How My Great-Great-Grandpa became a Mormon

One of my favorite places  to be is in the middle of family history.     I learned that my ancestors hailed from Denmark and England.  It delights me to think that some of my ancestors spoke with a British accent and others were completely fluent in Danish, well because they lived in Denmark.  Obvious, but fun.  Stories are my favorite.  I wish all of my predecessors would have written their histories and filled them with details about what they loved, how they met their spouse, what made them sad, what was funny, what their talents were, how they felt about God...every little thing.  Lately I've been reading the "Record of the Life of Hans Peter Hansen Miller, Sr."  It's only 4 legal pages long, but  I feel I know him well.  He was born in 1833 in Bornholm, Denmark.  Hans included information about his father Hans Pedersen who was enlisted in the army as an artillerest at the time of the fall of Napoleon.  He shared that his father had quick and decisive judgement and an amiable personality.  His mother, Maria Kiertine Hjort was thrifty and careful and respectful.  She was below middle height, and had black hair and blue eyes  She had obtained letters and learned to write and read.  Isn't that the sweetest thing?

Hans goes on to relate his struggle with religion through his boyhood.    I'm so impressed that it was such a priority for him from the age of 10-20.  He went to the Bible and God with his questions which were well thought out and sincere.  President Joseph F. Smith said, "We are closely related to our kindred, to our ancestors...who have preceded us into the spirit world.  We can not forget them; we do not cease to love them;...If this is the case with us in our finite condition, how much more certain it is to believe that those who have been faithful, who have gone beyond can see us better than we can see them; that they know us better than we know them.  ...They are solicitous for our welfare.  They love us now more than ever."  I like to remember this as I learn more about my family that has gone before.

When Hans was 9 or 10 he had a favorite teacher who was given to infidelity. He was influenced by this man and lost his faith in Jesus Christ, but maintained a belief in a supreme God, creator of the soul and the universe.  He continued to study the Bible for its historical value.  Gradually he became more dissatisfied with his own skepticism.  He remembered that Christ said, "I am the way," and began to feel that "My infidelity placed my soul in jeopardy."  Since God had revealed his will to the servants of old Hans would ask him to reveal the truth to his heart. As he was reading Zechariah 11:12 and 13 he realized that a prophet living 500 years before Christ could foretell the details even down to his betrayal.  "Jesus," thought I, "Is Christ, the Son of God, the Savior of the world."  A feeling of peace came over him and he never doubted the divinity of Christ from that moment. He was between 17-18 yrs. old.

Hans worked for a man that made shoes for sailors.  The winter of 1852-1853 was so cold that the Baltic was frozen over and no ships could approach.  He was temporarily discharged and had to return home.   While he was  there some Mormon missionaries came with his second cousin P.M. Peel who had joined the church. "Their main point was that the Lord had revealed himself unto Joseph Smith.  I knew that he had revealed himself to me and to the Saints of old and I could not deny this assertion."  He felt confident that he could read the Book of Mormon and ask God if it was really true.  He began to read and came to a passage that said, ""I shall not write any more of this, but another shall arise who shall write more and his name shall be John."  Hans did not believe that an ordinary man would be mentioned 6 centuries before his birth so doubted it could be true.  He returned to reading the Bible and his eyes fell to Isaiah 45 "Thus saith the Lord to his anointed, to Cyrus,"  He remembered that Isaiah had lived 150-175 yrs. before Cyrus and the prophets would be as likely to mention John as Cyrus.  He again began to read and pray about the Book of Mormon. He told the Lord "If Joseph's vision was divine and the Book of Mormon a revelation, I would become a Mormon and strive to serve Him if He would give me the desired knowledge."  He received his answer and was baptized May 12, 1853, and that has made all the difference.

Thank you Great-Great Grandpa.  Thanks for telling this great story, I'm strengthened by your knowledge and faith.  I'm trying to live our religion.   I'm firm in my faith in the Savior Jesus Christ.  I'm glad families are forever.  I'll tell my children about you.   I'm thinking about you, and I hope you think about me from time to time.