Allen Family History

Patriarchal Blessing given to Inger Kristine Nielsdatter Johnson:

(volume 19, page 56) No. 66 West Weber July 16th 1856

A blessing as given by Isaac Morley Patriarch upon the head of Inga Christina Johnson daughter of Neils & Bertha J. Halverson born Feb 22nd 1826 in Aale, Norway.

Sister Inga C I lay my hands upon thy head & I bless thee by the authority of the Pr’d, let thy heart be comforted for the Lord has blest thee & brought thee into covenant with him which has placed upon thee an heirship of a lasting blessing. Thou hast a name in the book of life that will never be blotted out if thou art faithful in the covenants. Thou shalt be blessed with many children with them to be exalted & crowned in Glory. They will record thy name from generation to generation. The fruit of the earth will be given thee for thy obedience in the Gospel, thy habitation shall be peace a house in order, a house of cleanliness, that the Spirit of peace may preside in thy dwelling for thou hast the blood of Ephraim & a legal heiress to the Seals of Pr’d whereby thou wilt be permitted to enter to that within the vail to receive a crown of immortality & eternal lives. Fear not to rely upon the promises they will be fulfilled & enjoyed to the satisfaction of thy heart. I ratify this seal by the authority of the Pr’d. Even so Amen & Amen

Hannah B. Morley Recorder

Note: Pr’d means Priesthood

Conversion and Testimony of Inger Nielsdatter:

My father owned a small farm which gave the family employment. It was here on this little homestead where the gospel of Jesus Christ was first preached to our family, father being a Christian and of the Lutheran faith taught his children to live Godfearing lives. The Mormon Elders who were promulgating the gospel of Christ traveled without purse nor scrip trusting in God and the hospitality of the people. The Elders were always made welcome at our home and always received shelter and food but [were] denied the privilege of explaining the message of truth which they bore as my father was a strong Lutheran. In the year 1845 I was married to Mr. Hans I. Johnson. . . . After we were married the Elders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints visited us quite often. I did not believe in their doctrine and would not listen to their testimonies. My husband and also a little girl whom I had taken to raise by name of Julie Hess joined the Church . . . The Elders came quite often and sang songs of Zion and talked of the gathering of Israel and the building up of Zion. I would not prepare food for them but [would] go into another room, but Julie Hess was a kind girl and she would make ready something to eat for the hungry Elders . . . . I could not think of leaving my dear old home, parents and friends to go to Zion on a far distant continent among a strange people and endure the hardships which laid heavy upon the shoulders of the Saints in Missouri and Illinois. One day in June my husband, Julie Hess and I were out in the field planting potatoes. . . . We worked faithfully until about noon day. We had but one row left to plant [and] I volunteered to stay and finish the remaining row while Julie went to the house and prepared dinner. As I was working dropping the small pieces of potatoes one by one into the tilled soil everything was still. I heard the voice of an unseen choir sing songs of Zion and as near as I can translate it from Norwegian to English they sang, Blessed are they who hear the chimes of Zion's land. The spirit of God filled my soul with happiness and He planted a testimony of Jesus Christ and the divinity of Joseph Smith in my heart. The songs of Zion rang in my ears and I knew that the gospel of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was the only true plan of life and salvation. I was willing to anything to be obedient to its doctrines. I went to the house and told my husband I was ready to sell our farm, cattle, horses and everything and move to Zion. A few weeks later I was baptized by Elder Phrendres and made a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. . . . I was the only one in our family who joined the Church and my parents were very bitter toward the Church but I knew it was true and knew I should obey God rather than man. . . . I said my last farewell to my dear old gray-haired parents who wept as if their poor hearts would break. We parted never more to meet again in this mortal existence . . . . It was [in Mormon's Grove in Kansas] I heard from my home in Norway and received the sad news that my father and mother had both died and had been buried in the same grave. This filled my heart with pain but still I had a hope burning within my soul that someday we would meet again in the Kingdom of God. . . . When we arrived in the Great Salt Lake Valley to our great surprise instead of finding a garden of Eden as we expected we found grasshoppers by the millions . . . Flour was impossible to get and my dear children would go to bed crying for something to eat. We lived on brand bread and roots which we gathered, but we were humble, prayerful and set our trust in the God of heaven and earth . . . When I look at my children and at their children and see how my posterity has been blessed I feel like a blessed mother in Zion.

Spelling and punctuation modernized.