Peace, Healing in His wings - the words of Nephi, Isaiah and Malachi

 Many of us tend to avoid the book of Second Nephi because it has so many chapters of Isaiah quoted in it. As we have been reading there lately, I was impressed by what lead Nephi to quote Isaiah so much as evidenced by his words in chapters 25 and 26, which directly followed his largest section of quoted Isaiah, where he expounds on those passages. Some of the most wonderful words in scripture concerning the life and atonement of Jesus Christ comes from these two chapters.

The following is an example.

The beautiful phrase describing the Savior as rising with "healing in His wings" is found only three places in the holy scriptures (really only two):

Malachi 4:2 - "But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of Righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves in the stall."

2 Ne. 25:13 - "Behold, they will crucify him, and after he is laid in a sepulchre for the space of three days he shall rise from the dead, with healing in his wings, and all those who shall believe on his name shall be saved in the kingdom of God. Wherefore, my soul delighteth to prophecy concerning him, for I have seen his day, and my heart doth magnify his holy name."

3 Ne. 25:2 (quoting Malachi) - "But unto you that fear my name, shall the Son of Righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth and grow up as calves in the stall."

I am interested in the Savior's title, "Son of Righteousness." Of all the titles given to Him, this refers both to the Father, but also to the value and purity of their righteousness. Besides the quote from Malachi already quoted, we also have Nephi's descriptive reference:

2 Ne. 26:9 "But the Son of righteousness shall appear unto them; and he shall heal them, and they shall have peace with him, until three generations shall have passed away, and many of the fourth generation shall have passed away in righteousness."

The only other reference in scripture to this title refers to Emer, one of the prophets (also a king) of the Jaredites.

Ether 9:22 "And after he had anointed Coriantum to reign in his stead he lived four years, and he saw peace in the land; yea, and he even saw the Son of Righteousness, and did rejoice and glory in his day; and he died in peace."

This leads me to think about that promise of peace.

The story of the Nephite people following the ministry of the Savior among them is well know to us, as we read from Third and Fourth Nephi. I have asked myself recently about that peace and lack of contention found among that people. The thought occurred to me that Satan had not been bound. That is what we look forward to in the Millennial reign when the Son of Righteousness returns in glory. As the Nephite people lived, "there were no contentions and disputations among them, and every man did deal justly one with another." Also "there still continued to be peace in the land." I noted that it did not say that Satan had been bound.

They had children. Even the innocent antics of children often lead to contention, but they did have children. It says that they "did multiply exceedingly fast" and "they were married, and given in marriage" in this time. How do we deal with contention and difficulty that comes because of our living in this world? These people learned from Jesus how to live and deal with their troubles without letting them be led to contention and strife. That means  that we can, with the help of God, face the normal buffetings of life, even with Satan not being bound, and have peace. Of course, it can be done as we submit ourselves and trust in the Prince of Peace.

I also wondered why the term was used in these scriptures of "calves in the stall." There is one more Book of Mormon scripture which uses this phrase:

1 Ne  22:24 "And the time cometh speedily that the righteous must be led up as calves of the stall, and the Holy One of Israel must reign in dominion, and might, and power, and great glory."

It is interesting here to note that this is also a point where Nephi has quoted Isaiah and is elaborating on the words he has just read.

I think it is a likening of the righteous people submitting themselves to the Savior and letting themselves be led in their life's challenges in order to find peace that is promised in these scriptural passages. It is similar to lambs in a fold. They are protected and guided. So are the calves.

As we look in expectation for the Second coming of Jesus, we need to learn how we can bind Satan by learning to choose how to deal with troubles and difficulties of life. These passages from the prophet Nephi, who was bolstered by the words of Isaiah are instructive.

5. Finding Missing Children

 As you can see, I am going beyond the first few Danish research guide blog posts. I had some success recently and decided it might be useful to share the methods I used in my success.

Lost or Forgotten Children in your Families

As records are searched and people added to your Danish families, depending on the sources you use, you might be missing some children. This especially comes when the commonly used sources come from census records. This is true for research work all over the world as well, but often the easy way to put together a family group in Danish records is from the census records. True, this is the primary way to actually connect people because the other records usually do not list family members together as well as census records do.

As is often the case in the world, children die young all too often. When a child is born and dies in those years between census tallies, they get missed if the census records are the only records used.

In Danish records, the parish records for years after 1892 (other than some marriage records), FamilySearch does not have transcribed records available for searching. However, Ancestry.com often does have these records transcribed and are searchable.

One thing to point out in all this is the great progress continually being made in records preservation and transcriptions (e.g. Indexing), so the need and usefulness of the methods shown in this document might be less useful at any time in the future. However, I found these to be good methods for finding lost children using the records currently available.

The Family of Albert Magnus Georg Petersen

I recently searched for and found the marriage of Christine Sofie Larsen. In the process, I found that her husband, Albert Magnus Georg Petersen, was already in the FamilySearch system with a wife of the correct name for this record. They did not have the marriage information, but it all matched the marriage record I found. The temple ordinance work was already completed for Albert and his wife, Christine, as well as for the two children they found for them:

The sons listed were born in Copenhagen. Many times, when I see Copenhagen, I expect to not have much success in searching records because it is such a large city with many churches and parishes. It is usually not worth trying to search all the parish records not knowing where they might be.

Fortunately, I found their marriage in a simple search in Ancestry.com. I corrected the marriage date and place and included the source for all that. They were married on 8 May 1898  in the Sankt (Saint) Lukas church in Copenhagen. The two children added came from the 1906 census records. I did a cursory search in the Saint Lukas church for the birth of the first son, but came up empty.

The main point that caught my attention, and is the point of this article, is that there is a 3-year gap between the marriage and the birth of the first child. That is definitely possible, but there is reason to look for an additional child who probably died young.

Recently I have noticed a pattern in the Ancestry.com search results where a child’s record was found, but not mentioned in the search results list. Here is what I mean. When I look at either Christine or Albert and click on the “Search” options on the right, and click on “Ancestry,”

I get a list of possible matches in the Ancestry.com records. Even when I do not narrow the search, I sometimes see entries that show the parent’s whole name, but not much else. I have learned that in those cases, sometimes, it is a match for that person as a parent in a child’s record, and it might be a child I am not aware of. Here is an example showing three of these types of matches for Christine. (Note, in this list, the first entry is for her marriage and the third is for her birth):

These suggested records show “Birth, baptism & christening,” but often, they are also death and burial records, which is the case here. The key is to look for the lack of information below the name. I often find that such records are very useful (except when they are not ;-):

as you can see when I click on the small image shown, I get:

which is a death record for Svend Aage Otto Vilhelm Petersen. You have probably noticed that the first child listed in the family is named Svend Aage Otto Petersen (no Vilhelm), so you might think that this is the same person. However, as you look at the record, he was 2 1/2 years old when he died on 3 February 1901. The Svend listed has a birth date of 29 June 1901. Often in Denmark, when a child dies young, the next (or a next) child born will be given the same name. This is the case for this family. They were married and a few months later, a son was born and then died within a few months of the birth of the next child, who also happened to be a son.

Of course, errors are made in recording, etc. and it might be a mistake in this case, but that is why it is important to pursue the actual parish records. Even though the records are here available through Ancestry.com, I like to go to the Danish state archives services to get the records and look for more records.

Ancestry.com gives excellent information as you can see. The record comes from the 1898-1909 Sankt (Saint) Thomas parish records. I brought up those records:

and found the very same record on page 84 (image 86):

With that, I created the source information:

https://arkivalieronline.rigsarkivet.dk/da/billedviser?bsid=156260#156260,26177559

Sankt Thomas, Sokkelund, København Kontraministerialbog 1898-1909 male deaths

page 84 image 86 entry 24 for 1901 male burials

d. 1901 13 February

bur. 17 February 1901 Frederiksberg churchyard

Svend Aage Otto Vilhelm Petersen

son of Albert Magnus Georg Petersen and wife Christine Sofie, born Larsen

age 2 1/2 years

I see that the burial place was actually Frederiksberg, a very large church in Copenhagen. ( I also found that in a later Ancestry.com record hint in that list). So I added that record, which included his birth date in the record.

I found the death record in the 1899-1903 book for records for Frederiksberg male deaths:

and then I found the birth record, according to the date given:

From this I created the source entry for his birth:

https://arkivalieronline.rigsarkivet.dk/da/billedviser?bsid=149683#149683,24768744

Frederiksberg, Sokkelund, København Kontraministerialbog 1896-1899 male births

page 268 image 269 entry 287 for 1898 male christenings

b. 29 June 1898

Svend Aage Otto Vilhelm Petersen

parents: Albert Magnus Georg Petersen and wife Christine Sophie Larsen, age 25

chr. 14 August 1898

Conclusion

If I had taken these records at face value, I would have missed finding this small boy. I can now take his name in for the ordinance of sealing to parents. The point of this is that there are often gaps or clues in details showing that records could be searched to find lost children.

                                                                                                     - Joseph F. Buchanan

4. Validating Details with Source Entries

 The Importance of Sources in Family History

As people are added to FamilySearch, and as details are entered for people of your family in FamilySearch, it is important to document these details and personal events using original sources. Many sources are available, especially in Denmark. This document will give some ideas and methods for providing these source details.

Using FamilySearch Sources Directly

When you look at the details of a person in FamilySearch, often you see suggestions of records contained in the vast FamilySearch system of record images. 

As you click on “Show All” you see the individual suggestions with more detail:

When you click on “Review & Attach, you see the details, side-by-side (not shown entirely here, but you get the idea):

If these look OK, click the “Attach” button and the source will be added to the sources collection for that individual.

When these hints are provided, they are based on transcriptions (from indexing) of those records. It is important to review these carefully, for several reasons. First, since names in Denmark are used often and many are very common, some suggestions make sense when really they are for different people with similar names and family situations. Sometimes they are listed as “weak,” but even it not, they should be examined well before proceeding. Also, there are sometimes errors in the records or transcriptions. I see these errors most often in census records.

Sometimes the hints are suggestions for merging your family member with person(s) who are also in FamilySearch who have similarities. These, also, should be approved with caution, but are important and may help connect families.

The Source List for People in FamilySearch, and Adding Sources

As you look at a person’s details, one of the views shows sources already attached for that person in FamilySearch. In that view, you also have the option to add sources yourself.

In this view, you can see the sources added from FamilySearch hints. Those are the ones with the FamilySearch tree symbol on the left side. Other sources are shown with the globe image on the left. Those are usually added from a person’s own research. If you add sources (as I will demonstrate here), those will be listed with that symbol.

If you click on “+ ADD SOURCE,” you will be presented with three options:

As you add your own sources in the FamilySearch system, they are usually included in your own Source Box (that is a choice given to you ). Here is an example of a source box:

You can see this list if you click on “Attach from Source Box,” and you can add a particular source to additional persons, clicking on “attach.”

Following is an example of taking details from a new record you have found and adding it as a source for someone in your family in FamilySearch. 

Marius Bernhard Olsen - Entered into FamilySearch, with Detailed Sources

Marius was born in 1893. The FamilySearch indexed records of parish volumes for Denmark ended in about 1891, so the source hints for Marius’ birth are not available. However, there are several of the census records that do extend into the 1900s, up to the 1930 census. (Lately, though, the 1916 and later census records have been restricted, so those later ones do not come up any more.) Because the parish volumes have not been transcribed for us in FamilySearch, other sources are helpful. Ancestry.com does have a lot of those later volumes transcribed and are available. Still, I have found that I need to review the actual parish records, searching from page to page, to fill in families.

Here is the example of the christening record for Marius and how I made the source record for that for him.

First, a note about research methods. It is good to keep a research log of some sort. I usually keep a text file on my computer where I place what I find in various records, mainly to help me see the big picture as I proceed. From these entries in the research log, I can then build the source entry for the particular records for that person. Here is an excerpt of my research log for the Niels Peder Olsen family (Marius’s father):

Niels Peder Olsen family

Maribo, Musse, Taars, Killerup, 0, 92, FT-1901, D8406

Navn: Alder: Status: Stilling i familien: Erhverv: Fødested:

Niels Peter Olsen  18621226  G  Husfader  Teglværksarbejder  Saxkøbing Landsogn  

Karen Marie Olsen født Jørgensen  18640615  G  Husmoder    Saxkøbing Landsogn  

Laurits Peder Olsen  18880908  U  Barn    Saxkøbing Landsogn  

Otto Peder Olsen  18900722  U  Barn    Taars Sogn Maribo Amt  

Marius Bernhardt Olsen  18930514  U  Barn    Taars Sogn Maribo Amt  

Julius Valdemar Olsen  18970715  U  Barn    Taars Sogn Maribo Amt  

Otto Martin Olsen  19000418  U  Barn    Taars Sogn Maribo Amt  

Maribo, Musse, Sakskøbing Landdistrikt, Rørbæk, , 6, FT-1916, C7472

Navn: Alder: Status: Stilling i familien: Erhverv: Fødested:

Niels Peder Olsen  26-11-1862  Gift  husfader  husmand    

Karen Marie Olsen  15-5-1864  Gift  husmoder      

Mary Olsen  16-4-1913  Gift  barn      [an error, her birth year is really 1903]

https://arkivalieronline.rigsarkivet.dk/da/billedviser?bsid=353312#353312,70311166

Sakskøbing Landsogn, Musse, Maribo Kontraministerialbog new scans 1884-1891 male births

page 20 image 25 entry 15 for 1888 male christenings

b. 8 September 1888

Peter Laurits Olsen

chr. 7 October 1888

parents unmarried Karen Marie Jørgensen (age 24). child's father Niels Peter Olsen,Rodsnæs

https://arkivalieronline.rigsarkivet.dk/da/billedviser?bsid=158038#158038,26535965

Tårs, Musse, Maribo Kontraministerialbog 1892 FKVD - 1910 FKVD parish records

page 4 image 7 entry 6 for 1893 male christenings

b. 1893 14 May

Marius Bernhard Olsen

parents Niels Peder Olsen and wife Karen Marie, Jørgensen age 29 married Sakskøbing church 8/6/90

chr. 1893 9 July

https://arkivalieronline.rigsarkivet.dk/da/billedviser?bsid=158038#158038,26535979

Tårs, Musse, Maribo Kontraministerialbog 1892 FKVD - 1910 FKVD parish records

page 18 image 21 entry 12 for 1897 male christenings

b. 1897 15 July

Julius Valdemar Olsen

parents Niels Peder Olsen and wife Karen Marie, b. Jørgensen age 33 married Sakskøbing church 8/6/90

chr. 1897 7 November

https://arkivalieronline.rigsarkivet.dk/da/billedviser?bsid=158038#158038,26536042

Tårs, Musse, Maribo Kontraministerialbog 1892 FKVD - 1910 FKVD parish records

page 85 image 84 entry 2 for 1903 female christenings

b. 1903 16 April

Mary Christine Olsen

parents Niels Peder Olsen and wife Karen Marie, b. Jørgensen

chr. 1903 5 July

https://arkivalieronline.rigsarkivet.dk/da/billedviser?bsid=158038#158038,26535985

Tårs, Musse, Maribo Kontraministerialbog 1892 FKVD - 1910 FKVD parish records

page 24 image 27 entry 1 for 1900 male christenings

b. 1900 18 March

Otto Martin Olsen

parents Niels Peder Olsen and wife Karen Marie, b. Jørgensen age 35 married Sakskøbing church 8/6/90

chr. 1900 11 May

As you can see, I started with a search of the census records, using the DDD census records search service provided by the Danish State Archives (described in an earlier document). I found the family in 1901 and again in 1916 (with the error noted). Based on these, I started searching the actual parish records for the individual births (also noted in the research log). In this example, I follow the searching I did for Marius.

As you can see from the log, I found his christening record in Taars (or Tårs) parish in the 1892-1910 volume of births, confirmations, marriages and deaths (FKVD), on page 4 (image 7) entry 6 for 1893 male christenings. This information was entered in to his record in FamilySearch and then I created the source entry.

Creating the Source Entry

In the Sources page, I selected “Add New Source:”

 

    and filled in the next entry form:

This shows my own particular method of entering a source. You do not have to do it my way, but I hope that my method gives sufficient detail to make it most useful. As mentioned already, I save those particular details in my research log so it is easy to fill in the form.

The “Event Date” should be obvious. In this case the event being described is the christening, not the birth, but there are cases with infants who die without being christened, that it is the birth date. In this case I entered 9 July 1893.

I title the source with enough detail to make it easy to see at first glance exactly what it is, in this case: Location, year, event: Tårs, Maribo, 1893 christening of Marius Bernhard Olsen

This source type is from an actual web page, so that is indicated.

Next is the web address URL: 

https://arkivalieronline.rigsarkivet.dk/da/billedviser?bsid=158038#158038,26535965

In this case, to get this (on my computer system), I click on the address and it selects the full address and then I copy, and paste it into my research log.

Giving the URL in the source makes it possible for anyone looking at the source to be able to go right to the source and examine it for further details, if desired.

For Citation, I give an much detail as I can. In this case, I know that it is from the Kontraministerialbog (counter ministerial book) for the parish years of 1892-1910 for FKVD records (see above for the meaning of this). It is also useful to add the specifics of the location, so, in this case, I enter:

Tårs, Musse, Maribo Kontraministerialbog 1892 FKVD - 1910 FKVD parish records

page 4 image 7 entry 6 for 1893 male christenings

In the Notes section, I put in the rest of the detail I extracted from the record:

b. 1893 14 May

Marius Bernhard Olsen

parents Niels Peder Olsen and wife Karen Marie, Jørgensen age 29 married Sakskøbing church 8/6/90

chr. 1893 9 July

In looking at the actual record, you can see that there are really a lot more details. In this case, I chose what I considered the most useful:

Often, I will also include the birth place, but I did not in this case.

Now I also click on the buttons on the bottom to indicate Name Sex Birth Christening, so those are added to those detail items for Marius as sources attached.

Now, as people see the source, it shows:

Conclusion

As you add details and important information for a person, sources should be added to verify what you have included. Hopefully, this document had helped give some ideas about how to accomplish this.                       

                                                                                                     - Joseph F. Buchanan