January 25, 2015 - Staying in Kuching!

Hey! Still waiting for transfer news!

So now I'm the only one from 2nd ward? (also LDS.ORG doesn't list the Merciers as on a mission...)

I'm very impatient for transfers, my desire to e-mail is very low with no transfer news.

You should use this time to write really long emails with all sorts of exciting stories and the time will fly by!

well, a week ago we helped a sister do service, she needed to cut off some branches on a tree.... a very tall tree... so we climbed it and hacked off branches with a machete... while being bitten by red ants... the size of quarters.

Writing stories drives me crazy :P

umm... I went on splits with Elder Harr! (He is ZL in Kuching) that was awesome! We had such a great day talking to each other and getting work done! I love that guy so much, he's so diligent and incredibly down to earth. I think the reason that he always needs to have a companion is so that he doesn't get translated...

We have a baptism on saturday! #hopeidonttransfer

umm... idk... OH YA!

We dug a grave for a former branch president! The Matang Elders with a couple of YSA went out to the church grave yard (1st time) and dug a grave, problem being that the land wasn't cleared to well... so we had a tree trunk in the middle of the grave... that was a pain :P the next day (day of the funeral) a couple members had to go out with a chain saw and get it out before the funeral.

idk... that's been my week :P

my suit should be done tomorrow. Also I found a book binder to make my Kitab Mormon into a hard cover book... so I'm pretty stoked.

I'm still in Kuching! still in Matang, same companion!

Hey everyone! I want to say I love you all and appreciate the Love and support you have given me throughout my mission, and I am sorry I haven't sent any pictures... I'll get a card reader soon and send them all...

Jumpa Lagi!

Elder Bester

Jan 19, 2015 - Funeral

Interesting week, got to meet some lost less actives in our area, so now we have some new people to meet with. Right after sacrament meeting, (District 2nd counselor) announced that a brother (used to be a branch president) had just died, so that through some strangeness into the meetings, then we went to the home (with a lot of members from the district) saw the brothers body (already prepared). They didn't have any temple clothing in Kuching, so he was dressed in regular sunday clothes (but with white pants) That was interesting to see.

The most amazing part of that was the support that came from the district. Members from every branch came to support the family (there is a daughter and a son (19 &20)) (the mother passed away a few years ago) and to be there in their time of need. It was truly Christ like love at work.

We just went to the Sarawak cultural village (as I told Troy) that was cool, but I've seen the culture for the last year +... and it was a little different than what was shown :P

From Troy's email:

I went to the Sarawak Cultural Village today (That is why I'm e-mailing late) that was really cool, they had a show of all the different tribes in Sarawak. There was also examples of houses in villages (which weren't really all that accurate... but that's ok I still liked it) 


#Diplomas! #no_tests_im_on_a_mission #hayoureinschool #cantdoworsethanididinenglish

Wow, Dad's been travelling all over the place. Japan, LA, next he'll end up in Kuching :P

The NFL is always the same 8-10 teams in the semi's, Wow surprise, Packers, Seahawks, Patriots, and Colts :P
 

I go to Singapore in the end of February, but next week I'll e-mail with transfer news!

Jumpa Lagi,
Elder Bester 

also, there are 11 new missions opening up!

Jan 11, 2015 - New Branch President

Hello!

I'm glad you got my package, sounds like everything is going great back home!

Sound like a crazy party house as usual :P

We got a new branch president yesterday! President D, who was the (less-active) branch mission leader in Kota Sentosa while I was there! and now he is active and a branch presdient! Also he is only 24! and his counsellor is a returned missionary, who is only 26, so right now the average age in the branch presidency is 25!!!

Very exciting time in Matang, I'm way stoked, also quick question, would you recommend getting a new suit while I'm here? I don't want to just waste the money I have left... it would probably be about RM700 for a nice one, and I'm wondering if it would be cheaper than getting a new one back home... even up to RM 900 is only $300... but I've only got $2 000 left and I want to have money at school... so I don't know what to do...

I had an interview with President this week! I love Kuching, everything is great :P So funny that I didn't see him for 6 months, and then I have two interviews back to back with him haha. He answered a lot of questions, it was way awesome.

Anyways, off to play some sports today!

Jumpa Lagi,

Elder Bester

I'm glad everyone liked the ties! Did the rest of the stuff make it there safely?

 One of the missionaries who was here tonight is going home in August just like you. And another one was an investigator in Kelowna when Jordan Crowell got there and is now on a mission!  Been out 59 days or something!

THAT IS SO FREAKING COOL!

Jordan is almost home isn't he? When does he return? Also Josh Widdup is almost back right? Like in a few weeks... also Elder Baranov goes home on wednesday! My first companion to go home...

Also there are a few Elders (including my companion) from my group going home on the 11th of August, so they have only 7 months now! I'm running out of time!

 

anyways I'm out of here!
Jumpa Lagi

Elder Bester

 

Jan 4, 2015 - District party

There was a district Christmas party on the 31st, so I got to see a lot of members from all the branches! That was super exciting, got to most the members from Kota Sentosa again!

The Milkshake party! That was so much fun! I loved that party, really good tradition :P No New Years kiss this year though :P

hahahahaha " I think he’s tired, because he didn’t make me type a play by play of all his goals for you. Maybe later."  That's hilarious hahaha

New Years hockey! Man I miss the ward traditions!

How many of the boys made it through all of it (Hobbit / Lord of the Rings movie marathon)? cause I remember doing Harry Potter, and it was just me and Cobi :P

I actually remember that you went there for your 1st anniversary, cause Dad has said some jokes occasionally about that :P

Elder Pierce is a Chinese Elder! I went on splits with him last week, and we went to the Stutong area of Sentosa, so we stopped by a bunch of members :P

I haven't ever been offered that (bat and flying squirrel)... but I would try

Elder Lefontaine (serves in this mission he is in Kuching now, and was in Kuching when I was first here, he's from Detroit and he like the red wings) his brother served in a ysa ward in Edmonton

hope for UofA :)

Jumpa Lagi,
Elder Bester

I asked him how splits worked when they both speak a different language.

My understanding while teaching is good, but that's more because I can watch people and their actions, and a few words here and there, so I know what's going on.

But I just speak Malay or English, depending on the person...

Pretty much I just sit there and say something in Malay every now and then :P

We'll see, I'm hoping for UofA, I honestly think the hardest to get accepted will be UofC because they don't take the ap marks...

I still haven't gotten a SD card reader... so eventually I'll get one and upload pictures.

Elder Bester

 

sorry, about the pictures... I should really get a card reader :/

latest news! (from the mission)

Also if you notice, 370 baptisms... roughly 100 companionships so 12 in a year isn't too bad :P