Church members in North and South Dakota, where Latter-day Saints make up much less than 1 percent of the population, are excited about the gospel and take pleasure in the accomplishments of one another as reflecting well on the Church.

For example, the Saints of Sioux Falls South Dakota Stake are cheering Sally Meyer, a Young Women Laurel and pianist in the Madison Branch, and Mike Steele, a Scout and priest in Brookings Ward. They both took championships a few weeks ago in the state girls and boys high school cross country meets. Sally and Mike are early-morning seminary students.Members in the Dakotas have been working for more than 100 years with that same excitement for the gospel. One of those who helped establish the Church here was Swedish immigrant Karl Sandberg who felt that spirit as he read the Book of Mormon, other LDS scriptures and books he ordered from Deseret Book. In 1934, he drove to Salt Lake City to be baptized.

"My husband and I are in the Church because of the work of early convert Ivan Sandberg, and so are `Bud' and Libbie Darland of our Pierre Branch," said Michelle White, wife of Pres. Phillip White of Pierre South Dakota District. Brother Sandberg's daughter, Wanda McCombs, lives with her husband, Darrel, and family in Centerville, S.D., a community of the newly created Sioux City Iowa Stake. They have seen three of their daughters married in the temple, and continue to serve actively in the Church and community.

In the early 1900s, LDS convert Sitting Eagle moved to North Dakota from Montana and shared his excitement for the gospel with many others. Chief Moses White Horse wrote to the missionaries and received a Book of Mormon. When the missionaries visited Fort Berthold Reservation, 108 people came to listen. More than 40 joined the Church, and a branch and building were established at Sully Lake on the Missouri River. Now, that is all under Lake Sakakawea since Garrison Dam was built, but the spirit of the Book of Mormon and teachings of the gospel continue to warm the hearts of people in the Dakotas.

Since the formation of Sully Lake Branch, branches have been established and still exist on each of the 11 Indian reservations of the Dakotas, such as Pine Ridge Branch of Rapid City South Dakota Stake, where Marei Kingi serves as president. President Kingi, a soft-spoken Maori from New Zealand, served his mission at Pine Ridge. A year after his mission, he returned to visit. At this visit he met Elizabeth Mousseaux, who had grown up in Pine Ridge, and introduced her to the gospel. They married, and now have three children, Marei Jr., 17; Rana, 16; and Marlin, 15. Pres. Kingi teaches at the Pine Ridge School.

Sister Kingi said of living where there are few LDS youth: "You have to be really creative with your children to keep them going in the right direction. Early-morning seminary helps a lot."

The Kingi teens are A-grade students, with each on the honor roll. "My husband is well liked and respected here," added Sister Kingi.

Pres. Kingi reported that about 45 attend meetings at the branch each Sunday. Members in other branches who are descendants of Lehi drive long distances weekly to be with the Saints.

The saga of the past 156 years of the establishment of the Church in the Dakotas seems to be a story of people who are excited about the gospel and the Book of Mormon, enough to not let little things like wind-chill temperatures of 100 degrees F. below zero or driving 100 miles one way to meetings every Sunday deter their zeal.

In 1840, while Nauvoo was being built, Dakota Territory, with the Missouri River meandering through it, was considered by Church leaders as a refuge for the Saints. Five years later, a year after Joseph Smith's martyrdom, without the approval of Brigham Young, a group of Saints migrated deep into Dakota Territory Indian country. Led by James Emmett, they were anxious to find safety and settled near the Missouri River. They named their settlement Fort Vermillion.

While they built cabins and planted crops, the Emmett Company maintained peace with and was able to preach the gospel to the local inhabitants. The stay was shortlived. The following year, President Young summoned these settlers to join the Saints in moving west. Most of the group humbly heeded the call and abandoned Fort Vermillion and the Dakotas.

With the reopening of the Indian Territory Mission in 1883, while the early Saints were rebuilding their lives along the Wasatch front, missionaries were sent to the Dakotas - Big Stone, S.D. - directly north of the Emmett Company's settlement and, in 1884, the north central section of the Dakotas. The severe cold caused the leaders to close the area to missionaries. In 1898, the 147,825 square miles were again dedicated for missionary work at Fairmount, N.D., by four missionaries waiting for a north-bound train.

The gospel got a foothold. The work has steadily progressed. In 1885, three members were recorded as living in the Dakotas. Reports show 210 members in the Dakotas in 1930. In 1965, statistics from Church headquarters show, there were 1,519 members in North Dakota and 1,947 in South Dakota districts. Today there are 10,309 members making up the Dakotas' four stakes and one district with 114 convert baptisms in 1996 as of Oct. 31.

The LDS growth is in harmony with South Dakota's growing population but in contrast to the decline in North Dakota, where population has dropped from 677,000 in 1985 to 638,000 in 1994. Total population in the Dakotas was 87,000 more in 1994 than in 1950.

While the membership totals are rising in the Dakotas, the convert baptismal rate is declining. From 1972 to 1979, the mission's average yearly convert baptism total was 331. During the 1980s, the average total per year was 386. From 1990 to 95, the average is 230. The 84 full-time missionaries now serving in the mission are less than a third of the total 20 years ago, although the stakes and district are compensating with stake missionaries. Fargo North Dakota Stake alone has 75 of the total 139 missionaries. The work of finding investigators is being transferred to local members through such programs as "Set-a-Date." Full-time missionaries have been busy explaining to families how implementing the program can prepare friends for the missionary discussions.

The Dakotas' industry and educational facilities are drawing members with professional degrees here. North Dakota State University is one of many four-year schools that have hired and continue to hire Latter-day Saints, often with families. In spite of the cold, the rural atmosphere with low crime rate - North Dakota is rated lowest in the nation for crimes committed - might also be the attraction for parents raising families, as well as for the single adults. Madeline Free of Utah, a psychiatrist, and Pearl Bertrand, a BYU Law School graduate and director of the Northern Plains Indian Law Center at University of North Dakota are single adults who spend many hours outside of their professions promoting the gospel of Jesus Christ with their friends and in callings.

Latter-day Saints here have learned how to cheerfully endure winters (North Dakota is rated the second-coldest state in the nation; South Dakota is close to that.) For example, Rapid City South Dakota Stake fathers challenge their sons every Saturday morning at volleyball or basketball at the stake center, followed by moms playing the Young Women.

Larry and Vicki Moody of Rapid City invite the missionaries to their home often, play indoor games with their children on cold nights or dress with extra clothes for outdoor winter sports. Mandy Moody, a high school senior and a Laurel in Rapid City 3rd Ward, said, "I really like it here, because I have the chance to be an example to others, where I couldn't so much if everyone was Mormon. During the week, I am with my school friends. On weekends, I can be with all my Church friends."

She leaves her home at 5:15 every school morning to attend early-morning seminary. She works part time and is involved in school activities.

"We're involved in our communities where we live," said Bismarck North Dakota Stake Pres. Richard Adsero, adding: "Out here, we have an opportunity to work with nonmembers. As long as we have good citizens, we have good activities. For us it's Scouts and helping to provide leadership. Laila

his wifeT was the library president and has also been helping with a program where parents work to provide activities for teens on prom night so kids won't be out drinking. We took a whole bus load of youth bowling. We approach businesses for prizes. I help wherever she is helping." Pres. Adsero is employed as maintenance engineering manager at one of the many mining companies in the Dakotas.

Parents Art and Elaine Adsero converted to the Church in Fargo, N.D. Sister Adsero, not knowing her husband-to-be at the time, converted to the Church in Fargo when Pres. Adsero was on his mission.

Brookings Ward Scout Troop in the Sioux Falls South Dakota Stake involves the boys in community endeavors such as Scouting for Food, helping insulate a Habitat for Humanity housing project and delivering $500 worth of food products provided by the Church's Denver Regional Bishops Storehouse to needy non-member families for Thanksgiving dinner through a community Scouting program. With donations from other organizations, 40 families will be given all the necessary food items.

Kent and Nancy Danielson, who farm 2,100 acres 55 miles from their Bismarck (N.D.) Ward meetinghouse, said: "It isn't a challenge anymore. We just don't even think about it. We just get in the car and go whenever there is something going on." Getting to the temple means "taking a stake temple trip. We'll be doing that next week," Brother Danielson said. The Danielsons are Bismarck natives and converts, both having joined as young adults. He served as Bismarck Branch president for several years. Two of their six children are attending Ricks College. Brother Danielson said his challenge is the low price for cattle and wheat, both of which he raises. The Danielson's happily accommodate neighbors whenever they want to have picnics, hike, pick berries take, senior pictures or hunt in their beautiful gulch or investigate the ancient Indian burial site and teepee rings on their property. As is the custom among North Dakotans, the Danielsons and other neighbors recently helped harvest a neighbor's crop when there was a tragedy in the family.

"Well, you know the way people are in North Dakota," added Sister Danielson, reflecting on the kindness and goodness of the people with whom she has grown up.

Bismarck Ward Bishop Douglas Bahr said: "Committed members are there if they want to be there. They drive 100 miles because they know it is important for their youth. The furthest away was 100 miles. They came in for activities every week and had callings. Compared to having Church at home, you get to associate with everybody."

He added: "Distance? I guess I'm used to it. I like the mission field. I grew up in the mission field. We want the opportunity for our children to grow and experience that. There's that extra growth that comes. All your activities don't center around the Church."

Bishop Bahr and his wife, Laura, who grew up in Aberdeen, S.D., have four young children and one to be delivered within a month. As assistant attorney general in North Dakota he has many opportunities to be a missionary.

"After a board meeting, we'll have dinner and be talking and invariably the conversation will lead to the Church. Everyone in my office and many of the attorneys in town know I'm the bishop. The attorney general will ask, `How's things going at Church?' "

Bishop Bahr has a positive attitude about challenges. "In being bishop, they are the same as in any other place, with people keeping commitments and accomplishing effective home teaching to help the ward grow." Due to hazardous weather conditions such as blizzards and ice, he said, "We've only canceled church once in five years that I've been here. Those Sundays, our attendance is cut in half. Weather makes it difficult for those people to make it in." If snowfall closes roads on Sunday, members hold their meetings in their homes.

Norimasa and Tskiko Abe and children Miyai, 17, Daiko, 15, and Hodaka, 13, live in Lemmon, S.D., where Brother Abe is employed as a mental health therapist. This is 100 miles from their Dickinson Branch meetinghouse. Brother Abe serves as branch president's counselor. He and his wife converted to the Church in Japan. Being accepted to BYU brought Brother Abe and his family to the United States. The Abes miss midweek activities at the meetinghouse, but Sister Abe teaches seminary at 6:30 a.m. each school day in her dining room to Miyai and Daiko. Immediately following seminary, they have family scripture study and prayers.

Miyai cooks, practices piano for her branch pianist calling, is manager of some of her high school sports teams and is an artist. She works for a local jeweler sketching Black Hills Gold jewelry pieces manufactured in Lemmon. Her sketches are used to enhance the packaging of the items. She was selected as homecoming for Lemmon High School this fall. Her brothers stay busy with sports. The Abe children take turns at family chores, such as cooking dinner."

Jason Brower, a priest in Wahpeton Branch, Fargo North Dakota Stake, enjoys the many opportunities he has to do missionary work. During July, the LDS young men in the stake attended Scout camp during the same week as Scouts of other faith groups. The LDS Scouts created many fun opportunities to make friends and give away copies of the Book of Mormon they had brought for their personal use. In branch testimony meeting, Jason shared one experience: A woman helping at the camp became very eager to read the Book of Mormon after Jason talked to her about it, so Jason went among the other LDS Scouts to find one more copy. He found one Scout who had a tattered copy in his dad's car. Jason, with copy in hand, looked for the woman, saw her, then decided he had better wash his hands before greeting her. "I wanted to shake her hand," he said.

By the time he had washed his hands and returned to the spot, the woman had disappeared. Jason searched each troop's campsite for the woman, asking many people if they had seen her. Finally he found her. Jason shook her hand and presented her with the Book of Mormon. "She seemed glad to see me," he said. Jason apologized about the condition of the Book of Mormon, but she simply said excitedly she didn't care what condition it was in, she just wanted to read it.

Jason's younger brother, Joey, a deacon, also loves the Book of Mormon. When stake Pres. Joel C. Smith challenged members to read the Book of Mormon before the next stake conference, Joey accepted and fulfilled the challenge. He said: "I feel I've accomplished something large in my life, something that will help me, something that will lead me to eternal life. I've learned the do's and don'ts. Good habits were formed because I started reading it daily. Right now I'm reading the Doctrine and Covenants."

Saints find they can strengthen themselves and others in the gospel while living in the Dakotas. Pres. Adsero said, "We are all children of our Father and the only thing different is where we live. Here, you're more on your own to figure things out. You're a stronger person because of it."