Last Updated on March 6, 2022 7:27 pm by Steven

Mission Journal of John Kasper Loosle Short Version

October 1885 – April 1887

Written by himself in first person

Shortened and transcribed into standard English sentences By Janet Buttars Folster, great granddaughter

 

I left Clarkston, Utah on October 12, 1885 to go on my mission to Switzerland.  I went to the Historian’s Office in Salt Lake City where I was set apart to go to Switzerland, German speaking.  I left Salt Lake City with other missionaries and arrived in New York.  I went to Liverpool England.  I went to Grimsby England, and we went by ship to cross the North Sea.  I arrived in Antwerp Belgium then went to Strachbourg France.  I went to Basel Switzerland and then arrived in Bern Switzerland.

We went directly to the Mission Office.  There I received my instructions from President Schonfeld to labor in Central Switzerland.  He gave me permission to visit my brother(s) and friends first.  I went to Biel to visit my brother (Andreas Loosli).  I walked up to Knubel to Ulrich Fluckiger (possible district or mission leader) and stayed 2 days.  I walked to some houses and tried to find someone to listen.  I walked to Hans Ulrich (Johann Ulrich Bier – uncle) and stayed overnight.

December 1st I walked down to Huttwil and bore testimony to two families on the way.  I walked to visit widow Loosle.  I walked to Schwanden to John Ulrich Loosle’s.  I walked to Mr. Daniel Loosle’s.  I walked down to Ulrich Loosle’s.  On the 25th I walked to Burgdorf and then by rail to Bern.  I met Elder Gottfrey Fuhrimann [seems to be a missionary companion] at 2 pm and we held a meeting at Moser’s house.  [He walked extensively, occasionally going by rail].

1886:  January 1st I spent the day writing.  We visited Hotteger’s.  Two of his children were sick and we administered to them.  We took the train and then walked to Liestal and visited Mr. Gass.  It was a very pleasant day.  We slept in a hotel.  On the 7th it was snowing.  It was very stormy so we went by rail to Basel.  The 17th we walked to Biberist to Brother Moser’s and held a meeting at 2 PM.  The meeting opened by singing and prayer.  There was singing again and the Sacrament was administered.  There was more singing then Bro. Fuhrimann spoke bearing testimony to the work of God.  Next I spoke for about 30 minutes.  Next we blessed two children; then the meeting was dismissed.  [He detailed many meetings and included how long everyone spoke.]

On Sunday February 7th we could not have a meeting because some had to work and some were sick.  We spent the day with Brother Henze.  We stayed in a hotel overnight. We walked from Basel to Delsberg, about 27 miles and stayed overnight in a hotel.  Then we went to Solothurn, a distance of about 24 miles where the road goes over a high mountain named Weissenstein.  I went from house to house to distribute tracts and bear testimony to the people.  But most of the people don’t want to hear or receive the glad tidings.

In April I went to Solothurn to Mr. Neffeler’s house to an old acquaintance, but he was not home.  I spoke to his wife about the Gospel but she didn’t like it.  I walked up to Solothurn to an old acquaintance and gave them something to read and bore testimony to them.

Trial

May 8th, I was arrested in Gfel by Niederwil during Sunday School and brought down to the President of that place.  He treated me very bad with words and said we ought to fetch the butcher.  Many other bad words he told me.  But in a few weeks the Hand of the Lord came over him and he was struck twice with a sickness that one side of him was dead.  He then made a written complaint against me.  I was transferred by the marshal to Zofingen about 4 miles distant.  There they put me in prison.  May 10th I was called to appear for an examination and after locked up again.  May 12th Brother Hoteger and Brother Traugot Hofer were called for witnesses.  May the 13th I was called again to answer some questions. After that I was removed into the other Prison House where the rest of the prisoners were.  But I had a lone room and that is the way they kept the prisoners in that country.  They kept me 17 days.  After that I was called for trial and the sentence was 100 Franks or 25 days imprisonment.  They gave me 14 days to make up my mind – whether I would acknowledge that sentence or appeal to a higher court.

So President Schonfeld said that we would appeal to a higher court.  So the other court decided they could not banish me from the Canton (county or area) but with the rest they did not do anything and sent me back to Zofingen again.  I received a writ to appear again before the Court in Zofingen; then they more than doubled the fine and brought it up to 300 Franks or 75 days in prison.  So they gave me time again (16 days) to consider the matter.

Then the lawyer gave us to understand that it would be better for me to leave because he believed that it would not come out good.  So I was released on that account to go home.  I walked over to Gfell to Brother Hofer.  They received me very kind.  I was astonished to see that some of the saints had almost a harder time than myself.

“I felt very good in my pane [pain] so much so that I was astonest [astonished] the Lord Blest [blessed] me, so that the time past quek [quick] by and I felt so good lake [like] I was in meeting.

i hade [had] anof [enough] to eate, and (a,) bouthe [both] good Bed and a, clen [clean] Bead [bed],  Danks (Thanks) be unto the Lord of Host Blassed [blessed] be the name of the Lord God of Israel.  the [they] capt [kept] everthing that I, hade [had] with me – my wach [watch], my mone [money], nife [knife], 2 Tow [two] pogitbook [pocketbook] lettel [little] locking [looking] glass my peper [paper]”.

In June I walked to Emmenholz to Brother von Almen.  I spent the time in writing.  I helped them get their hay.  I helped them with haying because I was counseled not to go around.  I had not got my papers/permission.

Brother Schonfeld and I walked over to the lawyer Moseman.  July 3rd I baptized Fredrich Schepbach.  July the 4th I confirmed him in the meeting in Biberist.  On the 17th I went to some houses to bear my testimony of the work of God and of the Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ and gave them something to read.  But not all would take anything.  They will go the old road.  They think themselves saved to go to Heaven.  O what a great mistake they make.  Blessed be the name of the Lord that he has blest me with the light of the gospel.

I left Knubel to spread the Holy Gospel to some of my relations.  Then they wanted me to go with them to a sectarian preacher where he did hold a meeting.  I took my Bible out and told him that we believed all that is in the Bible.  He commenced to look very mean about the Mormons and told me I was a false preacher.  I told him that he was a false preacher.

In August I went with Brother Fuhrimann to the depot and he took the train to Harzogenbuchsee.  He was released from his mission.  I walked to Heimiswil and walked around to bear testimony to the people of the Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ.  But I was astonished about the darkness of the people.  Only two places would take tracts for them to read.

I was ready to leave Fluckiger’s house, but they wanted me to stay because they had a big dinner that day.  They got all their grain in, and the people here have a fashion to have a big dinner when the grain is in.  So I ate, and it lasted until afternoon.  I walked from house to house to bear my testimony of the Kingdom of God and to give people tracts to read.  But very few took the tracts.  They want to go to the Kingdom of God their own way.  But Jesus says no one can go into the Kingdom of God any other way – only by being born of the water and the Spirit by Him.  They have ordained me to officiate in the Lord’s Name – blessed be the Name of the Lord.  I had quite a talk with them (unknown people) about the Gospel and plural wives.  From there I went to bear my testimony of the Work of God.  From there I went to Huttwil – out of the woods.  I stayed overnight in the woods.  It was warm weather.  On Sept. 2nd I walked to bear my testimony of the work of God.  In one house the people and some neighbors asked me about polygamy.  They asked how they can get along with more than one wife.  Some laugh about it.  Some said that it was bad.  I did talk a little about it.  Then they thought it was not so bad.

We held a meeting.  I spoke for one hour and 15 minutes on the first principle of the Gospel.  All the people did listen.  In the evening Bro. Stucke baptized one and I confirmed her.  I walked to Knubel to Sister Fluckiger’s house.  I stayed all day because it rained and I helped with some fruit.

I and Brother Schonfeld walked to the lawyer’s to see after the decision of the Court.  But the decision was not very favorable.

I went to Mr. Johann Haineger’s house to stay overnight.  He said he did think lots of me before I was a Mormon.  But since I was a Mormon, He don’t like me.  He said he don’t want a Mormon to come to his house.  He said I am welcome every time when I come if I don’t want to be a Mormon.  But I told him I could not do that.  I would rather be killed than to forsake Mormonism.

I went to Zofengen because I had to go before the court again at 10 o’clock for the Gospel’s sake.  They gave me no chance to prove through witnesses what I had said to defend myself.  They fined me 300 Franks or 75 days imprisonment.  I stayed all day at Brother Henze’s house because I had a blister on my foot.

O Babylon what darkness covers – soon you will fall.  O how thankful we ought to be for the Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ.  I walked to Eriswil to get the genealogy of my relations.   On the 14th Brother Schonfeld and I walked to the lawyer to do some business.  One afternoon I had a meeting with Mr. von Ames.  It was Christmas Day.  On the 28th I left to go to Delsberg.  I had a hard time to go over the mountain because the snow was deep from 3-4 feet and no tracks for about 3 miles.  I arrived in Delsberg at 6 at Brother Some’s house.

1887:  I went to Sumiswald to an office man to see about genealogy.  I went to Eriswil for some business.  On the road I bore my testimony to some people.

April 7th I went to Biel to my brother’s house.  When I arrived, I did find to my astonishment that my brother Andrew (Andreas) was dead and buried 4 weeks ago.

I went to Kirchberg for some more genealogy.  Then I went by train to Delsberg.  I bid them goodbye and went by train to Basel.  I stayed in Basel until Thursday the 14th.  Then I went on my journey home to Zion.

I left Basel in the morning and arrived in Antwerp, Belgium.  In the morning I looked for a ship to sail to Hull, England.  An agent told me I had better wait two days in Antwerp because I could not be in time to go the 16th from Liverpool with the immigrants.  I was five hours too late he said.  If I waited two days in Antwerp, I could go safer on the water to Hull.  So I stayed.  I left Antwerp on the 16th.  We arrived in Hull.  I stayed in the ship until morning.  On the 18th they took us to the depot.  Then I left Hull to go to Liverpool, England.  There was a company of Saints/immigrants that I went with to Liverpool.  Then I went to sea on the 19th.  But I had to wait in Liverpool until Saturday the 23rd.

 

Included in John Kasper Loosle’s memories in Family Tree (ID # KWNF-BGT)

 

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