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Iceland & Greenland

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Whenever there have been workers in Iceland and Greenland, they have been listed on the Scandinavian lists, as Greenland, Iceland and Faroe Island are all Danish dependencies. . Iceland is now fully independent since WW2 and has had its own democratic parliament since the year 930 A.D. The Faroe Islands is still a dependency.

Rasmus Prip was born 1896 in Denmark, professed in 1921 (in Saskatchewan?), went in the work in 1923 in Saskatchewan; and went to California in 1926.  He is shown on the Denmark Workers list by 1929, but due to a lack of Workers List, it is not known exactly when during the 1927-29 period that he went to Denmark.  Rasmus labored in all the Scandinavian countries except Finland, spending several years in Iceland, He was listed during 1964-1967 as laboring in Greenland without a companion, and is the only worker known to ever spend time in Greenland.  It is unknown if there were any converts.

Rasmus was said to have been in Greenland at the time of the German occupation of Denmark during WW2. He was able to get to Faroe Islands, Iceland and back to Greenland, but not back to Denmark during this time, so he spent his time in those (at that time) Danish dependencies for the whole war.

According to Syd Holt’s Letter 7, in August 3, 1985, there was just one professing lady in Iceland: “ where they [two sister workers: Iris Murray and Kay McKay ] will visit the one saint lady…before going on to visit on the Faroe Islands.” Kay McKay labored for 10 years in Iceland and Iris Murray for 5 years. They were there when Dave Pfingston ( California) was stationed there in the Air Force in the mid 70s. After he was discharged, he went in the work in California and returned to Scandinavia to preach.  There were only two professing ladies living in Iceland when he was there, along with the two sister workers.  Only one native Icelander has professed in gospel meetings in that country.”

Icelanders do not have surnames, but use the patronymic system, being named after their father. Ásta (Pronounced Ow-sta) lived in the town of Akranes, about 20 miles north of the capital, Reykjavik. Another woman lived in Reykjavik, called Rakel, but she had moved there from the Faroe Islands, where she had professed earlier. Both of these women are long dead, but would be the two mentioned in Sid Holt’s letter. They all met in Reykjavik. Ásta would take the ferry to meeting, but on some occasions they all went to Akranes to her place for meeting.

The earliest Workers List located upon which Iceland appears is 1959, when Rasmus Prip and Helmut Leichsenring ( Germany) were there.  However, several years of the Workers Lists for the 1950s are unavailable so it's not possible to say for certain when workers first went there.  When Mary Nesbitt and Nona Johnson were in the northerly town of Akureyri, in about 1993, they had meetings in an old folks home, and many there remembered Rasmus from the war years, when it seems he had many meetings round the country. Rasmus Prip died January 19, 1988 in Denmark.

In 1960 Calvin Casselman (B.C., Canada) joined them.  Calvin’s mother was Icelandic, and he once visited where his mother had come from before she emigrated to Canada.

In 1961, Rasmus Prip and Helmut Leichsenring are still there, joined by two sisters, Mary Nesbitt and Nona Johnson, both from Saskatchewan.   Nona had been born in Iceland as Jonina Eriksdottir, but her family changed to using a surname system on their migration to Canada when Nona was quite small (perhaps 5yrs?) Her father Erik Jonson (hence Nona was Eriks daughter, or Eriksdottir), was the son of Jon (hence Jonsson). They took the surname Johnson, and Jonina, anglicized her name to Nona.

During the 1960s, then again in the 1970’s, two American families lived in Iceland for the NATO base (run by US Air Force), and were some form of support for the workers. They lived off base, and had the meetings in their homes.

During the years 1991-1993, Geoff Crowley (Originally from New Zealand, but moved to Iceland from Australia, now living in Scotland) and his family lived there. Only one native Icelandic person has ever professed, and there are none professing there now. Iceland was officially 98% Lutheran when the Crowleys lived there. The church is state supported.

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In 1962, Calvin Casselman and Helmut Leichsenring and Mary Nesbitt and Nona Johnson.  
In 1963, Kay Mackay from Scotland joins Mary Nesbitt and Nona Johnson, along with Calvin Casselman & Helmut Leichsenring.  

In 1964, there are three pairs of workers: Calvin & Helmut, Mary Nesbitt and Kay Mackay, Nona Johnson and Esther Mortenson ( Denmark).  During this time an Icelandic hymnbook was produced, in cooperation with local people in order to have the strict Icelandic protocol of how poetry and hymns should be written grammatically correct.

In 1965, Calvin Casselman is replaced with John Holm ( England).  
In 1966, Calvin Casselman replaces Helmut Leichsenring.  

In 1967, only Mary Nesbitt and Nona Johnson.  
In 1968 and 1969, Calvin Casselman and Eldon Knudson are there along with Mary Nesbitt and Nona Johnson.  

In 1970 and 1971, just a pair of sisters, Kay Mackay and Iris Murray ( Scotland).
In 1972 and 1973, Mary Nesbitt and Iris Murray.  

1974 Kay Mackay and Iris Murray.  
1975 Mary Nesbitt and Kay Mackay.  

1976 Nona Johnson and Kay Mackay.
1977 and 1978 Nona Johnson and Mary Nesbitt.    

Then no workers are listed in Iceland until 1991

In 1991-1992, Nona Johnson & Mary Nesbitt return for two years.  

Since 1993, there have been no workers listed in Iceland.

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When did the workers first arrive? Probably Rasmus Prip in late 1930’s, who labored mostly solo. Rasmus Prip died January 19, 1988 in Denmark

Who were the first brother workers? Rasmus Prip

Who were the first sister workers?
Who was the first to profess? 

Who was the first native to go in the work? Nona Johnson

When & Where was the first meeting? 
When & Where was the first baptism?

When & Where was the first convention? 
Where have subsequent conventions been held?
Where is the convention currently held? Not one

Who have the Overseers been? Scandinavian Overseers

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TTT Editor's Note: In the absence of a written account, the above information has been compiled by the TTT Editor from various sources. Corrections or additions are most welcome; as well as other historical accounts for this country Email TTT

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