DOCSLIB.ORG

The Autobiography of Anders Persson Lofgren

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
The Autobiography of Anders Persson Lofgren Excerpt from - The Autobiography of Anders Persson Lofgren - Translated by Carl-Erik Johansson, a Swedish translator from the LDS Church Genealogical Department in the late 1940's. The original autobiography is in the possession of the Utah State Historical Society, along with the English translation. This excerpt, and added subtitles comes from A Simple Faith: Anders Persson Lofgren, Swedish Son - Mormon Immigrant, compiled by Benjamin E. Lofgren, pgs. 32 - 35, published by Anders Lofgren Family Organization, Salt Lake City, Utah 1996. Introduction to Mormonism On November 19, 1857 we were again blessed with a child, a daughter, christened Selia. Here I want to tell an incident that happened between me and the nurse. It was about Mormonism. At this time there was much talked in our neighborhood about the Mormons who walked around preaching repentance to the people and baptism for the redemption of sins. She said that they were false prophets, etc. I had a different opinion about them. I said that there could not be any falsehood in people repenting of their sins. I brought out my Bible and she showed that there would be false Christs etc. and I showed her the interpretation of "Nebkadnesar's" dream. I showed her that infant baptism could not be right etc. When I went out to take care of the animals she told my wife to be careful with me and to withstand me with all her power, otherwise I would become a Mormon within 2 years. My wife who was so sick did not care for anything else than to have the pains relieved and the child born, and the nurse did everything in that respect to help her and the child. Time passed and they talked about the Mormons and I felt desire to see and hear one of them, but it took a year and a half before I got the opportunity. Kjersti forgot everything the nurse had told her about watching out for me and the Mormons. In the spring of 1859 there came a Mormon to our house who was a son of a widow who lived in the same house as we did in a room by herself. He came to see his mother and at this occasion he came into our home and wanted to sell some tracts and books etc. A strange feeling came over me even though I knew the man before he joined the Mormons. He took out some books he wanted to sell and I at once excused me saying I had no money. I cannot explain the strange feeling in any other way than it must have been the influence of a devil or evil spirit, that wanted to keep me from hearing the truth when he entered our home. We did not buy any tracts and when he left he gave us a "Skandinaviens Stjerne (Star)." When he left and the strange feelings I had had left I took the Star and read it which was very difficult for me as it was printed in Danish and I did not read that language. But I did my best and I understood that there was nothing evil in it and soon the same feelings returned as I had when I was talking to the midwife or nurse. I am going a little too fast in my story about Mormonism. One day it happened (before this Mormon had been in our house) that Parnila (the sister of Kjersti) visited us. If there was anything on the tongue to talk about it was Mormonism. Parnila was as "hard" an enemy against the Mormons as the midwife. The Bible was always my arms in the battle with them and they had to flee. Parnila did not use any other weapon than her tongue and it was very hard to withstand sometimes. Finally she became mad and ended it with a word I will not mention here. Visits by the Elders After the first Mormon had been in our house it did not take long until the next one came. The second Mormon Elder that visited us was Jons Jonsson, the first one being Nils Bondesson. J. Jonsson laid a foundation that was safe to build on. The foundation I myself had started to build, could not be used to build on, it started to crumble when N. Bondesson wanted to build on it and help me complete the building. A Sunday morning in April 1859 my wife and I were ready to go to our Lutheran Church as usual on a Sunday. We went to Church often. At this occasion J. Jonsson came and told us that there would be a Mormon meeting at Qvarlof if we wanted to go there. I was ready at once and told Kjersti that she could go to Church if she wanted to, but she answered that she wanted to go where I went. Thus we went with J. Jonsson. When we arrived there were no more than 3 or 4 persons besides those who lived there. There was a misunderstanding among them about the meeting. There was a traveling Elder by the name of Nils Rosengren, a young man about 18 or 19. We noticed because he looked so innocent. He started to talk to us about the necessity of obeying the true and everlasting Gospel, that again had been given to earth. He spoke many things that made impression on our minds, they sang together which made still deeper impression on us, especially on Kjersti, she started to weep while they sang. Touched by the Spirit After the song a couple Mormon sisters came up and asked my wife why she was weeping. My wife and one of them had been neighbors in their childhood. She asked if Kjersti was dissatisfied with her marriage, if her husband mistreated her etc. Kjersti answered no, she had as good a husband as she could find, the reason she cried was that she thought we were so simple compared to them, for their speech and songs had made a wonderful impression upon her heart. Here the Mormonism was imprinted so hard on my wife's heart that it could not be erased. I also confess that I was deeply impressed by the spirit these people possessed. Nearly 3 hours passed and we did not notice it. We thanked for the teachings we had received and went home. After this I saw something new in our house. My wife put the Bible beside her when she was weaving and now and then she picked it up to see if she could find some confirmation of her faith in Mormonism, but what more could she find than she already had found. After our visit to Qvarlof we did not need to wait too long for the Mormons, for they came to see that the candle that was burning in our heart would not pass out. My light was not shining as bright as it ought to, but it increased a little every time an Elder visited us. Persecution Begins Soon the rumor went around that the Mormon vagrants were visiting us. People began to look down upon us. Our earlier good neighbors and friends began to look at us with hatred in their eyes. A very rich farmer for whom my wife and I had worked a lot looked down upon us very bitterly and would not employ us any more. One day when I was away working a neighbor, our closest one, came in to my wife and abused her in the simplest way you can imagine. When I came home Kjersti was crying and I asked her why and she told me what had happened just before I came home. I got mad when she told me how shameful he had been and wanted to go over and give him a licking, but I just left the house when a Mormon Elder (J. Jonsson) came and asked me what I was going to do and I told him. He convinced me not to do it. This man was for me like the angel that stood in the way of Balaam, with the exception that Balaam could not see him, as I could see the one that prevented me from walking in a forbidden path. Brother Jonsson did not use any other weapon than the word from the Scripture and with this he soon got me into my house and my wrath soon disappeared. Jonsson told us that we could read in the Scripture that Jesus, His Apostles and the Saints in those days had to suffer persecution for the sake of the Gospel. He comforted us saying, that if we would obey the Gospel and endure to the end we would have an eternal blessing that they would not have. He said that we would not take revenge on those that persecuted us for the revenge belonged to the Lord. He stayed over night with us and preached until bed time and we understood that he told the truth. He wanted us to kneel and he would pray. This we had never done before. He did the same thing the next morning. We thought ourselves to be good Christians. On Sundays we went to Church, read the proposed prayers and listened to the sermons of our minister. And even in our home did it happen that we brought out Luther's Hymnbook and read or sang some songs in it. Does this not seem to be good. I myself think so, as long as it went.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • The Secret Mormon Meetings of 1922
    University of Nevada, Reno THE SECRET MORMON MEETINGS OF 1922 A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in History By Shannon Caldwell Montez C. Elizabeth Raymond, Ph.D. / Thesis Advisor December 2019 Copyright by Shannon Caldwell Montez 2019 All Rights Reserved UNIVERSITY OF NEVADA RENO THE GRADUATE SCHOOL We recommend that the thesis prepared under our supervision by SHANNON CALDWELL MONTEZ entitled The Secret Mormon Meetings of 1922 be accepted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF ARTS C. Elizabeth Raymond, Ph.D., Advisor Cameron B. Strang, Ph.D., Committee Member Greta E. de Jong, Ph.D., Committee Member Erin E. Stiles, Ph.D., Graduate School Representative David W. Zeh, Ph.D., Dean, Graduate School December 2019 i Abstract B. H. Roberts presented information to the leadership of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in January of 1922 that fundamentally challenged the entire premise of their religious beliefs. New research shows that in addition to church leadership, this information was also presented during the neXt few months to a select group of highly educated Mormon men and women outside of church hierarchy. This group represented many aspects of Mormon belief, different areas of eXpertise, and varying approaches to dealing with challenging information. Their stories create a beautiful tapestry of Mormon life in the transition years from polygamy, frontier life, and resistance to statehood, assimilation, and respectability. A study of the people involved illuminates an important, overlooked, underappreciated, and eXciting period of Mormon history.
    [Show full text]
  • Mormon Studies Review Volume 4 Mormon Studies Review
    Mormon Studies Review Volume 4 | Number 1 Article 25 1-1-2017 Mormon Studies Review Volume 4 Mormon Studies Review Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/msr2 Part of the Mormon Studies Commons BYU ScholarsArchive Citation Review, Mormon Studies (2017) "Mormon Studies Review Volume 4," Mormon Studies Review: Vol. 4 : No. 1 , Article 25. Available at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/msr2/vol4/iss1/25 This Full Issue is brought to you for free and open access by the All Journals at BYU ScholarsArchive. It has been accepted for inclusion in Mormon Studies Review by an authorized editor of BYU ScholarsArchive. For more information, please contact [email protected], [email protected]. Review: <em>Mormon Studies Review</em> Volume 4 2017 MORMON Volume 4 STUDIES Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship REVIEW Brigham Young University Editor-in-chief J. Spencer Fluhman, Brigham Young University MANAGING EDITOR D. Morgan Davis, Brigham Young University ASSOCIATE EDITORS Melissa Wei-Tsing Inouye, University of Auckland Benjamin E. Park, Sam Houston State University EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD Michael Austin, Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs, University of Evansville Philip L. Barlow, Leonard J. Arrington Chair of Mormon History and Culture, Utah State University Eric A. Eliason, Professor of English, Brigham Young University Kathleen Flake, Richard L. Bushman Chair of Mormon Studies, University of Virginia Terryl L. Givens, James A. Bostwick Chair of English and Professor of Literature and Religion, University of Richmond Matthew J. Grow, Director of Publications, Church History Department, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Grant Hardy, Professor of History and Religious Studies, University of North Carolina–Asheville David F.
    [Show full text]
  • Egypt and Mormonism: Oriental Traits of the Latter-Day Saints
    Utah State University DigitalCommons@USU Arrington Student Writing Award Winners Leonard J. Arrington Mormon History Lectures 12-7-2011 Egypt and Mormonism: Oriental Traits of the Latter-Day Saints Alexander Fronk Utah State University Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/arrington_stwriting Part of the History of Religion Commons Recommended Citation Fronk, Alexander, "Egypt and Mormonism: Oriental Traits of the Latter-Day Saints" (2011). Arrington Student Writing Award Winners. Paper 7. https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/arrington_stwriting/7 This Essay is brought to you for free and open access by the Leonard J. Arrington Mormon History Lectures at DigitalCommons@USU. It has been accepted for inclusion in Arrington Student Writing Award Winners by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@USU. For more information, please contact [email protected]. 1 Egypt and Mormonism: Oriental Traits of the Latter-Day Saints Introduction In his lecture, Dr. Francaviglia presents a fascinating framework in which to understand American history and culture, as well as Mormons specifically. Orientalism was defined for the lecture as the assimilation or imitation of that which is oriental in religious or philosophical thought, or in art. Through various mediums, including architectural examples, quotes from Mormons and their detractors, and travel literature, Dr. Francaviglia demonstrates that not only Mormons were compared to Oriental peoples and assigned Oriental traits, but they also actively attributed such traits
    [Show full text]
  • After Three Months Travel the Aaron Johnson Company Arrived in Salt Lake City on September 5, 1850
    After three months travel the Aaron Johnson Company arrived in Salt Lake City on September 5, 1850. Up until this time the Saints arriving in the Salt Lake Valley were staying in the valley,but this time had come to expand settlement to other areas. The first settlers had been sent to the Utah Valley in 1849. The Utah Valley could be a rich farming area, plus Utah Lake and the rivers provided a great source of easily available protein from fish, that the pioneers in Salt Lake Valley needed. For these reasons it was decided to try establishing a settlement there. As wagon trains arrived in the Valley in 1850 people with family in the valley stayed there and the wagon trains were sent south to the Utah Valley. Settling in the Utah Valley was not easy because it was a traditional Indian hunting ground, so white settlers were not welcome. The first settlers built two forts where they could live protected from the Indians. As more settler arrived they started setting up homesteads around the forts. The City of Provo was laid out and each family steeled on a plated portion of the City. Every family had a quarter of a block, enough room for a garden or orchards, plus room for barns and corrals. The farms were outside the city, but the settlers lived in the city. This plan made better protection against the Indians and also allowed for more social interaction among the settlers.1 Fort Utah The 1850 Census was taken just four days after the family arrived in Provo.
    [Show full text]
  • September 2012 Ensign
    FamilySearch Launches “Golden Days” Event New Indexing Initiative Celebrates President Monson’s By Heather Whittle Wrigley 85th Birthday Church News and Events n Friday, August 17, 2012, at 8:00 p.m. ith the recent completion their ancestors to their native lands.” Omountain daylight time, thousands of people Wof the 1940 U.S. Census The new project contains a sub- gathered in the Conference Center to participate in Community Project, FamilySearch stantially larger number of records “Golden Days: A Celebration of Life,” honoring the has provided enthusiastic index- than the 1940 U.S. Census does, so 85th birthday of President Thomas S. Monson. ers and arbitrators with the next FamilySearch representatives expect The Mormon Tabernacle Choir, Orchestra at big genealogy initiative—the U.S. it will take more time and additional Temple Square, and notable guest artists performed Immigration and Naturalization volunteers. beloved Broadway selections and other favorites. Community Project, which includes Collections of records are Former San Francisco 49ers star quarterback and pro- records of those who passed through available for indexing at indexing fessional football Hall-of-Famer Steve Young shared all major U.S. ports from the 1800s .FamilySearch.org, under “Current master of ceremony duties with national network to the 1950s. Projects,” and most of the record sets news anchor and author Jane Clayson Johnson. “The U.S. Immigration and involve passenger lists and naturaliza- The evening took a nostalgic look at President Naturalization Project will help tion records. All collections available Monson’s illustrious life—from his childhood, mar- document the lives of immigrant as part of the new “Community riage, and stint in the Navy during World War II to his ancestors who came to live in the Project” are designated by the prefix decades of service.
    [Show full text]
  • LDS Church Records Marilyn Markham, AG, CGSM, MLS
    LDS Church Records Marilyn Markham, AG, CGSM, MLS Introduction This class will review sources for LDS Research available at the Family History Library as well as sources available online. You can also use the Wiki page titled Tracing LDS Ancestors to find LDS sources available in the library and online. There are additional resources at the Church History Library, both online and on site. Strategy 1. Start with the information and records your family already has. 2. Use compiled sources to find clues and the sources for original records. 3. Use original records. Archives and Libraries FamilySearch Library, 35 N. West Temple, Salt Lake City, UT 84150, www.familysearch.org and www.familysearch.org/wiki/en/Family_History_Library Church History Library,15 East North Temple Street, Salt Lake City, UT 84150, https://history.lds.org/section/library Daughters of the Utah Pioneers, 300 North Main, Salt Lake City, UT, www.dupinternational.org BYU Harold B. Lee Library, Provo, UT, https://lib.byu.edu U of U Marriott Library, Salt Lake City, UT, www.lib.utah.edu/collections/index.php For more libraries and archives, see FamilySearch.org Wiki, LDS Archives and Libraries. Finding Records using FamilySearch.org To find records using a film, fiche, or book number given below • Go to FamilySearch.org • Click the Search menu. • Click Catalog. • Click Film/Fiche Number (or Call Number for a book). • Type the film number. • Click the Search button. • Click the blue title. Compiled Sources • FamilySearch Family Tree, FamilySearch.org • Membership of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1830-1848, by Susan E.
    [Show full text]
  • Online Resources for Midwest U.S. Research
    Online Resources for Midwest U.S. Research Jill N. Crandell, MA, AG® Director, Center for Family History and Genealogy Brigham Young University, Provo, UT [email protected] This listing of web sites is a sampling of the types of records that are being digitized and the variety of organizations participating in this effort. Finding Aids Google Learn Google search engine functions in order to locate online records effectively and efficiently. Daniel M. Lynch. Google Your Family Tree: Unlock the Hidden Power of Google. Provo, Utah: FamilyLink.com, Inc., 2008. Catalogs FamilySearch Catalog https://www.familysearch.org/#form=catalog Linkpendium http://www.linkpendium.com Repositories of Primary Sources http://www.uiweb.uidaho.edu/special-collections/Other.Repositories.html Harold B. Lee Library (links to online journals, books, etc.) http://www.lib.byu.edu/ General Sites FamilySearch Records https://www.familysearch.org/ Access to Archival Databases http://aad.archives.gov/aad/ (National Archives) Ancestry.com (subscription) http://www.ancestry.com/ Fold3.com (subscription) http://www.fold3.com/ GenealogyBank.com (subscription) http://www.genealogybank.com/ World Vital Records (subscription) http://www.worldvitalrecords.com/ Record Types Vital Records County Clerk Cook County, Illinois http://cookcountygenealogy.com/ State Archives Missouri State Archives http://www.sos.mo.gov/archives/resources/birthdeath/default.asp#records Libraries Library of Michigan http://seekingmichigan.org/discover-collection?collection=p129401coll7 FamilySearch
    [Show full text]
  • This Month's Presenter Was Jim Stuber on All Things and the Family History Centers
    This month's presenter was Jim Stuber on all things www.familysearch.org and the Family History Centers. Both entities are run by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons) but available for anyone to use. There are 4800 Family History Centers in 1498 countries and the archives they have contain 2,400,000 microfilms plus microfiche and books. The online presence is www.familysearch.org and is available free for anyone to use from any PC in the world. There are over one billion records online. Jim talked about and demonstrated the web site by using the key words at the top of the screen. "Family Tree" and "Memories" are used if you place your genealogy online at the web site. Storing and accessing your submitted genealogy is free (unlike some other options) but anyone can change your submitted genealogy. The change may be for the better or may introduce wrong information. "Indexing" is where information is available about the current projects which are taking records stored on microfilm and placing them online for searching and viewing. So far in 2015 almost 170,000 people from around the world have been involved in indexing projects, and about 150,000,000 new records are coming online each year. "Search" has several sub-categories. - "Records" is where you you search to find individual records based on whatever information you know, e.g. name, date and place of life events. Unlike Ancestry.com, familysearch does not give you other possible records pertaining to that person. On the right hand side of the screen is a link titled Browse All Published Collections.
    [Show full text]
  • The Three Kingdoms
    Are There Three Kingdoms in Heaven? www.makinglifecount.net Mormons teach that there are three kingdoms (celestial, terrestrial, telestial) in the afterlife. They base this belief on 1 Cor. 15:40-42: There are also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial; but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another. There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for one star differs from another star in glory. So also is the resurrection of the dead.” Mormons teach the 3 degrees of glory in the afterlife are explained by the 3 degrees of glory of the sun, moon, and stars. Telestial Kingdom—This is the lowest of the kingdoms and all who enter will be forever living apart from the presence of Father and Jesus. The telestial glory is typified by the stars, as the people who will live here will be as innumerable as the stars. Because there are differences in the stars, there are also differences in the degrees of glory one may receive here. Terrestrial Kingdom—This glory is typified by the moon. All those who rejected the Mormon gospel in life but accept it in the spirit world will live here. They will become ministering servants to those of the telestial kingdom. No marriages are permitted in this kingdom. They will forever remain unmarried, cannot achieve the state of exaltation, and although they will have the presence of the Son, they will not receive the fullness of the Father. Celestial Kingdom— Only LDS members and children who die before the age of eight are permitted into this kingdom.
    [Show full text]
  • Temple Square Tours
    National Association of Women Judges 2015 Annual Conference Salt Lake City, Utah Salt Lake City Temple Square Tours One step through the gates of Temple Square and you’ll be immersed in 35 acres of enchantment in the heart of Salt Lake City. Whether it’s the rich history, the gorgeous gardens and architecture, or the vivid art and culture that pulls you in, you’ll be sure to have an unforgettable experience. Temple Square was founded by Mormon pioneers in 1847 when they arrived in the Salt Lake Valley. Though it started from humble and laborious beginnings (the temple itself took 40 years to build), it has grown into Utah’s number one tourist attraction with over three million visitors per year. The grounds are open daily from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. and admission is free, giving you the liberty to enjoy all that Temple Square has to offer. These five categories let you delve into your interests and determine what you want out of your visit to Temple Square: Family Adventure Temple Square is full of excitement for the whole family, from interactive exhibits and enthralling films, to the splash pads and shopping at City Creek Center across the street. FamilySearch Center South Visitors’ Center If you’re interested in learning about your family history but not sure where to start, the FamilySearch Center is the perfect place. Located in the lobby level of the Joseph Smith Memorial Building, the FamilySearch Center is designed for those just getting started. There are plenty -1- of volunteers to help you find what you need and walk you through the online programs.
    [Show full text]
  • Mormons in America Certain in Their Beliefs, Uncertain of Their Place in Society
    THURSDAY, JANUARY 12, 2012 Mormons in America Certain in Their Beliefs, Uncertain of Their Place in Society FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Luis Lugo Director Alan Cooperman Associate Director, Research Gregory Smith Senior Researcher Erin O’Connell Associate Director, Communications Sandra Stencel Associate Director, Editorial (202) 419-4562 www.pewforum.org 2 PEW FORUM ON RELIGION & PUBLIC LIFE THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY BLANK www.pewforum.org 3 2011 NATIONAL SURVEY OF MORMONS ABOUT THE PEW FORUM ON RELIGION & PUBLIC LIFE This report was produced by the Pew Research Center’s Forum on Religion & Public Life. The Pew Research Center is a nonpartisan fact tank that provides information on the issues, attitudes and trends shaping America and the world. The center conducts public opinion polling, demographic studies, content analysis and other empirical social science research. It does not take positions on policy issues. The Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life is a project of the Pew Research Center; it delivers timely, impartial information on the issues at the intersection of religion and public affairs in the U.S. and around the world. The Pew Research Center is an independently operated subsidiary of The Pew Charitable Trusts. The report is a collaborative effort based on the input and analysis of the following individuals: Primary Researcher Gregory Smith, Senior Researcher, Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life Luis Lugo, Director Research Alan Cooperman, Associate Director, Research Cary Funk, Senior
    [Show full text]
  • Family History Sunday School Course
    FAMILY HISTORY SUNDAY SCHOOL COURSE BYU – IDAHO 2002-2003 Edition 1 FAMILY HISTORY SUNDAY SCHOOL CLASS Contents Ecclesiastical Organization 3 Implementation of the Program 4 Overview of the Course 5 Guidelines for the Pioneer Heritage Class and Recent Member Class 8 Course Materials 9 Ward Family History Survey (Master) 10 Lessons: 1 Course Introduction and Overview 11 2 The Doctrine of Temple and Family History Work, Part I 15 3The Doctrine of Temple and Family History Work, Part II 24 4 Steps Towards Success in Family History Work 27 5 Temple Worship and Worthiness 30 6 The Blessing of the Sealing Ordinances 34 7 A Variety of Opportunities for Service in Family History Work 38 8 Looking Back, Looking Forward 43 Visits to the Family History Center*: 1 A Visit to the Family History Center 45 2 Follow up Visit To the Family History Center 48 Appendix A: Talks By The General Authorities 49 Appendix B. Inspirational Stories 72 Appendix C. Inspirational Quotes 85 * The first visit can be made at any time during the schedule of lessons and should be scheduled under the direction of the Stake Family History Consultant. Any extra visit must be scheduled 2 with the Family History Center Director, not all classes will be able to schedule a second visit. Ecclesiastical Organization This organizational chart indicates the ecclesiastical framework for this Family History Program on the BYU Idaho University Campus. 1) Campus-wide for all Six Stakes: a. Agent Stake President for campus family history activities. b. Director, BYU Idaho University Family History Center 2) Stake: a.
    [Show full text]