After the missionaries and I made back to the mission home at Draminsvien 96 G, where I met the mission President Ray Engebretsen and his wife and visited for a while. I remember working in the mission office putting together some tracks and information that needed to go out to the missionaries in the field. I still remember that in the evening of that first day I went with the counselor to the mission president Elder Christiansen and Elder Allred. We went tracting and after a few doors and them teaching me what to say, I gave my first door approach in Norwegian. We continued several times after that. The door approach was basically good evening, we are missionaries from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and we would like to visit with you this evening. The answer was usually I don’t have time, or I’m not interested, none of which I understood. But on occasion we were able to get in. I don’t remember getting in any places that night but we had an enjoyable time working together and them teaching me my first Norwegian.
ELDER ALLRED
For the next several days I worked as a companion to Elder Allred. Elder Allred had been in North Norway in a city called Narvick . Up there he had not seen the sun for nearly 2 ½ months B, because that city was above or north of the Arctic Circle. While, I thought I was in good shape, I got shin splints so bad that I could hardly walk and keep up with him . I thought he was a very fast walker, As he was a very fast walker, but I think I was really a green new missionary.. I also still remember him giving me the tracting book, which was a green book that folded out with pages and he told me to keep track of the streets and house numbers and the specific addresse. I didn’t think he appreciated the fact that I was brand-new and didn’t know what any of the letters were or what they meant. This was all Greek to me and I don’t think I did a very a job, but I worked it out. This arrangement was temporary until I was assigned my first companion.
A few days working with Elder Allred as my first (temporary) companion,) Elder Christiansen, who was the assistant to the president and Elder Allred put on a display in our apartment, where Elder Christiansen was the investigator, with his typical bottle of beer, (fake in this case) and Elder Allred was the missionary using the flannel board method which we use to teach all of our lessons. Underneath our suit coats, we carried a little trifold pouch that held the flannel board and it opened up and then we had the flannel board pictures that we use to teach the lessons with. It was great because it showed a picture, for example of the church of Jesus Christ founded upon apostles and prophets. One of the flannel board pictures was of the church, with the Savior being the foundation and apostles and prophets being the divine leaders of the church..
The picture on the next page shows how we taught using the family flannel board with each investigator family that we were able to visit with. It was captivating and each of the doctrinal principles was displayed on the flannel board corresponding with the doctrine that we were teaching. This little flannel board demonstration was totally for fun and caused many laughs by the missionaries who are living in the apartment complex above the chapel at Osterhous Gaten.
[Insert photo of Elder Christensen and Elder Allred]
One thing that I noticed soon after I arrived in Norway was that it was the in the middle of the winter. It was dark when we got up in the morning, it was dark when we did our companionship study, and it was dark when we were eating breakfast, and still dark when we were supposed to be ready to go out and start missionary work at 9 o’clock. It stayed this way however, the days lengthened out little by little.
We carried this pouch with us summer and winter, and used it as effective as we could with each investigator that we were teaching. In my trunk I still have this trifold flannel board and even some of the characters that we use to teach each of the principles of the gospel to these investigators. It was effective and captured the interest of the investigators and even younger children in the home.
This also demonstrates that in a dark cold long wintered country we would laugh and have fun and enjoy the company of all the missionaries that lived in those apartments.
[Insert photo of Elder Israelsen here]
Elder Israelsen
My little pocket notebook shows that on Monday, February 8, 1960 I was assigned to work with Elder Israelsen. In reality this was a great blessing because he was a hard-working farmboy from Cache Valley,who had milked cows, knew my kind of life, and was a great help for me as my first companion.
He explained tracting, missionary work, and help me with the language much more than Elder Allred did. They were both great guys but Elder Israelsen was much easier to work with, much more down to earth, and a very hard worker. I remember writing in a little notebook, the six missionary lessons we were were to use and memorizeing them. I would walk behind him with that notebook in my hand working on memorization of the lessons. Wendell had told me that he gave his first lesson in Chinese in about a month and ½ after he started his mission and arrived in China. I therefore set my goal to give my first discussion, which included the discussion about the Godhead, their nature and identity, and then related the Joseph Smith story. I did this with Elder Israelsen, to an older gentleman we tracked it up, in a month and 10 days after I arrived in Norway. I had memorized both the questions and answers in the lesson and recognized most of this mans’s answers. If he said something that I didn’t understand, we had arranged so Elder Israelsen would answer him and then turn it back to me to continue the discussion. That worked great, and a great confidence builder for me in being able to memorize and give the lessons so soon in my mission.
My little to pocket notebook and my Norwegian Bible indicate that on the 27th day of March, Hulda Sophia Jensen Grainer was our first baptism as a companionship. She We had met her and her five children and she accepted the gospel,.she and her children had attended church and became involved in the branch. We were so excited as we were able to teach her all of the lessons, and saw her life change because of the gospel of Jesus Christ of latter-day Saints.
We had felt the spirit and saw the miracle of conversion, with her and the change in her children only one of whom was close to baptismal age. But they were involved in the teaching of their mother. Because she was a fairly heavy lady, Elder Israel seven I decided that both of us would be in the font to make sure she could be lifted up after she was baptized. This was a very special day for as Elder Israelsen I to witness and felt the spirit of this special occasion, our first baptism as a companionship.
In memory after all these years, sometime early in my mission Alvin R Dyer, our European mission president visited our mission and we had a district conference at our LDS chapel in Oslo. I did not remember the date but I vividly remember that the mission president asked me to come to the stand and bear my testimony as a new missionary because I had done well memorizing the Norwegian language. This was obviously a surprise for me and that’s well it’s still is fixed in my memory. And while I don’t remember what I said, I was able to fairly easily bear my testimony in Norwegian on that occasion. I also have a very clear memory that when Pres. Dyer spoke to us he related in detail quotes from the Apocrypha about the trial of Christ. Under Jewish law he pointed out that they had a fairly clearly defined legal system that allowed the accused, Christ in this case, to have witnesses in his behalf. I have course knew about the trial of Christ from reading the Scriptures, but not in detail as spoken of by Pres. Dyer. I was greatly impressed with what he said and the details of that trial, and the witnesses called to testify on behalf of the Savior. These witnesses testimony was expressed in detail from what he read. I don’t recall if I stayed on the stand after my testimony, but after the meeting was over I approached Elder Dyer and ask him what he was quoting from? Elder Dyer reminded me that Joseph Smith had inquired of the Lord about the Apocrypha. (See D&C 91:1-5) he then told me that one of the best authors and professors relating to the Apocrypha was this Oxford University professor in England named M. R. James. Because I was so touched by the quotes he read out of this Apocrypha the relating to the trial of Christ, I wrote that information down and then went to a big library in Oslo. My companion and I the next week went to a library there and ask about that very book. They didn’t have it, but said they could order it and have it in just a few days. A week or so later we went back to the library and they actually had that book so I purchased it. I found that the first edition was published in 1924 and then republished with further corrections in 1955. Little did I know in April 1960, that I would visit the city of kiev in Ukraine and see a larger than life size statue of Andrew the apostle. This was a miracle then and now and I will explain more later.
Today is Sunday the ninth day of August, 2020 and while looking for some information to confirm my memory about this visit of Pres. Dyer to Norway, I found that the date of that visit was 24 April, 1960 while he was and had visited several cities with good population of LDS people in Norway. This visit was, consistent with my memory held in the Osterhaus Gaten Chapel there and Oslo. My memory was exactly correct as to the event without remembering the exact date. That record is now clear and I have attached showing my memory was very accurate as to the sequence of events.
(Parentheses sidenote). Between this conference and June 21, the longest day of the year, the days gradually grow longer, but up at a much faster rate because, in January and February you have very little sun during the day .. By June 21, OSLO has nearly 24 hours of sun shine each day. They call this St. Hans Often”Evening.” They build bonfires at different places in the city ,based on the tradition, that the fires keep the evil spirits from coming to Norway. An old time tradition. But I saw those fires, which were huge, 20 foot high or more with sometimes an outhouse on the top. They would find an open lot and start the fire around 11:30 PM and let it burn until 1:30 or 2:00 AM, or when the fire went out.
This was in an amazing tradition, more than a belief today that it had anything to do with evil spirits.
I arrived in Norway in the middle of January, days were very short and very little sun, one to 1 ½ hours per day. By June 20, the sun only went behind the horizon for a few minutes, and then came backup providing a long day for this “Saint Hans Often” fires to burn out. It was quite sensational.
Of the two men in this picture, at the pulpit, the first (left), was a member of the church from Bergen who traveled with Elder and Sister Dyer(well will so (and in (a is and is in you and you will as you and is in you as you and is a you left side inside is (second)as they visited the various cities they visited in Norway. Brother Fluga was a professor and had a part in translating the first Book of Mormon into Norwegian.
The picture below shows the inside of the chapel which was at Osterhuse Gaten 27 where our church services were held each Sunday while I was in that area. There was another branch at Scarpsno, closer to where the mission office was located on Dramensvien in 96 G. The picture below shows the very meeting and the people in attendance when Elder and sister Dyer spoke. It was at this meeting, I was asked to bear my testimony in Norwegian by the mission president. It was in this meeting read from the Apocrypha book concerning the Trial of Christ. It was after this meeting when he gave me the name of the book, the author and I was moved to go to a library closest to our apartment and arrange to buy that Apocrypha Book.
I think it’s appropriate to say here that 52 ½ years after I served in Norway my wife,Marianne and I were called to serve as assistant legal counsel for the church of Jesus Christ of latter-day Saints in Moscow Russia covering the Europe East Area. That Area Covered All of the Former USSR Nations.. That was a wonderful experience and many things happened while we were there. The one thing relating to the purchase of this Apocrypha book in Norway 52 years earlier. One event became extremely relevant when I was assigned to take care of some legal issues in the city of Kiev in Ukraine. One of the members drove us around for a tour of the city of Kiev, and while driving around there was a , much larger than life, statue of Andrew the apostle. I asked what he knew about that statue of Andrew, and his response was , that tradition has it , that Andrew the apostle came to Kiev shortly after the Savior had been crucified and the apostles received the charge to go ye into all the world and testify of Jesus Christ.
When we returned home after our 23 months in Moscow Russia, I was prompted, one Sunday afternoon to find that Apocrypha book that I had purchased in Norway and see if there was anything in that Apocrypha written by or about Andrew the apostle. We know that there is only two or three references to him in our New Testament. He was a brother to Peter, chosen as one of the original apostles, and only one or two other comments about Andrew the apostle.
Reflecting on what the prophet Joseph Smith had said about the Apocrypha, I found many pages in that Apocrypha relating Andrew the apostle . he had left Corinth and went north over to Athens Greece, and then went further north over to Byzantinine,-Turkey today. The history reflects that he called and ordained a Bishop in Turkey. From Turkey. He traveled over to the Black Sea and then went north over up the DnIeper to the city of Kiev Ukraine. Andrews travels were found in the “Apocryphal New Testament, Translated by M. R James, starting on page 337, found in the apocryphal writings given to me by Pres. Alvin R Dyer in 1960.
The trial of Christ ,spoken of by elder Dyer,is also in this book under Acts of Pilot supra. 95,
[Insert photos of newspaper clippings with Elder Dyer here]
I don’t remember how many floors but above this chapel were the apartments that I lived in while I was with Elder Allred. It was here that we had to carry the human waste out. In what we called “ honey buckets” so that the “honey wagon” would haul it somewhere in the city where they were properly disposed of. Missionaries living in those apartments with me, and the others, prior and after I, had regular responsibilities to see that these “honey buckets”, when full were hauled downstairs to the “honey wagon”. I still have a clear recollection that Elder Reynolds, one of the more seasoned missionaries, was taking his turn, to empty one of those “tin bottom “honey buckets”. The tin bucket, full of human waste, he barely pulled the bucket out from under the “two holer toilet “ that were there position to catch the human waste under either one of the two toilet holes. He had just moved it out from under the seat when the tin bottom, which had rusted out, allowing all the full bucket to spill out on the floor of the apartment. I specifically remember helping clean that up.
So that you understand, these apartments were old and had been around for a long time, long before the church purchase the building. In order to use one of these two holers, you had to leave the main part of the apartment ,and go out to a a little room approximately 3 foot deep and 4 foot wide, just large enough to accommodate a two hole toilet seats. So the waste was just out of the doors of our apartment. However so that they didn’t get to smelly out there, the two whole toilet seats were exposed to wind, rain, and whatever the storm wanted to bring in and you often had to wipe it off or dry it off before you launched your bathroom program. I was happy to be assigned to Elder Israelsen, after a few
weeks and we always had proper bathrooms after that.
[Insert photo of police]
Typical Norwegian scene, homeless man and police on horses.
[children sledding here]
The Norwegians take their children, bundle them up warm and take him outside when the rip real young this is a walking sled where the mother are one of the children can push the smaller children with 1 foot on the runner in the back and the other women propelling them along they slide really easy.
I specifically remember that shortly after Elder Iserslsen and I were put together we were asked to go out to a place called Hune Foss where there was a small group of members that met each Sunday. We blessed and administer the sacrament, spoke at the meetings, gave the lessons and enjoyed meeting these people in this small group. It was not large enough to be a branch.
[Insert Horse drawn delivery wagon]
Missionaries had lived in these apartments and lived with this condition for years, before I entered the mission field so this was not a new occurrence for many of them. These apartments were just upstairs from the chapel shown in this picture. (Several pictures about)
In the back of my Norwegian Bible, last full page, was a clear blank page and I wrote this baptism of sister Greener in that book and every baptism there after I had while on my mission.
On Sunday, 22 May, 1960, sister Grainer’s oldest daughter, Terje, whom we taught was baptized by me, but taught by Elder Israelsen and I. This was exciting to have her join her mother as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and see the change in her life because of the gospel that they were trying to live. Before any baptisms could take place sister Grainer and her daughter had to contact their priest in the Lutheran Church and get his consent in writing to be able to be baptized. This was required because the Lutheran Church is the Norwegian
State Church and so everybody born in that country, at that time were automatic members of the Lutheran Church.
[Insert 17th of May parade picture here]
Also on that same Sunday, May 22, 1960 Elder Israelsen and I have taught Guri Carlson all the lessons and she was baptized that same day by Leo A.Israelsen and I, she was confirmed by George D Pedersen, the branch president of the branch. This was the same branch that the Grainers were members of.
On Monday, June 22 , 1960, I was assigned to work with Elder Norman Knaphus. He had about eight months left on his mission. Elder Knapus and I had a great relationship and a and had good success.
17 May is the national independent day for Norway and there is always significant parades, national costumes, marching bands and young people who were graduates from different schools who marched in these parade, they were a great event. In Oso they took place on Carl Johan Gata, which was on the main street leading through town and up to the king’s palace. It was a major activity and everybody was out on the streets to enjoy the festivities of this special event.
This picture is in the chapel with a member of the branch wearing one of the native costume dresses. They have some amazingly beautiful costumes representing different parts of the country of Norway.
[Insert Osterhaus Gaten native costume]
Any flat surface, in this case a football field, is filled with water and it freezes and
[Insert Ice rink here]
will stay frozen rest of the winter. They may have to sweep the snow off, but they put up lights and have a open-air skating rink and the public is invited.
We passed by these ones and while and thought it look like much fun, however we did not ever put on skates and try to skate.
My first winter in Oslo there was a lot of snow. As you can see the house was mostly covered in the snow was hard enough that I walked up on the snow and that’s me standing at the roof level.
[Insert photo of snow too roof here]
