A Missionary Christmas

This is the second consecutive Christmas we have spent while serving as missionaries in Russia.  We have tried to carry on a few simple traditions this year so that our celebration of Christmas feels a little bit like home.  Last year we arrived in Russia just over a week before Christmas so we barely knew what time it was, let alone what day it was.  In fact, we were reminiscing that last Christmas Day we were asked to fast for a member in the branch.  Seems highly unusual, to be sure, but Christmas isn't celebrated on December 25 here so it is just like any other day.  This year we are a little more seasoned and have decorated our cute two-foot Christmas tree (yolka) and have hung our stockings.  We will eat our traditional Christmas morning egg casserole for breakfast but will fore go the traditional corned-beef Christmas Eve dinner due to a lack of corned beef.  These Christmas seasons in the mission field give us the opportunity to set aside most worldly traditions and focus upon the Christ in Christmas.  

One fairly new missionary asked what Christmas is like here and was told it is like any other day.  In some respects, that can be disappointing.  In other ways, it is a blessing to continue being busy going about doing our missionary routine.  When families aren't gathering together to celebrate, it is less likely to feel like we're missing out on anything.  On Christmas evening, we will all be attending a baptism of a nine-year old girl in one of our branches.  A missionary can't have a better Christmas than that!  We also have the blessing of speaking with our family members.  Having a missionary son serving in the field ourselves, we are looking forward to our semi-annual visit with him.  It is the highlight of our Christmas Day!  Unfortunately for him, he is only talking with us and not with all of his siblings, but we have fun comparing missionary experiences and motivating each other to be the best missionaries.

Of course, we miss being with family; we miss the special Sacrament Meeting Christmas program; we miss the more evident feeling of love and cheer "on the street"...  We don't miss the shopping, the wrapping, the decorating, the hurriedness, the things that can consume our time away from things that matter most.  We are so grateful for the birth of Jesus Christ.  His exemplary life and teachings change lives.  That is the wonderful miracle that He can bring into each of our lives...love, hope, and faith.  That is our wish for all of you - love in your hearts and in your homes, hope for peace, happiness, and eternal life, and faith in Him who makes everything possible.  We know He lives!  Merry Christmas!