Hannah Sorenson's Conversion and Trial of Faith
Published October 15, 2026 at 5:44 AM
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Young Woman's Journal Research
Hannah Sorenson, a midwife in Denmark, suffered 24 years in an unhappy marriage before her husband left for Chicago. She prayed for relief and encountered LDS missionaries, gaining an immediate witness of the truth. Upon joining the Church, she faced intense social and professional backlash, including the loss of her government position as a midwife, threats to place her children in a workhouse, and the forcible removal of her children by the authorities and her husband. Despite threats, harassment from the minister, and intense poverty, she remained faithful, prayed for strength, and eventually managed to emigrate to Utah, leaving her children behind in the hands of the Lord. Later, through the inspiration and financial help of Sister Fanny Y. Thatcher, she traveled to Chicago to visit her children, which eventually led to a reconciliation and the conversion of one of her sons who promised to join her in Utah.
In Their Own Words
“I was born in Denmark, in the year 1836. My parents were poor, but honest and industrious. I was married when I was twenty-two years of age, and lived with my husband for twenty-four years. During this time I was a midwife, and had a good practice. My husband was not a kind man, and I had a very unhappy life. He finally left me and went to Chicago, leaving me with three children. I had always been a religious woman, and had prayed to the Lord to show me the right way. One day, while I was in my room, I felt a strange influence, and I heard a voice say, 'Hannah, you must join the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.' I did not know what it meant, but I felt that it was from God. Soon after, the missionaries came to our town, and I went to hear them. As soon as I heard them speak, I knew that what they said was true. I was baptized, and from that time I had a peace of mind that I had never known before. But my troubles were not over. My neighbors and friends turned against me, and I was dismissed from my position as a midwife. My husband, who had returned, threatened to take my children away from me, and the authorities threatened to put them in a workhouse. I was in great poverty, but I never lost my faith. I prayed to the Lord to open my way, and He did. I was able to emigrate to Utah, but I had to leave my children behind. It was a great trial, but I knew that the Lord would take care of them. After I had been in Utah for some time, I met Sister Fanny Y. Thatcher and Sister Nettie Y. Snell in the temple. They were very kind to me, and when I told them my story, they were moved to tears. Sister Thatcher said, 'Now I know why I was so moved upon when I saw you; I had a desire to get acquainted with you, and now I feel satisfied that it was right that I should; and I shall be glad to help you.' Through their help and the inspiration of the Lord, I was able to go to Chicago to see my children. I found them, and we were reconciled. My son, who had been so bitter against the Church, was converted, and he promised to join me in Utah. I thank the Lord for His goodness to me, and I know that He hears and answers the prayers of those who put their trust in Him.”
— Hannah Sorenson, as recorded in The Young Woman's Journal, vol. 1, no. 11
Sources & References
The Young Woman's Journal, vol. 1 no. 11 (August 1890). L. Tom Perry Special Collections, Harold B. Lee Library, Brigham Young University digital collections. https://contentdm.lib.byu.edu/digital/collection/YWJ/id/9201 (account extracted verbatim from the collection's page-level OCR; research confidence: high) Full first-person account: The Young Woman's Journal, vol. 1, no. 11 (August 1890), pp. 491-493 https://contentdm.lib.byu.edu/digital/collection/YWJ/id/9201
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