Norway: Chronology

1840s • Illinois and IowaSeveral Norwegians living near Nauvoo, Illinois, joined the Church.

June 14, 1850 • Copenhagen, DenmarkErastus Snow of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and several Scandinavian Saints established the Scandinavian Mission.

September 4–20, 1851 • Risør, NorwayHans F. Petersen traveled from Denmark to Norway with Svend Larsen. Petersen was the first to preach in Norway.

September 23, 1851 • Aalborg, Denmark

Upon returning to Denmark, Svend Larsen was baptized in Aalborg. He was the first Norwegian baptized in the Scandinavian Mission.

October 1, 1851 • CopenhagenThe first edition of Skandinaviens Stjerne (Scandinavian Star) was published by Elder Erastus Snow in Copenhagen.

October 1851 • RisørHans F. Petersen and Johan A. Ahmanson traveled to Norway to preach the gospel.

November 26, 1851 • RisørPetersen baptized John Olsen and Peter Adamsen. They were the first people to be baptized in Norway.

December 7, 1851 • RisørOlsen and Adamsen were confirmed members of the Church, and the sacrament was administered for the first time in Norway.

December 8, 1851 • RisørNorwegian authorities refused to recognize Petersen as a clergyman.

1851–1919 • NorwayNearly 3,300 Norwegian converts immigrated to the United States.

June 19, 1852 • RisørSvend Larsen became the first Melchizedek Priesthood holder in Norway when he was ordained an elder.

July 16, 1852 • RisørThe first branch of the Church in Norway was created with 18 members.

August 13, 1852 • Brevig, NorwayThe Brevig Conference was organized with Christian J. Larsen as president.

November 4, 1853 • NorwayThe Supreme Court of Norway ruled that the Church was a non-Christian faith and not protected by religious freedom laws.

December 8, 1853 • Christiania (later Oslo), NorwayThe Christiania Branch was organized with nine members. Carl J. E. Fjeld was called as president of the branch.

June 25, 1858 • NorwayCarl Widerborg, president of the Scandinavian Mission, reported slow but steady progress despite ongoing legal difficulty.

August 6, 1858 • NorwayThe government decreed that Latter-day Saints could not be married in a state-sponsored church.

1870–73 • ScandinaviaCanute Peterson was called as the first native of Norway to preside over the Scandinavian Mission.

November 1, 1870 • ChristianiaThe first Sunday School in Norway was organized in the Christiania Branch.

July 23, 1871 • ChristianiaThe Christiania Conference House, the first Church-built meetinghouse and office in Europe, was dedicated.

January 1880 • ChristianiaThe first Relief Society was organized in the Christiania Branch.

May 8, 1899 • NorwayConferences in Christiania, Bergen, and Trondheim were organized.

July 24, 1903 • ChristianiaAn updated conference house, including an indoor baptismal font, was dedicated.

January 1, 1904 • NorwayPenalties for participating in minority religious activities were rescinded, allowing the Church to legally perform ordinances in Norway.

1914–18 • NorwayDuring World War I, fewer North American missionaries were sent to Norway. Local members became “home missionaries” and continued sharing the gospel in private settings.

April 1, 1920 • NorwayThe Norwegian Mission was created with August S. Schow, a native of Norway, as president.

March 17, 1921 • Salt Lake CityJohn A. Widtsoe was called as a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. He was the first native of Norway called as a General Authority of the Church.

July–August 1923 • NorwayElder John A. Widtsoe visited his native land with fellow Apostles David O. McKay and Reed Smoot.

July 27, 1923 • ChristianiaReed Smoot, U.S. senator from Utah and member of the Quorum of the Twelve, met with King Haakon VII to discuss an increased missionary presence in the country.

April 6, 1930 • Norway

Members in Norway celebrated the 100th anniversary of the organization of the Church.

January 1, 1937 • OsloThe first issue of Lys over Norge (Light across Norway), a Norwegian-language Church periodical, was published.

April 9, 1940 • NorwayNazi forces invaded Norway. Communication amongst Church members became more difficult.

January 26, 1942 • Stavanger, NorwayGerman soldiers took over the branch meetinghouse in Stavanger. Members held meetings in their homes for much of the remainder of World War II.

1946 • OsloThe Church sent several large shipments of food and clothing to assist in the recovery from World War II.

August 21, 1946 • NorwayDespite negative publicity, the Church was granted permission by the government to continue preaching.

June 28–July 2, 1950 • NorwayJohn A. Widtsoe and members of the Church celebrated the 100th anniversary of the Church in Norway.

July 1, 1950 • NorwayThe Book of Mormon was published in Norwegian.

June 1952 • NorwayChurch President David O. McKay and his wife, Emma Ray, visited Norway, held several public gatherings, and participated in cultural celebrations.

1955 • NorwayThe Doctrine and Covenants, Pearl of Great Price, and a hymnbook were published in Norwegian.

May 22, 1977 • OsloThe Oslo Norway Stake, the first stake in Norway, was created with Magne Osvald Bjareng as president.

1988 • NorwayThe Church became legally registered in Norway.

April 1994 • NorwayGeneral conference was broadcast in Norwegian for the first time.

2010 • StavangerThe Stavanger Norway District was created with eight branches along the west coast.

April 23, 2014 • NorwayMembers throughout the country participated in the Mormon Helping Hands program by cleaning streets, beaches, parks, and cemeteries.