Byron T. Geslison received the Order of the Falcon, the highest honor bestowed by the government of Iceland. Byron helped open missionary work in Iceland in 1975 and has served three missions to that country. The government of Iceland's highest honor - The Order of the Falcon - was presented Aug. 6, 1993.
The
Honorable Tomas Tomasson, Ambassador of Iceland, presented the award to Byron
T. Geslison at a reception center in Spanish Fork, Utah. The Order of the
Falcon is "selectively conferred upon Icelandic and foreign subjects, men
and women, who above all others have furthered the welfare and honor of the
Fatherland or have accomplished achievements in the interest of mankind.
Before pinning the award on Byron,
Ambassador Tomasson told those present: "I am here on official errand of
the government of Iceland. It is a pleasure indeed for me to be here with you
tonight in Spanish Fork, the oldest Icelandic settlement in the United States.
. . ." He added that the president of Iceland, Vigdis Finnbogadottir, had
commissioned him to "honor one of the outstanding western Icelanders, Byron
T. Geslison. I want to tell you that the great missionary work that Byron has
done - both as a missionary from Utah in Iceland and as a missionary of Iceland
in Utah - has been highly valued by the authorities in Iceland. "We value
highly both the fostering of family bonds, and also the promoting of the
Icelandic culture and heritage here in Utah and the Western Icelandic identity
here," he added.
After the ambassador pinned the
award on his lapel, Byron said, "I accept this honor, but not entirely on
my own behalf." He then beckoned to his wife Melva to stand beside him as
they received applause from the audience. "I couldn't do much of anything
without her," he added. Continuing, Byron asked the Icelandic ambassador
to "please convey to the government my great and deep appreciation for
this honor that has been bestowed upon me. ”I'd like to thank those on this
side of the ocean as well as those in the old land. I love the Icelandic people
dearly." In speaking of the former Icelandic president, Byron said:
"He gave great service to us. He was one of the first we met when we
arrived in Iceland. We became friends, and I'm grateful for what he did.”
Byron Theodore Geslison was born in Spanish Fork,
Utah on May 15, 1914 the son of Sigmundur Geslison and Sveinmsina Arnadottir
known as Sina and Mund. They were both born in Iceland and came, when they were
young, to America and settled in Spanish Fork, Utah.
Byron’s grandmother, Steinnun Thorstiensdottir
Geslison, a widow lived next door. She who was also an Icelandic emigrant
taught him about Iceland and the Icelandic language. She spoke mostly Icelandic
to him and told many tales of Iceland and happenings she remembered. He
developed a strong desire for Byron to go to this rugged land of his
forbearers. She passed away when he was 10 years of age.
Byron’s boyhood was spent playing and working in the
fields thinning, weeding and topping beets. He spent several summers working
with his uncle Gil.
Byron became ill in the 9th grade and had
to miss a month of school. It may have been rheumatic fever. He was advised by
the doctor to take it easy that summer. He had been studying the Old Testament
in seminary; he decided that he would read the entire Old Testament that
summer. It was a large undertaking for a fifteen year old, but he did it and
this was blessing throughout his life.
He graduated from seminary as a junior in 1931 and
from Spanish Fork High School in 1932. That fall he entered Brigham Young
University. He started working summers at the Del Monte Cannery, near Spanish
Fork. He worked there until he went on his Church Mission.
He received his call to go to the German-Austrian
Mission of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1935. This is where
he wanted to go. His departure was delayed because of Hitler’s threats and
Mussolini’s antics in Ethiopia, but was finally allowed to depart. Byron asked
permission to visit Iceland following his missionary service. He had to go
through the President of the Church. President Grant gave his permission and
asked that he study conditions there as to the advisability of starting
missionary work there. When he returned home he gave him his report and it was
very positive.
The summer of 1938 Byron spent in Iceland with his
cousins and their families. His family took him too many part of the country
and he grew to love it. He was able to meet people in important positions and
heads of Churches; this was good material for his report to President Grant. He
developed a great interest in the land of his forefathers and maintained a
life-long bond with family and friends.
Byron graduated from BYU in the spring of 1939 in
secondary education and German. He continued school seeking a M. A. degree. He went
to California with his brother, Arthur, with the intention of joining the Navy
Air force. He was unable to pass their
requirements. He returned to Spanish Fork and went to work for the Nebo School
District and continue his work on his M. A. degree at BYU. He took ill and went
to a hospital in Ogden, Utah where he spent the next year. This is where he
fell in love with one of the nurses that he describes as “a beautiful dark
haired, brown eyed nurse.”
Melva Ilene Holt was called to serve a mission to the
Northern California Mission just about the time Byron was released from the
hospital. He waited for her and they were married December 1, 1943 in the Salt Lake
Temple. Byron and Melva made their home in Spanish Fork next to his parents.
Their children are; Elaine, Allen, Mary Kathleen, David and Daniel. Byron and
Melva also had Earl Riggs, a Navajo Indian, live with them for several years,
as well as Rose Eichler, a German girl that stayed with them for two years.
Byron was appointed Bishop of the Spanish Fork Fifth
Ward in September 1946 and served there for ten years until 1956, at which time
he was called as 1st counselor in the Spanish Fork Stake Presidency,
a position he held for nearly sixteen years.
His work included working for Spanish Fork City as
City Clerk and Treasurer, school teacher in Spanish Fork, Electrolux Corp.,
National Public Services Insurance, teaching Seminary and Principal of the
Spanish Fork LDS Seminary.
In 1954 he was appointed to the executive committee
for the Icelandic Centennial Celebration along with J. Victor Leifson and John
Y. Bearnson. This was an outstanding event that even brought Icelanders form
Iceland and Canada to Spanish Fork.
In November
of 1974 a call came from Elder Hartman Rector Jr. to determine his circumstances
with regard to accepting a subsequent call to go to Iceland and open this land
to missionary work. After the first of the year they were called into the
Church offices to discuss the matter further. Byron and Melva were asked if
they could accept such a call. Their response was we would go were ever the Lord
wanted us. They then asked if there were any problems. The first response was
the language. The answer was “You can brush up, can’t you?” The next concern
were their twin boys David and Daniel serving missions in the Far East, one in
Japan and the other in Korea who were soon to be released. These two young men
were called to serve an additional two years, to go to Iceland with their
parents.
One of the first things Byron did when he arrived in
Iceland was to go to the officials of the nation and let them know who they
were and their purpose for being in Iceland and invite their cooperation, and
promised blessings for so doing, and leave his testimony with them. Byron and
his family visited with; the President of Iceland, the Prime Minister, The
Mayor of Reykjavik, The Bishop of Iceland, the President of the University and
others. An extra bonus was a State visit by the King of Sweden; the Geslison family
was invited to his reception and they gave him a Book of Mormon in Swedish.
Sveinbjörg Guðmundsdóttir was the first to be
baptized after his arrival. Byron said; “The Lord picked her and prepared her
to be the official translator, which they needed so much. Her willingness and
her qualities have helped her become a great strength to the work in many
ways.” A Branch of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was soon organized
and became fully functional so the investigators could see how a Mormon Branch really
worked.
In 1977 Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin of the Quorum of
the Twelve Apostles, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, sent word
for Byron to find a suitable place overlooking Reykjavik were the dedication of
this land to missionary work, could take place. Öskjuhlíð was selected. They
were holding the morning session of Conference in a hall at the University. The
weather was bad, raining and blowing. It was decided that the dedication would
be moved inside, so at the end of the morning session Byron announced the
decision. A young teenager, Trudy, came up to him asked; “where his faith was”.
“We have an appointment with the Lord at Öskjuhlíð and it will not rain”. Byron
felt the power of her faith and they went to Öskjuhlíð and it stopped raining
and Elder Wirthlin gave a marvelous blessing to the land, its people and
leaders as well as to the work of establishing his Church in Iceland. They
returned to the University for the afternoon session of Conference and again
the rain began.
Byron and Melva returned home about three years
after Elder Rector’s first call, feeling that the work was now established and
in good hands. Young elders had been called to serve in Iceland and the work
was going well.
In 1981, Byron returned to Iceland on request of the
Church's Translation Department to help review Icelandic translations of the
Doctrine and Covenants and Pearl of Great Price. In 1983 and 1987, he and Melva
served 18-month missions to Iceland.
On New Year’s Day of 1983 a tragedy occurred. Two
priesthood leaders, the Branch president and the former Branch president, were
killed when they fell while hiking. This triggered another call for Byron and
Melva to return to Iceland. One of Byron’s goals set by the Church leaders was
to have the government of Iceland officially recognize The Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter-day Saints in Iceland. This was accomplished on November 1,
1983 when visiting General Authority, Elder Hales was in Iceland. This official
recognition was a great step forward for the Mormon Church in Iceland.
In 1987 Byron and Melva was called a third time to
Iceland to help in organizing a Branch of the Mormon Church in Akureyri. Of
this experience Byron said; “My testimony is that the work will continue to
advance here and that other branches will be organized.”
Byron was active in the Icelandic Association of
Utah all his life. He was often asked to translate old letters and books into
English. He was a devote Mormon Church Leader, having a guiding influence on
many of the young Western Icelanders in Spanish Fork as their spiritual leader.
Weather it was serving as their local Bishop, in the Stake Presidency and/or as
their Seminary teacher. He lived his life as a humble servant of his Heavenly
Father.
Byron T Geslison died on October 10, 2001 at 87
years old. He is buried in the Spanish Fork City Cemetery.
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