The Swedish Mission

My dear brethren and sisters, I am indeed glad and happy for this opportunity to be in attendance at this General Conference of the Church. I humbly pray that while I stand before you I may have a rich portion of the Holy Spirit of God, to direct my report that I am to give of the Swedish mission. ¶

I bring you greetings and good tidings from your sons in Sweden. They are performing a faithful labor in that far-off land. They are laboring earnestly for the building up of the church and kingdom of God. There seems never to have been a time when there has been a better opportunity to do missionary work than at the present time, and I am pleased to report that the work of the Lord is gaining headway in Sweden. ¶

We are proclaiming the Gospel in the usual way, but also by illustrated lectures about Utah and the pioneers, and also lectures about the Book of Mormon. In connection with our conferences held we are giving concerts and religious pageants, and I am happy to state that all these new methods have had a wonderful effect for good in behalf of the Lord's cause in Sweden. ¶

In one of our conferences in the city of Stockholm we had the honor to have with us the U. S. Consul General, Mr. John Ball Osborne. We took the opportunity to call upon him to speak. In his address he said among other things, that the Latter-day Saints are trustworthy men and women. He praised the work accomplished by our Elders, and he spoke highly of our Church leaders, especially of those that he had become acquainted with, namely, Dr. John A. Widtsoe, Dr. James E. Talmage and Senator Reed Smoot. Much good came from the results of this conference, especially for the reason that we had this distinguished gentleman with us, taking part on the program. ¶

On the 14th of June, this year, it will be eighty-two years since the Gospel was first introduced in Scandinavia by the late Apostle Erastus Snow. This was the most outstanding event in the history of the Scandinavian countries, and the proclaiming of the restored Gospel in those lands since the year 1850 has brought nearly fifty-five thousand souls into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. What a wonderful harvest ! I rejoice when I think of the progress of this great latter-day work in all parts of the world. ¶

I am pleased to state that a change has come about in the world, because in the past our message has been somewhat misunderstood. I am pleased to report that the newspaper press in Sweden is more favorable now than it has ever been before. Our meetings are advertised free of charge in nineteen of the newspapers over there, and a friendly spirit exists today. Whenever prominent Church members visit us we arrange for an interview, and the good things thus published in the papers have a wonderful effect for good. I can truthfully say that we have been blessed indeed by the Lord in our work in Sweden. ¶

I take this opportunity to greet you from President and Sister John A. Widtsoe, presiding over the European Mission.. By the way, they are doing a most wonderful work, and under their able direction we are trying to build up the branches of the Church in the Swedish mission, and to keep in step with all new things and new methods introduced by the Church, here at home and in the missions. ¶

I can state that more responsibility has been placed upon the local brethren, and our auxiliary organizations are working; they are active and they are doing a most splendid work. The Primary work was introduced in the Swedish mission about a year ago and five such organizations are now functioning. I am also happy to relate that we have organized, during the past two years, three genealogical societies in that mission, and they are doing a considerable lot of good for the members of the Church, in their research work, preparatory to sending their genealogical work to the Salt Lake Temple. ¶

The Book of Mormon has its mission to* fulfil, — a great mission, by ¶

the way. It contains the fulness of the Gospel, and the Elders have done their best to distribute this book. It has been placed in the libraries of Sweden, and in some of the leading book stores, and thereby several copies are being distributed. During my visit in Finland, a couple of years ago, I presented the Book of Mormon to Mr. Uno Thurman, of the public library in Helsingfors. He was very glad to receive this sacred volume. ¶

In conclusion I wish to testify to you that Mormonism is the true Gospel of Jesus Christ, and I am grateful indeed to my Heavenly Father for the privilege I have had to spend ten years of my life as a missionary abroad in the ministry of the Gospel. This wonderful privilege has come to pass in fulfilment of a patriarchal blessing that I received about thirty years ago. ¶

I rejoice in this work, and my desire is to keep on working in this Church during all the days of my life. I know, as surely as I know that I live, that Joseph Smith was a true prophet of God, and that President Heber J. Grant and his associates, who stand at the head of this Church today, are true servants of the living God, holding the keys of the priesthood and having authority to build up the Kingdom of God in all the world. ¶

This is my testimony, and I bear it in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen. ¶