SALT LAKE CITY — The Swiss-Austrian Mission was a sweet place to serve.
The people were friendly enough.
The landscape was breathtakingly beautiful.
And luscious, high-end Lindt candies and Toblerone chocolates were easily obtained since Switzerland is where they're made.
But it wasn't an easy mission, said those gathered for a rare mission reunion in April 2010.
The blessing on the food, which featured several varieties of the traditional Birchmuseli salad of oatmeal, yogurt and fruit, was given in Switzer-Deutsch.
Warm hugs and hearty handshakes were everywhere.
"We haven't had one (of these) for a long time," Les Feil said. He and his wife, Dianne, organized the 2010 event at the Foothill 6th Ward chapel on April 1.
Feil said for many it would be the first time in about 50 years since they've seen one another.
Missionaries included those who served under President William S. Erekson and President John M. Russon between 1960 and 1965 when the mission was still growing. It has since been consolidated with a neighboring mission.
"It's been 49 years since I left," Mike Margetts said. "It was a difficult mission. Those seeking for the message heard it and adhered to it. Others preferred to stay with their lifestyle. It is a tough, tough mission."
"Switzerland has a very high standard of living. They didn't feel a need for change," Tony Glauser said.
Most of the Swiss are Protestant and not very active. They were very slow to convert, Glauser said. "We used to say, 'We build leaders and testimonies (rather than baptize large numbers).'"
"It was difficult in that most people weren't interested in our message. They're very complacent," Dennis Linton said.
Michelle Erekson and Helen Zweifel Bratsch, two of the 25 sister missionaries who worked in the area as part of a sister district, were companions in 1966-67.
"We were lucky to have one baptism in a year," Bratsch said.
Erekson and Bratsch hadn't seen one another in 44 years.
Bratsch, who has Swiss ancestors, married a Swiss man whose family reached out to the missionaries in those early years.
"We were the only member family in the area, so we moved two daughters into the family room to make room," Werner Bratsch said.
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