Lögberg-Heimskringla - 18.06.2004, Page 8

8 • Lögberg-Heimskringla • Friday 18 June 2004
rnu iu. oi ciiNr-'vurv vowt/Durvrv i oouii
Bonnie and David A. Ashby have grown a beautiful garden around their house in Orem, Utah. Gardening is their main hobby.
Growing the garden
Bonnie and David A. Ashby spend a lot of
time in their garden in Orem, Utah. They
also like to fish but most of their time is
devoted to their church and the lcelandic
Association in Utah. Recently, Steinþór
Guðbjartsson had the opportunity to be part
of their life.
Steinþór Guðbjartsson
Orem, UT
Two years ago the Ice-
landic Association of Utah
(IAU) honoured J. Brent Hay-
mond and David A. Ashby for
Iheir significant contribution
to the Association, not the
least of which was their part in
the activities in Iceland in the
summer of 2000.
Then a monument honor-
ing the 410 immigrants to
Utah from Iceland 1855 to
1914 (the first Icelanders left
Iceland in 1854) was given by
the IAU and dedicated on the
Westman Islands (Vestman-
naeyjar) overlooking the Mor-
mon Pond in Heimaey.
With the help of the Asso-
ciation, a museum was opened
at the Emigration Center in
Hofsós and the exhibit “The
Road to Zion” launched. It
tells the story of the Icelandic
immigrants to Utah and had
been on display for almost
four years when it was recent-
ly taken down. Furthermore,
the first chapel of the Church
of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints was dedicated in Ice-
land in 2000.
Building a kingdom
As a result of missionary
work that started in Iceland in
1851 Icelanders were to go to
Zion “to build the kingdom,”
as David Ashby says. Most of
the Icelandic emigrants to
Utah came from the southem
part of Iceland, Vestmannaey-
jar in particular. Arnong them
were David’s maternal great-
grandparents, Eyjólfur Eiríks-
son and Jarþrúður Runólfsdót-
tir, who emigrated to Utah in
1883 and 1887, respeclively.
The first Iceland Days
were held in Spanish Fork in
1897 and the festival has been
held annually since then.
Since 2002, Iceland Days has
been held in June, but previ-
ously the celebration had
always taken place in August
(except the centennial celebra-
tion of the first three Ice-
landers coming to Utah, which
was held June 15 to 17, 1955).
David says that Iceland
Days was the most important
holiday of the year for many
of the Icelandic children. “It is
like a large family reunion.
My mother was on the board
of directors of the Icelandic
Association and about 15
years ago, she told me that I
needed to be on the board.
Then there were only five
directors and 1 was assigned to
do some work regarding pub-
licity of the Iceland Days. I
have been involved ever since,
but now we have over 20
directors on the board.”
David estimates that in
Utah about 80,000 people are
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