Maria Kristensdatter: Click here for Family Search
Birth: 7 August 1830 Graverhuse, Solbjerg, Hellum, Ålborg, Denmark
Baptism: 4 Feb., 1856
Death: 25 May 1903 Santaquin, UT
Burial: Click here for Findagrave
Conversion:
Marie Tyggeson was born on 7 Aug. 1830, Denmark. As Grandmother read the scriptures, she could not reconcile the teachings of the Bible with the teachings of their church, the Lutheran Church. She could see that her church did not contain the gospel in its fullness, beauty and power and strength as it was taught by Christ and his apostles. She began to visit what few churches were found than in Denmark. But none of them satisfied her. She still continued to search and pray for the truth to be made known to her. After much searching and prayer, she dreamed that some men came from the west to Denmark. And it was shown to her; these men would give to her the truth of the gospel as taught by Christ. She continued visiting other churches but was not satisfied. They did not have the gospel in its fullness. At length she heard that the so called Mormons were in Denmark preaching a strange doctrine. All manner of reports were sent out concerning these strange and peculiar people. They were generally held to be vicious. Many thought they were enemies from infernal regions seeking to draw people from the truth. They were thought to be wicked and dangerous. She thought surely such wicked people couldn’t have the truth. So she avoided them as she had been told the exercised an undue influence over all who came in contact with them. This however did not satisfy her and she thought of her dream. That men from the west would come and bring the truth to her. But she fought it off. Finally two of these Mormon elders came into the community and friends had told her they would hold a meeting in a neighbor’s house. She debated with herself for some time, whether to take any chance with such people and be deceived. But as she pondered over it she thought, well she was hunting for the truth. Why shouldn’t she hear their message as none of the others gave her satisfaction? She did not want to give in but something urged her on. She was not able to resist. But instead of going openly, she went in a round about way so people wouldn’t know where she was going. Soon she reached the home where the meeting was being held. They were singing songs. She stopped and listened and as she stood there her whole being was thrilled and these words came to her: “There is the truth”. For a moment she felt like fleeing away, for how could she, a girl accept these teachings from men that were held to be ignorant and dangerous and degenerate in every way. Finally she got courage enough to go in and when she walked in one of the Elders spoke loud enough so all could hear and said, “That girl will join the church.” In a very short time, she did join. she was baptized 4 Feb. 1856. Never from then on did she ever doubt the truthfulness of the gospel as preached by the Elders. Every time she related her conversion her countenance would beam and her soul was thrilled and never a doubt entered her mind but that Mormonism was true and she knew it. She was the only one of her family that accepted the truth as taught by the Mormons. Grandmother said her people weren’t as bitter as some but wept bitterly over her as she was determined to leave them and the good home in which she was reared. It was a good Christian home, filled with loving parents and brothers and sisters, who dearly loved her. To go to far off America and to Utah, that much reviled and misrepresented place. But her faith was strong and in her mind there was a new found joy and happiness, beyond all earthly expression. She had some very dark hours of trial, but her testimony carried her on without any doubt and out of tears came a heavenly smile and a fervent testimony of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. She came across the plains by ox team in 1859. She walked and carried a baby for a sick friend. It was here she became acquainted with her husband, Thomas Peter Peterson, as they were in the same company coming across the plains. They were married soon after reaching Salt Lake City. They later received their endowments in the Endowment House in Salt Lake City in 1867. After living in Salt Lake City a short time they moved to Ephraim, Utah. Grandfather was a very good carpenter and built them a small home. Grandmother gleaned wheat to have ground and made into flour. She went to Brigham Young’s wife and asked for a little flour until they could get theirs ground. She said she would scrape the bin and when they went to bin , to their surprise , they found some one had emptied into the bin more than a sack of flour. So Grandmother got enough flour to last until they got their wheat ground. After living in Salt Lake a short time Grandfather had saved enough money to pay back the money he had borrowed for his transportation. So he walked from Salt Lake to Ephraim to pay his debt and while there he thought it would be a good place to get a farm and he could get some carpenter work. So they moved to Ephraim. Maria Tyggeson Born: 7 Aug. 1830, Solberg Sogn, Denmark Baptized: 4 Feb., 1856 by W. Peterson Confirmed: 4 Feb. 1856 by P. P. Poulson Endowed: 1867, Salt Lake Endowment House Died: 25 May 1903, Santaquin, Utah.
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