Morgans 20th Letter - Photos

Dear Family & Friends

So this has been a good week. We had Transfer Calls on Sunday.... And..... Me and Elder Shepherd are Both Staying in the Area. Which is Awesome because i am loving it here! and Im Loving My companion a bunch. We get along super well! better than me and my 1st companion Elder Pincock. Elder Pincock is going home tomorrow back to Highland Utah.

Last Sunday our Hot Water Stopped working. I looked around the Hot Water heater to see if i could tell whats wrong. I flipped the switches in the breaker. and Nothing. So all week we had freezing cold showers. It reminded me of when we had Freezing Cold Showers in the 1st Cedar Hills house, because the Electricity wasnt on yet. But Its warm here, unlike it was in Cedar Hills. On Friday Evening a Repair Man came and Fixed the Hot Water Heater. So Now i really appreciate having hot water.

On Thursday i got a call from Sister Scott, she works in the Mission Office. She asked where i was. and I was suprised at the random question that was, then i replied i was in Papakalea. Then she Says Well your supposed to be Getting your MRI right now. I totally messed up what day my MRI was on. So i call the Bishop and rush down the the office. and Luckily they still let me get my MRI even though i was 45 minutes late. Inside of the MRI machine, she had me cross my arms acrossed my chest. and like halfway through my Elbow started burning, like it was gonna melt, like my elbow was being microwaved. I tried to handle the pain but it was too much, so i pushed the emergency stop button, and the machine stopped. Then she pulls me out, and asks whats wrong. so i tell her, and she tells me to lay my arms next to my side this time. so i do that, and No Pain, everything was fine.

We were Walking across a park on Friday. And Some random guy gets off the Bus and Runs up to us. He was Probably 30 years old. He had Shoulder Length Ratty hair. and A Long Beard. He was Haole, which means white. He had really yellow Crooked Teeth, and His Eyes were really blood shot red. His veins in his eyes were all bulging red. He was really Drunk, and High, and everything else. He walks up to us and hands us a bag with 2 Chocolate Milks in them. I thank him. Then he says " you gotta drink them right now while they're cold," then he snatched them back, and says "your not gonna drink them right now are you?" Then he opens one and drinks it. Puts it in his backpack. and Grabs out a White Milk Carton. and says " Here's the really protein, i carry this everywhere with me." Then he was telling us about his Squating at the Gym, and that his stretch marks are embarrassing. Then Elder Shepherd gives him a pass along card, with Jesus appearing to the Nephites. He says "oh Ive read The Book of Mormon before, All the way to Isaiah." Then he Flips the card back over, and looks at the picture. And Says "Oh look its Moroni and Hes grabbing Solomon's by the hair to save Him." Then He asks us where were going and we tell him Papakalea. Then he says "dont go there, those people are fags." "Go up there to Aleva Heights, those chinese people are nice." Then He started Rapping about Chinese people, and when he ate at a chinese restaurant. I was trying not to laugh! Then He points to Aleva Heights and says "we need to go up there and resque all the Mormon Girls. Or else they are going to get kidnapped." Then He says " Look its Captain Moroni up there next to Curtis's house! We need to go up there with him." " Do you see him, hes on the mountain up there." Then we tell him we have to go now, but he wont let us leave. He just keeps talking. So we tell him we have an appointment and start walking away. We walk for a minute and i look back, and hes still staring and pointing at the mountain. It was a really funny experience!

Well thats pretty much everything i can think of that happen this week. I love you all an hope you have an awesome week!

Love Elder Durocher

So on Saturday and Sunday nights all of the Missionaries in the Honolulu Zone were Ushers at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints Christmas Concert! It was super fun. So my job was to stand at the north door and great everyone coming in, and give them a program, and direct them to a seat. It was super fun, i enjoyed it. Then after everyone was seated we got to watch the Christmas Concert. They had a whole Orchestra, Lots of Singers, and Performers, and Dancers. It was an awesome concert. The Place was packed full of people. I dont even want to try to guess how many people came. Probably near 1000+. We also handed out lots of Book of Mormons, and other Material.

Oh Tantembaum..Oh Tantembaum...

Elder Shepherd with his Christmas package

Morgan has a toy Helicopter in his hand

MTC Buddies in Hawaii

Morgan's 19th Letter - Photos

Downtown Honolulu

On the steps of somewhere?

Suicide Shake!

Dear Family

So this week we had a Zone Christmas Party. It was on Thursday. We got there in the morning, and we played songs with Chimes that all made different notes. Then everyone would hit their chime when the Christmas song said it. It sounded really cool and was super fun. Then we Watched " The Other Side of Heaven." It was really funny to watch, because i could relate to a lot of stuff the John Groberg was talking about. Then They gave all the missionaries a little duffle bag, with the mission emblem on it, and a key chain thing. Then everyone had their Interviews with President Dalton.

I have a cool story about The Other Side of Heaven. So In the Movie John Groberg goes to an outer island of Tonga and starts a school. Well i met one of the little kids that was in that school, and knew John Groberg, in real life, not the movie. She is 60 something years old, and shes from Tonga. She attended that school when she was a little girl. Some of her other Brothers and Sisters also attended that school. Her Father knew John Groberg very well. Her name is Sister Richter. She married a White guy, im not sure what her Tongan Maiden name is. But shes in my ward. and It was cool to hear that connection of history.

Sister Richter also told us that The Other Side of Heaven is actually filmed in Fiji. When they starting the production of the movie, they tried to connect all of their stuff ( Equipment, trailors, buildings, all the stuff it takes to make a movie) Into the Power Grid in a small island of Tonga, and It Blacked out the Whole Island. So the Whole island had no Electricity. So the Chief of Tonga said they had to go, and could not film the movie in Tonga anymore. So They filmed the Movie in Fiji instead.

On Friday i went to the Dentist to have them fix my Top Permanent Retainer because it broke again. He Just cut off the part that was hanging down, and put glue over the pokie part. So i guess that works. Haha i thought it was funny how he did it. But its working good now. Dr Mallard did it, and hes a dentist that does missionaries for free. Hes a cool guy.

On Saturday we went to Sister Richters house to do service. We prepared lots and lots of food for the Ward Christmas Party Saturday Night. I made the special Tongan Banana's, they were boiled, and then pealed, cut up, and then covered in Coconut Milk. We also made Mussels, Potato Salad, Sweet Potato, Turkey and Chicken, All of this in very Large Quantities. It was really fun to learn from her. She is a super nice lady. She wrote a book about her child hood growing up, and their are lots of amazing stories she told us that are in the book. Her Father saved a whole island in Tonga, because he stored up a bunch of food, and then their was a Tsunami that destroyed the whole island, so he provided food for the whole island. Her Family was one of the First Members of the Church in Tonga. You should look up the book mom?? Its Called " From Tonga to Zion."  "The Story of Fa'aki Kihelotu 'Alatini Richter or Faith and Prayer." (So i guess thats her Tongan Name). Prepared by Ella Mae Judd. Sister Richter is an amazing person.

We found 2 new investigators this week. I had a really spiritual experience when i was on an exchange with an Elder Miller. We visited one of there investigators. and The Spirit just took over me. I shared a scripture with him from Helaman 5, about building your foundation on Jesus Christ. He really loved him. Then I said some more things to him, and Then i invited him to be baptized on the 29th of this month. It was super amazing and the Spirit was working through me so Powerfully and so strong. The next day, he told me that both of his parents want to be baptized too! It was an amazing experience!

Well i love you all. Happy holidays!
Love Elder Morgan James Durocher

Morgan's 18th Letter

Hello Family This week has been pretty great!

 I got a lot of exercise this week. But i also ate a lot too, so I'm pretty sure i gain weight this week haha! My area is on the Mountain, so everywhere we go is uphill. We have a pretty large area too.  At the beginning of the Week i was loving all the exercise from walking, but towards the end of the week i was hating it haha. So on Saturday we walked around for like 4 hours, walking all around our area, trying to contact all of our Investigators, Former Investigators, and Less Active Members. We have only met a few people cuz we are both new. So this whole week we've been focusing on trying to see everyone. On Saturday we stopped by like 25 peoples houses, in like 4 hours straight of walking, with No success. The person was either not home, or no one answered. It was really lame. We had 1 lesson this whole week. But we did find a new Investigator.

Some guy on Saturday flagged us down, while we were walking down the road. and asked if we could pray for him, because he was having a hard time. So we pray for him. and talk to him. and Then i share a scripture Alma 36:3, that i had found in my personal study that morning. that Says " For i know that whosoever shall put their trust in God shall be supported in their Trials, and their Troubles, and their Afflictions, and shall be lifted up in the last day." Its a super cool scripture that helped me and helped him. The guy was slightly drunk, we could smell it on his breath, and by the way he was talking, and standing. We got an appointment to go back the next day. So we go by the next day, and he says he's better, and he doesn't want us to talk to him, or stop by any more. But it was a cool experience to find a scripture that same day to help him.

Me and Elder Shepherd are getting along perfectly. Like super amazingly well, hes an awesome guy, and we work really well together.

So i Have had a goal since the Beginning of my Mission to Bear My Testimony every Fast Sunday. and So far i have. Yesterday was my 5th time so far bearing my testimony in sacrament. Its kinda scary to bear your testimony in front of tons of strangers, but it went well. It was cool to bear my Testimony on My Birthday.

On Sunday we had 2 dinner appointments. Our first 1 was at the Richters home, they are our ward mission leader. and They made Spaghetti and Garlic Bread my favorite!! They didn't even ask what i wanted for dinner, and i never told My Companion Elder Shepherd that i like spaghetti. So it was an awesome coincidence! Then  they brought out a Birthday cake for me and i blew out the candles. Sister Richter is Tongan, and was telling us stories about back home in Tonga. Her Family was friends with the Guy in the Other Side of Heaven, i forget his name.

Then our Next dinner We ate at the Wongs house. And Guess what!? To my Surprise we ate Spaghetti Again!! :) and garlic Bread! I was totally shocked and in aww. it was really funny!

Then we go home, and a ward member, who is our next door neighbor calls us and tells us to hurry over. We think that there must be an emergency, and she's in trouble, so we run over. and Knock on the door, and walk in, and there's a birthday cake on the Table, and they start singing to me. and they got me a Christmas tree tie, and a box of chocolate. and Groceries. They actually were going to buy a house in Cedar Hills. They were going to Buy the Ethan's friend Michael Perry's house, about 3 years ago. The big house right next to the 3 story park. It was really cool to talk to them about that. I ate so much food on Sunday, i was so stuffed.

I got your Letter in the Mail on Saturday so that was really fun. and a couple letters from friends.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ANNIE!! i hope you have a great 23 birthday!! :)

Well that's all i can think of right now Family.


Love Elder Durocher

Sara here.....as an added note, at home I had my nephew Harris and niece Heidi over for dinner with Ethan and Kwinn and I.  While eating dinner I realized that I had made Morgans favorite meal.....SPAGHETTI!!! And this was on Sunday, his birthday!  I had purposefully made him a cake with candles and sang happy birthday!  Pretty funny!