There are so many good things happening in the Valley Forge Ward!!

I love serving here. It is such a wonderful place with extremely wonderful people!

I think it is crazy what missions can do for someones life. I have been thinking a lot lately about how much I have learned since I left home. Things that I thought I knew already... I have learned so much more about. The opportunity to increase my knowledge is mine every single day. It has definitely been a huge blessing to learn and grow. To be able to meet people from all over the world and completely enjoy there own unique and beautiful story. I am grateful that the Gospel of Jesus Christ has allowed me to be able to meet these people and feel charity towards them. I love thinking about how the Lord guides us and allows us to be his hands to help others.

We were blessed with the opportunity to attend a fireside last night with Vai Sikahema.. A very well known Sports broadcaster on NBC. He also played football at BYU and for the Philadelphia Eagles. It was a neat experience to hear the way he has shared the gospel throughout his life. I wanted to share with all of you one cool story...

A few years ago... They used to organize church activities for the youth to be able to attend Phillie's games. Brother Sikahema would organize different things to be able to get the tickets.. (for example: He got Andy Reid to throw the first pitch at one of the games) and in this particular experience he gathered about 60 missionaries to sing the National Anthem at the game. The game happened to be with the Chicago Cubs. So during this time at the beginning of the game the players of the teams usually go hang out in the clubhouse... Well there was just one player that stayed back to watch the missionaries perform their song.... Sammy Sosa. After the missionaries were done performing Sammy walked out of the dugout and shook hands with all of the missionaries on the field... Bro.. Sikahema was curious to know why he didn't go into the clubhouse along with his fellow teammates... so he followed him into the dugout.. thanked him for shaking the missionaries hands.. and asked why he stayed. Sammy Sosa answered him... When I was a little boy growing up in the Dominican Republic I played baseball with the Mormon missionaries. He had remembered all those years.. The missionaries had even given him a baseball at one time.

I was so touched by this story.. It is incredible to see how the gospel can be brought into our lives at different time.. Sammy Sosa.. is not a member of the church but he remembered those missionaries. We never know when or how or what will affect others. So we must be kind and loving towards all people.

Because of Love our Heavenly Father created a plan for us to return to Him. Because of Love Jesus Christ volunteered to help Heavenly Father with His Plan. Because of Love Our Savior gave His life for you and me... so that we could return to our Heavenly Father.. SO it will be LOVE that gets us back there as well. We must Love all of Heavenly Fathers children.. that is the way.

Because of LOVE.

Sister Kaitlyn Pallas

Well.. Everything here is just GREAT and COLD and BEAUTIFUL...

I love PA ... I don't really like snow.. (only when I am indoors and it is quietly falling) I don't really like driving in the snow.. But I am surviving! :) Don't worry too much! We are supposed to get a few more storms in the next few days.. I have never quite had the experience of waking up to a lot of snow on the ground.... like I get to experience here..

We had a fantastic week this week! Matt got Baptized!! He was baptized on Saturday! (The snow didn't stop the baptism and didn't keep people from coming either! ) It was a wonderful day! I always love being able to be at baptisms.. it reminds me of the day I was baptized and how important and special the covenant we make is. I am grateful for the Book of Mormon for putting the picture so clear in my head..

We must all get on the path that leads back to Heaven.. How do we do it? But entering in the Gate which is Baptism! How do we unlock the Gate.. with the Priesthood Key.

2 Nephi 31:18 "And then are ye in this strait and narrow path which leads to eternal life; yea ye have entered in by the gate; ye have done according to the commandments of the Father and the Son; and ye have received the Holy Ghost, which witnesses of the Father and the Son, unto the fulfilling of the promise which he hath made, that if ye entered in by the way you should receive."

We must all take this journey in our lives..

We had another women at the baptism that we are teaching her name is Arlene... She is planning and waiting for the day that she too will be baptized!! It is exciting to see people truly feel the spirit of our Heavenly Father and have a deep desire to follow Him and His Son. I love seeing the change in people.. and in myself.

I love my mission and all that it is teaching me!

LOVE: Sister Pallas

Can't believe it is a new year already.

Time is passing by so quickly.. I still have so much to do before I come home. I am very excited about this new year. Our mission president wrote us our weekly letter.. gave us some advice about new years resolutions.. He said make some INSPIRED resolutions.. Not just the same old ones.. make one that will really count. I am excited about the ones of have been thinking about and making. BUT we each have to remember.. that when we don't succeed at what we have made goals to do.. we have a new day.. each day and a new week each week! WE are here to grow and change each day! To do our best to become better. I am learning a lot about that as a missionary..

I just got an email from my little brother Taylor.. (who for those of you who don't know.. is in the MTC.. Write him!! He is getting ready to go to Spain) He was telling me how hard the language is, but how he can't believe how much he has learned since his high school Spanish classes. It's like that for each of us.. We are learning and become better (hopefully) each day and we need to remember how far we have come and how much we have accomplished, and not be so hard on ourselves.

I was thinking about one of my favorite scriptures.. I'm sure I've already shared it with all of you.. but just in case I haven't .. "For with God nothing shall be IMPOSSIBLE." Luke 1:37 When we need help when we don't feel like we are improving.. we must PRAY PRAY PRAY PRAY.. Pray always. I love that I can just tell my Heavenly Father exactly how I feel and know that He is listening, that He cares, that He HEARS what I say and He knows that it is important to me, and it is important to Him. He is literally our Father in Heaven.. I think about how much I know that my earthly Father cares and loves me and would do anything for me to be happy and safe... That is how our Heavenly Father is multiplied by a million. That is pretty incredible. He Loves us.. He wants us to have True Joy.

I am so grateful for the experiences I am having as a missionary.. I am grateful I had the opportunity to be away from the people I care about and love so much, my wonderful family.. at a time that is so special and full of the spirit. The Christmas season that i just experienced is once in a lifetime. I am so grateful for my Savior Jesus Christ.. and that He was born and Lived and died so We can LIVE again.. He lives. I Know that my Redeemer Lives. I know that he loves each of us and provided us the pathway that we can walk to return to live with Him again someday.. and our Loving Heavenly Father.

I love the Gospel of Jesus Christ.. truly the Lord's Kingdom on the EARTH... Love it, Live it, Share it! (mormon.org)

Love you all.. Happy New Year!