H. F. F. Thorup Letter

Here is a letter written by Herman F. F. Thourp in 1881 while on his mission in Denmark. He has written a report about the progress of the work in his mission and the surrounding area. He was here serving under great personal trial as well. He had just lost his wife and baby and had to leave his three remaining children behind with relatives (see A Loss Too Great). I am in awe of the sacrifices that our early ancestors made to continue following in faith. I can see that a refiners fire was present in all of their lives preparing a solid foundation for the future generations to build on.

From the Deseret News published April 27, 1881

Correspondence

Compagnistrads 285,

Neestved, Sjelland, Denmark

March 22nd, 1881

Editor Deseret News:

On the 21st of October, 1879, I left

Salt Lake City on a mission to Eu-

rope, being called at the October

Conference and set apart by Apostle

C. C. Rich. He said that the Lord

should protect me on land and on

sea; many should listen to my coun-

sel and receive the everlasting gos-

pel, and I should also baptize many

into the Church of God. This, I can

say, has been fulfilled to the very

point. While leaving Salt Lake

City and Ogden, in company with

my brother, John T. Thorup, thir

teen more Elders were leaving

their homes to preach the everlast-

ing gospel to a fallen world--three

of them were for the States and the

others for Europe.

On the 28th we left New York on

the steamer Wyoming, first spend-

ing two days in New York, in seeing

all that could be seen in that time.

On November 7th we landed in

Liverpool, after a pleasant voyage

on the great waters. The cap-

tain was wondering at the fine

weather we had, and told some of

the first cabin passengers that he

had never experienced such good

weather in October; but, said he, I

have Mormon Elders on board, and

ever since I have dealt with the

Mormons I always had good luck.

At Liverpool we were kindly re

ceived by Prest. W. Budge and the

other brethren of the office. Here

seven of the brethren left us, leav-

ing five for Scandinavia. Left Liv-

erpool on the 8th, and landed in Co-

penhagen on November 11th. The

names of the brethren who landed

in Copenhagen were: Jacob Hansen,

of Bear River; Peter Nielsen, of

Washington; O. N. Stolk, of Brig-

ham City; John T. Thorup and H.

F. F. Thourp, of Salt Lake City. We

were kindly received by Prest. N.

Wilhelmsen and the brethren there.

We were appointed to our several

fields of labor the same day; my

brother, John T. Thorup for

Aarhuss Conference; my appoint-

ment was in the Copenhagen

Conference, in the south and west

branches--a very large district,

55 miles one way and

about 70 miles the other way.

I have labored here ever since my

appointment, as presiding Elder of

these branches. I can say that the

Lord has been with me, although I

feel my weaknesses and imperfec-

tions, but God has been my strength

and my protector, and to Him I

ascribe the honor.

I have had the privilege of bear-

ing my testimony to the Gospel of

Christ in 34 towns, 42 have been

baptized, and 33 of them I have bap-

tized myself, and hope to baptize

many more before leaving these

lands, which is fulfilling the Apostle's

word upon my head. While labor-

ing in this northern mission I must

say that President N. Wilhelmson

has been as a father and wise coun-

selor to me and to all of his fellow-

laborers, and he has our confidence

and our best wishes, he is respected

by all the Saints, and by the Gen-

tiles who are are our friends.

In this conference are eight El-

ders from Utah: F. Funk, P. A.

Vicker, Jacob Hansen, Isaac Soren-

son, H. I. Christiansen, Paul Ham-

mer, James H. Hansen and myself.

They are all good brethren, trying

to do their very best in spreading

the Gospel sound to our fellow men.

James H. Hansen is laboring in my

branch as traveling Elder, beside

five native brethren who sell pamph-

lets by going from house to house

and from town to town, and also

hold meetings wherever they have

an opportunity. This city, Neestved,

is a very hard place, and the Elders

could never get the Gospel into this

city for the priest and the mob.

Ever since last May the Spirit of

God has moved upon me in getting

to preach the Gospel in that city,

and last October I rented a place in

my name, where I moved the branch

office. We have held several meet-

ings there, and the Lord is blessing

us His servants. There are now six

Saints, and we expect two more to
be baptized in a short time. The

priests have tried to stop me, but

they have had no power.

The winter has been very hard,

and the poor have suffered a good

deal, and many of the Saints have

thus been tried very hard. Here

are many old Saints who have been

faithful all the day long waiting for

deliverance, but how shall they

come home? They have no relatives

in Zion; no one that they can write

to to get money to emigrate. I

trust that the Saints at

home will remember their poor

brethren and sisters in these lands,

when the Lord entrusts them with

means, and then assist such as are in

the Church and have proved them-

selves worthy of being gathered to

Zion, which, from past observation,

I must say has not always been the

case. Here are some who have stood

20 years and been faithful, and not

come home yet. Brethren and sis-

ters in Zion, help these out and the

Lord will bless you.

Ever praying for the welfare of

Zion,

I remain, your brother in the

Kingdom of God,

H. F. F. Thorup.

________