Pictures from Baptism

Kaitlyn wanted some pictures added to her blog. So here ya go!! We are sure missing our Kaitlyn! She is doing awesome though.

The Race

The Race

By: Dr. D.H. Groberg

Whenever I start to hang my head in front of failure's face, my downward fall is broken by the memory of a race. a Childrens race, young boys, young men; how I remember well, excitement sure, but also fear, it wasn't hard to tell. They all lined up so full of hope, each thought to win that race or tie for first, or if not that, at least take second place. Their parents watched from off the side, each cheering for their son, and each boy hoped to show his folks that he would be the one.

The whistle blew and off they flew, like chariots of fire, to win, to be the hero there, was each young boy's desire. One boy in particular, whose dad was in the crowd, was running in the lead and thought "My dad will be so proud." But as he speeded down the field and crossed a shallow dip, the little boy who thought he'd win, lost his step and slipped. Trying hard to catch himself, his arms flew everyplace, and midst the laughter of the crowd he fell flat on his face. As he fell, his hope fell too; he couldn't win it now. Humiliated, he just wished to disappear somehow.

But as he fell his dad stood up and showed his anxious face, which to the boy so clearly said, "Get up and win that race!" He quickly rose, no damage done, behind a bit that's all, and ran with all his mind and might to make up for his fall. So anxious to restore himself, to catch up and to win, his mind went faster than his legs. He slipped and fell again. He wished that he had quit before with only one disgrace. "I'm hopeless as a runner now, I shouldn't try to race."

But through the laughing crowd he searched and found his father's face with a steady look that said again, "Get up and win that race!" So he jumped up to try again, ten yards behind the last. "If I'm to gain those yards, he thought, I've got to run real fast!" Exceeding everything he had, he regained eight, then ten... but trying hard to catch the lead, he slipped and fell again. Defeat! He lay there silently. A tear dropped from his eye. "There's no sense running anymore! Three strikes I'm out! Why try? I've lost, so what's the use? " he thought. "I'll live with my disgrace." But then he thought about his dad, who soon he'd have to face.

"Get up, an echo sounded low, you haven't lost at all, for all you have to do to win is rise each time you fall. Get up! the echo urged him on, Get up and take your place! You were not meant for failure here! Get up and win that race!" So, up he rose to run once more, refusing to forfeit, and he resolved that win or lose, at least he wouldn't quit. So far behind the others now, the most he'd ever been still he gave it all he had and ran like he could win. Three times he'd fallen stumbling, three times he rose again. Too far behind to hope to win, he still ran to the end.

They cheered another boy who crossed the line and won first place, head high and proud and happy -- no falling, no disgrace. But, when the fallen youngster crossed the line, in last place, the crowd gave him a greater cheer for finishing the race. And even though he came in last with head bowed low, unproud, you would have thought he'd won the race, to listen to the crowd. And to his dad he sadly said, "I didn't do so well." "To me you won, his father said, You rose each time you fell."

And when things seem dark and bleak and difficult to face, the memory of that little boy helps me in my own race. For all of life is like that race, with ups and downs and all. And all you have to do to win is rise each time you fall. And when depression and despair shout loudly in my face, another voice within me says."Get up and win that race!"

I was very happy to find this story... It reminds me of a lot of special memories.. I remember the first time I heard this story in a Sunday school class... and also very special memories when I was about to share it with friends of mine that I love. It is always a good reminder to me of Our Heavenly Father's love for each of us. He is cheering us on and hopes that we continue to get up when we fall. I remember sharing this story with my mom... and then through the next few months... she would remind me.. Kaitlyn... Get up and win the race. I love all the people in my life that have helped me continue to get up each time that I fall. In the race I am running now.. my mission.. I've fallen flat on my face.... many times.. but there has always been someone around to pick me up. I have had a lot of memories going through my mind this last week of one year ago.. One year ago on this date I was giving my farewell talk. Getting ready to go to the Mission Training Center... It is incredible to me that I am where I am now.. with only so little time left. I am remembering the many people that helped pick me up along the Journey. I love them.. and I love my Savior and Heavenly Father for allowing them in my path.

I wouldn't trade the race I'm now running for anything. I love my mission. I love the people I have met, and will continue to meet. I love change.... I love seeing the change that comes into peoples lives as they find the Gospel of Jesus Christ!

I hope you each remember just how much your Heavenly Father loves you.....A LOT.

LOVE YOU... Sister Pallas

So... I've been thinking..

I've been using this Blog.. to share my testimony of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.. and to allow myself to think I am keeping in touch with all of you back home..? Which.. I'm not quite sure if anyone reads this.. ;) But I was thinking .. I'm not very good at sharing exactly what is going on in this "...great and Marvelous work.." So here goes my last week as a missionary....

The average Preparation Day...

Get up at 6:15 wash laundry

6:30 - 7 work out at our little gym...(we are spoiled.. we have a gym at our apt...)

7-8 clean a little get ready for the day eat breakfast..

8-10 study study study..

10 - 6 email family, wash car, grocery shop, write letters... Last week we went to Valley Forge National Park again.. because it is such a cool and beautiful place.. it was a little bit cold.. but I was grateful to enjoy the park with all the white stuff all over.. (Snow if you didn't know)

Then we go on to our appointments for the rest of the evening..

Tuesday Night.. can you spell snow...... I CAN S-N-O-W... It was everywhere.. We went to an appointment at about 6:13ish.. and when we came out about 40ish minutes later.. the car was covered with about an inch of snow.. and the lines on the road were nowhere to be seen.. So I did my best to drive home.. I felt like I was in a time warp... all the snow coming at me.. The next morning was fun... I'm not quite sure how much snow fell.. (since we never see the news) but I would guess that it was about 230489'' or maybe like 12'' We have really nice neighbors that brushed off our car.. and then helped us dig out our tires!! Good thing because all we had were our ice scrappers.. (they work good for shovels :) I love our Snow ADVENTURES...

Anyways.. This was the last week of our "Transfer" We call every 6 weeks a transfer.. It is always kinda crazy at the end of a transfer because you find out if you are going to stay in the area where you are .. or go to a new area with a new sister. I was kinda stressed out at the end of this past week.. Transfers were coming .. and I was pretty sure that they would transfer me out of Valley Forge.. (which I was really hoping wouldn't happen) But none the less.. I have been here in this area almost 6 months.. and I was thinking the time was almost up! The call usually comes on Friday night.. well.. it didn't.. So I went to bed at 10:30.. (bedtime!! :0) The next morning our District Leader Called.. said.. "What is your prediction Sister Pallas" I was tired.. as I am most every morning so I replied.. just tell me what's happening.. I don't want to play this game.. hehe.. So he said .. You both are staying! I was so excited and surprised!! But none the less.. I AM SO GRATEFUL TO BE STAYING HERE! At least another 6 weeks!

Sunday (yesterday) was a really good day! We were very blessed to be able to witness a baptism of a sweet woman we have been teaching for awhile! Her name is Arlene.. She has such great faith in Jesus Christ.. She was recently recovering from a brain tumor when Sister Reynolds and I knocked on her door. We started teaching her shortly after that. She was so prepared to accept the wonderful news of the Gospel. I know that the Lord was preparing her through her life experiences. So .. it was an extremely special day to be able to see her come from the beginning (starting to teach) to the new beginning.. (baptism) She was so excited for her baptism and is excited to have another family in the church.. After her baptism she said "I feel as light as a feather" Which I love because.. that is how we are able to feel through following our Savior and using his Atonement in our lives... Through Him we can be made clean.. and our burdens may be made light! It was an incredible blessing to be apart of this great work.

So now .. I am at the beginning of another transfer with my wonderful and caring sister.. Sister SOOLEFAI.. She is the best.. We are learning a lot together and truly seeing MIRACLES..

I hope each of you are well and that you are... going to CHURCH.. saying your PRAYERS.. and READING your scriptures.. CPR... it saves lives.

LOVE YOU ALL..

Seester.. Kait

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!

I am completely overwhelmed..

by the love and spirit of this holiday season... The Season to REMEMBER... remember our Savior Jesus Christ. I have been studying.. In the Book of Mormon recently.. and realized.. the people that were affected by the famines and wars where the ones that forgot there Savior.. Nephi counsels them to never forget the Lord. I was thinking to myself.. "How often do I forget the Lord?" It is a question worth pondering.. "How often do we forget the Lord?" It may not seem very often.. but.. How often do we feel like we can accomplish things on our own, or we are to busy to pray.. or read and study the scripture? It is so important for us to rely on our Savior.. In every thought, in every action. He will lead the way for us.. If we Remember
and follow Him. Those of us who are members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints... even covenanted to ALWAYS Remember Him. This may be my new years resolution.. to Remember more fully my Savior in all things.

So for the Miracles this week:

We had a really good appointment with our investigator Arlene. She is a neat lady and has been reading the Book of Mormon a lot.. every time she talks about it she tears up. She told us she knows it is true and that she wants to be baptized! :) It is so incredible to see the spirit work in peoples lives..

Sally another woman we have been meeting with has been also studying the Book of Mormon a lot as well.. She really desires to come to church.. so first of the year she said she would be able to! We had a member lined up to come teaching with us .. she let us know that her little girl would be coming with her because she forgot that she got out of school early that day... come to find out Sally's grandchildren got out of school early too! The two girls were the same age in the same grade at the same school in classrooms right next to each other! They played and had a good time while we were teaching the lesson! :) It was a miracle.

We stopped by a less-active member of our ward (who I have stopped by at least 7 times since I've been in this area and never found her home) She was HOME! We weren't able to speak to her long but talked to her daughter who lives with her. She was really interested in learning more and so we talked to her all about the BOM and invited her to church! She said she would like to come! I love when I am able realize.... that we are going to places sometimes not for just the people we plan to see.. but for all those in our path.

Also... Yesterday at church there were 4 less-actives and 3 investigators at church! 2 of the less-actives are ones we have been working with! It was pretty great to be able to see them there and I know the spirit was just so strong during the Christmas program.. ... It was the best birthday present ever... :)

I have just recently decided to start reading the BOM over I am excited about it and I am learning a lot.. I got a new blue book.. and Iam highlighting... the verses that have to do with "OUR PURPOSE"... faith, repentance, baptism, holy ghost, and enduring to the end... I'm also highlighting... warnings, and blessings.. and references to the Atonement... The book is new to me.. I love it! I get excited ever day to read. I was thinking about the things we learned in our Zone Conference this week it was all about the Book of Mormon.. We talked about how it is KEY in our conversion to the Gospel of Jesus Christ and how without the Book of Mormon we have no religion! But Luckily we do have it .. and we can read about it ponder and pray about it every single day! So I asked myself the question... "Do I believe that the BOM is true?" YES.. the answer is yes.. So now I am pondering everyday when I read.. "Why do I need this book in my life every day?" "Why is this book true?" It is changing the way I think and they way I study the Book of Mormon. I am on my journey of figuring out why I need the Book of Mormon.. I know that I need it.

I love this Gospel.. Yesterday.. we sang in the choir.. we sang the song "Because I have been given much" Which was the same song that was sung at my mission farewell.. It brought me to tears to think about the words. "Because I have been blessed by thy great love, dear Lord, I'll share thy love again, according to thy word. I shall give love to those in need; I'll show that love by word and deed: Thus shall my thanks be thanks indeed."

That is why we are here... to try our best to show Heavenly Father our thanks to him for all that he has given to us.. Which is so so much. Incredible... So Incredible.

I LOVE YOU ALL! MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

Sister Kaitlyn Pallas