Oct 28 email

The travel was awesome! I'm sorry I didn't call in Hong Kong, but our flight was at a different time, and we almost missed it.

My training companion is Elder Baranov... Chinese with a Russian name :P from the States, he's awesome, he works hard, and he's sangat pandai (very smart) and the two of us together are awesome, he's really helped me.

The first day when I got off the plane in Singapore... in my suit... I'm in the airport and I think "man it's pretty hot here, but I'll be ok" I didn't realize that that was the air conditioned part... so when i got out, i thought I was going to die :P

(my computer died... so i lost like 5 minutes of email time >:( )

But ya it's hot here, but I'm starting to like it here.

The Members here absolutely love me. I was goofy, and charismatic at all the right times, and pretty much the entire Kuching district loves Elder Bester :P

OH YA! IM IN KUCHING! it's awesome! I love it here! it's the biggest city in East Malaysia! (also I'm in an internet cafe... and the guy in front of me is listening to eminem :) )

My mission president is awesome! Elder Poppleton who was in my district in the MTC is in my district here.
Right now there is about 60 people who went to church yesterday in our branch, which is like slightly above average for Kuching. Kuching has 6 branches, which is a ton for Malaysia... and I think only KL has more.
But a lot of inactives, and me and Elder Baranov have a lot of work, but were gonna work hard and do the best we can here
(two trailer park girls go round the outside... right now :p)

Here is the only two pics I have right now, I don't have a way to put pictures onto this camera...

Anyways how is everyone? I'm so stoked, and I'm about to go buy a bike :P

Jumpa Lagi!

Elder Bester

Hey I'm in Singapore!

Hey family, sorry I didn't call from Hong Kong we had to get right on to the next plan, so I didn't have time to make a call, my mission president and his wife are awesome!

 

Not gonna lie, it's really hot... And I was told it was a kinda cold day!

I got to speak in Malay on the whole plane ride from LA to Hong Kong because the people beside me spoke Malay!

 

I love you all,

Jumpa Lagi!

Elder Bester

October 6 Letter

Hey Besters :)

So I hope you guys got all the pictures I sent, it's some of my highlights here :)

So I want to start by saying I love you guys so much :)

The ipod "that I didn't know about :)" was the best thing I've gotten like ... ever :P

I love the music on it, like honestly, opening it was the greatest feeling I've ever had, and I'm super excited to listen to it in the field :)


(as I said in my email, no music dalam (in oops!) MTC)

When I wake up tomorrow I'm a month in! Holy Cow, I've been gone so long!

I emailed Granny Nanny my balloon wish, so she'll probably be crying the entire Thanksgiving, I also sent her a little paragraph to the family, so there will be many people crying :)

I'm starting to accidentally say Malay words when I write ha ha. Obviously only some words as I'm not fluent ha ha.

Well I didn't do this in my last email because I wanted to send pictures, and that takes a lot of time so.....

Questions!

1. Does Padoch still like... live at our house, cause I've openly called him my black brother, and I wonder if he still is... and if he does I'll give him a question too :P

2. In terms of sports...umm what's going on, I mean, Bro. Molcak told me that Calgary sucked this year, and Jordan said Giordano is the captain (and that's awesome) but that's all I know...

3. How is YW w/o me there? Can you guys please put on like the FB page that I love them all, hope they're having fun, and studying lots... and remind them what my email is... :)

4. Hey Troy! Are you better than Jordan at basketball now?

5. Katie! I love the pictures you send, and the crafts, and you are by far my favorite sister :)
ha ha but actually how is grade 6? Any boys....?

6. Luke, are you still leading in fumble recoveries? Is your team gonna make playoffs?

7. JB! Finally a date!

8. Hey mom & dad, thanks a million for the ipod, and everything you've taught me.

I'm sorry all my letters are so short, but I really don't have much time in the MTC and I'm not allowed to write letters on any other day.

Love you all
Take care!

Jumpa lagi

Elder Bester

Oct 17 2013 email

HEY! I got the Charlie brown letter package! That was awesome guys! Thanks so much! I am trying to also finish the whole Doctrine and Covenant before i go to singapore!

I am only on section 60 so I´ll have to read a lot on the plane. I have a picture of my travel itinerary, and i´ll send it to you guys. I can buy a phone card here, and I will call from LAX, I´m just not sure if the times on the sheet are all local times, or all in MST so probably I will call around (Semi colon dosent work because there is no english option on this computer right now, so if you see Ñ it is semi colon) 9Ñ30 MST or 10, but it will be around that time on the 22nd, I don´t have an international phone card, so I wont be able to call from HongKong.

I won´t write a letter this week, because I decided something that would be even better is if i sent my first journal home. It goes up to about the 13th of October, so you guys can catch up on that haha and probably all of my notes as well from my first note book.

Anyways, some cool things to tell you about.

So last tuesday.... the choir sang Praise to the man (for a special reason) and that was one of the most spectacular things I´ve ever done, so imagine 2000 missionaries singing the same songs the MOTAB does, that is how awesome choir is. the broadcast was sent to all the MTC´s all over the world... because...

DALLIN H OAKS SPOKE! OH MY GOODNESS IT WAS SO GOOD I HAVEN´T FELT SO SPIRITUALLY HIGH THE WHOLE TIME I HAVE BEEN HERE IT WAS GREAT OH MY GOODNESS!!!!!!

but ya... it was pretty good...

I have a question, when I am in singapore, can i send letters home to you guys in a big package, and then could you guys send out the letters to friend that I write, cause i write about 5 a week... and in singapore that will cost me $25... and if i sent it to you guys all together it would just cost 5...

Anyways, i love you all, i have 8 minutes left, so I am going to send a couple pictures because that takes a lot of time... and i want to email sonya´s mom in Malay.

Jumpa lagi, saya sayang kamu samua, say barharap kamu rasa bagus dan sayang gereja.

Elder Bester

October letter

Hey Bester Family!

So it sounds like everything at home is wonderful :) It's nice every week to get the emails from you guys, and I always love geting the weekly letter with the pictures :)

Hey Troy! I hope your arm gets better dude :)
I hear that you're really "fun" to watch play basketball (Luke mentioned ADD) and I heard you're super good :)
Do you know how to swim yet? You have to replace me next year, so you can carry the family on your back :)

Katie :) I absolutely loved the craft :)
You have to kick butt at the thanksgiving football weekend, and don't hurt those boys too badly :)
I hope you're enjoying your last year at Simons Valley. How's being the top dog?

Luke! Why did you let the Cowboys beat you by so much :P
How was the Swordfish awards? Did you take my tropies :P Cause your name will be on there soon, you'll be the start of the Bester Dynasty :)
What does your school year look like for sports?

Jordan! Swerve, Swaggy, Yo ish, Yall freeze in this ish, trifecta, beezwheat, yilk silk kilk... "hulk" lucky!
Anyways that's all I can remember at the moment :P
I love you bro, work hard dud, I miss you like cray.

Mom & Dad I'm so grateful for everything you've taught me & given me :)

Well guys I really love the MTC, I'm really going to miss thanksgiving, we can't play football. We can't even play touch rugby! How bogus is that!

Oh Jordan! Guap!

Anyways I love you guys :)

We were told to make sure when you write home to mention spiritual experiences.
So I'll write a bit about what I call "simple testimony"

From week 1, the strongest part of my lessons was always my testimony. For a long time this was what my testimony was.

Saya tahu Kitab Mormon benar
I know Book of Mormon true
Joseph Smith nabi bugi Tuhan
Joseph Smith prophet for God
Geneja Yesus Kristus orang suchi zamm akhir benat!
LDS church true!

You get the idea, basic words, "caveman talk" but there was no sugar coating, no elegant words, pure testimony, and going back to the simple roots has really strengthened my testimony.

Along side has been my Book of Mormon reading, which I'm in Helaman now since I got to the MTC.
I encourage you guys to read the Book of Mormon as much as you can :) I got a picture with Adam like 10 minutes ago... So I'll send that home eventually.

Ima write my testimony in Malay, it's gonna be brutal spelling, so Google Translate might not pick it up ha ha.

Saya tahu Kitab Mormon lebih bethul bahawa semun buku lain. Saya sayang Kitab Mormon, dan tahu Kitab Mormon membonta saya.
Saya tahu gereja Yesus Kristus orang suchi zaman akhir benal, dan saya tahu sudikit atau kecil bahasa malaysia, tetapi saya tahu banyakhal tentang injil dari bapa Syurgawi dan saya sayang Yesus Kristus dan Korban Tebusan nya
Dalam namn Yesus Kristus
- Amin

(So far, here's my translation. Not sure if the problem is the spelling or the handwriting!)

I know the Book of Mormon more bethul that semun other books. I love the Book of Mormon, and I know the Book of Mormon membonta.
I know the Church of Jesus Christ suchi Benal last days, and I know sudikit or small malaysia language, but I know about the gospel of banyakhal Heavenly father and I love Jesus Christ and his Atonement
In namn Jesus Christ
- Amen

I love you guys. Miss you tremendously.

Jumpa Lagi
Elder Bester

ps. Even on pdays I'm super busy, sorry it's only 6 pages. I have so little time ha ha, I might send my journal home before I leave the MTC, I've written around 120 pages... so it will be full before I'm done here

p.s.s Could you send something to hold letters etc in? like a binder...

Thanksgiving Message

Hey family, I want to start by saying that I am having the best time and opportunity I could possibly have, I am learning so much about myself, my beliefs, and hard work. I am still in Provo, but I am leaving to Singapore shortly, and am excited to get to work, and teach in a language that I am finding both challenging and rewarding, as I become more and more fluent.

As excited as I am about my opportunity that awaits me, the experiences I'll have, and the growth, both mental and physical, I still miss my family dearly, and wish you all the best, as I spend my first thanksgiving without the tight family bond, that is woven together every year.

I am going to miss the dinner, the balloons, the pumpkins, and my crazy siblings and cousins :) I'm really going to miss the annual football weekend :)

Best of luck to you all in the next year, and I love you all dearly.

With love, Jumpa Lagi (jewm-paw law-gee)

Elder Bester

Well, as I said in that, I will really miss thanksgiving, and hope everyone is doing fantastic :)

Oct 10 Email

Hey family :)

So I'm running out of time, so please excuse the more frequent than normal spelling mistakes, as I'm trying to fit as much as I can in.  (I fixed them before posting on the blog!)

1st I finished the Book of Mormon yesterday! I started when I got here, and finished last night, so I'm trying to finish Doctrine and Covenants before I get to Singapore.
2nd I LOVE THE IPOD YOU GUYS ARE THE BEST!!!!! IT WAS FREAKING AWESOME! (But I can't listen to it in the MTC so I "tested the speakers" yesterday)

I sent a really long email to granny nanny so I'm out of time.

I'm actually getting kicked off the computer.

I hope you're doing great, I'll write a letter today.

Jumpa Lagi
Elder Bester

Oh maybe it's working again.

I love the MTC, and honestly I have never felt so good, and spiritually involved in my life :) I love the letters, pictures, and various other things you guys send me :)
I've been here for a month as of tomorrow! that's crazy! (also this is actually longer than the email i sent granny nanny)

IT's going to be weird being the only one celebrating thanks giving. I hope you guys have fun, and Katie doesn't beat up the boys too much.

Love you all :)

(The pictures is guys from my zone, not my companions... long story...)

 

 

(and a blurry picture of me and Adam)

 

Me and Al (from Calgary, Jordan knows him)

also what happens if you leave your camera laying around in your class

 

 

 

also I bought an indo hymn book and I'm just sending pics until my companions are done

 

 

MY companion (Elder Harr) locking out Elder Jensen

 

Oct 3 Email

HEY FAMILY!!!

SO today was crazy!! So I'm going to have to write a lot cause I'm running out of time for computer usage, I hope you guys are all doing fantastic :)

I didn't buy any ties because all the ties here are lamesauce! They don't even look cool! Elder Jensen is my companion (you probs know haha) I miss you guys and hope you're having as much fun as i am.

Umm i dont really want to get mike/jordans blogs, i dont have time and i just email them anyways.
It takes three stamps to send things back :P freaking ridiculous American postage :P

I love you guys, and once again...

QUESTIONS!

1) Troy how was basketball!!! do you love it! I hear you're really fun to watch
2) DID I ACTUALLY WIN BOTH OF THE BIG SWORDFISH AWARDS OH MY GOODNESS!!!!
3) Katie, well I've sent you a bunch of emails :P i'm running out of questions for you, just stay away from boys
4) Jordan have you had a date yet? also how's QE? is it weird w/o me there :P do you have Condie this year?
5) Hey mom and dad, you should make sure that the family reads scriptures every night :P I finished Alma yesterday :P

I dont have time... I'll send a bunch of pictures before i leave the MTC. I love you guys, and i keep the pictures of us up in my room :)

Saya menyayangi samua kamu (Probably spelt wrong... I love you all)
Saya tahu  gereja yesus kristus orang suchi zaman akhir benard dan bethul.

Jumpa Lagi!

Elder Bester.

I'll ship out a letter tonight.. or tomorrow