Durochers Ditally Dot: November 2013

Dear Family,

Definitely an Interesting First week back here in Kona on the Big Island! So Wednesday got on the Airplane, right Next to Elder Dzieman and sister Lebaron! Yup! Elder Dzieman who I saw Born (trained) In this Zone 11 Months ago, and who left Kona Zone the same time as me about 8 months ago. Got transferred back to Kona Zone the same exact time as me! What a miracle! That just never happens, I don't know how i got so lucky! But we were both pretty excited when we figured that out.

So on the Airplane, i was in the isle row, and one of the Flight Attendants stopped and started talking us 3 missionaries. Her name was Jamie and she was in her early 20's Probably. First thing she said is "Where are you getting transferred to?" So we told her which wards we were all going to, then asked if she was a member? She told us she used to be, she was baptized Mormon last December a year ago. But she removed her records from the Church, and left the Mormon Church. We asked her why? And she told us how the Hawaii Kai Ward back on Oahu, had treated her very rudely and mean. Accusing her of lots of mean things, and she had a Boyfriend who went on an LDS mission. He was doing really bad things on his mission, so she broke up with him. She said if that's how he respects and treats his mission, and doesn't care about his mission, he will probably be the same way in our marriage. And i need something better than that, So she broke up with him, and he has been super rude back to her. We Apologized for how He treated her, and how the Ward treated her, and told her no one deserves to be treated that way. I asked if she would want to try another ward out, maybe the Singles Ward? She said she might try it out, and then thanked us for our service as missionaries, and said she knows it must be hard. I mostly talked to her cuz i was on the isle seat right next to her, and the plane was kinda loud so the other 2 couldn't really hear as much, I'm so grateful i had that opportunity to Bear my testimony to her, and to talk to her, and invite her to come back. We found out that Elder Small which is the Elder that trained Elder Dzieman, is the Elder that Baptized her in the Hawaii Kai ward last December.

So On Saturday our Zone came met together to do service at the Waimea Chapel. It was really fun to see some of my old members from the Waimea 1st Ward, and to be able to catch up with them. So we cleaned the Church for about an hour, and then we all drove up to Brother and Sister McMillans House. They live up in a place called Waiki'i Ranch, Its a really nice Property with Multi Million Dollar Homes up there. So Waimea has a club Rugby team, and they wanted to go to a tournament on Oahu. So they needed money for the Flight tickets. They asked Bro McMillan, since he is a Mufti-Millionaire in the Construction Industry, if he would Sponsor them to fly to Oahu. So the Deal was that the Team would paint his house, and he would pay them for it. So Saturday we painted his 7,000 something square foot home. We had between 20-25 guys there, the missionaries came to help out the Rugby team and do service. They fed us lunch, and we finished around 3pm. It was really fun to see Bro and Sis McMillan, they were one of my favorite members to Visit when i served in their ward.

So some Elders told me that Isaiah Casuga who is the Brother of Bishop Casuga, my old bishop, that Isaiah knew Nick from back in Logan. So while we were painting the house, i moved over to help this guy in his 20's. He said Hi Elder, How long you been out? (He couldn't read my name, but knew i was a missionary). So i said about 16 months or so, then i was thinking to myself, Man he looks way Similar to Bishop Casuga, and Even sounds like him a little bit too. So i was like "Is your Last name Casuga?" Hes like Yeah, So i say "are You Isaiah?!" He says Yeah, how did you know that!? So i told him he looks and sounds like his Brother. So then he told me how he Knew Nick from back in Logan, and went to church with him, and lived like 3 houses down the road from Nick. I asked him "if he had a bunch of little kids living there, and if they had a slip and slide outside their house a lot?" He said that was them! So it was crazy that i had seen his kids and nephews and nieces before back when we had visited Nick. So We talked about Nick a little while, then he told me that Nick had texted him to watch out for me. And then He called Nick and Talked to him a minute, then told Nick that he was with Morgan right now. Then he throws me the phone and said to say Hi to Nick. So i talked to Nick for a Minute or 2, and asked how Hayden and Cambree were doing. Then Isaiah had to leave, and i was on his phone, so i said bye real quick and went back to painting. It was fun to talk to Nick for a minute, and hear his voice, and see how he's doing.

So we didn't have a dinner so i asked the Elders who's ward i used to be in, when i served in Waimea and Waikaloa, who they had for dinner. They told Me Bobby Mcclure! A Less Active Family i used to visit every week, and i got really close too. So i text Bobby from their phone, saying " Can another Set of Elders Come? One of them says he knows you." So he replies back " Yeah sure" So we head over their for dinner, and have an awesome Reunion. We laughed and talked, and joked around all night, Just like old times! I seriously had so much fun there, Like the most fun i have had in a while. We ate dinner, talked, then headed home.

Sunday Morning i woke up Sicker than a Dog that got into a box of Chocolate. Saturday I had a sore throat but kept it at ease with Cough Drops, But Sunday was even worse! I had Head aches, My Throat Killed, I lost My Voice, and I Felt like crap. So we texted Bishop that we couldn't make it to church today, and i got some rest, and Was able to Read ALL of Mosiah from the Book of Mormon. Mosiah is probably my favorite story in the WHole Book of Mormon! Well i love you all! Thanks for everything!

I got my birthday package last week but I'm trying to wait til My Birthday To Open it! I love You All!!

Love Elder Morgan Durocher

Nicks response....

I forgot to tell anyone other than Michelle, but I was at the local Yamaha shop and was trying to find a new blade for the rhino. The one along the bottom of the plow. Something called a wear bar. I don’t get many calls on my phone, other than family so it was a little bizarre, but I’m like what! It was a good friend and neighbor in Logan. Do you remember my Hawaiian neighbor in Logan? He lived 3 or 4 houses up the street? Well he called and was like what’s up man? Made small talk and he was like. E Durocher (Morgan) wants to say Hi! I said hello and he asked about Hayden mostly and then Cambree and Michelle. I talked maybe 2 min and he had to go, I imagine minutes possibly on Isaiah cell. I was really happy and excited to talk to him because I missed him on mother’s day. He is just so happy now. He just seemed so close, but so far away. I thought it was wonderful that he got transferred to an area in Hawaii and was with a great friend that took care of some things for me while I was away in the oilfield. I would love to visit Hawaii someday. Unfortunately I don’t think we can afford to go when you guys pick up Morgan. If you end up going. We will see.