Blessed to be a Missionary in Cabo Verde

Dear Family!

I love you all! This week i was thinking one night walking back from a great lesson and about to enter the house how amazingly blessed we are as missionaries here in Cabo Verde. I seriously LOVE it here. And sometimes it is hard, but man this week i have seen the lord is blessing us in amazing ways. For example, we have the best investigators in the world right now! Let me tell you about a few of them.

This upcoming week we have 3 baptisms of amazing people. The first two are anilton and rosilene. They are brother and sister. Anilton was really one of those who was searching for the truth. He found us. haha So one day we were talking to our investigators on the bridge... its a place everyone hangs out. And we were inviting them to come to church and they didnt want to come so we kept trying different ways... well i guess this all was for anilton because the whole time he was sitting next to us and looking in and trying to listen to what we were saying. At the end we asked him what his name was.. didnt think much of it and just invited him to church and went about our way. Well luckily the lord gave us another chance because one hour later we were walking down the street and saw him again and he stopped us and asked if we wanted to meet his mom and see his house. So we did and had a lesson with his mother, him, and his sister Rosi! And after that i think we have stopped by everyday for about a month and they are super prepared. They accepted a date for baptism no problem. And by the second visit, anilton already said who he wanted to baptize him. hahaha 

They are really growing. They both had problems with coffee which was hard, but eventually they stopped. Anilton came up to me one day at church and said, "i did something bad today... i drank coffee." He looked sooo sad. So sister kohlert and i just said "how do you feel" and he said "bad" and we said "will you do it again" and he said "no" After that he hasnt drinken since!!

The next person is Maria! She will also be baptized this saturday. She was a great one. She also found us. haha She came to church because a member invited her. She was really searching for the truth. At first she was a little skeptical and said we could only come by once a week... but after a few lessons we are coming by everyday now. haha i love how people change :) She is super adorable and has a little daughter. She has her own house, which she is really proud of and just loves her life now! She had no problems. Just a boyfriend... but we are starting to teach him this week! Maybe theyll become a cute married couple! i would love that. :)

But the greatest miracle ever this week was Romilton! He is also a seeker of truth. we showed up at his house to teach his brothers but he is the one who is continually showing interest. He has come to church two weeks in a row. By himself too! I think that would be hard for me. Not knowing anyone but the missionaries and showing up at church. But the ward members have welcomed him in so that is good. But Romilton was taught the word of wisdom his first visit with us because we were teaching his family. Poor guy... he didnt even get the plan of salvation first. But he said there was no way he would ever be able to stop drinking coffee. he said he has tried once and by 10 o clock he has a migraine. So that was discouraging. So we started from the beginning with him and went back through the lessons. We had a great lesson with him on the power of prayer and the book of mormon and he said he would try not to drink coffee.. TRY. haha Well so we called every morning to see if he was drinking and after two days he didnt pick up the phone. So we saw it as bad news. The next lesson with him he told us he didnt even have  desire to stop... he liked it too much. Without a desire that makes things a little difficult. So we told him to pray for a desire. And during the closing prayer he asked for a desire and after that the miracle happned. The next days we were out of town for zone conference (which was AMAZING by the way... we talked a lot about laws and ordinances and the importance of this lesson for our investigators to see beyond baptism)... but anyway i was going through a rough time so i decided to fast. And i fast for romilton. And other things as well, but i focused on him. And well.... fasting is so powerful. 

The next lessons we didnt even start out by asking how coffee was. we just went into teaching the gospel of jesus christ and focusing on repentance. HE is the one who brought up in the middle how he hasnt had coffee since that day he asked for a desire to stop and he hasnt even felt a headache!!! WOW! Not even a headache! He used to be physically unable to do anything and now... nothing. I was sooooooo happy. Sister Kohlert and i were skipping out the door. hahaha 

But i know miracles happen and i am so grateful for the power of fasting and prayer! It is real. We have the great opportunity no matter who we are, or where we live... to PRAY. And communicate with god. our father in heaven. i love this opportunity and i know it is so powerful.

Keep praying always! :) I love you family! I know this church is true and the gospel of jesus christ is on the earth today in its fulness! Fica drete! 

Sister Johnson 

Going Fishing

Easy Fishing:)

Megan is in the mission field (friend from HS)