Friðrik Guðmundsson

Vesturfarar

Friðrik Guðmundsson emigrated west in 1905, with his wife and a few children. One son, Jóhann, remained in Iceland with relatives. He turned out to be a promising young man, who probably asked his father, during his visit to Iceland in 1919, to take him with him to Winnipeg and he did. Jóhann studied at Jon Bjarnason Academy in the city in 1920 and in the following year, went south to N. Dakota and graduated from Lutheran Brethren Bible School in Grand Forks in 1925. He had by this time, found his mission in life as he continued his theological studies in a Norwegian school in the United States, where he completed his studies in 1929. His studies did not end there because he enrolled in Concordia College in Moorhead, Minnesota in the fall of 1929 but had to quit following a serious accident. He resumed his studies in the fall of 1931, moved to Washington and registered in Theology at the Pacific Theological Seminary in Seattle from where he graduated April 20, 1932. He moved to Manitoba and preached in Langruth and Lundar. He was ordained at the Lutheran Annual Convention June 19, 1932 and served congregations in Langruth and Lundar 1932-1936. During these years he also taught at schools but during World War II he worked in a German Prison Camp in Canada until 1946. This was followed by serving the Concordia Congregation in Churchbridge, Saskatchewan during 1947-1948 after which he returned to his congregations in Langruth and Lundar where he served until 1951. He was called to serve Icelandic congregations in Glenboro and Baldur in Manitoba 1952-1957, served in Alberta, Canada 1957-1961 and finally in Ericson, Manitoba 1961-1964. He served in Serath, Saskatchewan in his final years.

English version by Thor group.