ll help balance out the workload. They bring another interesting issue, though. Each of the new sisters needs a seasoned sister missionary as a trainer!

Tomorrow morning we’ll be back at the Visitors’ Center. Our schedules shifted last Monday so we’re now Monday and Tuesday afternoon at the Center, Wednesday as our Preparation Day, and then Thursday through Saturday mornings at the Center. Life is good … so, ta ta for now!