GAROABAER, ICELAND -- About 75 members of this northern nation's two branches gathered recently for the groundbreaking of the first meetinghouse to be constructed by the Church in Iceland.
In the year 2000, the people of Iceland will celebrate 1,000 years as a Christian nation. But for members here, the celebration will come later in 1999 when this meetinghouse is completed.The building site is on a hill overlooking the sea in the Reykjavik suburb of Garoabaer.
Presiding at the March 6 groundbreaking was Elder Wm. Rolfe Kerr of the Seventy and counselor in the Europe North Area presidency. In his remarks and dedicatory prayer, he praised the members for their faith and patience. He also asked that the elements be tempered for the construction period.
He was joined at the groundbreaking by Pres. Byron A. Rasmussen of the Denmark Copenhagen Mission, which includes Iceland; Pres. Olafur Einarsson of the Iceland District; and Engemundur Segurpaelsson, mayor of Garoabaer.
After the groundbreaking, Elder Kerr, Pres. Rasmussen and Pres. Einarsson visited the president of Iceland, Olufur Grimsson, who congratulated them on the start of the meetinghouse. He recalled that he had visited Utah in 1997 and was hosted by the Church during that visit.
The 75 members in attendance are from the two branches that will be housed in the new facility. One branch is made up of members from Iceland while the second consists of military personnel on the NATO base in Keflavik. About 200 members live in Iceland, and 10 missionaries are currently assigned to the country. The branches are currently meeting in a remodeled building in Reykjavik.