How did your family come to its religion

[jonny]

Religion tends to be a family thing. For the most part, people claim the religion of their parents and the cycle goes on. Every now and then someone breaks the chain and starts a new religious chain.

I was wondering how many of those on the forums knew about how your family came to its current religion. Has your family preserved any stories about the family's conversion?

If you are the first member of your family to join a religion have you recorded your experiences and why you have chosen the path you are on. If you haven't - do it. Your ancesors will be grateful.

I was lucky enough to have very good records from my ancesors. For the most part, my ancestors joined the LDS church in Europe and came to the United States in the mid to late 1800s. Most of them came from Sweden, Wales, England, Denmark, and Switzerland.

Here are a couple of stories of how my ancesors came to the LDS church:

I had many agreeable friends and good society [in Onondaga County, New York]. I bought a farm and built a mill. I also built a meetinghouse for the Baptist Church, which I was then associated with. In the summer of 1831 I heard a minister say than an ancient record or Golden Bible in Manchester near Palmyra which remark struck me like a shock of electricity at the same time thought it might be something that would give light to my mind upon principles that I had been thinking of for years and many times I had remarked that if the pure church with its gifts and graces was not on the earth, if so I had not found it. But I should be happy enough to find it in my day. I embraced it accordingly in the fall of 1831. There was a Book of Mormon brought in to town I succeeded in getting it. I directly read it through twice gave it a thorough investigation and believed it was true and the winter following Jerod [Jared] Carter came that was from a mission to Vermont or Lake George. As soon as he came into town I, with two Methodist Preachers went to see him. After a reasonable introduction I questioned him upon the principles of the ancient gospel with all its gifts belonging to it. I asked him if he believed it, he answered in the affirmative. I asked him if he had ever laid hands on the sick and they had recovered. Yes, he said, he had in many instances.

He preached the following evening to a crowded congregation, held up the Book of Mormon and declared it to be a revelation from God. I could not gain-say anything he had said, he sat down and gave liberty for remarks, the congregation seemed to be in a maze not knowing what to think of what they had heard. I arose and said to the congregation that we had been hearing strange things and if true they were of the utmost importance to us. If not true it was one of the greatest impositions and as the preacher had said that he had got his knowledge from heaven and was nothing but a man and I the same, that I had just as good a right to obtain that blessing as he, therefore I was determined to have that knowledge for myself which I considered it my privilege, from that time I made it a matter of fervent prayer.

I think about the seventh day as I was thrashing in my barn with doors shut, all at once there seemed to be a ray of light from heaven, which caused me to stop work for a short time, but soon began it again. Then in a few minutes another light came over my head, which caused me to look up. I thought I saw the angels with the Book of Mormon in their hands in the attitude of showing it to me and saying “this is the great

revelation of the last days in which all things spoken of by the prophets must be fulfilled.” The vision was so open and plain that I began to rejoice exceedingly so that I walked the length of my barn crying “Glory Hal-la-lu-ya to the God and the Lamb forever.”

For some time it seemed a little difficult to keep my mind in a proper state of reasonable order, I was so filled with the joys of heaven. But when my mind became calm I called the church together, (Note: he was their minister) and informed them of what I had seen. I told them of my determination to join the Church of Latter Day Saints, which I did and a large body of my church went with me.

It was decided that when young Samuel was old enough he should be a blacksmith. After serving a seven year apprenticeship at that trade he began to earn enough to support the family comfortably. In the meantime Amy had the sorrow of losing her two youngest children and a few years later a daughter who was about twenty two years of age. All this was a great grief to her as she was devoted to her children. She was a devout member of the Weslyn Methodist Church. Her husband had somewhat irritated her by telling her while they were yet in America that, “our church is not the true church.” He had been away from home one night in another town in Ohio and had heard two men preach a new religion and he said, “they have got the truth.” He did not know the name of the church. After they got to England again, he told Amy rather prophetically, “the time will come when you will hear that religion and you must join it. You will have a different feeling than you ever felt before and you will know it is true as quick as you hear it.” Shortly after her husband died she heard there would be two strange men preaching at Whittick, just two miles away. She said to some of the children, “this is the religion your father heard in America because that feeling has come to me and I know it is true.” It was the Mormons. In a short time the entire family applied for baptism, the ordinance being performed by James or John Beers. They hardly got acquainted with the gospel principles and learned of the wonderful prophet, Joseph Smith when they heard of his cruel martyrdom. They were all anxious to get to Zion and join the body of the Saints but it was a hard thing to get means together under the circumstances.

In 1856 Amy with her son and two daughters started for Utah. Many weeks passed in the sailing vessel between Liverpool and Boston. They journeyed from there to Florence, Nebraska where they found themselves with no money or employment and winter coming on. There had been a handcart company to “the valley” but this was a little late to start on such a trip. The church authorities decided that the only thing they could do was to go on. Under the leadership of Captain Edward Martin, the large company started. The company was mostly young men and women from England and Scotland and they were ready to face any danger. Happily they went along pulling their handcarts at first, little thinking what hardships were ahead of them. As they got into the mountains it became very cold and progress was slow.

The captain decided they must budget the flour or they would be entirely destitute before long. Four ounces of flour per day for an adult was allowed. This meant one pound of flour per day for the Orme Family. As the cold increased, many died due to lack of food and very often it was the ones who at first seemed the strongest. Amy saw her only son become weak and she noticed that men died more often than women. Would her boy be next? No, it must not be. She proposed to the girls that they each cut their rations of food a little in order to feed Samuel a little more. This was done. What was their terror one day to find themselves snowed in on the Sweet Water River in Wyoming. They were unable to move the handcarts through the deep snow, they had no food and they were hundreds of miles from supplies. Death was frequent and those left were too weak to dig graves for their comrades. A few oxen that were brought along to haul the heavy luggage began to die but as was said years after, in a joking way. Two or more men would try to hold the ox from falling over while another would hurriedly shoot it.” They would divide the animal up into small pieces and distribute it to the starving crowd. Nothing was wasted. The insides, the hide and everything but the horns and hair were eaten.

One day from the west came a dark spot moving towards the camp. Eagerly they watched and saw it was a man walking and leading a horse. On arriving, he told them he had killed a big fat buffalo and had put all the meat he could on his horse for them. Everyone got a piece of the meat. Just why that animal had not gone with the rest of his kind to winter range we’ll never know. The man was Ephraim Hanks, the advance man of the Relief Party sent by Brigham Young to meet them. The news cheered them up and they took on new hope. Some days passed before the toiling rescuers reached them. Now they began to move on, but slowly, finally they reached Salt Lake City November 30, 1856.

I have a lot more stories that I've collected, but I'd like to hear everyone else's stories. How did your family come to its present religion?

 

[robtex]

That is really interesting. Good idea. It is always neat to see what the family religious influences are from poster to poster. My mother was likely raised in a secular household. She immigrated from Germany. I only went to her parent's house one time and in that year I didn't see anything religious in their household at all. My mother never mentioned any particular faith or talked about higher powers. I have no idea what her take was on that issue.

My father grew-up in the midwest from a family of farmers. He was a methodist when I was growing-up and I know his father was very religious but I am not sure if he was methodist or not. My grandmother died when I was really young and I am afraid to say I do not know her beliefs. My father converted to a jehovah's witness in 1992 I believe, at the advice of his wife and is raising their children as Jehovah's witnesses.

 

[jonny]

That is really interesting. Good idea. It is always neat to see what the family religious influences are from poster to poster. My mother was likely raised in a secular household. She immigrated from Germany. I only went to her parent's house one time and in that year I didn't see anything religious in their household at all. My mother never mentioned any particular faith or talked about higher powers. I have no idea what her take was on that issue.

My father grew-up in the midwest from a family of farmers. He was a methodist when I was growing-up and I know his father was very religious but I am not sure if he was methodist or not. My grandmother died when I was really young and I am afraid to say I do not know her beliefs. My father converted to a jehovah's witness in 1992 I believe, at the advice of his wife and is raising their children as Jehovah's witnesses.

What part of Germany did your grandparents live in? A lot of the East Germans were unreligious due to government influences. The East Germans I met who were religious had to practice their religions in secret.

 

[Evenstar]

My family have no religion, we never went to church, or talked of God nothing

So I made my own path in life, which now has many beliefs.​

 

[michel]

very unfortunately, even though my Mother was a spiritual person, Religion was a taboo subject in our family (due to my father having been ex-communicated on his Roman Catholic divorce from his first wife.


My wife's family aren't interested. Perhaps that is why I came to this forum.....

 

[jonny]

very unfortunately, even though my Mother was a spiritual person, Religion was a taboo subject in our family (due to my father having been ex-communicated on his Roman Catholic divorce from his first wife.

My wife's family aren't interested. Perhaps that is why I came to this forum.....

Interesting. How did your family's attitude towards religion shape your feelings on the subject?

 

[jonny]

My family have no religion, we never went to church, or talked of God nothing

So I made my own path in life, which now has many beliefs.​

Do you know at what point your family gave up on religion? Were your grandparents religious or has it been the same for generations?

 

[Buttons*]

The sides that i know of Starting with my Dad (Tom):
grandfather Warren was not religious, neither was my grandmother Eleanor. They did go to a strict Methodist church, but they weren't really christians. (well in my opinion anyway) My dad gave up on Christianity when he was 12. Now he has a mix of beliefs which include Buddhist and Eastern Religions. He is into Ayn Rand as far as philosophy goes. He doesnt influence my life much though...

My Mother is Episcopalian, but rarley goes to church. My Grandpa John was an Episcopalian, but mostly out of habit, i dont believe that he was really a Christian either. My Grandma Elena immigrated from Romania during WWII, and is Eastern Orthodox. (she carries with her eastern European traditions though...) I think she's the only one who ever really got the concept of God.

I went to a Christian school and it completely killed Christianity for me. (*sigh* literalists) I looked for my own beliefs, and I like what i've ended up with.

 

[anders]

My father, the merchant navy captain, had (I guess) a rather naive faith in in something guiding him. Mother sent me to Sunday school, I suppose mainly to have some time off if Father happened to be at home on a Sunday. It must have worked, because I've got two younger sisters.

As for my grandparents, I have no idea of their beliefs in religious matters. Probably, the four of them weren't very interested.

Mother (now 89) never ever tried to influence my beliefs. She never commented on my sister's or mine formally leaving the Church of Sweden, in my case to be openly atheist/Daoist or however I feel like explaining my views. Her main point seems to be that if we're happy, it's OK with her.

 

[Mike182]

my grandparents (mothers side) are very strong in their convictions for jesus christ, yet they are also very liberal and controversial - i think it may be in the gene pool

my parents appear to believe in some form of spiritual afterlife, they just haven't expanded it to being anything "religious" yet. i am nearly always prompting them to read a book on christianity or islam of budhism or wiccan, but they are the kind of people who accept something as something, and then leave it as vague as that

and i am me, with my own beliefs!

i suppose there is a pattern of christianity within my family, yet my two brothers and i were never brought up to "believe" in anything, i chose my path myself (ok, well, maybe with a little help from God, but it was still me that chose)

blessed be

C_P

 

[jonny]

My father, the merchant navy captain, had (I guess) a rather naive faith in in something guiding him. Mother sent me to Sunday school, I suppose mainly to have some time off if Father happened to be at home on a Sunday. It must have worked, because I've got two younger sisters.

As for my grandparents, I have no idea of their beliefs in religious matters. Probably, the four of them weren't very interested.

Mother (now 89) never ever tried to influence my beliefs. She never commented on my sister's or mine formally leaving the Church of Sweden, in my case to be openly atheist/Daoist or however I feel like explaining my views. Her main point seems to be that if we're happy, it's OK with her.

[off topic] What part of Sweden are you from? Quite of few of my ancestors came over from Sweden. [/off topic]

 

[Katzpur]

My parents and grandparents on both sides were members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, so I suppose it's only natural that I would have been raised in the Church. My dad's family was all from England, mostly from Yorkshire, and immigrated to the United States after converting to Mormonism in the mid-1800's. My mom's ancestors were from Germany, Belguim and Denmark for the most part. They have been here in the US since the 1600's, though, so it was here in this country that they were first taught the Gospel. They were among the first members of the Church, and my great-grandfather on my mom's side (a contemporary of Brigham Young) was the leader of one of the handcart companies that walked across the Great Plains to the Salt Lake Valley. It was known as the Welsh Company, as all of its members were from Wales. None of them spoke English and my great-grandfather didn't speak Welsh. It must have been an interesting trip.

My parents raised me as a Latter-day Saint but always taught me to figure things out on my own. I was always encouraged to question. I think that if I hadn't had doubts or concerns about LDS teachings once in awhile, my dad, especially, would have been pretty worried about me! My parents definitely didn't want me accepting my religion on blind faith.

 

[jonny]

They were among the first members of the Church, and my great-grandfather on my mom's side (a contemporary of Brigham Young) was the leader of one of the handcart companies that walked across the Great Plains to the Salt Lake Valley. It was known as the Welsh Company, as all of its members were from Wales. None of them spoke English and my great-grandfather didn't speak Welsh. It must have been an interesting trip.

What was his name? I had ancestors from Wales come over in the Edward Bunker handcart company. Maybe they knew each other?!?

 

[Evenstar]

Do you know at what point your family gave up on religion? Were your grandparents religious or has it been the same for generations?

As far as I know none of my family were religious, but my grandparents died when I was young..... My mum does have Bible knowledge though, but sadly it was never taught or discussed with me. She thought I was mad when I got Baptized

 

[Katzpur]

What was his name? I had ancestors from Wales come over in the Edward Bunker handcart company. Maybe they knew each other?!?

It was Edward Bunker!!!!

 

[jonny]

It was Edward Bunker!!!!

Small world!!! Thank your ancestors for helping mine out!

Here's the story from her life sketch that mentions it:

When Mary Davis Job was six years old the family home was broken up by the misunderstanding of the new religion “Mormonism” and the doctrine of polygamy, Mary loved her mother very much as chose to stay with her. At times in early childhood her father took her to his home and cared for her alone with Elizabeth. He was always food and considerate of her. Mary felt she had to tend babies and work too hard to suit her stepmother, and eventually she would find an excuse to return to her mother in whom she found genial companionship.

Grandfather Daniels converted Hannah and Mary to the Gospel, so at the age of eight, Mary was baptized into the church. She crossed the Atlantic ocean in a party with her Mother, John and Ann Ellis, and Daniel and David Daniels, uncles, as will as other Saints coming to Zion. Isreal Barlow was in charge of the company, which sailed from Liverpool, England on the ship Samuel Curling. They arrived in New York City April 19, 1856.

They joined the Edward Bunker Handcart Company of Pioneers. Mary walked almost the entire distance across the plains, even though she was just eight years of age.

This one is from her mother's history.

The Daniels party were just in time to join Captain Edward Bunkers Handcart Company to Utah. History reveals that this company fared the best of all the Handcart groups in crossing the plains. Hannah pushed a small Handcart carrying all their earthly possessions. When eight-year-old Mary became too tired, she put her into the carry and covered a canvass over her, so that she would not be detected. One day she was caught. After that a horseman rode back each afternoon and let Mary ride a couple of hours to rest her. Other children were given turns riding each day in order that the trek would go as fast as scheduled. Many times the trail seemed hopeless, the streams and mountains insurmountable but still they pushed on until October 2, 1856 when they reached their destination, Salt Lake City in Utah.

 

[jeffrey]

I was raised Baptist, kind of. Only went to church on occasion. Most of what I was tought was by my mom, and it wasn't that much quoting the Bible as how to be a good person. Most of my Bible study came in jail/prison. Alot of time to read and study.

 

[Katzpur]

Small world!!! Thank your ancestors for helping mine out!

I'm sure they were delighted to do so! :bounce

It's kind of funny that you would mention that Edward Bunker's company was the most successful (in terms of lives lost) of all the companies. There is always so much said about the Willey and Martin companies (and I can appreciate why). But my mom always says that she doesn't think it's fair that the companies that had so much misery and loss of life are the only ones ever talked about. She says she wishes that the success of her grandfather's company were mentioned more often. So it's kind of neat that you mentioned that.

 

[Katzpur]

I was raised Baptist, kind of. Only went to church on occasion. Most of what I was tought was by my mom, and it wasn't that much quoting the Bible as how to be a good person. Most of my Bible study came in jail/prison. Alot of time to read and study.

Well, her teaching you how to be a good person seems to have been quite successful. You certainly have impressed me as kind, courteous and non-judgmental -- all of which are extremely important qualities in my book!

 

[standing_on_one_foot]

My dad's side's been Jewish as far back as I know. That side's from parts of Eastern Europe and Denmark. Possibly someone way, way back converted, but it's far enough ago that I couldn't say.

My mom's side is mostly from Scotland (I'm very, very, very distantly related to a bunch of people in Macbeth, which I've always found amusing). They converted to Mormonism, came to the States, and moved to Utah (I've got a bunch of relatives in Utah, I'm sure, I recall a story that one of my ancestors got some sort of recognition for having a huge number of living descendents). My own more recent ancestors left the Church due to an unhappy polygamous family situation that didn't work out. They moved to California and weren't especially religious. Eventually this produced my Mom, who's now Jewish.