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

 

Dec 28, 2014 - Update from Kuching

I asked about the flooding, since we saw a video of flooding in Kuching on the weather network, and told him he didn't have to hide it

I'm in Borneo. No flooding here. Just in the Malay areas of west Malaysia. No proselyting area in the mission has been affected. Not hiding, it just has no impact on me so I didn't talk about it.

The flooding is in the provinces of Kelantan, Trengganu, a little bit of Pahang, and a little bit of Johor, but not the area where the missionaries are.

Then I sent another email, that started with I don't have a lot to say, and then ended up really long. Katie thought Elder Bester wouldn't read it, so we put a question in the middle to see if he did.

I read all of it!

but when your first line is "Well, I don’t have a lot to say" and you type that much i get pretty scared for next week :P

Anyways, I ran into a investigator I had in Mukah... about 30mins ago that was super cool, she is planning on coming to the Kuching District party this wednesday (her brother lives in Kuching, that's why she was here)

anymore University news? what are all the universities you applied to...?

No more news from universities since probably everyone has been off. I applied to u of a, u of c, UBC, u of Regina, u of s

I wish the world worked on my schedule, and I could know where I'm going to live next year in a timely manner...

It will work out. I think you will get accepted at u of a, with plenty of time to organize stuff. For Calgary, Regina and Edmonton we have family where you could stay as a worst case scenario while we find a great place for you. Don't worry (hahaha so funny for me to say that)

and on top of all of that, I have to re-learn everything, start engineering, and get married :P

You will remember everything quickly, first year is easy, you don't need to get married right away, Dad was 28, just date a bunch of girls and have fun!

and pay for things. :P

and not get fat

money is the worst :P one day i'll be barely out of university, and making a starting wage of 65 000 a year as a starter engineer and I'll be laughing. but until then... (and then I'll be rocking it and in a few more years... i'll have my own firm and i'll be making bank :) )

Just remember who helped you with physics and faithfully write emails when you are rich and famous :)

I asked if they could watch Disney movies on their mission

I've never had time to watch a movie on my mission. So I have no idea. I know some elders in Johor got permission to watch the other side of heaven, but we played basketball instead.

also this is pretty cool, in Montreal! http://www.mormonnewsroom.org/article/montreal-mormon-flash-mob-musically-shares-christmas-message

and you can see my friend from west stake, Elder Al Juels!

also this is a way beautiful picture!

http://www.ldschurchtemples.com/calgary/gallery/

Just checked UBC, they say they make decisions mid – March to early May.

yay exciting :P at least I know that, every 6 weeks I get a surprise here :p at least I know when my surprise is coming :P

Kuching again - Dec 21, 2014

Hey I'm going to skype on the morning of the 26th here, so Christmas night for you all.

Kuching is awesome, I love the branch, I know most of the active members already. There is a family here that just went to the temple, I reactivated them in Kota Sentosa, then they moved to Matang branch (cause they live there...) and they just went to the temple! And now I get to serve with them again!

I got to go to a few members houses in other branches for caroling (haven't seen anyone from Sentosa yet...) but that was cool to get to see members again!

Opposite end of Kuching, like South Calgary, and North Calgary.

Anyways, its been a good week, moving around a ton, my mission has cost the church a fortune :P

Jumpa Lagi,

Elder Bester

Did you have a Christmas program in sacrament meeting?

No we didn't, but we have been doing carolling.

I gave a talk Yesterday on strengthening faith, that was really good, I enjoyed it (I got told about it Saturday night :P)

Dad's lame :P No pictures from Japan!?

So, we sent some pictures

I appreciate that the first picture Dad uploaded was food :P

also, I wanted to challenge dad officially, to a 100M freestyle race when I come home. I won't have swam for 2 years, so it gives him a chance.

Dad says how about a 50?

Nope, Dad well need to work if he wants to beat me in the 100, in the 50 he won't have the same motivation. If it's a 50 he'll procrastinate and I'll beat him by 10 seconds :P

If he gets to work, he could put up a fight in 8 months.

Know what's sad? even without swimming, I'll probably be able to beat all my times when I come home... (except maybe the breast stroke times...)

And sis reeves read your blog and told me today that if someone gets to pick you up from your mission it should be me, which I agree with. But it might be fun to go back, like the summer after, just need to figure out how to pay for it.

remember that it's a way different culture, so if you come, you'll have to endure some things :P

 

I see a mission hasn't changed you as much as I thought! Still trash talking

the change has been in different aspects of my life :P

but for reals though, I think I could beat a lot of my times because my body is stronger... my upper body is better, and my legs are used all day for biking... I think I could beat my freestyle, fly, and back times... just not Breast Stroke... cause I was way good.. and I had technique... that I've probably lost

Anyways Im going!
Jumpa Lagi!
Elder Bester

 

Transfer news - Dec 14, 2014

I'm glad the house is all decorated! That's exciting! You should send some pictures of the house!

We had our Christmas conference this last week in Singapore! (I almost didn't get back into Malaysia because the guy at immigration didn't like how many stamps my passport has, and he said I need to get documents from the church... (but I got in :) )

 I got to be a Shepherd... (not too exciting, they just ask some Elders to sing and be a shepherd... but last year I didn't do anything so that was fun.)

I'm sending home some stuff for Christmas today... so who knows when it will go to Calgary, I have everything in my backpack right now, and I'm gonna go over to a store, find a box, wrap the box, and send it home!

I am living with a bunch of Americans (#mywholefreakingmission) so we play a lot of basketball, I touched the rim with both hands! and I can grab rim! when I was in Mukah I was too fat and I couldn't touch rim any more, so I'm in good shape again.

I haven't played street hockey yet, I've only played a bit of mini sticks, but I mess around with them sometimes. I win a lot at soccer, but mostly kids here play footsal, which is like smaller soccer (I think it's better)

I always find it funny when people complain about Christmas songs and Christmas trees back home, yet in a Muslim country there are Christmas trees in every store, and last year almost every day in Kuching I heard the Boney M Christmas Album playing in stores (How weird to hear that in Malaysia) I've also heard it a couple times in Johor.

I think it's funny that in 'religiously free North America' we have to have "winter concerts" and can't have "Christmas concerst" but in Malaysia muslim kids celebrate Christmas.

anyways :P

Jumpa Lagi!
Elder Brent Bester

 

so my pictures... (the last few weeks that I haven't sent them...) btw still waiting for transfer news

There is a malay kite (we went to the kite museum)

American thanksgiving.

A poorly worded english sigh

(Red building) stake center in Singapore

(white building) Pasir Panjang building in Singapore (also a church)

fyi there are 3 churches in Singapore, and I have only seen 2... but the stake center has 3 chapels, 2nd floor, 4th floor, and one in the mission offices behind the stake center

Chinese guy juggling in Singapore, he was freaking good

More Singapore.

Elder Lallemant from Quebec (English speaking)

Elder Pun (Vancouver) Elder Lallemant (Montreal) Elder Bester... (I hope you knew that one...) (Calgary)

Elder & Sister Boyter, last zone conference, they went home last friday, they were the senior couple in Kuching when I first got to the mission.

I just got transferred to Kuching... Matang branch!

This is so weird! I was only here for 6 weeks!!!! What the heck!

 

Still a malay speaking branch, or maybe you don't know anything about it yet?

 

I helped a family from that branch go to the temple. I know a lot about that branch. It's the opposite side of Kuching though.

I'm with Elder Sessions from my mtc group!

Elder Harr is in Kuching, Elder Chang is in Kuching, Elder Poppelton is in Kuching, Elder Christenen, all from my MTC group

Dec 8 2014 - Testimony

What did you do for PDay?

I called some of my Recent Converts in Mukah, that was way exciting! They are all doing way good :) So that was a good start to the day.

We went caroling yesterday with the branch, that was awesome, exactly what our area needed! We have a baptism coming up on the 27th, she is the niece of one of the councellors in the branch presidency, (10 years old) her parents aren't members (yet... :) ) but she wants to be baptized, so that's way cool

http://www.mormon.org/christmas?cid=HPFR112814529

I'm sure you've seen this already, but this is my little message I have for now.

I've been reading a lot of the teachings of Christ over the last year, and I'm particularly drawn to his life in this month. My message, or testimony, that I have for this week, is that Jesus is the Christ, and he did suffer for every single one of us.

I haven't experienced a lot of this world, at an age of barely 19, there is still much I have to learn, and a lot I need to grow.

But.

There is one thing I do know. I do know, that Christ was born and raised for all of us, he lived a perfect life for all of us, he atoned for all of us, and he was resurrected, so that we all can return to our heavenly Father.

In short, I'm young, and very small in this world, but there is one thing I know, and that thing is that Jesus is the Christ, and through him my weakness can be made strong (See Ether 12:23,26-27)

Also, just a thought, cause I'm coming home in 8+months, if someone wanted to come and tour my mission with me, that would be way cool

yay! ok well I gotta go! I love you all, and I'm excited for Christmas!