Wednesday, July 15, 2015

Salvation Wheat

“Salvation Wheat” 

Canute Peterson

When Father Peterson was on his first mission, it happened that the farmers in Lehi had their wheat planted before Sister Sarah Ann Peterson (affectionately called “Mommie Peterson” by Aunt Maria and Aunt Charlotte and their children). She had her wheat planted later and plenty deep. Their wheat came up fine before hers did.

Then came the crickets and grasshoppers and ate up every spear. Then Mommie Peterson’s wheat came up fine and neighbors and others helped her water and tend her wheat and she raised 40 bushels. This kept all of Lehi from starving. Big men would come to her for a biscuit. Mommie Peterson saved some of this wheat in a bottle to show Father when he came home. He called it “Salvation Wheat,” and said that when he died he wanted that bottle of wheat buried with him. He loved that strange and beautiful incident and the “Salvation Wheat” very much and often spoke of it.

When Father was dead, and dressed in his beautiful Temple clothes, and placed with tender love in his coffin, Brother Nels and Sister Bertie carefully and lovingly placed the cherished bottle of “Salvation Wheat” by his beloved feet, just under his linen robe. His wish was thus carried out. The material for the foregoing strange and beautiful story was very kindly sent to me by Sister Bertie Beal. July 13, 1939


(the following comes from wikipedia)
Canute Peterson


Canute Peterson (also Knud Peterson) (May 13, 1824 – October 14, 1902) was a Mormon pioneer settler of Utah Territory and was a leader in LDS Church.


Peterson was born in Bergen,Norway. In Norway, he became a member of the Religious Society of Friends and emigrated to the United States in 1837. In 1842, while living in La Salle County, Illinois, he became a member of the LDS Church. After joining the church, he became a missionary to Norwegians living in Wisconsin.


Peterson led a company of Mormon pioneers to the Salt Lake Valley in 1849. He was one of the founders of Lehi in Utah Territory.


From 1853 to 1855, Peterson was a missionary in the Scandinavian Mission, where he preached in Norway and became the president of the Christiana Conference of the church. Later, from 1871 to 1873, Peterson returned to the Scandinavian Mission as the Mission president, where he guided the missionary work in Norway, Denmark, and Sweden.


In 1867, Peterson was asked to move to Ephraim, Utah to be abishop of the church there. Peterson was instrumental in assisting the Latter-day Saints make peace with the Native Americans inSanpete County. The Canute Peterson House, a house he built in Ephraim, is listed in the U.S. National Register of Historic Places.[citation needed]


On 1882-10-14, Peterson became a member of the Council of Fifty. When Peterson died in Ephraim, Utah, he was serving as thepresident of the Sanpete Stake, a position he held since 1877. Peterson was also ordained to the office of patriarch. Peterson is considered to be one of the founders of Snow Academy, know today as Snow College.








Canute Peterson home in Ephraim, Utah






The Canute Peterson House is a historic residence in Ephraim,Utah, United States. Built in 1869 by Canute Peterson, an early Latter-day Saint leader inSanpete County, it was designed by architect William H. Folsom. In 1978, it was listed on theNational Register of Historic Places.[2]


Richard Nibley, brother of Mormon scholar Hugh Nibley, purchased and restored the home in the 1960s. It sits next door to the historic Bank of Ephraim building. After many years of trying to acquire and tear down the home to make way for a drive-up window, the Bank of Ephraim failed in 2004 and was taken over by Far West Bank.