Lofgreen treck to Zion

Mormon Pioneer Overland Travel, 1847–1868 Source of Trail Excerpt: Lofgren, Anders Persson, A Simple Faith Anders Persson Lofgren, Swedish son—Mormon immigrant 1996, 40-42. Read Trail Excerpt: On June 11 we landed at "Floräns" [Florence] where we stayed for six weeks waiting for the oxtrain that would come from Zion to take us to our destination, Zion. ("Utah Teritori[tory]") While we were in Floräns I realized that Bro. Hansen's character was different than on the ship. In our Sunday meetings they preached very strongly that we would pay what money we had to go with the Church train, if somebody kept more than was necessary to go over the plains they would feel pain and ache in their legs. It was likened unto Ananias and his wife who kept part of the money when they wanted to join the Apostles of Jesus. It was hard to listen to these sermons and our faith was tried in this and other things. Because of my faith in the Gospel and our leader (Hanssen) I obeyed his and the other leader's admonitions and paid 50 dollars on my debt for the journey across the plains. This money I paid to Hanssen. While we camped at Florans some of the emigrants were making tents to be used by those emigrants that would go with the Church train and we worked hard to house all in the company, about 500. While we worked on the tents Hanssen was very busy buying up cows, oxen and wagons to some well-to-do (even some of his own country men who did not pay one cent for their trip across the plains) families who should cross the plains on their own. That meant nothing but cows to his not-so-well-to-do countrymen in the Church train. One day it happened that Hanssen and one of his fellow brethren in the Gospel were looking in his accounting book about something. I happened to pass them and glance at the book where I saw the figure 37 at my name which caused me to stop and look at something else so I would not disturb them. When they were through I went over to Hanssen and asked him what was meant by 37 at my name. He could not answer to my satisfaction saying it was something that I had paid for my journey across the plains. After some unpleasant words between I showed him it should have been 50 instead of 37. when I had showed he made his excuses saying he did not know how he made the mistake. Before we finished I asked him to go with me to Joseph Young, who was the emigration Agent and who would receive the money that was collected for our journey. He would not. He promised to pay what was lacking and I received them before we left "Floräns." These things were hard for us to understand and were a trial to see our leading men do that and I had given him 2 dollars, when we were on board Hombold[t]. The day we were ready to leave Floräns, Hanssen had bought two pair of oxen and a wagon and paid with different merchandise. Now he was not poor any more as he was when he left Hombol[d]t.