~by Heidi

I will forever be grateful to my ancestors who joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day-Saints long ago and for all that they sacrificed so that I could grow up with the gospel in my household.  One of my most illustrious ancestors is Daniel Tyler who is known for his book The Concise History of the Mormon Battalion.  He served as the sergeant of Company C of the Battalion and kept a vivid account of all their doings.

He was born in 1819 and was introduced to the Book of Mormon through a meeting he attended at his neighbor’s house.  The Mormon missionaries were there and Daniel, aged 15 at the time, picked up the book and began to read.  It took only a few pages in order for him to feel a strong desire to be baptized into the church but his father was opposed to it.  Later his sister braved her father’s objections and joined the church.  Soon, their parents and brothers followed.  Daniel, however, was still afraid to tell his father the secret he had harbored in his heart for months.

Finally, Daniel’s father asked him a question.  Daniel writes, “On my father asking if it was not hard for my sister, parents and brothers to leave me, I broke completely down and wept aloud.  I was baptized the following Wednesday.”

Daniel Tyler was instrumental in the building up of the church in Europe.  He was called to serve as a mission president of the Italian/Swiss/German/French Mission in 1854.  While there, he received a letter from Professor Karl G. Maeser, a German citizen who was interested in the church.  Professor Maeser was subsequently baptized a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day-Saints, emigrated to Utah, and was one of the founding fathers of Brigham Young Academy, now known as B.Y.U.

Despite his stony expression and military stance in the photo above, Daniel Tyler was a kind man who loved to share his testimony with others.  He suffered many trials and tribulations in the course of his life but he never denied his testimony of the gospel.  I am so thankful for men like him who endured many hardships to bring the gospel to so many.