May 30, 2013 - Week 3 at the MTC

The package came last Friday finally.

Congrats Micaela on signing up for college, I hope you get the classes you want. Snap, I can’t remember the question you asked me in your email. Oh ya, I’m going to Singapore either June 18th or June 16th, I’ve heard both dates.

Dad, sounds like a heap of fun. Praying for you, hope you get well soon. Can you straighten your knees all the way now?

Aunt Heather and Dad thanks for the info on the fast food places. that’s interesting about the corn. It also makes sense that it’s a chicken place. I guess Malaysians love chicken.

Some other info I’ve learned on food. So apparently the people in Malaysia love MSG. Like, they buy 50 pound bags of the stuff and use it as a spice. Wonderful huh? They also eat this fruit called Darien fruit or king fruit. It tastes different for everybody, some say like fermented fruit, others gasoline and still others the best fruit on the planet.

Now for the BIG news.

We moved to MTC West on Tuesday. We are the first missionaries to do so.

Basically it’s 2 sets of apartment complexes on either side of a street. The one side called Wyview apartments is awesome. It is the residence halls. Some apartments have 2 bedrooms and some have 3, our district got one of the 3 bedroom ones. Point being each companionship has its own room! We also have a kitchen with a functioning sink and fridge/freezer and a nonfunctioning oven/stove. In addition we have a large living area with real couches and chairs to sit on. The only bad part about the new residence is the bathroom. Since there is only one shower we have to split the showers, some taking them at night and others in the morning. The other problem is there is no mat and the floor is always a puddle.

The classroom and dining hall are across the jalan (road) at the Raintree apartments. Our class apartment has three classes in it. The living rumeh (room or house) is the classroom for the 10 Elders and Sisters going to Indonesia. The dua (2) bedrooms each hold one of the Bahasa Melayu (language Malay) speaking 6 strong districts going to Singapore/Malaysia.

The real new dining hall won’t be built until the end of July, so right now the dining hall is the pool house I guess you would call it. Breakfast is cold cereal bagels and donuts. Lunch so far has been ham and cheese type sandwiches, chips and salad. Dinner is the highlight and there is actually warm food.

So ya the classroom is much nicer, we have a whiteboard instead of a chalkboard and we have a window to look out of and open to the breeze. The living arrangements are 10,000 times better. The eating arrangements are the only thing lacking.

The MTC West will operate for at least 2 years, until the number of missionaries either goes down (not likely), or they find a permanent location and build a 2nd MTC.

Right now there are around 130 missionaries here, at its height they expect around 1,300-1,500, compared to the normal MTC,s 2,000-2,500.

We are famous apparently. Look for a story on the church website or Ensign or New Era or Church newspaper thing or something.

I can’t get my stupid computer to let me open my camera files so I can’t send you pictures ughh!! I bought a SD card to USB adapter, but some security setting is stopping me from opening it even if I follow the exact directions on the PC. (I’ll try again next week.)

Our shipping/ mailing address changed!

Elder Matthew Reid Halpin

Jun 18 Singapr
2023 N 900 E
Unit 809
Provo, Utah 84602

Mom, I’ll go see the Doctor. Ugh.

Miss you guys, send me a family picture or something, I totally forgot that!

Elder Halpin