27 pair of sneakers...

Junor was three when his father went to America.  It is normal for families here to split up for America.  It is rare for families to get back together, but when He was five years old, his Mother took his 5 brothers and him to America too.

When you live in Cabo Verde, you sit and talk outloud to neighbors and the star-studded night sky; you move to music that no one turns down; and you wave to everyone on the cobblestone streets in front of your casa.  You don't really know how poor you are, but in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, Junor knew.  At school, he would stare at the other kids 'sneakers' and wonder why his father couldn't buy those fancy gym shoes or nice clothes for him.  If only he could own 'Walkmans',  he would be important too.

His mother told him:  "You have to learn to give things value--You have to value yourself."  He heard those words often but it took 16 years of wandering until he understood them.

He met 'so-called' friends that placed their  'value' on drugs and drinking.  He dropped out of school in 9th grade to hang out with them.  They had Walkmans.   His father gave him a clear choice: go to school or get a job or move out.  He moved out--and in and out-- of places after that.  He was 18 the first time he was locked up for 90 days.  Next, he was caught riding his bike with 18 bags of cocaine and 1 oz. of marijauna in his pocket.  Probation had no value.  Neither did the results of driving his friend's stolen car, or selling drugs.  "You would pray in prison, but forget when you got out."  He should know because of the many times he was in jail, detention, on probation, or in prison.

But, he always called his mother on Saturdays.  And she would say:
"You have to learn to give things value--You have to value yourself."

Inbetween being drunk or locked up, he would try at times to work a real job.  He worked at a gas station for two months.  His brother's wife got him a job at a shoe lace company for 9 months.  He vacumed the hallways at a hotel and 'fixed things'.  Even a cement job once, but, working was hard and when he would fight with someone, the cops would come.  Then there were the  searches, violations of probations, guards, and immigration people to deal with.

At one time, Junor had 27 pairs of sneakers...

He also had 3 children and they would visit "The Pizza King" on week-ends when he was...somewhere.  But, he never really got to be a part of their lives because his green card was taken at age 30, and he and his habits were deported.  His parents sent money...but without family, and with very few jobs on the island, he spent their money on alcohol and drugs.

In August of 2006, he knelt down to pray.  He begged that somehow  he could have help to stop drinking.

"On the last day of August in 2006, I woke up without a desire to smoke or drink.  Two weeks later, missionaries knocked on my door.  They asked me if I had 5 minutes.  I wasn't interested, so I said: No.  Come back tomorrow.

And they did."

Junor was baptized a Member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day-Saints on November 26th, 2006.  He is the Branch President on the island of Brava.  You can only get there by boat. He speaks English and Creole, but Portuguese is difficult.  He is patient, soft-spoken, funny, and kind.  We really like him. He is a humble man who knows that there is no value in having 27 pairs of sneakers.

He still calls his Mother every Saturday (and sometimes in between!)   President Cardoso teaches the young people in his branch, that "you can choose your choice, but Not the consequences."  He reminds them:  "Good ends Good!"  He shares with them that: the scriptures have Value...Family has Value...and life has Value.  He knows.  

"My only regret is that I did not find the Gospel earlier in my life."  Probably  why one of his favorite scriptures is in The Bible in Ecclesiastes Chapter 3.  To everything there is a season and a time to every purpose under Heaven.  His take on it is: "Don't put off the season to make the right choices. The time to change is NOW...This is our season and this is our time, because you never know when it might be too late."

There is a plan of happiness.  "It's like coming out of a jar.  You can't believe you were ever stuck inside of it.  I have a purpose to getting up in the morning...It's like
You have to learn to give things value--You have to value yourself."

and he does...

because he found out that He is a Child of God.

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Remember the worth of souls is great in the sight of God;  

(Doctrine and Covenants   Section 18:10)