John A. Peterson

What I love best about Europe is the connection it gives me to the past, and my own personal roots in particular. We often forget that many of us are simply transplanted Europeans and that our culture, history, and our very genes are European. Our thought processes, way of looking at things, and beliefs and values all have their origins deeply planted in Europe. Visiting Europe, and attempting to understand and "feel" it, is like visiting an ancestor's home, hearing stories about him or her, and finding something of ourselves—not only in the stories, but also in the place. Add to this the beautiful countryside, the art, the architecture, the cities, museums, castles, and most of all the people, and you're sure to have the adventure of a lifetime anytime you visit Europe!

Brother Peterson has served as an educator in the Church Educational System for 22 years, the last 10 at the institute adjacent to the University of Utah, where he teaches Church History, Doctrine and Covenants, Old Testament, and Book of Mormon.  He holds a BA from Utah State University, an MA from Brigham Young University, and a PhD from Arizona State University, all in history. He served a mission in Denmark and speaks Danish. 

Brother Peterson also has worked full-time in the Church Historical Department as an Acquisitions Specialist for the Church Archives.  He has served as a Curriculum Writer for the Teachings of the Presidents of the Church manuals for Melchizedek Priesthood quorums and Relief Society.  He was Director of Education for Sea Trek 2001: Saints on the Seas, a re-creation of the sailing of 19th-century Latter-day Saints from Europe on tall ships.  In this capacity he helped organize and took part in Church Education Forums held in six European nations and spent nearly two months at sea with Latter-day Saints and sailors from all over the world, simultaneously serving as “President of the Saints” and chief lecturer in Church history aboard the Norwegian tall ship Statsraad Lehmkuhl. 

He has written a major work in LDS History entitled Utah’s Black Hawk War, for which he won the Mormon History Association’s Best First Book Award in 1999 and a Certificate of Commendation from the American Association for State and Local History in 2000.  He has done postgraduate work in European history, which has become a passion with him.  In addition to living in northern Europe for two years, he and his wife, Linda, have visited Europe many times. In 2001 he directed a Travel Study program for young single adults in Italy, after which he spent an additional 10 days traveling in France and Switzerland.  The previous year Brother and Sister Peterson and a group of BYU Travel Study young single adults visited England, France, Germany, and Austria, after which he spent an additional 10 days in the Czech Republic and Slovakia.  

An experienced tour director, Brother Peterson has directed several tours for BYU Travel Study.  He is an enthusiastic and exciting teacher and received the 2001 CES Faculty Teaching Award from the Division of Continuing Education at Brigham Young University.

Tours Guided by John A. Peterson