Nativities!!!

Good afternoon everyone, this week has been crazy but awesome. We will see if I can cover some of it. We were able to go up to Albuquerque this last week for exchanges with the AP's. Which if I'm being honest, driving 9 hours in less than 24 hours is not the most fun thing I've ever done. But I learned so much from it!! It was awesome. There is a lookout in Albuquerque where you can see the whole city and while up there we were able to have such a spiritual experience as we looked back on our missions and looked forward to what is to come and how we want to do better. I love being able to repent and be better everyday! 

So in our mission, each zone of missionaries are doing Christmas concerts. My companion, and another elder in El Paso are part of a traveling group to help the missionaries in the zones practice and sound good. And so I spent 2 days this whole week with my companion, and this coming week, he will be helping the missionaries in Albuquerque so I'm going to be busy down here with all the other missionaries in my zone. But because him and the other elder were gone, I was able to go back to 12th ward, my first area and do some work!! It was super fun and at the end of the night we went and visited bishop. When we were walking up, another missionary said, "what if they don't even remember you?" I said "well that would be embarrassing." Well the opened the door and all I hear is ELDER JACKSON!!! In a very loud scream. I turned to the missionary and said, "nope they remember me." We were able to talk with them, catch up, see how the recent converter there are, and eat some burritos. It was really fun. 

Friday night was the Christmas concert in our zone. So from 6 am until about 5 we practiced and practiced and practiced all the songs. And if I am being honest, it sounded really bad to start out with but by the end, it wasn't the same choir. We performed at a nativity thing the stake was having. Basically each ward gathers as many nativities as they can and set them all up. So I get there was over a thousand activities all set up and all lit up. And then the open it to the public to come in and walk around. So at 6 we had our concert. Which went super good. And then at 7:45 we helped with a live nativity. So I was a wise man and it was super cool to act out the nativity. I'll throw in some pictures of all the missionaries dressed up with Mary, Joseph, and Baby Jesus. Such a cool experience. 

A question that has been on my mind lately is "what's the greatest gift we have been given?" For people it could vary but I am forever grateful for a loving Heavenly Father who loves us so much he sent His son. We have our families, we have football, we have so many things and sometimes we forget that because of Him, we have a plan, where we can have all this joy and happiness. Nothing is possible without him. I'm grateful for the knowledge I have of this. So, what is the greatest gift you have been given?