Morgan's 9th Letter in 2013 - Photos

Aloha Family,

So another good week out here in Hawaii. The weather has been awesome here. Ive seen a rainbow pretty much every day since I've been in this area. We always see them in Waimea. Its been really windy the last couple weeks. but if i leave a window open though to let the wind blow through, we get dust everywhere. We get like black little dust particles everywhere. I made the mistake of leaving the Bathroom window open for a few days, and it just got coated and covered in the little black dust. It must be from all the black lava rock surrounding us.

This morning for P-Day i got to go and play in SNOW!! :)  At 5 Am our District of 6 missionaries drove up a giant mountain called Mauna Kea, which is the tallest mountain in the world if your measuring from the bottom of the sea where the mountain starts. The Elevation is like close to 14000 feet high, and is the biggest mountain in Hawaii. We got up there and found tons and tons of snow! so i got pictures next to a snowman, and the giant telescopes up there. and we got to watch the sun rise too. The only lame part is that it was really cloudy, so we couldn't see the view of the whole Island, cuz we were so high we were above the clouds, but the clouds were all surrounding the mountain and we couldn't see the Island at all. But it was still so much fun. It was freezing cold up there, i have no idea how cold. We were going to go sledding with body boards/ boogie boards, but ended up not sledding. We were going to visit the Telescope Observatory thing up there, but they didn't open until 10 am, so maybe another time. Up there we ran into Missionaries, the other Zone, Hilo Zone, on the other side of the island decided to go up there too. So that was fun to see them.

On Tuesday we had a teaching appointment in Kohala, which is the most north tip of the Island. Kohala usually has Senior Couple Missionaries, but they had to go back to Utah for surgery, so they were gone for a few weeks. So we covered there teaching appointments while they were gone. We met and taught 2 boys who are going to be baptized this weekend. It was really fun to see that area, its all just lush green farmland, even more green that Waimea. They have a cool beach/coast in Kohala, its all cliffs.

I have just had a lot of great teaching experiences this week, teaching the Marshalese people. To be able to teach so simply and powerfully with the Spirit, that they can understand the message, and feel the Holy Ghost. We are working with a couple named Keoko and Elio, who are really great, and always want us to come over and share a message. They keep promising they will come to church, but haven't been able to make it to church yet. Were thinking of giving them a tour of the church, so they know what its about. and also have their friends invite them to come to church. So we'll see how that goes.

Good to hear about Ethan and him getting his papers turned in this week! How exciting! I cant wait til he gets his call! :) and that's good news from Dr Reichman, I guess I'll try increasing my exercising a little bit and see how that goes. I'm Glad he didn't find any pinched nerves in there or nothing.

  

It was really fun to read the stories of Nick moving to Tooele. I got an account from Mom and an account from Dad, so that was fun to read them both, and get the different point of view from both. I'm glad that traveling was all safe in the snow and slush. You'll have to send some pictures of Nicks house so i can see. Thanks for everyone writing me, i appreciate it a lot. Everyone have a great week!

Love Elder Durocher

Kohala Coast

Marshellese Children

Mauna Kea - tallest Mt. in Hawaiian Islands with SNOW! - Telescope Observatory

Kahala Coastline with daily Rainbows

Snowman on Mt. Mauna Kea

Morgans 8th letter of 2013 - His Photos

Aloha Durocher Family

So this has been a super awesome week for me! I have been in a Tripanionship since last tuesday, so almost a week now, we have been in a group of 3 Elders. My normal companion is Elder Garr. But on Tuesday last week another Elder had some mental health problems, and so he had to go to the hospital. And So his Companion Elder Dzieman (he was training) has been with us for the last week, and we have been training him. It has been so much fun! The other Elder is going back to Honolulu to be close to Doctors, and Elder Dzieman is getting a new Trainer sometime this week. Being in a Tripanionship has been the funnest thing ever though, its so different than just being in a companionship. We have had such a blast this week, and taught so many people. This week flew by like none other.

So Elder Dzieman is the missionary for Waimea 2nd Ward, and Me and Elder Garr are the missionaries for Waimea 1st ward, we have been covering 2 areas and 2 wards for the last week. We have had to cancel a few dinners so we didnt have 2 dinners a night, because that would not be fun. And on Sunday we went to both wards, so we were at the church for like 6 hours yesterday. Elder Dzieman (prounounced Jay-man) is from Virginia beach, Virginia. He is a convert of 1 year and 1 month. He was introduced to the Church by his girl friend. He broke up with her to go on a mission. His parents are totally 100% against the church. They disowned him when he got baptized. But then they opened up and let him come back. They are against him serving a mission, and want him to come home. They havent written him back, or emailed him, since he left on his mission 5 weeks ago. Elder Dzieman thinks they wont email him back or write him back, in hopes of making him homesick and make him come home off his mission. He has a hard time with that i think, but he has a very Strong Testimony of the Gospel. And is an awesome missionary. Im greatful to know him, we have had some fun times.

We have 2 investigators Keoko and Elio who are supposed to be Baptized and Married on Saturday, but they are not ready, so we will have to push the Baptism date back until March. Keoko and Elio are both Marshalese, and have i think 5 children from different marraiges. They are really nice. All of the Marshalese are really nice to the Missionaries. There are a lot of Marshalese living in a housing complex called Noalani Apartments, and we are there every single day for a few hours talking to people and visiting them, and teaching them, and playing with the little kids. The little kids always beg us to play games with them, they crowd to us like 10 kids that just surround us. Its so fun, they are so cute. Most of them dont have any furniture, i dont think they can afford it, plus they like to sit on the ground and sleep on the ground. I'll try to include a picture of some of them.

On Sunday night we had dinner with a member named the Philips. It was really fun to talk to him. He lived in Cedar Hills for 4 or 5 years, building a lot of the new homes there. So it was fun to talk to him and figure out where he lived in Cedar Hills. There are a lot of members here in Hawaii that moved from Utah. Like im sure theres 10 families in Waimea that moved from Utah. They are all over the place. Someone i met Sunday is the Hale's who lived in Sandy, and moved 2 months ago to Hawaii. And then a Visitor attend church that lives in Hobble Creek canyon near Mapleton Utah.

Well i cant think of anything else so everyone have a great week love you all

Elder Durocher

1 more funny thing that happen that i forgot

We were walking to an investigators house, and we walk down a street and theres like 10 little kids lined up and all of them have water balloons in their hands. So we proceed forward very carefully and talk to our investigator, and when were done we walk back to the road and they have us surrounded. So we start like telling the kids to throw it at the other person, and we were trying to convince the kids to take sides, and then they just go crazy throwing balloons at us and chasing us! it was so funny!

This is Me and Elder Dzieman at the Kona Temple on The Big Island

 

This picture is Me and my companion Elder Garr. This is what a lot of my area looks like, really hilly, dry, and dead grass everywhere, and lots of rocks everywhere you look

 

This is Me and Elder Dzieman and all of the Little Marshalese Kids we are teaching

 

                            Me and Elder Garr with all the kids holding up their Jesus Card

 

Morgan's 7th Letter in 2013 - Internet Photos

Dear Family & Friends,

So Today (Tuesday) we went to the Kona Temple, for our Zone temple trip. It was a great experience, im so grateful for the opportunities i have to attend the temple on my mission, because i know a lot of missionaries cant attend the temple in their mission. I felt the spirit more strongly than i ever have doing an endowment session. I had the most wonderful experience in the Temple today. Today we are having our P-Day, and so everyone is going to get together at the Kona Stake center and just chill and hang out.

So my companion is Elder Garr and our ward is Waimea 1st Ward. We cover a few cities though. Our area covers half of Waimea, Waikoloa, and then another city i forget its name. This part of Big Island is just farmland, huge fields of everything from grass, to trees, and to lava rocks. We live in Waikoloa on a golf course, in a really nice condo. It takes about 30 minutes to travel from Waikoloa to Waimea, so we have a lot of traveling to do. Waikoloa is a straight up desert that never rains, and everything is dead. and 30 minutes away is Waimea a super green, rolling green hills, and rains all the time. Elder Garr was in the MTC with me and so we came out together. We get along super awesome and have had some great times together so far.

Today I had an awesome opportunity to participate in giving an Elder a blessing, and i felt the spirit so very strongly, i have felt the spirit so strongly today, it has been an amazing day!

Most of our Investigators are Marshalese people. So we have been working with them a bunch. Its been a different experience working with Marshalese people, but it has been so great! THey are so nice! All of the Kids Swarm us asking us to play games, and give them jesus cards, and show them tricks, and asking for candy! Its super funny i love it!

Well i love you Family, ill talk to you later!

Hawaiian Island Chain

Love Elder Durocher 

Morgan is on the Big Island in the Waimea region

Kona Hawaii Temple -

Golf course at Waikoloa Resort

Yes, this is really Hawaii, in the Waimea area!

Waimea, Hawaii...looks like lots of places stateside!

Coastal Kona, Hawaii

Morgan's 6th Letter & Photos in 2013

Traditional Tie Burning at the 6 month point!  He used Axe deodorant and Hand Sanitizer to ignite it!

So Sunday night we got our transfer calls! Me and Elder Shepherd are both getting transferred out. I am going to Kona Zone on The Big Island, Kona is the Dry side of the Island. Not sure yet where Elder Shepherd is going, because he is staying on Island. I'm super excited to go Off Island, and be able to see and experience Big Island. But im also a little bit bummed were both leaving and White Washing out. White Washing is when 2 missionaries go into the area at the same time, it doesn't happen very often because its hard for the missionaries, because usually one of the missionaries has been there before to show the ropes to the new missionaries, and to tell them about everything that's happening. So me and Elder Shepherd White Washed into our area, Auwaiolimu, in Honolulu, and now were White Washing out. We have 2 baptisms this coming weekend that we will miss, and 1 more baptism the last weekend in February that we will be missing too. I'm bummed to miss 3 of our baptisms that we worked so hard to get. But im willing to go wherever im needed, and happy to go to The Big Island.

Im going to be sending a couple boxes home of stuff I don't have room to fit in my luggage. I have to get everything to fit in my 2 suitcases and carry on, to fly on the airplane. And i have way too much stuff, its funny how you just acquire stuff when our a missionary. Were going to spend tomorrow visiting people in the Ward and saying bye to people, and visiting our Investigators 1 last time, and tell everyone there's gonna be 2 new Elders.

Saturday morning Elder Dorff and Elder Yamashita came over at 6:30 Am and we made Breakfast. We had pancakes, french toast, eggs and bacon. It was really good. and Then after that all of us went to the Tabernacle to go to Investigator Ball. Investigator Ball is where all the missionaries invite their investigators to come play basketball every Saturday Morning. There was like 25 people there playing basketball. I just watched them all play, and then talked to our Recent Convert Steve, and talked to our Investigator Keana, who came with her boyfriend Maka. After that we went to a members house and worked on their yard. About 10 people showed up, including us 4 Elders. We weed whacked, raked, pulled weeds, cleaned up, mowed the lawn, trimmed the tree branches of the mango tree, raked up the grass and leaves, and put everything in big black garbage bags. We filled up about 15 bags full of grass weeds and leaves. It was really fun, and it went really fast with that much help. 

At Walmart today we met someone from Pleasant Grove Utah, i forgot there name though. Its really fun to see members from back home in Utah. 

This Sunday was Ward Conference. All the Stake Leaders came, and we had meetings with them. After church there was a little informal luncheon, for the Stake Leaders, Ward Leaders, and Recent Converts and Less Actives that the Bishop invited. Bishop invited 15 people but only 1 person, Steve, came. The food was good and we got to take home the left overs. 

Well that's all i can think of, Love you all. Those pictures of shooting guns at the range were really cool. Mikes AR-15 must be new cuz I didn't know he had one, and never saw it. What gun was David shooting? I swear that gun looks like Dads.

Love You all - Elder Durocher