Conversion of Anders (Andrew) and Bodella Paulson

They were newlyweds living in Denmark. They worked at a dairy where he made 9¢ a day and she made 6¢ a day. It was then that they were converted to the LDS Church. Having heard that the Mormon Elders speak of the streets, telling of Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon, quoting James. “If any of you lack wisdom let him ask of God that giveth to all men liberally and upbraideth not and it shall be given him, but let him ask in faith, nothing wavering, for he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea, driven with the wind and tossed.” Next day Grandmother Poulson tried to find the scripture referred to but could not remember where it was found in the Bible, but recalled what it said, that if you prayed humbly you would receive the wisdom desired. She prayed as instructed. When she again opened her bible it was at Jas. Ch. 1 and directly over the verses 5-6 was a small bright light that moved over the lines as she read them. She was so happy that she wept with joy and closed the bible without remembering the chapter. When grandfather came home she told him of her experience. He was much disappointed that she could not tell him where it was found and finally said- “Mother let us pray again and perhaps we can find it.” With all the faith humble people could have, they did so. This same experience was repeated again to both of them. They never again forgot the chapter and verse. With study and prayer this experience converted them to the gospel as taught by the Latter Day Saints. (this event was told by Grandfather Poulson to his daughter Karenstens, who in turn related it to her son Dan, from whom it came to the writer direct.) Joy and happiness were theirs in full measure, but when it became known that they had been converted to another church their minister demanded their bible, but they refused to give it up. They were discharged from their jobs in the dairy and found it difficult to procure employment of any kind but finally did so at three cents per day. They studied the scriptures, attended all meetings possible and made preparation in due time to immigrate to Zion (Utah) as soon as possible.

Alvah J. Alexander and the Prophet Joseph Smith

(From Young Woman's Journal 17 (1906), p.541) - Found at the Lands and Records Office in Nauvoo Sept 2014 "I came to Nauvoo in the fall of 1842. At this time I met the Prophet Joseph Smith, and knew him from then till the time of his death. I was only a boy of eleven when I first knew him, but I always loved him, and no amusements or games were as interesting to me as to hear him talk. I remember one day I was at his home playing with his children, when he came home and brought two men. These men had been arrested for abusing Joseph. He brought them in and treated them as he would one who had never done him a wrong; gave them dinner before he would allow them to depart. Just before they sat down to dinner he brought his children up and introduced them. Pointing to me he said: 'This is a neighbor's little boy'. When the officers were taking Joseph to Carthage, at the time of his assassination, my father and I met them. We stepped to one side of the road to allow them to pass. Captain Dunem, who was with Joseph, stopped and told my father that Joseph said he never expected to return. And he never did, for he was foully assassinated at the Carthage Jail. When they returned with the body, I was among those who went to meet them. I saw him lying in state at the Mansion House. I was deeply affected, as my love for the Prophet was great. As a boy, my testimony that Joseph Smith was a true Prophet was as strong as it is now as a man; and I verily testify that Joseph Smith was a true Prophet of the living God."

Grandson Writes Grandma about Mother's Death

I love Polly Colton. From what I've read, she was a lot like me. She had even more in common with Grandma Marge. She lost a little baby son and then her eldest died before she did. So much heartache. But she was a strong woman with a keen sense of humor. 

I can't imagine this. This would be like Chandler writing to Grammy to tell her about Melanie and Lizzy's death. How is it done? 

Emily and her family were living in Arizona and Polly was in Ashley (now Vernal) Utah.

(Letter written by Daniel Philemon Jones to Polly Matilda (Merrill) Colton about the death of her daughter, Harriet Emily Colton Jones. Copied from the original, by Miriam Colton Perry, Jan 1, 1960. Original spelling & punctuation preserved.) 


My Dear Grandma: 


It becoms my painful! duty to write to you and send news that will be hard for you to bear . We have just got word from Tonto Basin by Wesley that they had an accident that took from us the one that gave me life, that is my mother and your daughter, and her baby Bertie. This is the hardest news that it would be possible for me to write to you for I realise that she was very dear to you as well as her children. And Little did she think that she was to go first, but it is so that she has gone, and we are left to mourn her loss and her little boy Bert who was allmost two years old. I have just wrote to sister Mary and sent her Pa’s letter, and told her to forward it to you so that you can see how he feels and his discription of the accident. It seems that they had built a shed in front of their tent and fastend the guy rope of the center of the tent to the shed, which they had been very careful! to make very stout and heavy, as they susposed. It had been raining for a week past and the continneous rain had made the ground very soft and the wet guy rope srunk untill it drew the shed over and ma was under it or part of her was, it seems that her head and one hand was out. She spoke once to Vina and once to Pa before she died. there was no help near to help Pa get the log of from her untill after she breathed her last. Pa says that it was over in a very short time. The baby was in Mas arms it never moved after the shed fell. It is a sad blow to Pa as he has no one to go to in his sorrow up there. Wiley, Ella, John, and I will start up there, as soon as the river gets so that we can cross which will be in a few days. We will send for Eddy to meet us there, I will write to you again when we return; which will be in about two weeks. 

I want to tell you that it is all right with ma, she was as good and true a woman as ever lived on earth, true to her trusts as a wife, true to her faith and her God, and my prayer is that her brothers and sisters and her children, may so live we may all meet her and enjoy her society in the life to come some say that I am religeous like my ma, If so, I am glad of it, for I know that she has gone to meet her maker, and I certainly want to see her again with her three little children. I wish that all that are bound to her by the ties of kindness would think of her life, her faith in the Gosple of our savior, and shape there lives as hers was for it would be pleasant to think that some day we would all be reunited never to part again. 

May God our heavenly father bless you and grandpa so that you may feel that it is his will not ours, for he must of (wanted?) Ma or he never would have taken her in the way that she was taken. give love to all, we are all well hoping this will find you the same I remain 


yours D. P. Jones

Testimony of Miles L Jones

I don't remember how I came across it, but I found a book which was a compilation of many of the testimonies of most of the authorities who had lived since the Restoration. I was excited to see that Grandpa Uncle Miles (as I like to call him) was in the book! So I bought it and when it came, Sienna and I found four or five other ancestors in it. So we'll post their testimonies, too.

Testimonies of the Divinity of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints by Its Leaders Compiled by Joseph E Cardon & Samuel O. Bennion, 1931. Press of Zion's Printing and Publishing Company; Independence, Jackson County, Mo Elder Miles L. Jones President of the East Central States Mission since its organization January 1, 1929 I am indeed grateful to my Heavenly Father for the testimony I have of the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and this testimony is being strengthened from time to time by a realization of the blessings that have been promised me by the servants of the Lord. I have witnessed the power of God made manifest upon many occasions in bringing comfort to those who were in sorrow; I have seen the sick healed through the administration of the Elders of the Church, and I am a living witness to all the world as one having been raised from my bed of affliction by the power of the Lord, through the administration of those holding the Holy Priesthood. Inspiration from on high has come to me which has directed my labors in the ministry, both at home and abroad. I have been placed in positions where the wisdom of man was of no avail, but through the power of the Holy Ghost, my duty has been made plain and I acknowledge the hand of the Lord in these blessings that have come to me. I know that God lives and that He is our Father and that we are His children. I know that Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world, and the more we serve him and keep His commandments, the greater will be our joy both now and in the life to come, and by this same spirit and power I know that Joseph Smith is a Prophet in very deed and is the one whom God has raised up in this day and age of the world to again establish His work upon the earth for the last time, and this work will continue to grow until eventually it covers the entire earth and all mankind will be left without an excuse. I leave this testimony with you in all humbleness and sincerity and I do it in the name of Jesus Christ our Redeemer, Amen.