"A friend of mine in his journey is come to me."--_Luke 11:6._
The next time Henrik went to the valleys of the mountains in western
America, Marie accompanied him. They were married in the Temple, made
man and wife for time and eternity by the authority of the Priesthood.
That event was among their supremely happy ones. Rachel witnessed the
ceremony, and the smile on her face was sweeter than ever.
After that, Marie helped in the temple work as she had desired. The
three then labored together until Henrik's list of names was nearly
exhausted. After a very pleasant visit among friends, Henrik and Marie
went back to Norway and to Nordal. They made a new home from the ancient
one on the hillside by the forest, and for them the years went by in
peace and plenty. Sons and daughters came to them, to whom they taught
the gospel. In time many of his kin also believed the truth and
accepted it, and thus the seed that was sown in humility, and at first
brought but small returns, gave promise of a bounteous harvest.
Once every four or five years, Henrik and Marie visited the Saints in
the West, and spent some time in the temple. These were happy times for
Rachel, who continued to live alone, not making many intimate
acquaintances. Henrik was glad to provide for her simple necessities, so
that she could continue her life's work in behalf of the dead.
Rachel did not marry. Once in Minnesota, a young man had made love to
her, but she could not return that love, so she was in duty bound not to
encourage him. Rachel was hard to get acquainted with, a number of young
men had said. She was always happy and smiling, and yet a closer
knowledge of her character disclosed a serious strain that puzzled her
admirers--for Rachel had admirers. A number of times good men had been
about to make love to her in earnest, but each time some strange feeling
had checked them. The young woman was "willing" enough but what could
she do? There was without doubt a "man" for her, but she could not go in
search of him. As the years went by, and with them her youth and
somewhat of her beauty, she was often sad, and sometimes heart-hungry;
and at such times she found no peace until she had poured out her heart
to her heavenly Father, and said, "Thy will be done--but make me
satisfied."
After an absence of three years Rachel visited her home in Minnesota.
She was received kindly, the parents being no doubt grateful that she
had escaped alive from the clutches of those "terrible people" whom she
had been among. She could still smile and be happy, be more patient than
ever, taking in good part the ridicule and sometimes the abuse directed
toward her. She talked on the gospel with those who would listen, and
after a time she found that she was making a little headway. Her father,
at the first, told her emphatically that she was not to "preach her
religion" in his house; but he would sometimes forget himself and ask
her a question, which in being answered would lead to a gospel
discourse. Then, awakening to what was going on, he would say, "That
will do. I thought I told you that we wanted none of your preaching," at
which Rachel would smilingly look around to the others who were also
smiling at the father's inconsistencies.
During this visit the good seed was planted, from which in due time the
Lord gave an abundant harvest from among the Bogstad family and its many
ramifications.
One day in the temple Rachel met Signe Dahl Ames. It was Rachel's custom
to keep a lookout for sisters who were new to the work that she might
assist them. Signe had not been in the Temple since the day she was
married, and now she had come to do some work for her family. Rachel met
her in the outer room with a pleasant greeting.
"I am Sister Bogstad," she said; "and what is your name?"
"Bogstad, did you say--why--why, my name is Ames."
"Yes, Bogstad," replied Rachel, noticing the sister's surprise. "We
haven't met before, have we?"
"No; I think not. The name is not common, and I used to know a gentleman
by that name--that's all."
"You're a Norwegian," said Rachel.
"Yes."
"So am I; though I was born in this country, it may be possible that I
belong to the family which you know."
"I used to know Henrik Bogstad of Nordal, Norway."
"That's my cousin. We have been doing work here in the temple."
Signe was greatly surprised, and Rachel led her to a corner where they
talked freely for some time. During the day they found occasion to
continue their conversation, and that evening Signe went home with her
new-found friend.
This was the beginning of a beautiful friendship. Rachel knew enough of
Henrik's little romance with Signe to make the acquaintanceship
unusually interesting; besides, there came to be a strong affinity
between the two. Rachel accompanied her friend to Dry Bench, and there
soon became "Aunt Rachel" to Signe's four beautiful children. Then she
wrote to Henrik, telling him of her wonderful "find." He replied that at
their next visit to America, they would surely give Dry Bench a call.
Henrik, Marie, and two of the older children came that fall when the
peaches were ripe and the alfalfa fields were being cut. And such
delicious peaches, and such stacks of fragrant hay they found! Amid the
beautiful setting of the harvest time, their several stories were told,
in wonder at the diverging and the meeting of the great streams of Life.
The Bogstad children practiced their book-learned English, while the
Ames children were willing teachers. The boys bathed in the irrigation
canal, rode on the loads of hay, and gorged themselves with peaches. The
girls played house under the trees. And were it part of this story, it
might be here told how that, later, Arnt Bogstad and Margaret Ames loved
and mated--but it is not.
Henrik and Marie lived happily together for twelve years, and then Marie
was called into the spirit world. Henrik was left with five children,
the youngest but a few months old. With ample means, he could obtain
plenty of household help, but money could not buy a mother for his
children. A number of years went by, bringing to Henrik new and varied
experiences. Then on one of his visits to the West he found another
helpmate for himself and children--a kind-hearted, sweet-souled young
woman, born of Danish parents, and reared among the Saints in the
valleys of the mountains. Then the westward call became so strong that
Henrik disposed of most of his interests in Norway and moved with his
family to America, taking up his abode in a town not far from Dry Bench.
Here they enjoyed the association of the Saints, and his children had
the advantage of companionship of children of the faith.
Time, and the world with it, sped on. Peace and prosperity came to the
people of this story. As years were added to years, their good works
increased, until the Lord said to each of them, Enough. Then in their
own time and place, they passed into the Paradise of God.