From the Mission Field
Finding Christ in a Cambodian Christmas
I really missed my family while I was serving my mission during the holiday season.
As I biked through the busy streets of Phnom Penh, Cambodia, on a hot, humid day in December, I couldn’t help but feel homesick.
It was Christmastime, but because Christianity isn’t the dominant religion in the country, there were little to no reminders of the holiday season. I missed the glittering lights, the decorated trees, the festive music, and the fresh snow. Most of all, I missed my family.
This was my first Christmas away from home as a missionary, and it was hard.
Homesickness Washed Away
On Christmas Eve, as I said my evening prayer and climbed into bed, I couldn’t help but think of home and the holiday traditions I was missing.
Every Christmas Eve, my family gathered with my relatives for dinner. Then we read the Nativity story as the children reenacted it. After, my mom, brother, and I always put on our new Christmas pajamas and each opened one gift by the tree, and my brother and I would stay up late watching holiday movies and doing some last-minute wrapping.
At first, I smiled as I thought of all these pleasant memories. But then my eyes welled up with tears. I was more than 8,000 miles (12,875 km) away from my family, in a predominantly Buddhist country with little Christmas celebrations. I missed home.
The next morning, my companion and I rode our bikes to church. It was a beautiful, bright, sunny Christmas day. We gathered with the Cambodian members of the small branch.
When the meeting started, we opened our hymnbooks to sing the opening hymn. As we all joined together in “Silent Night,” I was overcome with emotion. I felt so much peace, love, and appreciation for my Savior.
My homesickness washed away.
In that moment, I realized how profound and unique it was to be away from the holiday distractions for the first time in my life. I was able to focus solely on the reason for the season: Jesus Christ. I was in Cambodia serving Him. It wasn’t easy being away from home, but I realized how much it truly was a blessing to be able to put my full attention on the significance of the Savior’s birth.
Finding Christ
Since returning home from my mission, I’ve often reflected on that special Christmas in Cambodia.
Yes, the Christmas season is wonderful, and I still enjoy watching holiday movies with my brother and wrapping presents with my mom. But I now see that it’s easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of the holiday.
Sometimes we forget the real reason we’re celebrating.
So, during this Christmas season, no matter what country we may live in or what language we may speak, I encourage you to take some time to focus on Jesus Christ. Say a prayer of gratitude, sing a hymn, find someone to serve—whatever helps you find and focus on Christ in Christmas.
As President Thomas S. Monson (1927–2018) taught, “As we seek Christ, as we find Him, as we follow Him, we shall have the Christmas spirit, not for one fleeting day each year, but as a companion always.”