Grandma Sandberg's 106th Birthday Salute

Hi all, Tomorrow, Oct. 13 is Grandma Mildred Sandberg's birthday.  She  was born 106 years ago.  In case you would like to do a little family history thing on her birthday, you could do one of the following:

Buy the strangest kind of ice cream and serve it in cones to remember her treating us to ice cream cones and having us choose the flavor for her to eat. She often wanted a flavor that was new and different.

Make or buy and eat tapioca pudding

Serve angel food cake with ice cream and strawberries

Sing Israel, Israel God is Calling and remember her impressive Baptist chording in the left hand

Tell your children about how she considered 13 a LUCKY number because she was born on Friday the 13th.  

If you are really brave you could make Danish sweet soup--Sus sup??? Lots of raisins and prunes-delicious

If kids complain about piano lessons, remind them that Grandma Sandberg loved driving the horse and buggy into town to take her piano lessons and her parents let her drive the horse by herself at a relatively early age, I think it was 11.  

What can you remember and pass on to us about Grandma Sandberg?  

By Wanda McCombs

Mom, I love this email. I will do one of these with my kids! I remember the ice cream thing too. I loved that she took us to Reams and asked us to get her something. I thought it was fun! Also, I remember one time when I was trying to sneak some grapes out of the fridge when we lived with her and she was sitting in her orange chair and said, "Felicia, are you in the fridge?" I was in shock, at that young age I could not figure out how she knew that! I thought she must have X-ray vision or something. I also remember her when we were talking about big mouths at dinner and that they were beautiful and she immediately opened her mouth wide. This was when she was suffering with Alzheimer's and we saw that she still had her sense of humor and remembered and admired that. I remember her coming to visit us when we were little and letting us go to the store and pick our very own box of cereal! What a treat! I also remember being so excited to see her suitcase open because it seemed she always had something special for us. I remember her always helping when she came to visit, mending things especially. I remember holding her hand and feeling special when I was with her.

Love, Felicia

I remember rubber bands around doorknobs, a very clean cozy sturdy house, honeycombs and Danish pastries, her white cotton nightgown, the way she walked in her later years with a limp, her smile, her orange chair and her sitting there with hands on thighs, making jello with her at her house, hamburgers only from fast food place, the monkey puke green maverick, her ditch, peach pits to play with in her bushes/dirt, her tan shoes and knee high hose, and her mail shoot with a clothespin.  Many small things really.  She was strict with me sometimes but a source of security and comfort.  106 years, I can't believe it. I still love tapioca pudding and have a lot and will make some.  Love to all and to you grandma Sandberg.  I know you are still there helping us all along!  

Love,

Abbie

I think you should totally keep going. I LOVE learning about her. I don't have a lot of memories of her, but I remember how her smile always made me smile. Sally Wow, does this all bring back memories.  How I remember rubber bands on the doorknobs and her tan shoes and kneehighs.  Once she took us to the park in Provo for a picnic and she had brought 2 cans of green beans.  I could not figure out why she would bring green beans to a picnic.  It was in the era of the generic brand where everything was in cans with white labels and black letters.  Finally she realized what was going on.  She had meant to bring pork n beans.  She laughed and laughed about that.  I remember that I wasn't sure why it was so funny.  I guess i was too young.  I remember that narrow closet in the hallway near her bedroom that had toys in it.  I remember the shower head in the bathroom that blast out so strong it really took the skin off your back.  I remember jumping over that little low part on the floor between the upstairs bathroom and hallway and always pretending we had to jump over it because it was hot lava or poison or something.  I remember her back yard.  I thought one of the funnest things about her house was racing sticks in her ditch.  That was good summer fun.  When I was a freshman at BYU and Kathy was a sophomore, she invited us over a couple times to dinner.  I remember her serving us Stauffer's french bread frozen pizzas and talking about what a treat that was.   Love to all, Kristin We celebrated by eating Extreme Moose Tracks ice cream. The girls speculated that "grandma should come from heaven and have some ice cream with us."  I said she was probably enjoying the fact that we were eating something new and yummy. I also remember the upstairs bathroom "hot lava" game and how she always wanted me to keep my knees together in a skirt and "act like a lady." Racing/throwing ANYTHING in the ditch was always a treat. Love to all, Ann and all

I  loved all of your emails about Mom Sandberg!  Thanks for shariing.  We thought and talked about her today.  I bought an ice cream cone when I was out shopping in memory of her today!  I love Mc Donald's vanilla ice cream cones. I remember all the times she came for the birth of our babies.  She was so helpful and our children always loved looking in her suitcase for the airplane treats:  salt and pepper and sugar packets, and little goodies from the airplane right after she arrived.  We loved and appreciated her generous Christmas checks also!   I remember driving through a very wooded area between our chapel and home in Maplewood N.J. and she said, "How do you stand all these trees?"  I was a little shocked and then realized as we kept talking that she was a South Dakota girl and they didn't have many trees there and Maplewood probably had an over abundance in her opinion:) 

Marie

Dear Mom,

    Happy Birthday to you.  Happy Birthday to you.  Happy Birthday dear Mother.  Happy Birthday to you.  Howdoyoudo everybody, how doyoudo?  Is there anything that we can do for you?  We'll stand by you like a man.  We'll do everything we can.  Howdoyoudo everybody, howdoyoudo?

    We love and miss you.  Did you have some angelfood cake?  I expect there is a lot of that in heaven where the angels are.

      Love from David

I loved reading all the little memories of Grandma.  It made me feel a little emotional as I thought of how much I love her and miss her.  I can see so much of  her in my own mother.  She could be a little strict at times, but I always felt her love.  The way she lived her life is very admirable.  I hope to do half as well.  I still have some of her music, Beethoven Sonatas, from when she went to music school.  I love reading the notes she made on the pages.  It makes me feel closer to her.  She learned the same things I did in my music classes.  I remember one day when we were living with her when she had alzheimers, and she sat and played the right hand of the hymns while I played the left.  It was amazing to me that she could remember how to play.  I guess there are some things, if we do them enough, we just never forget. 

 Love you Grandma! 

Elizabeth Hall

I loved your letter.  I am sure everyone did.  It made me feel lonely for her presence too.  She was a wonderful woman in so many ways.

One day Ann Hege (one of my adult piano student) and I were discussing technique.  She really wants to learn to play RIGHT.  I told her I had never had much training in technique.  I told her about Mom and that she had attended McPhail's School of Music in Minneapolis and was a wonderful pianist.She said--"then you have learned by watching her because you have wonderful technique when you play". I took that as a great, great compliment.  I never knew that.  Thanks, Mom

Wanda McCombs

She was truly a prairie girl--in Provo at first she felt blocked in.  But she grew to love Provo, that's for sure.

Wanda McCombs

While we were living with Grandma, my mom asked me if I would take the time to sit and visit with Grandma and ask her questions about her life.  I think I was 10 years old at the time and I really didn't feel like doing it.  Grandma would frequently call me "David" or "Gilbert" and because of the Alzheimer's she would talk to me about things that didn't make sense to me.  But I decided to do as my mom asked and sat with Grandma for 30-60 minutes one summer day and had a wonderful conversation with her about her life growing up.  Her mind was clear and memory was right on.  I was grateful to have the time with her. 

I  also remember when Grandma used to come and visit us in Idaho.  We used to lay in her bed with her in the mornings and she was very patient with me as I played with the skin on the backside of her arm.  We always loved having her with us.

Spencer 

Kristin what a funny comment about the shower head pinpoints taking the skin off your back!  I remember the french bread pizza sometimes too.  This brings back another memory--I was in the third and fourth grade the years Charlotte and Kathleen went off to BYU.  That was a lonely time.  Anyway, when they came home for Christmas, they had learned to like pizza in the big college town.  We had never ever had pizza at our house before  (think 1958)  They made a pizza and when it was baking in the over, I remember thinking how AWFUL it smelled!  Those spices were completely foreign to my Danish nose!  I don't think we had pizza at home after that.  So for Mom to learn to like pizza was really a nice sign of learning new things even in your older years.  Pizza.....now who can resist???

-Wanda McCombs

What nice memories of Mom/Grandma Sandberg!    

I remember how she helped us after most of our children were born.  She would cook, bake, mend and clean.  I surely appreciated her help and wish I had expressed more appreciation to her.  She taught me many good things--gave me wise counsel like, "When you have lots of little children, you have to let something go or go crazy." 

Love,

Michelle    

I too have enjoyed reading all of these emails!  I really remember the rubber bands around the doorknob.  Spencer, I remember how we played with the skin on the back of her arms.  That was VERY patient of her to let us do that!  I would have told my kids to stop it!!  I am thankful for her example in our lives.  You know, even if we do not have tons of memories about her, depending on where we lived in relation to her, how old we were, etc., things like this help her come to life in our minds and bless us.  We all know that she was faithful and true to the gospel.  I was thinking today of the sacrifices she must have made when she joined the church.  I always think of her as a very strong woman.

Felicia

What great letters about Mom Sandberg.  She was always noble and dignified.

I always felts I was special to me, I have never doubted she loved me and wanted the best for me.

I remember when I was a teenager she said i should be home from the dance by 1;00 PM.  I decided I would not be home until after 2:00 PM.  When I came in the back door in Gettysburg, there she was with her hands on her hips.  I did not come home late after that.

I also remember when I decided I did not want to go to Church.  She said I could stay home, but I had to stay home, I could not have friends over, and I could not call anyone.  I stayed home maybe one Sunday, maybe two, and she would tell me each time people missed me an asked about me.  Then I decided to go back to Church.

When I started first grade after the first day, on the second day, I said stomach hurt and she allowed me to stay home.  The third day my stomach hurt and I stayed home.  The fourth day I said my stomach hurts, she said, I think you will go to school anyway, and I did.

Great lady, I miss her.

Gilbert

I loved all of your memories and I am SURE Mom/Grandmother S. does also.  I remember Mom as always being so dignified  and kind.  When she lived with us, even on her most confused days, she came 

to eat at the table with us and if Ken would ask her to pray, she would say a lovely prayer.  And she so rarely was upset.  A while  after she died, Kathleen said ,"I think that our parents will be able to go to the celestial kingdom.: and  I was shocked. At that time I believed only General Authorities would be going.  Talking  to Wanda about that , she said, "If not them , who?"  and I do now feel that way too.  We did have  Ben and Jerry's

Cinnamon Bun ice cream. It is good. Love t o all, Charlotte

I remember eating pudding popcycles at grandma's one summer day.  tanya and I were there.  i think my parents were at the temple?  we were playing in the backyard.  a mean dog across the fence scared us so bad, so we raced towards the house.  tanya (being so fast) ran right into the screen/glass sliding door.  luckily no big injuries.  but I remember grandma comforting her, perhaps making a joke and trying to get her to laugh.  then we got the pudding pops.  (i think.)  

i remember lemon drops in big buckets at her house.  i remember making mud pies with the McCombs in her side yard under some bushes.  i learned how to play PIT at her house.  i dont' think i ever saw grandma in pants.  only dresses.  i still have my quilt she made me.  i felt her and grandpa's comfort when I was in boarding school in england, when I was really sad and homesick one night.

one of my earliest memories of feeling the Holy Ghost was at her funeral when all the grandchildren sang "I am a Child of God."  I think most of us were crying.  I can still remember how strong the spirit was while we sang and I knew what I was singing was true.  (I was 9 years old about.)

i love you grandma!

-Becky 

These remembrances of Grandma are wonderful. She had the ability to reach each family member and others at their own need level. An amazing talent she developed. Someone else in her situation may have been content to stay in the woe is me mode because of the events of her life, but not her, new challenges and new opportunities, don’t do things the same way twice. Like one time I was helping with breakfast and we had 3 or 4 cereals. I asked her which one she wanted and she said, just mix those 3 together.

It was interesting how she persuaded me to build or repair things around the houses we lived in. We would talk about what there was to do, what materials were needed, and then she would give me the money to go and buy the materials which I enjoyed. Then when the project started she would be there by my side to hand me whatever I needed, tool by tool, or nail by nail. When completed she would do the clean up too. A very good assistant.

The story is told of how she persuaded Grandpa to buy an clothes dryer. Before that time, in the winter time, the diapers, etc, were hung around the house on strings, etc. It just so happened that one of the locations for drying the clothes was right over Grandpa’s favorite chair for reading. I understand that the clothes didn’t hang there too many times till  a dryer was obtained without a comment or pressure. Those two had an amazing partnership.

Thanks for your beautiful thoughts.

All our love to all of you.

Philip and Judy

1.  In my mind, I think because we lived far from Utah growing up, I will always associate Grandma with family reunions.  She was the perfect matriarch, presiding over our family for my whole life until I became an adult.  So much I what I think it means to be a Sandberg in the larger extended family is permanently associated with her, and that's a very good thing.  Extended family means dedicating time and resources to be together.  It means planning for the future by setting up reunion funds and a plan for rotating the leadership.  It means shared meals and shared fun.  It means a homemade flag and the family motto: Remember who you are and act accordingly. It means traveling to different places all over north America to renew family ties.  It means seeing cousins every two years.  It means going to church together (I have lots of memories of attending Grandma's ward in Provo with cousins) and bringing our church clothes across country so we could attend church with the family. It means hearing about Grandpa Sandberg and his conversion story.  Laced through all those events is the image of Grandma. Strong, solid, unwavering.  Did any of us ever doubt how much she loved seeing us together?   How much she loved Grandpa?  She wasn't very vocal about that love for us or for Grandpa -- at least not to me -- but I never doubted it for a minute.  In thinking about it, I can honestly say that she is the most constant person I believe I've ever known (as in faithful; unswerving in love, devotion, steadfast; firm in mind or purpose; resolute).

2.  I also associate Grandma with visits to our home in Connecticut and New Jersey whenever a new baby came.  I remember her working hard when she came.  Cleaning, cooking.  There is no doubt in my mind that this woman was not afraid of work.  I remember her luggage, and thinking it was interesting to see how she packed her bags.  I remember little gifts.  I remember her working on quilts -- I think this sometimes coincided with the baby visits, where we'd cut out squares of old clothes or fabric or maybe even some new fabric.  I remember the quilt she made me.  I had that for years on top of my bed.  I remember so many times looking at the patches, at the red yarn that she used to tie each square on the quilt.  I used to play with those little yarn ties at night.  There was something so wonderful about that quilt.  I remember she made a quilt for my other brothers and sisters, but I always thought my quilt was the best.  It had the most different kinds of patches that came from real old clothes.  I thought that was very cool.  I used to love wrapping myself up in that quilt without any sheets between, especially on days when I'd be home sick from school, and reading a book.  That quilt was so comforting.

3.  I thought Grandma's house was cool.  I like going in the kitchen when she was cooking.  I'd peek in the pots.  She'd slap my hands and tell me to wait!  I loved that she always had bottled cherries or bottled pears.  This was one of my favorite things about visiting her -- knowing there would be bottled fruit.  I remember spitting out the pits of the cherries -- stained dark purple.  The cherries were good, but the juice was even better.  I especially loved the pears.  One of my favorite things I remember her making was oatmeal cake.  I remember one time her making it -- I think without a recipe -- and I thought it was the most delicious cake.  I asked her to write down the recipe for my mom.  I remember looking at that handwritten recipe card for years after that as we made the cake on Sunday afternoons.  To this day, I still love oatmeal cake.

4.  I remember she had two little ceramic casts of a boy and a girl eating corn hanging over her stove in her kitchen.  Whenever we visited, I always had a conversation with her about how those kids were still eating corn.  I remember Grandma had very strong hands.  Like a vice.  I don't think I've ever met a woman with stronger hands.  Must have come from farm life, I don't know.  But I do remember if she took hold of you there was no getting loose until she decided to let you go.  I have memories of watching Matt and Rob squirm as she held them with the vice grip when they were misbehaving.  She was tough.  I also remember the cement irrigation ditch in front of her house.  I loved that thing.  I don't know if this is a false memory or not, but for some reason I have a memory of laying down in that ditch with the water running over me.  Years later I saw that and thought, "there is NO way I fit into that!"  But really, I think I did at one point.  In any case, I remember playing with cousins in that ditch, dropping things into the rushing water and then chasing them down the street hoping to catch up with them.

5.  I remember her piano / music room.  I remember her playing, and Kathy and I singing, "I Wonder When He Comes Again."  I remember her singing voice.  It was sweet, and a little shaky as comes with age, but there was a quality about it that was tender and full of love and devotion, especially when she sang hymns.  I remember there were also accordions (maybe two?) in the music room.  We would get them out, try playing with them, and then put them back.  Grandma was always very supportive of anything we did that was musical.  When she visited, she asked to hear us play the piano or whatever instrument we were studying at the time.

6.  As Grandma aged and was burdened with Alzheimer's, I remember watching her fade.  This strong woman, always so resolute and so firm slowly got lost in her own mind.  It was a curiously sad thing for me, to see someone age like that.  From my perspective, she dealt with it bravely as best she could until she really had no control over it.  But what I really remember about that time was the love that her children showed her in return in taking her in, and caring for her probably longer than was practical.  I remember at a reunion where the original six were discussing what to do about Grandma's long term care situation.  I'm not sure who said this, but it has always stayed vivid in my mind: "Whatever we do, we need to remember that our children are watching how we deal with this, and we will be setting a pattern here that our own children will probably follow when our lives wind down."   That whole conversation struck me with singular impact -- not only because of the practical teaching -- but also because I saw the legacy of this great woman in action.  Her most treasured possessions -- her children -- were counseling wisely and lovingly about their dear mother.  There was respect and unity and love and dignity and tenderness in that discussion that I know she and Grandpa both would have been pleased to witness.

Thanks for the chance to walk down memory lane about a great woman.  I am blessed for my association with her and look forward someday to presenting myself and my family to her and her dear husband!

--Michael

One of the wonderful memories my mother had of her childhood was of her older sister Ina coming home for a trip and having exciting things in her suitcase.  I think she tried to replicate that with her grandchildren.

Aunt Kathleen

 

Yes I remember the diapers hanging above Dadd's chair and around the living room and dining room where rope was strung like a clothes line.  When she wanted me to do something she would ask me to come over and show her how to do something.  Before I knew it I would be doing it. 

Love,  Aunt Kathleen

Sandberg Family Reunion, Day 3, That Night

 So that night we went and had dinner and a wonderful program by Gilbert.  He spoke of his parents and there was a quiz involving candy. It was a big hit.  It was wonderful to see old pictures of our grandparents.  And considering until this weekend, I only thought there was one pictures, it was very inspirational.

I have attached Karl Ivar's conversion story.  Enjoy!

Karl Ivar Sandberg's Conversion Story

The first time I heard of the Mormons was in 1923.  I was then studying with a friend of mine and was reading a book about western traveling.  In this book was a short account, perhaps a page or two telling about the Mormons.  I asked this friend of mine what kind of people are they?  He said he had a brother that had been in Salt Lake City and has seen this temple and that an old man which was very friendly had showed it to him.  This friend of mine further stated that they believed like the Israelites of old in giving tithes etc., and that they had a book that they had found buried on the Atlantic Coast, where some Israelites that had visited this country long ago had buried it.

I soon forgot all about the whole thing.  The next time, I heard about the Mormons as I remember it was while reading Mark-Twain’s book, “Roughing It”.  This was about 1930.  Up to this time I had been very little interested in religion.  Although I had been brought up in a home where I had been taught to pray and believe in a God.  But, in the years just before 1930 I had been almost an atheist at times.
I started farming in 1923 and was batching it alone most of the time.  In the winter of 1931 I read some books that made me very much interested in religion, in fact, by the end of that year I was firmly convinced of the Divinity of Christ and had experienced a true repentance.  But it seemed the more I studied the Bible and the more I listened to the different ministers the more confused I would get.  I could not accept the teachings of any church, for they seemed not to teach according to the Bible.
One day I met a Lutheran Minister at one of my neighbors.  We discussed religion for about 12 hours.  This was the first time I had ever really talked to a minister. I especially tackled him upon the subject of baptism, as it seemed to me the Bible taught baptism by immersion, plain enough for any one to understand.  He offered, at length to take me out and dip me in the farmer’s water tank, but by now, I had lost all confidence in him, as I had from childhood had the opinion that a minister was a wise person that could answer most any question regarding religion and I had found him, it seemed to me, very ignorant.  From that day the reverence I had had for ministers left me.

During the year 1930 and 1931 I studied religion very extensively and yet I had not found a church that seemed to teach according to the Bible.

In the spring of 1932 the idea came to me that perhaps if I studied the heathen religions perhaps I would find something that would be better than the teachings of some of the religions I had studied.  So with this in mind I went to the free library in Gettysburg, S.D. sometime in March 1932 and asked for the Koran.  The librarian told me they did not have the book but she would send to the state library and get it.  As I was about to leave the librarian said, “We still have a religious book you have not read, ‘The Book of Mormon!  A man here in town tried to read it, he found it so dull he went to sleep but perhaps you would like it”.  I said  “I have heard about the Mormons but their religion is of little importance I want to study the leading heathen religions first.”

As I was leaving the building the thought came to me that if I was to study all the heathen religions (I considered the Mormon a heathen religion) I would have to study Mormonism sooner or later, why not study it now while waiting for the Koran?  So, with this in mind I returned and told the librarian I wanted The Book of Mormon.  She told me I ought to read a book by the name of “Brigham Young” first, then it would be easier for me to understand “The Book of Mormon”.  So I told her to give me both.

As I read the book “Brigham Young”, it seemed to me the writer had the intention of speaking as much evil of the person as he could.  Many places I found where the writer contradicted previous made statements in the book.  This made me lose confidence in the truthfulness of his writings.

Having finished the book I started on the “Book of Mormon”, and naturally I felt I had started to read a book of fiction.  I had not read many pages before I discovered I had found a most remarkable book and the tears started to run down my cheeks and the most sweet spirit seemed to be present.  I may here mention that it was customary with me as I worked around the place that perhaps several times a day if the work was not rushing, I would run in the house and read for a while.  If I read fiction, I did not bother to take my cap off, but if I read the Bible, I would remove my cap, as I considered it a sacred book.  I had my cap on as I started to read the “Book of Mormon”, but before long I felt a man ought to read such a book with a bare head.

As I remember it I read the book in about three days and it seemed to have the sweetest spirit with it and as far as I could see the book could be true, but yet I had the feeling that by and by I would see where the book would contradict itself.  I thought the book so remarkable so I took it to a religious neighbor of mine and told him to read the book, but that I would have to return it to the library in three days.  I felt my neighbor would be very enthusiastic about the book, but when I returned in three days, I found him scoffing at the book, saying it was all made up with a lot of names borrowed from the Bible.  I returned the books to the library and all summer I often thought of the book and yet I could see nowhere the book contradicted itself nor the Bible.

That year (1932) my brother was working for me and one Saturday evening in the fall as he was preparing to go to Gettysburg, I told him to go up to the library and tell the librarian I wanted the Book of Mormon.  The next morning being Sunday morning, as I got up I saw the book lying on the kitchen table.  I started to read as soon as I had my stock fed and that night before I went to bed I had read the Book of Mormon through.  I was more impressed with the book than ever.  I read the book through once more before I returned it to the library in two weeks and by then I knew that it was true.

As I returned the book I told the librarian to write to the state library and tell them to send all the books they had on Mormonism.  The answer came back that they had no such books but they sent the address of the Deseret Bookstore in Salt Lake City and told me I could get some books there.  Consequently I wrote to the bookstore and told them to send me a price list on all the books that Joseph Smith wrote.  The answer came that Joseph Smith wrote no book only a pamphlet entitled “My Own Story” I could have for 10 cents.  They also sent me a book catalog on L. D. S. literature.  I immediately ordered a Book of Mormon and a book by the title of Latter-Day Revelation also Pearl of Great Price.  The books impressed me very much.  I could not see how books like the Book of Mormon and Pearl of Great Price could exist without everyone talking about them.

In about two weeks I ordered “The Articles of Faith” by Talmage and the “Falling Away” by Roberts.  Up to this time I had been of the opinion that there was not a church upon the earth that did teach according to the Bible but after reading the “Articles of Faith” I felt that perhaps the Mormons did.
In the following months I sent for many L. D. S. Books and as I see it now I am sure I was inspired of the Lord to order the books I did.  Naturally after I had read some books I had numberless questions I would like to have had answered.  I must say that the Spirit of the Lord revealed many things to me which I in later study found substantiated by the authorities of the church.

By 1933 I had a testimony, yes I may say a burning testimony of the restored gospel and I taught it to my friends.  In July 1934 while reading the Argus-Leader I saw a notice in the paper that the new mission president would be in Sioux Falls and that a meeting would be held there, from where he would reside.  There was also a picture of the new mission president (I believe his name was Wilford Richard) the picture showed him wearing glasses and the thought came to me why does he not have some elders administer to him that his eye sight may be corrected.

I immediately wrote to the address where the meeting would be held stating I would like to be baptized.  The letter came back in a few days stating that there was no one living there.

The year 1934 was a crop failure and in September I hired a man to take care of my cattle for the winter and started out in my car alone for Salt Lake City to be baptized and stay there for the winter.  On the third day I arrived in Coleville, Utah, just inside the state line and as it was getting dark, I decided to stay there for the night and drive into Salt Lake the next morning.  Being I was in Utah, the thought naturally came to me that there ought to be some Mormons there, for up to this time I had knowingly never seen a Mormon.  So I went into a restaurant and ordered my supper and watched the people closely to see if I could pick out one that wall a Mormon.  I may say I felt I wanted to see a Mormon rather badly for in my heart there was a great love for the Saints.

After having eaten my supper I was still in a doubt if there had been a Mormon in there (in later years I have been informed that the populous in Coleville are nearly all Mormons) I went to a hotel to get me a room for the night and I felt that the manager there perhaps was a Mormon as he spoke very kindly to me, however I could not get up courage to ask him as I felt it would be a bad insult to him in case he was not.  But I was determined to see a Mormon before I went to bed that night as I drove up to a filling station to have my car filled up.  After getting my gas I sat down to talk to the man as there was no one else there.  After awhile he asked me where I was going, I said to see Salt Lake City.  I asked if he had ever been there.  He answered good many a time.  I said from what I have heard there are mostly Mormons, I have never seen a Mormon.  He said I am a Mormon.  I was rather surprised and I told him that I was going there to join the Mormon Church.  He said, that’s fine.  Then I started to ask him a lot of questions and I found to my disappointment he knew very little of the doctrine.  He said he had been ordained to a deacon years ago but hardly ever goes to church, but said he had a brother who was always studying the gospel.  He did not care to discuss Mormonism but invited me back in the fall and we would go deer hunting.  As I remember it he smoked a cigarette and I told him I thought the Mormons was not supposed to smoke, I had myself quit smoking while studying the gospel.

The next morning I drove in to Salt Lake City and the first thing I knew I was driving north on the west side of the temple block so I parked my car there and walked in through the West Gate (I had seen pictures of temple block in the books I had read) and this being Saturday they were baptizing in the baptistery under the tabernacle.  The first man I met was the door watch and he told me I could not come in there as they were baptizing. (The man later became a dear friend of mine. ) I told him I had come there to ask to join the Mormon Church.  He told me to go up and see the guide that was talking to a group of tourists in front of the museum.  I had a hard time to keep my emotions under control.  I was so happy to be there and the most wonderful spirit rested over me.

I followed the group of tourists until they were dismissed inside of the Bureau of Information then I stepped up to the guide and told him I wanted to join the Church.

He looked at me rather surprised and after talking to me for about half a minute he told me to go with him to see Brother Perry the Temple Block Mission President.  So I was introduced to him where I immediately stated my desires.  He looked at me rather sharply and said, where did you contact our missionaries?  I said I had never contacted one in fact I have never seen a Mormon until last night.  He said, What do you know about us and our doctrine?  I said ‘ I know it is the true church.  He said, How do you know?  I said, Through the books I have read, Then followed the questions.  Have you read that book?  That book?, etc.  I mentioned about 25 books I had read and I could see that he looked at the guide and marveled, He asked, do you know that you are supposed to pay tithes?  I said yes.  Then he called in several guides and I told them how I was converted while they asked questions.  I was under the impression that it was an every day happening that people came there and asked for baptism, However, I know different now.
After awhile Brother Perry said I could be baptized any time but being it was Saturday he asked it I would wait until Monday.  Then he took the guide I had contacted and said, Brother Christensen it will be your duty to find Brother Sandberg a good hotel and take him to one of the chapels in the morning.  I spent a delightful day on temple block listening to the guides explaining the Gospel to the tourists but under a great emotional stress, being so happy.  My guide took me to the twentieth ward chapel Sunday morning and being it was to be conference next week they had put the fast Sunday one week ahead so it was fast meeting I first attended and there I bore my testimony of the gospel in front of the whole congregation after which my guide told of my conversion, and how I rejoiced to hear the Saints bear their testimonies.  I knew then why I had a great love for the Saints in my heart.  I was at last among real brothers and sisters.  After the meeting it seemed that most everybody came and shook hands with me.

I was baptized the next Monday being the first of October 1934 and my guide asked if he could baptize me before a group of tourists and I said it would be all right with me.  The baptistery was almost full of tourists when I was baptized and after I came out of the water standing by the edge of the font I bore my testimony of the Gospel before the group of tourists.  President Perry told me to come back the next day and they would confirm me.

That night was one of the most miserable nights I spent in my life.  It seemed something told me to leave Salt Lake City immediately for if I did not have hands laid for the Holy Ghost I could not sin against the Holy Ghost.  As I remember it I did not sleep any all night and I suffered some awful mental agony being continuously urged to leave the city.  The next morning I went to the Bureau of Information on Temple Block and told President Perry how I had suffered all night and told him if he wanted to confirm me he better do it right away for I was not going to spend another night like it and may leave any time.  He listened to me very attentively and said, Why Brother Sandberg you have been tempted by the evil one all night.  I was confirmed that very hour and have never since been in that mental agony.  May be mentioned that during that night it never came to my mind once that I was tempted by an unclean spirit.
I stayed in Salt Lake City until the 14th of February next spring.  Working a few days in a packing plant but spent by far most of my time on temple block visiting with the guides and tourists and attending church Sundays.  Also attended night school.  I was ordained an Elder before I left Salt Lake City in the spring and needless to say I had gained a better understanding of the gospel and the Mormon People.

This is the Gettysburg branch reunion photo. 

Sandberg Family Reunion, Day 3, At Temple Square

Sandberg Family Reunion, Day 2, At Lagoon

 I am sure as the original 6 get older, their reunion plans get more ambitious.  No seriously, those people wore me out.  We spent the day at Lagoon.  If anyone has more pictures, I would love to see them.

The family also has a catered lunch inside the park.  More eating, chatting and comparing death defying notes.

It was so hot, when we left, it was 104.

Sandberg Family Reunion, Day 1, At the Dance