When you read these stories, put yourself in their shoes. What would you have done? Would you be able to give up family, friends, and home to accept this wonderful gospel?
Think of the sacrifices you feel you are making, if any, for the gospel and remember our ancestors have shown us the way. May you enjoy learning about their conversion story as brief and simple as it may be. I am grateful that their conversion story was preserved for you and me.
Conversion of Jons Nilsson and Ingar Jonsdotter as told by their son, Carl Magnus Nilsson
Story taken from the Autobiography of Carl Magnus Nelson written in his own handwriting and compiled by his granddaughter, LaRene Mary Jenson Braegger;
"I (Carl Magnus Nelson) was born October 17, 1852, in Helsingborg, Sweden, of good and Christian parents. In the latter part of the year 1852, a missionary of the Latter-Day Saints came to Helsingborg.
"There being a group of women, some was dissatisfied with the Lutheran religion, had come together and studied the Bible. The lady that took the lead they called "Milke Ingri". The missionary was introduced to the group and delivered his message. After which the leading lady said, "I am done now, here is what we have been waiting for."
"My mother was one of the women and in time was converted and together with my father was baptized early in 1853. But the missionary had not the authority to lay hands on for the Gift of the Holy Ghost, so they had to wait until June 1853 when the first conference was organized in Sweden. They traveled all day from Helsingborg to Lund and the meeting was held in Carl Capson's barn in the night."
"They (my parents) pushed me in a baby wagon. The meeting was held in the dark and without singing because of the mob. My parents were anointed into the church and I was blessed as a baby - 8 months old."
"My parents were forced to leave their native land because of persecution. They crossed over to Copenhagen where the family was raised."
This story touched me. In 1853 his father, Jons Nilsson, would have been approximately 51 years of age, and his mother Ingar Jonsdotter was approximately 40 years of age. They would have already buried two children leaving them with four living children, Anna Sofia Nilsdotter age 11; Johanna Augusta Nilsdotter age 7, Frans Ludvig Nilsson age 4 and my great grandfather, Carl Magnus Nilsson, a few months old.
Can you imagine uprooting your family because of persecution, walking approximately 35 miles in a day pushing or pulling a baby in a baby wagon with three other children in tow in order to attend a meeting and be confirmed to the gospel? That would be like walking from Cedar City, Utah, to Parowan, Utah and back to Cedar City, Utah, just to go one way. Then to return home you would do that same distance again. That is a long ways to walk. I don't even make an effort to get out and walk a couple of miles a day. I never walk to church, which is only a few blocks away. I take my car wherever I want to go. I would say I am pretty spoiled. They were special people to recognize the truth when they saw it and not turn away from it.
They also had one more child born in Kobenhavnm, Denmark to them in 1855 after joining the church, Julius Nilsson.
Information relating to the people in the story.
- Jons Nilsson (father in the story) b. 28 November 1802, Faltabacken, Helsingborg, Malmohus, Sweden; d. 25 November 1863, Kobenhavn, Kobenhavn, Denmark
- Ingar Jonsdotter Nilsson (mother in story) b. 10 February 1813, Filborna, Helsingborg, Malmohus, Sweden; d. 17 January 1895, Logan, Cache, Utah
- Carl Magnus Nilsson (son, who told story in his autobiography) b. 17 October 1852, Helsingborg, Malmohus, Sweden; d. 19 March 1941, North Logan, Cache, Utah
After coming to America, the spelling of their last name was apparently changed to Nelson.
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