Tim's work brought him to Hawaii in the Summer of 2022. He started attending Aiea SDA Church in September of that year. Tim and Kelly were first introduced on October 1st. After a couple weeks of talking at church, Tim asked Kelly about hanging out outside of church. At first, Kelly was hesitant about going out with him but, wanting to make friends, decided it would be nice getting to know him more. The plan was only to get lunch at the mall, but after having lunch together and walking around awhile, she wanted to keep spending time with him. She suggested a hike nearby, so that's where they spent the rest of their afternoon until sundown. They went out together a few more times in October, going to Sabbath afternoon activities, a young adult social, and a fall festival event at church. In November, Tim left on his first deployment, which was supposed to last 4-6 months. During that month, Kelly couldn't stop thinking of him. She realized that she really liked him but was unsure how he felt about her. Due to an incident on his deployment, Tim came back a month later in December and he and Kelly started spending time together again. Kelly eventually told Tim her feelings and learned that he felt the same way. They had some very deep and personal conversations, learning about each other's journeys and struggles in life. A few days before Christmas, Tim asked Kelly to be his girlfriend and they officially became a couple on December 20th. He ended up spending the holidays with Kelly and her family. A year into dating, they both came to the realization that they wanted to be with each other for the rest of their lives. In January 2024, they went to visit his family in Texas. It was his first time being home in almost 2 years and her first time meeting his family. This is when Tim and Kelly started talking to each other about their hopes for the relationship. After coming back to Hawaii, they began making plans for their future together. Tim ended up getting deployed again in June and returned at the end of September, proposing to Kelly the night he flew back. We can't wait to exchange our vows as husband and wife and start our lives together as a married couple. We are looking forward to celebrating with our friends and families!