Tilfinningavekjandi Myndir (Emotion-causing Pictures)

Why is it that some pictures cause such strong feelings or emotions when we look at them? Is it because our minds and heart can do such a good job of "filling in the blanks" when a really powerful picture is taken and we place ourselves there?

This first picture looks like it could have been taken with black and white film. It wasn't though. For me it is extremely easy to imagine being there. The mist. The wind. The freezing water and air. The desire to take it all in, while at the same time wanting to head for shelter. This picture was taken on the southern coast of Iceland a few years ago. The original Vikings would be out in open boats on the open seas in weather like this and not think anything of it.

I've been reading Egill's Saga recently (for the first time ever). I am about one third through it and am amazed at how the elements didn't frighten them like it might you and me out on the open sea, or even close to land like in this picture. That they sailed in open boats too amazes me.

I spent my early years from age 6 to 12 in Tallahassee, Florida. My father had a friend who we went to church with who regularly went deep sea fishing in the Gulf of Mexico. He took us along on occasion. We would leave at 5am and head out to sea three or four miles. Then we would trawl for King Mackerel or Hardtails. I thought seeing the fish come in on the lines was cool as a young kid, but the sea scared me to death. And then to be seasick often on top of that. And the Gulf of Mexico waters were warm! These Norwegian/Icelandic vikings must really have been tough.

I think I would want to stay in an area like this last picture from the Westmann Islands just off the south coast of Iceland. This picture evokes a lot of emotion for me as well. Imagine that being your backyard....

Myndir, myndir, myndir (Pictures, pictures, pictures)

Pictures, pictures, pictures. As part of my attempt to catalog and organize all the pictures and information I have been getting from the current mission couple--the Wohlgemuths--in Iceland, I have started to organize a collection of photos (of people mostly) from all periods of the history of the LDS missionary work in Iceland. I am getting photos from all eras, but have a lot of years where the photos are few and far between. Any photos you want to send me of people in the Church or associated with the Church would be appreciated. The photo I have added here is of me on the far left and then Víðir Óskarsson and Klara Gunnarsdóttir. They were married not too long before I arrived in Iceland in 1984. Klara's first husband was named Páll and was in the Branch Presidency in the early 80's. On a hiking expedition he and another member fell from the side of the mountain they were hiking on and died. These two then married and are now living in Selfoss, about an hour's drive from Reykjavík. This picture was taken in 1986 in their home that was then on the Westmann Islands off the southern coast of Iceland. The Westmann Islands is the site of the first group of large numbers of conversions from the early 1850's through the 1890's. Missionary work continued in Iceland from 1851 until about 1914 when WWII halted formal missionary work among the Icelanders until 1975.

Of all the places in Iceland I have visited, the tiny main island of the Westmann Islands called Heimaey is one of the most picturesque. I visited there right before the end of my mission in June of 1986 and then again a few years ago in September 2004. I'm in the process of converting a ton of my old mission slides to digital images (now that that is possible). The first photo above is from an old mission slide that was 20 years old. The one at right is from 2004. Its what you see when you come in on the ferry from the mainland on a two hour ferry ride. If you click on the picture and blow it up, you'll be able to see a little house on the mountain at the top left of the picture. Apparently there is a fellow who lives up there and takes care of the sheep that cling to the cliffs all around. The mountain goats in the U.S. would have a hard time keeping from falling into the sea here, but the Icelandic sheep seem to have no trouble. How would you like to live in that little house? I hope the fellow doesn't sleep-walk.

This one shows a large part of the only town in the whole set of islands. There is really only this one flat part that they could build on. Part of it was covered by a volcanic eruption back in 1973. But since then things have been quiet. The eruption partially closed off the habor entrance, but that ended up being a good thing because now the harbor is protected better from bad weather and the periodic ferocity of the ocean. We rented a car the morning we arrived (taking the 7 minute flight from the little airstrip within sight of the island) and caught this lady on her morning walk out of town. You leave town and most of what you see is just this yellow grass and cliffs. Quite a beautiful place to visit. Incidentally, the island has no fresh water supply, which, more than once in its history, nearly caused the residents to abandon it. Now their water is supplied by pipeline from the mainland the two or more miles it takes to get it there.

Right now there is only one couple living on Heimaey who are members of the Church. Their names are Óskar and Una. They have a bunch of kids at home. The kids' grandparents are on the island as well, so it ends up not being too bad for them there. Both Óskar and Una spend time off the island each week either working or going to school. Any members or missionaries who go there seek them out since they do not get a chance to be "sustained" through normal church attendance and/or home and visiting teaching. I am amazed they have stayed strong.