Guðmundur Guðmundsson (Mormon)
Encyclopedia
Gudmund Gudmundson (March 10, 1825 – September 21, 1883) was one of the first Icelanders
to join The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) and was among the first Mormon missionaries to preach in Iceland
.
Gudmundson was born in Artun, Rangárvallasýsla, Iceland. He was christened a Lutheran on March 23, 1825.
In 1845, Gudmundson moved to Denmark
to study goldsmith
ing. In 1851, while living in Copenhagen
, Gudmundson heard LDS Church missionaries Peter O. Hansen
and Erastus Snow
preaching Mormonism
. He was baptized
into the LDS Church on 1851-02-15 by Hansen, and on April 18, 1851 he was given the Aaronic priesthood and ordained a teacher by Snow.
On May 21, 1851, Gudmundson travelled to Vestmannaeyjar to preach. Shortly thereafter, he went back to his hometown of Artun to preach, but found no one willing to listen to his message. Gudmundson continued preaching in Iceland until July 1854. Eventually, he was given the Melchizedek priesthood by one of his missionary companion after which he baptized nine individuals into the LDS Church. On 19 June 1853, the first branch of the LDS Church in Iceland was established on Vestmannaeyjar, with Gudmundson as branch president
.
In July 1854, Gudmundson returned to Denmark to preach. He spent most of his time on Zealand and was imprisoned for preaching Mormonism in Kallundborg. He was released after seven weeks, but was immediately conscripted into the Danish army. After just over one year, Gudmundson was released from military service due to ill health.
On April 18, 1857, Gudmundson left Copenhagen on a ship bound for America. He arrived in the Salt Lake Valley
in Utah Territory
on 13 September 1857. While emigrating to Utah, Niels Garff, one of Gudmundson's Danish converts, grew ill and died. Just prior to his death, Garff asked Gudmundson if he would marry his wife after he had died. Gudmundson agreed, and on 4 October 1857 Gudmundson and Marie Garff were married in Salt Lake City. They had three sons together. After arriving in Utah, Gudmundson began using the Anglicised form of his name.
In the early 1860s, Gudmundson and his wife became involved with the Church of the Firstborn
, a schismatic
sect of Latter Day Saints led by Joseph Morris. They were excommunicated from the LDS Church, and Gudmundson became a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
of the Morrisites. Gudmundson was involved in the Morrisite War
and was afterwards arrested and fined $100 for resisting arrest. He was later pardoned by territorial governor Stephen S. Harding.
Following the Morrisite War, the Gudmundsons ended their affiliation with the Morrisites and lived in Utah County, Utah
and Sacramento, California
. In 1869, they moved to Draper, Utah Territory
and were rebaptized into the LDS Church. In 1871, they moved to Lehi, Utah Territory
.
Gudmundson died in Logan, Utah Territory
while living there temporarily with one of his stepsons. He was buried in Draper.
Icelanders
Icelanders are a Scandinavian ethnic group and a nation, native to Iceland.On 17 June 1944, when an Icelandic republic was founded the Icelanders became independent from the Danish monarchy. The language spoken is Icelandic, a North Germanic language, and Lutheranism is the predominant religion...
to join The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) and was among the first Mormon missionaries to preach in Iceland
Iceland
Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
.
Gudmundson was born in Artun, Rangárvallasýsla, Iceland. He was christened a Lutheran on March 23, 1825.
In 1845, Gudmundson moved to Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
to study goldsmith
Goldsmith
A goldsmith is a metalworker who specializes in working with gold and other precious metals. Since ancient times the techniques of a goldsmith have evolved very little in order to produce items of jewelry of quality standards. In modern times actual goldsmiths are rare...
ing. In 1851, while living in Copenhagen
Copenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
, Gudmundson heard LDS Church missionaries Peter O. Hansen
Peter O. Hansen
Peter Olsen Hansen was the translator of the Book of Mormon into Danish.He was born in Copenhagen, Denmark. A sailor by trade, he joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in Boston in 1844. After this Hansen moved to Nauvoo...
and Erastus Snow
Erastus Snow
Erastus Fairbanks Snow , born in St. Johnsbury, Vermont, was a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1849 to 1888. Snow was also a leading figure in Mormon colonization of Arizona, Colorado, and New Mexico.Snow Canyon State Park Erastus...
preaching Mormonism
Mormonism
Mormonism is the religion practiced by Mormons, and is the predominant religious tradition of the Latter Day Saint movement. This movement was founded by Joseph Smith, Jr. beginning in the 1820s as a form of Christian primitivism. During the 1830s and 1840s, Mormonism gradually distinguished itself...
. He was baptized
Baptism
In Christianity, baptism is for the majority the rite of admission , almost invariably with the use of water, into the Christian Church generally and also membership of a particular church tradition...
into the LDS Church on 1851-02-15 by Hansen, and on April 18, 1851 he was given the Aaronic priesthood and ordained a teacher by Snow.
On May 21, 1851, Gudmundson travelled to Vestmannaeyjar to preach. Shortly thereafter, he went back to his hometown of Artun to preach, but found no one willing to listen to his message. Gudmundson continued preaching in Iceland until July 1854. Eventually, he was given the Melchizedek priesthood by one of his missionary companion after which he baptized nine individuals into the LDS Church. On 19 June 1853, the first branch of the LDS Church in Iceland was established on Vestmannaeyjar, with Gudmundson as branch president
Branch President
A branch president is a leader of a "branch" congregation of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.The calling of branch president is very similar to the calling of bishop, except that instead of presiding over a ward, the branch president presides over a branch...
.
In July 1854, Gudmundson returned to Denmark to preach. He spent most of his time on Zealand and was imprisoned for preaching Mormonism in Kallundborg. He was released after seven weeks, but was immediately conscripted into the Danish army. After just over one year, Gudmundson was released from military service due to ill health.
On April 18, 1857, Gudmundson left Copenhagen on a ship bound for America. He arrived in the Salt Lake Valley
Salt Lake Valley
Salt Lake Valley is a valley in Salt Lake County in the north-central portion of the U.S. state of Utah. It contains Salt Lake City and many of its suburbs, notably West Valley City, Murray, Sandy, and West Jordan; its total population is 1,029,655 as of 2010...
in Utah Territory
Utah Territory
The Territory of Utah was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from September 9, 1850, until January 4, 1896, when the final extent of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Utah....
on 13 September 1857. While emigrating to Utah, Niels Garff, one of Gudmundson's Danish converts, grew ill and died. Just prior to his death, Garff asked Gudmundson if he would marry his wife after he had died. Gudmundson agreed, and on 4 October 1857 Gudmundson and Marie Garff were married in Salt Lake City. They had three sons together. After arriving in Utah, Gudmundson began using the Anglicised form of his name.
In the early 1860s, Gudmundson and his wife became involved with the Church of the Firstborn
Church of the Firstborn (Morrisite)
The Church of the Firstborn was a sect of the Latter Day Saint movement that formed as an offshoot of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1861 and was involved in the Morrisite War...
, a schismatic
Schism (religion)
A schism , from Greek σχίσμα, skhísma , is a division between people, usually belonging to an organization or movement religious denomination. The word is most frequently applied to a break of communion between two sections of Christianity that were previously a single body, or to a division within...
sect of Latter Day Saints led by Joseph Morris. They were excommunicated from the LDS Church, and Gudmundson became a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles is one of the governing bodies in the church hierarchy...
of the Morrisites. Gudmundson was involved in the Morrisite War
Morrisite War
The Morrisite War was a skirmish between a Latter Day Saint sect known as the "Morrisites" and the Utah territorial government.-Morrisites:In 1857 Joseph Morris, an English convert to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Utah, reported receiving revelations naming him the Seventh...
and was afterwards arrested and fined $100 for resisting arrest. He was later pardoned by territorial governor Stephen S. Harding.
Following the Morrisite War, the Gudmundsons ended their affiliation with the Morrisites and lived in Utah County, Utah
Utah County, Utah
Utah County is a county located in the U.S. state of Utah. As of 2000, the population was 368,536 and by 2008 was estimated at 530,837. It was named for the Spanish name for the Ute Indians. The county seat and largest city is Provo...
and Sacramento, California
Sacramento, California
Sacramento is the capital city of the U.S. state of California and the county seat of Sacramento County. It is located at the confluence of the Sacramento River and the American River in the northern portion of California's expansive Central Valley. With a population of 466,488 at the 2010 census,...
. In 1869, they moved to Draper, Utah Territory
Draper, Utah
Draper is a city in Salt Lake and Utah Counties in the U.S. state of Utah, located about south of Salt Lake City along the Wasatch Front. Between 1990 and 2000 Draper was Utah's fastest-growing city over 5,000 people . Its population in 1990 was 7,143 and had grown to 25,220 by the 2000 census...
and were rebaptized into the LDS Church. In 1871, they moved to Lehi, Utah Territory
Lehi, Utah
-Attractions:Lehi Roller MillsLehi Roller Mills was founded in 1906 by a co-op of farmers. George G. Robinson purchased the mill in 1910, and since then it has remained in the family. It is run today by grandson R. Sherman Robinson....
.
Gudmundson died in Logan, Utah Territory
Logan, Utah
-Layout of the City:Logan's city grid originates from its Main and Center Street block, with Main Street running north and south, and Center east and west. Each block north, east, south, or west of the origin accumulates in additions of 100 , though some streets have non-numeric names...
while living there temporarily with one of his stepsons. He was buried in Draper.