Mischa Markow
Encyclopedia
Mischa Markow was the first missionary
for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) to preach in present-day Romania
, Serbia
, Croatia
, Latvia
and Belgium
. He also served as a missionary in Hungary
, Germany and Russia. A Hungarian, Markow joined the LDS Church in Constantinople
in the Ottoman Empire
after hearing Mormonism
taught by Jacob Spori
and Joseph M. Tanner
.
Markow was born at Czernyn, Torontál County, Hungary. Although he was a Hungarian citizen, his father was Serbia
n and his mother Romania
n.
Markow first met missionaries of the LDS Church in Alexandria, Egypt. This however was on a ship leaving Alexandria. He was baptized on February 1, 1887 in Constantinople by Jacob Spori.
In 1888 Markow headed towards the United States, on the way stopping in Belgium where he taught and baptized the Esselmann family.
Markow finally made it to Utah
in 1892. The next year he married Nettie Hansen in the Salt Lake Temple
. They had two children.
From 1899 to 1901 Markow served as a missionary in Hungary, Serbia, Romania, Bulgaria and Germany.
In 1903 Markow had returned to Europe as a missionary. He was sent by European Mission President
Francis M. Lyman
to the Russian Empire
. He preached to German families in Riga
but when he was called to account before the authorities, he followed Lyman's instructions to avoid being sent to Siberia
and fled the country instead. For the next two years Markow served in the Turkish Mission.
After returning to Salt Lake City Markow worked as a barber. He died January 19, 1934.
Mormon missionary
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...
for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) to preach in present-day Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
, Serbia
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
, Croatia
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
, Latvia
Latvia
Latvia , officially the Republic of Latvia , is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by Estonia , to the south by Lithuania , to the east by the Russian Federation , to the southeast by Belarus and shares maritime borders to the west with Sweden...
and Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
. He also served as a missionary in Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
, Germany and Russia. A Hungarian, Markow joined the LDS Church in Constantinople
Constantinople
Constantinople was the capital of the Roman, Eastern Roman, Byzantine, Latin, and Ottoman Empires. Throughout most of the Middle Ages, Constantinople was Europe's largest and wealthiest city.-Names:...
in the Ottoman Empire
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
after hearing Mormonism
Mormonism
Mormonism is the religion practiced by Mormons, and is the predominant religious tradition of the Latter Day Saint movement. This movement was founded by Joseph Smith, Jr. beginning in the 1820s as a form of Christian primitivism. During the 1830s and 1840s, Mormonism gradually distinguished itself...
taught by Jacob Spori
Jacob Spori
Jacob Spori was the first principal of the Bannock Stake Academy, an institution that would eventually become Brigham Young University–Idaho....
and Joseph M. Tanner
Joseph M. Tanner
Joseph Marion Tanner was an American educator and a leader in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . He has been described as "one of the most gifted teachers and writers in the [LDS] Church in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries".Tanner was born in Payson, Utah Territory...
.
Markow was born at Czernyn, Torontál County, Hungary. Although he was a Hungarian citizen, his father was Serbia
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
n and his mother Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
n.
Markow first met missionaries of the LDS Church in Alexandria, Egypt. This however was on a ship leaving Alexandria. He was baptized on February 1, 1887 in Constantinople by Jacob Spori.
In 1888 Markow headed towards the United States, on the way stopping in Belgium where he taught and baptized the Esselmann family.
Markow finally made it to Utah
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
in 1892. The next year he married Nettie Hansen 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,...
. They had two children.
From 1899 to 1901 Markow served as a missionary in Hungary, Serbia, Romania, Bulgaria and Germany.
In 1903 Markow had returned to Europe as a missionary. He was sent by European Mission President
Mission president
Mission president is a priesthood leadership position in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . A mission president presides over a mission and the missionaries serving in the mission...
Francis M. Lyman
Francis M. Lyman
Francis Marion Lyman was a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . He was the President of the Quorum from 1903 until his death....
to the Russian Empire
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was the successor to the Tsardom of Russia and the predecessor of the Soviet Union...
. He preached to German families in Riga
Riga
Riga is the capital and largest city of Latvia. With 702,891 inhabitants Riga is the largest city of the Baltic states, one of the largest cities in Northern Europe and home to more than one third of Latvia's population. The city is an important seaport and a major industrial, commercial,...
but when he was called to account before the authorities, he followed Lyman's instructions to avoid being sent to Siberia
Siberia
Siberia is an extensive region constituting almost all of Northern Asia. Comprising the central and eastern portion of the Russian Federation, it was part of the Soviet Union from its beginning, as its predecessor states, the Tsardom of Russia and the Russian Empire, conquered it during the 16th...
and fled the country instead. For the next two years Markow served in the Turkish Mission.
After returning to Salt Lake City Markow worked as a barber. He died January 19, 1934.