The leaders of the LDS Church were trying to gather all of the new converts to Utah where they would build up Zion in America. Money was still very hard to come by and Anna could not imagine a way to join with the saints. Also, her other two girls did not want to join this new religion, and her son and youngest were living with extended family. We do not know whether Anna had a desire to emigrate to America or not, but Anna Maria did. The elder that had confirmed Anna came to her with a proposal. Elder Hafen suggested that through the perpetual emigration fund of the Church, they would be able to arrange passage for young Anna Maria to come to America. At this time in the history of the Church, polygamy had been introduced into the Church. John had left two wives back in Utah to come to Switzerland and serve a mission for the Lord. He told Anna that he would be glad to help her go to America and when she arrived he would be willing to marry her and take her as his third wife. Anna Maria convinced her mother that this was her hearts desire and Anna thought deeply about what was being asked of her, both in behalf of herself, her other girls and also in behalf of Anna Maria.

This would be a hardship of those left in Switzerland, because Anna Maria had become a very vital part of the family income. But this was what young Anna desired, and the mother knew that. Permission was granted for Anna Maria to emigrate to Utah after Elder Hafen returned home and in August of 1884 Anna bid her eldest daughter farewell for the final time in the flesh.

The challenge of belonging to the Church of Jesus Christ in Switzerland and to remain there when most of the other members had emigrated would bring it’s own set of challenges. It was on 2 November 1884 that Anna’s membership in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was terminated. We do not know whether she asked to have her name removed from the records of the Church or whether she was excommunicated. Nor do we know if she went back to her previous religion immediately, but eventually she returned to worshiping in the Evangelical Church.

Karl and Amalie continued to live with Anna’s extended family until adulthood. They lost track of Karl but corresponded a little with Amalie. Both children however, never again had the closeness with Anna and her children that the Elise and Maria felt. Amalie married a soldier in the Salvation Army, Johann Jacob Schweizer, and moved to Zurich. Eventually they found Karl in Basel and he had married Lina Schmutz but they never had any children. Anna Maria married John Georg Hafen in America, and became his third wife. Maria married Oct 22, 1883 to Jakob Hunziker. Daughter Elise married Jakob Müller on 28 Jun 1888 in Aarwangen.

Anna moved back to Aarwangen, though we do not know when. Her contact with Anna Maria was limited but a letter was found that she wrote to her eldest daughter in America: ? Buhler -Was this the lady she lived with and worked for?