“My grandparents on the Engh side came from Norway. All of their children and grandchildren, up until my grandfather died, went on their missions to Norway. So it wasn’t completely unusual when I got my call to Norway. We’re Norwegian through and through.

Learning the language wasn’t bad. It’s always a challenge, but you learn from your companion a day at a time, a word at a time. It’s a really good feeling though when you first speak to someone in Norwegian and he understands you and answers you back and you understand. It really is. The first time was in a restaurant. I ordered a meal for myself. Didn’t have to have my companion do it and it worked out. I got what I wanted. I went to Norway in ‘59, came back in ‘62. In ‘86 I took my boys back. We rented a car. I was looking for an address of my cousin. I’d been there before but just couldn’t quite remember. I stopped and asked a delivery guy how to get to this address. Asked him in Norwegian. He told me and I understood it. I had a good time there with my sons.

Just three years ago my youngest son bumped his head on his stairs at home. Died. He was with a couple of friends and he thought he was fine. His friends thought he was fine. His friends went home. He went to bed and never woke up. Before that my oldest son was injured in an automobile-bicycle accident and suffered a head injury.

But you know, life is life. I believe in the eternal nature of the family. We will all be together in the next life. It’s just a matter of waiting to get there. No hurry to get there though. That’s life. I really have no complaints about life. I’ve had a good life. I have a loving family. I have a belief in the hereafter, that it really does exist, that God lives and Jesus Christ is His Son. That really answers a lot of life’s questions. If you live that way, it might not always be smooth, but there’s always somebody there to help you. God does not leave you alone during tough times. You just have to tough it out.”