Tyler (from Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, Russia):

I've jumped ahead in my 2003 journal entry for December to share the most memorable Christmas of my life which I experienced while serving on Sakhalin Island:

Wednesday Dec. 24th, 2003

Yep, its Christmas Eve, or as they call it in Russia: Wednesday. Orthodox Russians don't celebrate Christmas until Jan. 7th and even then it isn't much of a holiday. (New Years is the big holiday in Russia) It is P-Day and I am looking forward to getting some rest. The past weeks have been really busy and we haven't had much time on any of our P-Days lately. It really hasn't been too hard to be away from home this Christmas, because there is nothing here to remind you of the holidays. We have some lights up in our apartment, but other than that there's not much Christmas spirit around town. I am just grateful to be here in the Lord's service and am beginning to feel some of the true spirit of the season as I strive to lose myself in the work.

Friday Dec. 26th, 2003

Well, a lot has happened in the past few days. On Wednesday evening, (after my last journal entry) we got a call from President. Elder Black took the call and I overheard him talking about things such as plane tickets, cab to the airport, get cash from the Kammers to pay for it, etc. From the conversation that I heard, there could only be one conclusion: President Oswald had decided to fly Elder Black and I to Vladivostok for the mission New Year's eve party so that we wouldn't spend the holidays alone on this island.

Wrong. Apparantly there are new visa problems and we have to leave Russia and travel to Seoul every 6 months now for new migrations cards and not just annually for a new visa. Since Elder Black has been in Russia for 6 months on his current visa, he had to leave Russia by yesterday(Christmas) or be deported. So, Elder Black and I had to quickly go and buy a plane ticket so that he could leave for Korea the next morning. He left for the airport alone in a taxi yesterday at 4 PM. Since Elders Harmer and Purcella are gone now and their replacements aren't due until after the new year, this leaves me alone on the island on Christmas with no companion, and E. Black alone on Christmas roaming the streets of Seoul looking for the Seoul mission home since the temple, where we usually stay when visiting Korea, is closed for the holidays. Since I've got no companion, I can't actually get out and do much work and I've moved in with the Kammers until E. Black gets back on Saturday.

It made for an interesting Christmas yesterday. Also, after we returned to the north area apartment where we've been staying until the new Elders arrive, we got a call informing us that the other apartment had been robbed and we had to go to the police station. It is actually a blessing that we decided to move all of our stuff into the north apartment until the new elders arrive, becuase all of our stuff would have been stolen (on Christmas Eve!) Instead, the theives just got the landlady's TV and a bunch of her other crap. We had a Christmas party last night at English Club and had a good turnout. We showed them "Joy to the World" and several people asked to learn more about the church. It snowed again last night and it will be fun to go out and work in the blizzard. I am looking forward to talking to the family today for Christmas. Since we're on the other side of the earth and a day ahead of Utah, it will Christmas morning there even though it's already the 26th here. It has certainly been one of the most interesting and memorable Christmases of my life.