. . . Apostle F. [Franklin] D. Richards, president of the European mission, visited Copenhagen during the summer, and I will here relate a prophecy delivered by him in my house. One day, as we sat at dinner, Mr. Richards said to me, "Brother Liljenquist, you shall stay here two or three years longer, and help Brother Van Cott, or whoever presides; you and your family shall all live and come to Zion; you shall make a personal acquaintance with President Brigham Young, his counselors, the twelve and many thousands of the Saints, receive your washings and anointings and stay two years and then return to this country and take up your labors again. This prediction was fulfilled to the very letter. The year of '54 passed in preaching, baptizing and attending to all the duties pertaining to the office and presidency of the Copenhagen Conference. In the year of '55, the blessings of God were richly and abundantly poured out upon our labors, followed up at intervals with considerable persecutions; in this year we had a very pleasant visit from Daniel Spencer and Joseph A. Young; at the end of the year, President Van Cott was released with the privilege of returning home, after having filled with dignity and honor, one of the greatest missions ever performed in those countries, by any one man, Hector C. Haight succeeded him in the presidency of the mission, on the first day of June, 1846. In the summer of '46, President Haight, Carl Widerborg and myself paid a visit to England on an invitation from President F. [Franklin] D. Richards, Orson Pratt and E. [Ezra] T. Benson having just arrived to take the presidency of the European Mission and succeed F. [Franklin] D. Richards. My difficulty at this most pleasant time was that I did not understand much English. I made, however, some very pleasant acquaintances, of which I will name, Pastor Dana, James bunting and the Novle family in Manchester, James M. Brown and William Budge, E. L. T. Harrison of London, William S. Muir and Charles F. Jones of Birmingham, Thomas Williams, William Perkes and Edward W. Tullidge of the Liverpool office. Later in the summer, President E. [Ezra] T. Benson and Elder John Kay paid us a visit in Scandinavia. E. [Ezra] T. Benson preached in the large hall called Colosseum to some 1,500 or 2,000 people, and John Kay sang, "O, ye mountains high," and "Dear Zion." Several reporters were present who understood English and they made very fair reports and comments on the apostle's preaching and Kay's singing. It was indeed an extraordinary time. Mr. Widerborg was the interpreter. The last sermon preached by E. [Ezra] T. Benson in those lands was at Haugerup Sjolland; he called on me as his interpreter, which was my first effort of the kind. I must now leave these pleasant scenes of childhood and youth in Mormonism and turn my face towards the Promised Land.

In the latter part of April, 1857, I left Copenhagen with my wife and four children, Theodore, Oscar, Josephine and Harold; the last named just three months old. When stepping into a cab to drive down to the steamboat landing, the mob attempted to take the children away from us, and would have succeeded had it not been for the timely interference of the police. I was put in charge of the company to England, and three [p.570] days later we arrived, all right, at Grimsby, where we were met by our genial friend, John Kay. Our company numbered 540 souls.

At Liverpool, we embarked on a sailing vessel called, Westmoreland, belonging to Philadelphia. After seven weeks at sea, we arrived at Philadelphia, and the first news we learned was that Parley P. Pratt had been assassinated, and President Buchanan had sent a large army against the Mormons. From here we took the railway to Iowa city; here I was appointed to go with the handcart company to Florence and my family to go with the wagon company. From Florence, I had the privilege of going with my family to Salt Lake City, where we arrived, September 13th, passing Buchanan's army on the plains, they traveling on the south side of the Platte and we on the north. We did not see them, but on the plains we met Joseph W. Young on his way to Europe, calling all the missionaries home. Myself, wife and four children arrived all right and well in Zion, according to the prediction of F. [Franklin] D. Richards. . . . [p.571]

BIB: Liljenquist, Ola Nielsen, [Autobiography] Tullidges Quarterly Magazine 41 (July 1881) pp. 570-71.
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