19th Century England did not have a great deal of religious tolerance. I am told by locals, that life for Mormons was difficult. Many lost their jobs for joining a strange religion, and if their humble homes were owned by the company, they lost those, too.
The Powell Family joined first in 1848, and when their daughters grew older, they all married men who had or would soon embrace the Gospel. Eventually, my Great-Great Grandparents, two daughters and their young families, determined to leave England in 1864 to seek a new life in Utah. They had nothing to lose, and everything to gain.
Saturday, 22 January, I saw a young man of Chinese descent, sitting with the missionaries in the Stake Centre’s foyer. We were introduced, and then I asked Edison if he was a member, or an investigator. He smiled and told me that he was to be baptized in 30 minutes. Edison is a university student from Shanghai, China. As I congratulated him, I thought of my Great and Great-Great Grandparents, and the persecution they had endured. Perhaps the persecution was needed, to “gently encourage” them to immigrate to Utah. I’m so grateful that they did! Today, England has become a refuge and a nurturing place for those who cannot learn about the Gospel in their home countries. It’s a new and fortunately, a more tolerant England.
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