H. Donl Peterson
Encyclopedia
Harry Donl Peterson was a religion professor at Brigham Young University
(BYU) who primarily studied topics related to the Book of Mormon
and Pearl of Great Price
.
. He served a mission
in the Western States
Mission
(headquartered in Denver, Colorado
). Peterson received his bachelor's and master's degrees from BYU. He also had a doctorate in education from Washington State University
. Starting in 1964 he was a professor at BYU. Prior to that he worked as a seminary and institute
teacher and administrator with the Church Educational System
. At BYU he directed several travel study programs as well as being involved with the Know Your Religion program.
In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), Peterson served three times as a bishop and was also president of the BYU 15th Stake. He served in the first branch presidency of the Jerusalem Branch.
Peterson married Mary Lou Schenk in the Salt Lake Temple
in 1953. They had six children.
At the age of 64, Peterson died of cancer
at his home in Orem, Utah
, and was buried in the Orem City Cemetery.
Later published by Deseret Book
in 2000 (ISBN 1570087091), and Cedar Fort in 2007 (ISBN 1599551411). Later published by Cedar Fort in 2008 (ISBN 1599551403).
Brigham Young University
Brigham Young University is a private university located in Provo, Utah. It is owned and operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , and is the United States' largest religious university and third-largest private university.Approximately 98% of the university's 34,000 students...
(BYU) who primarily studied topics related to the Book of Mormon
Book of Mormon
The Book of Mormon is a sacred text of the Latter Day Saint movement that adherents believe contains writings of ancient prophets who lived on the American continent from approximately 2600 BC to AD 421. It was first published in March 1830 by Joseph Smith, Jr...
and Pearl of Great Price
Pearl of Great Price (Mormonism)
The Pearl of Great Price is part of the standard works of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and some other Latter Day Saint denominations....
.
Biography
Peterson was born and raised in Lehi, UtahLehi, Utah
-Attractions:Lehi Roller MillsLehi Roller Mills was founded in 1906 by a co-op of farmers. George G. Robinson purchased the mill in 1910, and since then it has remained in the family. It is run today by grandson R. Sherman Robinson....
. He served a mission
Missionary (LDS Church)
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is one of the most active modern practitioners of missionary work, with over 52,000 full-time missionaries worldwide, as of the end of 2010...
in the Western States
Western United States
.The Western United States, commonly referred to as the American West or simply "the West," traditionally refers to the region comprising the westernmost states of the United States. Because the U.S. expanded westward after its founding, the meaning of the West has evolved over time...
Mission
Mission (LDS Church)
A mission of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is a geographical administrative area to which church missionaries are assigned. Almost all areas of the world are within the boundaries of an LDS Church mission, whether or not Mormon missionaries live or proselytize in the area...
(headquartered in Denver, Colorado
Denver, Colorado
The City and County of Denver is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Denver is a consolidated city-county, located in the South Platte River Valley on the western edge of the High Plains just east of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains...
). Peterson received his bachelor's and master's degrees from BYU. He also had a doctorate in education from Washington State University
Washington State University
Washington State University is a public research university based in Pullman, Washington, in the Palouse region of the Pacific Northwest. Founded in 1890, WSU is the state's original and largest land-grant university...
. Starting in 1964 he was a professor at BYU. Prior to that he worked as a seminary and institute
Institute of Religion
Institutes of Religion provide religious educational classes for young single adult and university students who belong to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints...
teacher and administrator with the Church Educational System
Church Educational System
The Church Educational System of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints consists of several institutions that provide religious and secular education for both Latter-day Saint and non-Latter-day Saint elementary, secondary, and post-secondary students and adult learners...
. At BYU he directed several travel study programs as well as being involved with the Know Your Religion program.
In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), Peterson served three times as a bishop and was also president of the BYU 15th Stake. He served in the first branch presidency of the Jerusalem Branch.
Peterson married Mary Lou Schenk in the Salt Lake Temple
Salt Lake Temple
The Salt Lake Temple is the largest and best-known of more than 130 temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It is the sixth temple built by the church, requiring 40 years to complete, and the fourth operating temple built since the Mormon exodus from Nauvoo,...
in 1953. They had six children.
At the age of 64, Peterson died of cancer
Cancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
at his home in Orem, Utah
Orem, Utah
Orem is a city in Utah County, Utah, United States, in the north-central part of the state. It is adjacent to Provo, Lindon, and Vineyard and is about south of Salt Lake City. Orem is one of the principal cities of the Provo-Orem, Utah Metropolitan Statistical Area, which includes all of Utah and...
, and was buried in the Orem City Cemetery.
Publications
In addition to his own attributed publications, Peterson also served on LDS Church writing committees that prepared four manuals for the church's Gospel Doctrine classes.Later published by Deseret Book
Deseret Book
Deseret Book is the largest Latter-day Saint book publisher and also owns a chain of LDS bookstores in the western United States. Over 150 people work in its Salt Lake City headquarters...
in 2000 (ISBN 1570087091), and Cedar Fort in 2007 (ISBN 1599551411). Later published by Cedar Fort in 2008 (ISBN 1599551403).
Sources
- Cedar Fort biography of Peterson
- Biography accompanying his collection of materials related to the Book of AbrahamBook of AbrahamThe Book of Abraham is a 1835 work by Joseph Smith, Jr. that he said was based on Egyptian papyri purchased from a traveling mummy exhibition. According to Smith, the book was "a translation of some ancient records....purporting to be the writings of Abraham, while he was in Egypt, called the Book...
at the L. Tom Perry Special Collections