Conversion Story of Mariama and Tatima Konteh

Mariama Konteh (64) is from Sierra León and her daughter Fatima Konteh (11).

Baptized October 13, 2018.

Mariama had a stroke a couple years ago which effected her health quite drastically. When the missionaries first started meeting with Mariama it was hard for her to respond very well. In fact it was usually just one word answers. She understood everything that the missionaries were teaching her and she had a testimony that the Book of Mormon was true and that Joseph Smith is a prophet but she didn't know how to voice it. We just felt as the missionaries that she needed tocontinue being taught .

We started to do her family history and she began reading the Book of Mormon every day. Every time we went over she could respond just a little bit more and she was so happy. We wanted to know if it could be backed up by doctrine that she was being healed by the Book of Mormon. We found a talk by Elder Richard G. Scott that states "the scriptures can heal us both physically and spiritually." We just felt that Mariama was going to be healed! It was a tender prompting from the Spirit. 

One day, we were reading with her in 3rd Nephi 17 when Christ heals the people in America and we asked Mariama if she would like a priesthood blessing. She agreed and later that week two priesthood brethren from our ward, brother Goodmansen and James, went over to her home and gave her a blessing. We missed the blessing but went over right after. We sat down to talk and Mariama started speaking in full sentences and laughing! We couldn't help but stand up and dance! She had been healed by the power of God. She was baptized two weeks later and bore her testimony the day of her baptism. She said, "this is the happiest day of my life."

 

She went on to the Philadelphia Temple the next Friday, October 18, 2018 to be baptized for her grandmother. Another man who was baptized the week before was baptized for her father and husband. 

 

Within the following week she had two special experiences in which her husband and father appeared to her in dreams. Her father took her by the hand and danced with her. He had never danced while on Earth. She believes it was an answer that he received the gospel on the other side. 

 

Mariama still isn't completely back to normal but she is getting better. Her story is a living testimony that the priesthood power of God is on the the Earth, that the Book of Mormon contains power and that our family is not far from us and we can be blessed as we do their work.