Early in the life of Peter Madsen, he was called as a soldier of the Danish Army in the conflict between the Danish people and the Prussian Army of Germany. Apparently Peter Madsen was a religious man who often prayed for guidance and direction in his everyday life. As he entered into the military service he one night in prayer made a promise to his Heavenly Father that if his life was spared while in the military service that upon his return to his native land and his home he would do anything which the Lord would ask him to do.
One day while in battle he felt a strong thud or hit from his back. He thought nothing of the incident at the time, but thought it was perhaps one of his fellow soldiers who had hit his pack with the stock of their rifle. However, that night when he undid his pack he found a slug from a shell embedded in his bible which he was in the habit of reading each day. Then he realized that he had been protected from injury and possible death as the rifle slug had only penetrated his bible in his pack.
Years later, how many it is not known, while bringing in his fishing net alone after a day of fishing, he heard a voice very clearly stating, "YOU DID NOT KEEP YOUR PROMISE TO THE LORD!" Quickly he looked about to see who was speaking. He saw no one and after a moment or two he went back to the task of drawing in his nets. Again the voice came clear with the same thought. The second time he looked about in embarrassment and with deep desire to see who it was that was speaking to him. Again he did not see anyone but went back to drawing in his nets but with a cautious eye to see if anyone was in the vicinity. For a long time he continued drawing in his nets and had almost forgotten the two earlier experiences when the third time the voice came to him and much more clear than the first two times. Then it came to him what the voice had meant. He quickly secured his nets, called over another to continue bringing them in and immediately made his way to his home.
Two missionaries from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints had been in the area teaching the gospel of Jesus Christ. They had come to the home of Peter Madsen and he had not listened to them, but his wife had become very interested in their message and had asked that he also listen to the message as given by the Missionaries. But Peter Madsen had been far too busy in his everyday affairs of fishing and preparing his nets each evening to go to any cottage meetings or discussions from two young missionaries from a church in the United States. Yes, as the voice came to him three times it came to him that he should have been listening to the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He for a few days had left for another town. Peter Madsen quickly mounted one of the horses in the stable and rode through the night to find the two missionaries from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. With every movement he felt better withing and he wanted so much to find them. It seemed that everywhere he checked, no, they were not there and he searched throughout the night into the next day when he found the two missionaries, listened to their story again and invited them back into his home where he continued to be instructed in the truths of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
It is now a matter of record that from this humble experience, Peter Madsen left his home-land of Denmark, came to the United States and eventually moved into Lake View, Utah County area where he became one of the greatest Church leaders of that period and one of the first great fishermen of Utah Valley. This account is given by Spencer Duane Madsen, son of Spencer Madsen, son of Peter Madsen Jr., son of Peter Madsen from a verbal conversation with a brother of Peter Madsen Jr., and son of Peter Madsen.
This account is given by Spencer Duane Madsen, son of Spencer Madsen from a conversation had with Parley Will son of Lena and Peter Madsen.
