So.. Yesterday

I was able to go to a baptism, which is absolutely the best part of this work!!! It was for a man in my first area (Pitman)!! He has been going to church for like 8 years and never has gotten baptized... his wife and 2 kids are baptized members.. and his little girl bore her testimony one Sunday and after that he knew he needed to be baptized!! He walked up to the Bishop and also the Stake Pres. (who happened to be there that Sunday also) and told them... I am going to be baptized! There were many tears from them and his family. It was a true miracle that I was able to be there!! We had an investigator that said she would take us because she was anxious to see an actual baptism take place!!! I was SO HAPPY to see my old ward members! :) It was the best.. and to see that brother be baptized.. and know that his family will be able to become a FOREVER FAMILY. That is what we are working for.. we are working to create Celestial families!! Forever Families!!

Also this week we had Zone Conference we were able to watch a talk that Elder Jeffery R. Holland gave at the MTC in January of this year.(I was pretty excited to watch it because I had heard about it already from my little brother ELDER PALLAS)...... WOW that is all I have to say... We are here to save and rescue Our Heavenly Fathers Sheep... IF YOU LOVE ME FEED MY SHEEP! My mission president told us that ... just before he spoke at that fireside he had just returned from a trip somewhere in the world and was so busy and exhausted that he mentioned to someone.. I wish I could have prepared more for this talk.... I thought that was pretty neat because it was an incredible talk... I just knew that what he was saying was just what the spirit was instructing him to say and that He was saying what the missionaries needed at that moment. It made me happy to know that my little brother was able to hear it.. and that my little brother ELDER PALLAS is a missionary of the Lord.. in this great and marvelous work! I hope I remember the message that he shared forever.... It was incredible... I am learning that the MOST IMPORTANT TOOL in this work is THE SPIRIT.. combined with the BOOK OF MORMON... I feel so blessed to be apart of this great work. His message was this.. We are all hear to help each other return to our Heavenly Father.. and how are we to do this... We are to FEED our HEAVENLY FATHERS SHEEP.. Our brothers and sisters.. We are to help them in any way we can... This means helping our families.. helping our friends, helping our wards, helping our neighbors... and then SHARING with them the ONLY way we can return to our LOVING HEAVENLY FATHER... that is... Through the RESTORED GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST.

This Work is amazing. IT is the best thing I've ever tried to do in my entire life.. Hard definitely .. but THE BEST.

LOVE YOU LOVE YOU!

Sister Pallas

hmm....

There is never enough time in the world.. ever! But it seems.. this week I may have time to write a little more for you blog people... :) Since I was able to chat with my lovely family yesterday (best thing in the world) I don't have to email them much.. (since I told them everything on the phone)... SO here is a bit of life in NEW JERSEY... or as people here would say... SOUTH JERSEY..

I guess there is a big difference between Northern Jersey and Southern... I have often wondered if people are so specific as to which part of the state they belong to why they don't just make another state.. Like North Dakota.. and South Dakota.. South Carolina and North Carolina... Maybe it's because 50 states is a good number... 51 would just be odd.. I don't know.. But If you are from South Jersey... You are not from New Jersey... hehehe..... So.. I'm now a South Jersey girl... I don't even pump my own gas... haha.. (because is illegal, I hear)

So we cover a HUGE area... Like huge... like just for example. Last Saturday, we had an appointment an hour away from where we live. So far way.. (The appointment went great if any of you were wondering) I can't think of anything better then to teach people more about the great plan that God has for each of us.. That there IS HOPE for a better world.. (Ether 12:4) I love to share about the Hope that can be in our lives as we study and look to our Savior Jesus Christ. He does Bless us when we are doing what we are supposed too...

So... About 10ish days ago we were in missionary meeting.. we like to call it Zone Training... :) Our Zone Leaders gave us a challenge to read the Book of Mormon in 29 days.. (20 pages a day) So.. I was thrilled about the challenge.. (really I was) It is so incredible the stories in the Book of Mormon.. I have been learning so much.. I decided to just highlight references to the Atonement of Christ and also verses that show His Love. ( I have a book full of pink highlights.. let me tell you!) It has been a truly wonderful experience... and anytime I have a free minute I just want to pull it out and read! ... So that is from my reading last night..

Mosiah 24:10-16

10 And it came to pass that so great were their afflictions that they began to cry mightily to God.

11 And Amulon commanded them that they should stop their cries; and he ^aput guards over them to watch them, that whosoever should be found calling upon God should be put to death.

12 And Alma and his people did not raise their voices to the Lord their God, but did pour out their hearts to him; and he did know the ^bthoughts of their hearts.

13 And it ^acame to pass that the voice of the Lord came to them in their afflictions, saying: Lift up your heads and be of good comfort, for I know of the covenant which ye have made unto me; and I will covenant with my people and deliver them out of bondage.

14 And I will also ease the burdens which are put upon your shoulders, that even you cannot feel them upon your backs, even while you are in bondage; and this will I do that ye may stand as ^bwitnesses for me hereafter, and that ye may know of a surety that I, the Lord God, do visit my people in their afflictions.

15 And now it came to pass that the burdens which were laid upon Alma and his brethren were made light; yea, the Lord did strengthen them that they could bear up their ^bburdens with ease, and they did submit cheerfully and with patience to all the will of the Lord.

16 And it came to pass that so great was their faith and their patience that the voice of the Lord came unto them again, saying: Be of good comfort, for on the morrow I will deliver you out of bondage.

I love the scriptures... These verses brought me so much comfort.. They were what I needed to hear from my Heavenly Father.. I know He Loves me and each of you so much. I know that Jesus Christ is our Savior and Redeemer... the Redeemer of ALL MANKIND. I know the Book of Mormon is the WORD of GOD.. It was written for our day. I know that Joseph Smith was called to be a Prophet to Restore these precious truths to us and to help restore GOD's authority back to the earth that we can receive the ordinances necessary for salvation. I LOVE the GOSPEL of JESUS CHRIST. I'm glad to be His representative here in SOUTH JERSEY... :)

LOVE YOU ALL...

Sister Pallas

Lately

I have been trying to comprehend how our Heavenly Father feels about each of us.. I think that he desires so much that we follow Him and His Son, so that we can enjoy the blessings that he has for us.. He LOVES us SO MUCH, and when we choose to not follow Him... He gets sad. I feel sad often for the welfare of the souls of others...

My favorite scripture in the Book of Mormon lately is in 2 Nephi 2:30 "... I have chosen the good part, according to the words of the prophet. And I have none other object save it be the everlasting welfare of your souls. Amen." This scripture was written by Lehi at the end of his life... he didn't care about or desire anything else accept the welfare of the souls of his children and i'm sure his people. I have been feeling that way lately when I look around at the people I see each day.. and all I desire for them is that they will Come onto Christ.

It has been a while since I've "blogged" Sorry about that.. It has been just a whirlwind here in my mission life. There are so many changes in missionary life and I often wonder how we are expected to handle all of it and focus on Our Purpose as missionaries.. But then I realized that ... that this is the way life is... Things for us are always changing, we are changing... and it is SO IMPORTANT... that with all the changes and complications and trials.. and maybe even good things that take up our time.. we don't lose sight of our Saviors Love.. That we don't stop doing the things that are so important... going to Church, Reading our scriptures and saying our Prayers! These are the basics.. and the most important things we can be doing.. These things help us become more like our Savior. If we are doing these things we will be loving and serving those around us and our lives will be filled with happiness.. even JOY.

New Jersey is just a super unique place.. The people here are very special.

I love my mission..

Sister Pallas