Sept 26 email

Hey so is anyone going to ever tell me how Troy broke his arm haha (also just so you know, the keyboards are really messed up today, and I cant use a bunch of punctuation like question marks...)

How is everyone at home, I absolutley love it here, and Katie I really loved the craft (cant use smiley faces either) and troy you did 6 laps! that is so cool dude! Since you guys sent me that picture i got to tell everyone here who Terry Fox is! Also I loved the family photos, I have those in my room.

Crazy thing happened today, Adam Strong is part of the first english speaking district on west campus! So I talked to him like an hour ago!!! I was so super excited, also the only other person I know is on main campus (the only one who knows him is Jordan... hes the black guy at the dances named AL) and it has been super cool to run into my friends a few times.

Also I met a guy from Edmonton, and a sister who went to Churchill and knew Kirsten

I went to the temple today, and one of the elders needed a translation so we watched the old video, intresting fyi for mom and dad. It was cool.

There is so much that happens in a week, i could spend the whole hour on this email and I wouldnt (cant use apostrophes either) be able to get it all in. I will probably finish my first journal before i leave the MTC and you guys can try to read my writing about the MTC haha

ALSO!!! There is this thing called Dear Elder, that you type a letter, and it delivers it to my mail box that day and I get it, could you mention that on Facebook for me (although I really liked your last letter of the daily reports... so keep doing that haha, really i just liked moms pictures haha)

Question time haha
1) Jordan how many likes did my final status get
2) Why have you not had a date yet. I had a gf the day after i turned 16 man
3) Could you guys tell Craig I say hi, and could you give him my email I miss that guy, i would love to talk to him haha
4) Troy is your arm ok, and are you liking grade 1
5) Also Troy are you playing basketball yet
6) Katie! How are you doing, do you have your own room yet
7) Luke I dont run into people if you recover a fumble (not really a question but hey whatever)
8) Are all the piniatis (IDK how to spell it... the mexican things in the kitchen) still there
9) is all my stuff still packed, or is it all gone already.
10) How does everyone like the new phones haha.

Well I have to leave out of time.

Jumpa Lagi,

Saya menyayangi Kamu

Elder Bester

 

Elder Bester and companions

Sept letter # 2

Hey I'm enclosing two letters, one for the family, and one is just a quick hello to the YM, could you bring that to the next activity or to Sacrament, IDK when you'll get this.

I'm loving my mission.
Hey TROY! How are you :)
I miss you dude
:)

Saya Kasih Sayany
(I love my family)
Jumpa lagi
Elder Bester


ps I'll write as much as I can on p-days.




Hey family! So I'm writing this day before p-day, so you'll actually get this after my first email.

Yesterday was the most incredible day of my life, it was our first devotional with the entire MTC!

Just looking around as we sat in the BYU Basketball arena with 8000 missionaries was super cool. I've grown to love my calling, my companions, and the MTC. BTW I loooove the food, but I'm skipping a couple meals so I don't get fat ha ha

In the MTC there is still districts & zones, just like in the mission field, but a bunch of Elders & Sisters going to Madagascar left Monday, so now our zone is small. :\
but we have
- 2 Singapore districts
- 1 Greek
- and a mix of Latvia/Armenia
- Madagascar (when we get the new guys)
So our zone & branch meetings are roughly 40ish Elders & Sisters.

Of the Elders, almost all of them are from the USA, but my real buddies are the other foreign kids.

For example, we played a game of soccer the other day, and I got Elder Parch from Wales on my team and Elder Painsu from Australia, it's cool, cause we're all the only ones from our country.

Man I'm super excited about my mission right now! haha

All the Americans keep making Canada jokes, it's funny cause they sound so weird. They all make fun of how I say "bag", "flag", etc, or eh, and there's been a couple times I've said about like "aboot" and they've noticed. haha

I kick butt at gym, and me & my companion baby dunked cause you're not allowed to touch rim or dunk.... I also maybe touched rim anyways... and If I did I maybe touched it with both hands... but we're not allowed to, so.... :)

I got the best calling ever :P
Me & my companions got called as branch music coordinators with me as the head! I'm so super stoked!

In Singapore & Malaysia they use the hymn book titled "Nyanyian Rohani" which translates directly to "Songs Spiritual" and indirectly to Spiritual Songs. However, it's in Indonesian.

In fact, the Bible, Pearl of Great Price, Doctrine & Covenants, Preach my Gospel etc. have all not been translated into Malay yet and we have to use a similar form of language .. Indonesian.

I'll probably fill up my journal before I leave the MTC, and I'll mail that back to Calgary.

Final little note of mine, I figured out how to play my mission tag!!!

I love you guys, hope you're doing great, I'll write more in my email tomorrow that you're going to get before this...

Jumpa Lagi!
Elder Bester

Letter from Elder Bester to the YM:

Hey guys!
How’s Calgary? How was Sunday without me answering all the questions
I’m writing this the day before p-day, so I haven’t received an emails. Also as it isn’t p-day I don’t have too much time to write this so it’s going to be shorter than I like....
The MTC has been a permanent spiritual high, everything is amazing. I’m on West Campus which is the campus with the better apartments!
I have 2 companions and they’re cool guys. I’m so glad I made the choice I did to come out.
Honestly, you get out here and you lose yourself in the work of the Lord.
Malay is easy…ish…kinda. Words are really long though, the Malay Book of Mormon is 300 pages longer.
I’m leaving on October 22nd to Singapore. I can email Thursdays but can get snail mail any day and respond.
I love you guys, sorry this is so short, I’ll email soon
Jumpa Lagi

Elder Bester

Sept 13 2013 Letter

Hey Besters! :P

The MTC is the greatest experience I've ever had! I love it here!

I have two companions, Elder Jensen & Elder Haar! Elder Haar's dad served in the same mission as dad at the same time as him! So I'm supposed to ask if you knew 6'5" Brad Haar.

I love it here, I love a little independence, I have the best zone in the world. My district is like a brotherhood. I've gotten to play opening hymn at our branch meeting, also I accidentally took Luke's swordfish towel. ha ha.

I'm the "Canadian Missionary". Still the usual charismatic, loud, Brent I've always been.

The Spirit is through the roof, I've had my testimony re-affirmed over & over.

I taught my first lesson in Malay this morning, he was a native Malaysian RM. It was hard, cool to know a little Malay though. I understood most of the conversation and was able to stray from the lesson and use the Spirit.

Man this is great! We have an apartment cause we're on West Campus, which is sick.

Well I'll write and email more, this is supposed to be my "I'm at the MTC" letter so I'll fill in more details later.

Jumpa Lagi! (Good bye / till we meet)

Elder Brent Bester

If you send a care package, can you send maple syrup... :)

I miss you all,
Love You Troy!!!
... and the rest of you :)

Elder Bester

Sorry this is quick I'll write again

 

At the Provo temple

Sept 19 2013 email

Hey family!

So I heard you guys haven't gotten any of my... 2... letters yet! So I'll try to cram a bunch into this email.

I love the MTC! I'm enjoying everything! I love learning, and I've already had to teach 5 lessons in Malay... We have our first "investigator" committed to baptism. So I can bear my testimony, pray, and do what Bro. Horman (our teacher) calls cave man talk in order to teach a lesson. I've had amazing experiences here, and have had no doubt about what I'm doing at any moment.

I went to the Provo temple today, AND IT IS FREAKING HUGE!!! they have like 12 sealing rooms! that's insane!!!
and the celestial room was amazing.

I have a really cool bunch of guys in my zone.

OH YA! I have two companions! There are 16 of us going Malay Singapore, and were split into a group of 9 and 7.

I'll probably finish my journal before I leave the MTC so I'll have to send it home so you can read it.