Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin of the Quorum of the Twelve and others in attendance at an Iceland Day celebration in Spanish Fork, Utah, and Iceland's ambassador to the United States, Einar Benediktsson, were filled with mutual admiration Saturday, Aug. 5.

Speaking of the ambassador during a morning program in Spanish Fork City Park, Elder Wirthlin referred to him as "a man of great quality and character. . . . He represents the finest qualities an ambassador should have, a love of the people wherever he is assigned."After the two-hour program, many of the 300-plus descendants of Icelandic pioneers at the celebration pressed to greet the ambassador who was cordial and accommodating.

In a Church News interview, Mr. Benediktsson said: "We have received such a warm welcome from people we don't know. They made us feel like we already knew them."

The ambassador and his entourage were guests at Spanish Fork's 98th Iceland Day celebration as part of a five-day visit to Utah. He was accompanied by Atli Asmundsson, a press attache for the Iceland Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Hannes Hilmarsson, marketing director for Icelandair airline; and Einar Gustavsson, director of the Iceland Travel Bureau, headquartered in New York.

The ambassador met with the First Presidency on Aug. 4. He also met other Church and government leaders and toured sites such as Park City, BYU and Temple Square. He said he didn't know much about Utah before his visit, but was impressed with the state and its people.

Elder Wirthlin, who was accompanied to Spanish Fork by his wife, Elisa, was the first speaker during the Iceland Day program. He dedicated Iceland for the teaching of the gospel on Sept. 18, 1977.

He described the Icelandic people as hardy, strong and intelligent and said those traits were shared by their descendants in Utah who are professional and Church leaders. "What a great heritage they have," he said.

Elder Wirthlin said an indication that the Savior's influence is felt in Iceland and that the country is committed to Heavenly Father and his Son, Jesus Christ, is in the national anthem which mentions God several times.

Then Elder Wirthlin spoke about the trip he made to dedicate Iceland. Because it is frequently stormy there, the dedication was scheduled to take place in a university gym. But the Icelandic young people who were members of the Church expressed a strong desire to conduct the dedication on a scenic mountainside nearby.

Elder Wirthlin said that forecasters predicted a torrent of rain for the time of the dedication, but the young people prevailed and the meeting was moved to the mountainside.

"About one minute after we finished, the rain came," Elder Wirthlin recalled. "The young people said, `See, all you have to do is have faith.' The people who came here to Spanish Fork showed that same kind of faith."

In his remarks to the Iceland Day gathering, Mr. Benediktsson explained why he included Spanish Fork on his summer travel itinerary. "In 1851 . . . three young Icelanders, Dorarinn Haflioason, Guomundur Guomaundsson and Jon Johannsesson who were in Copenhagen studying the trade of goldsmiths were baptized into the Mormon religion. This led to the first missionary work of Mormons in Iceland and logically to the departure of the first three Mormon-Icelandic pioneers to Utah in 1854. They arrived here in Spanish Fork by decision of Brigham Young in September 1855. I understand that nearly every Mormon-Icelandic immigrant until the turn of the century settled in Spanish Fork."

In his address, the ambassador, whose education includes a degree from Colgate University in New York, discussed the early history of Iceland and its settlement in the ninth century by northern Europeans and Vikings. Then he compared those beginnings to the beginnings of Spanish Fork.

"I think we can safely say that the Vikings going to Iceland and their descendants in the 19th century who moved to the Western Hemisphere, with the Icelandic-Mormons going to Utah as forerunners, were in a way similarly motivated. In both cases the considerable difficulties had to be overcome to build a new home in a faraway land and where life would take on new dimensions.

"The settlement of Iceland is connected with the quest for a better life with more political freedom, as it was then understood, and the settlement by Icelanders in Utah to achieve a new spiritual or religious life and an economic betterment."

He announced that the government of Iceland has come up with a way to reinforce ties with Icelanders and their descendants in the United States and Canada. He said Icelandic authorities are establishing a register of all those of Icelandic descent living in those countries to encourage academic research and genealogical study. The register will also facilitate communication between organizations and private individuals concerning things such as Icelandic cultural events, products and travel.

"Through this registry and modern means of communications, we in Iceland hope that we can better bring to all of you over here news of interest on Icelandic developments," he said.

He also announced that Utah's honorary consul, Thor Leifsson, is retiring from that post and that Clark Thorstenson will take over the position. Brother Thorstenson, director of cooperative education and internships at BYU, was responsible for arranging the ambassador's visit to Utah.

Mr. Benediktsson concluded by telling his audience: "We back home are proud of all of your achievements and certainly not least those which preserve traditions of Iceland and links with the old mother country. May the future hold happiness and prosperity for Utah and all the people of Icelandic descent who have made this great state their home."

Iceland Day in Spanish Fork also included music and presentation of the Icelandic Heritage Award. The award was given to Phyllis Ashby of Spanish Fork in recognition of her selfless service that included compiling a multi-volume history of the community's Iceland Day celebration.