Elder D. Richards's meeting with Swedish Saints and baptismal preservation
Published October 5, 2026 at 1:33 AM
Contributed by
Millennial Star Research
Elder D. Richards traveled to Sweden to visit Saints, finding that in some places, baptism had occurred by cutting through ice two feet thick. He observed the dedication and faith of Swedish converts, noting their deep commitment to the Gospel despite legal and social restrictions, and their ability to endure harsh conditions for the sake of their faith.
Fuller account of this event (the complete account as preserved in The Latter-day Saints' Millennial Star, Vol. 29, No. 8, 23 February 1867, p. 123):
Elder D. Richards, in a letter to the editor, says:—'I have had the pleasure of visiting the Saints in Stockholm, and found them feeling well. Brother Widerborg and Elder N. Wilhelmson are doing a good work. The Saints are very faithful, and in some places they have had to cut the ice two feet thick to attend to the ordinance of baptism, which shows their faith and determination to serve the Lord.'
In Their Own Words
“Elder D. Richards, in a letter to the editor, says:—'I have had the pleasure of visiting the Saints in Stockholm, and found them feeling well. Brother Widerborg and Elder N. Wilhelmson are doing a good work. The Saints are very faithful, and in some places they have had to cut the ice two feet thick to attend to the ordinance of baptism, which shows their faith and determination to serve the Lord.'”
— D. Richards, The Latter-day Saints' Millennial Star
Sources & References
The Latter-day Saints' Millennial Star (Manchester, later Liverpool, England, May 1840–1970), 23 February 1867 (Vol. 29, No. 8). https://archive.org/details/per_utah-and-the-mormons_the-latter-day-saints-millennial-star_1867-02-23_29_8 (account extracted verbatim from the issue's Internet Archive OCR text; research confidence: high) Complete account: The Latter-day Saints' Millennial Star, Vol. 29, No. 8, 23 February 1867, p. 123 https://archive.org/details/per_utah-and-the-mormons_the-latter-day-saints-millennial-star_1867-02-23_29_8
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