The president of Iceland joined Latter-day Saints and other residents of this central Utah town July 27 in commemorating the legacy of early Mormon pioneer settlers who came from his homeland.

Iceland's President Olafur Ragnar Grimsson and his wife, Guorun Katrin Thorbergsdottir, visited Utah July 23-29 at the invitation of the Icelandic Association of Utah. The association is celebrating its 100th anniverary this month. This was the first time that any head of state has visited Spanish Fork, located about 50 miles south of Salt Lake City. The president's schedule would not allow him to be present on the actual "Iceland Day," celebrated this year Aug. 2 in Spanish Fork, so he and his wife arranged to visit a week early.During their visit, he and Iceland's first lady met several General Authorities and other Church leaders at two receptions; attended the Spectacular in celebration of the pioneer sesquicentennial; went to the Tabernacle Choir's "Music and the Spoken Word" broadcast (after which President Grimsson addressed choir members and invited them to perform in Iceland); toured Temple Square; and paid visits to the Church's Welfare Square and Sort Center.

As honored guests in Spanish Fork on July 24, they rode a horse-drawn buggy at the head of the Fiesta Days Parade. After the parade, they attended a ceremony in which President Grimsson placed a wreath at a monument honoring Mormon pioneers from Iceland. He and his wife also visited the cemetery where graves of Icelandic settlers were marked and went on a tour of Icelandic homes still standing in the community. Their itinerary also included several functions at which they met government and civic leaders.

On July 25, they visited the Missionary Training Center in Provo, and dropped in on a class of missionaries being trained to speak Danish, a language the president speaks. He and the missionaries conversed in Danish for several minutes. Later that day, he met with Elder Merrill J. Bateman of the Seventy who is president of BYU; and visited with a professor of Scandinavian literature. Elder Bateman and his wife, Marilyn, hosted the dignitaries at a dinner at their home. All the dinner guests were of Icelandic descent.

On Sunday evening, July 27, the president was the featured speaker at a community "Pioneer Heritage Fireside," which was attended by about 2,000 people in the Spanish Fork Utah Stake Center. Other speakers were Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin of the Quorum of the Twelve and Young Women Gen. Pres. Jannette Hales Beckham. Making brief remarks were Iceland's first lady; Kornelius Sigmundsson, Iceland's secretary general and ambassador to the United States; and J. Brent Haymond, a member of the Utah House of Representatives and vice consul to Iceland.

President Grimsson spoke of the Latter-day Saints from Iceland who came to Spanish Fork in 1854, creating what became the oldest Icelandic community in the United States. He expressed admiration toward today's residents for their "loyalty to the people who in the previous century endured difficult journeys from the valleys of Iceland to their new homes in Utah."

He referred often to the importance of keeping alive the heritage and culture of the Icelandic people. "My journey to your beautiful state, this visit to the majestic Utah mountains and canyons, is also intended as an invitation to you all to return our visit by coming home to Iceland, to worship in the land of your ancestors where the magnificent creation of the earth is still going on, where the display of fire and ice, the horizon of volcanoes and glaciers, the green valleys and the crystal clear water of rivers and lakes are an unparalleled demonstration of the glory of the Almighty's creation."

He spoke of Iceland's "live show" of the forces of nature that "are much greater than us all." He added: "The soul of the Icelanders who came to Utah had been transformed by those forces. The farmers and fishermen were able to survive in their new homeland because the discipline from the old country was the backbone of the Icelandic heritage.

"I pay tribute to those pioneers and I salute all their families who for so long have been true to the Icelandic tradition."

Elder Wirthlin spoke of his admiration for the Icelandic pioneers and their descendants, as well as for the people who reside in Iceland today. He referred fondly to visits he has made to Iceland.

He spoke of the pioneers who left their homeland and immigrated to Utah, and eventually settled in Spanish Fork. He referred to the pioneers who helped establish the Church in Utah and of the growth of the Church throughout the world. He referred to a statement made by Russian author and philosopher Leo Tolstoy, who in 1892 told American ambassador Andrew White that if the principles and beliefs of Mormonism would endure through the third and fourth generation, the Church "is destined to become the greatest power the world has ever known."

Elder Wirthlin said, "That's the very thing that's happening." Elder Wirthlin spoke of the Church's humanitarian service throughout the world, which stands "for virtues of the pioneers. You can see that Leo Tolstoy knew what he said. The Prophet Joseph Smith said that the Saints would be forced to come to the Rocky Mountains, and where they would become a great and enlightened people. The influence of the Church today is certainly being felt by the world.

Pres. Beckham centered her remarks on the 15th chapter of Luke, which has three parables about loss. The first was the parable of the lost coin, which she used to refer to how people use resources. The second parable was of the lost sheep, which she likened to relationships with others and how individuals respect and value others. The third parable was of the prodigal son, or the son who was lost, which she used to refer to one's relationship with Heavenly Father.

She spoke of lessons applicable to the parables that she learned from her Icelandic grandmother, who lived in Spanish Fork. "Our Icelandic ancestors gave us values and strength of character that are so much needed today," she said. "The sacrifice made by our ancestors brought new opportunities for us.

"Let us constantly return and look for what we may have lost. Let us change - repent when we need to bring honor to those who sacrificed for us - those who gave us life and brought into our lives the gospel."

The meeting was conducted by Lillian Shepherd, president of Icelandic Association of Utah. The Spanish Fork Community Choir sang a folk song in Icelandic.

After the fireside, President Grimsson, Elder Wirthlin and their wives stood in a reception line for about an hour and shook hands with everyone who wished to greet them.