Let us return to the backbone of the work​—pioneer service. During World War II, the pioneers continued even more zealously to spread the truth throughout the country, despite a shortage of money, food, clothing, and fuel. Although Sweden escaped actual warfare, the governmental authorities brought about restrictions and rationing. “As a pioneer during those years, you really had to trust in Jehovah,” says Gustaf Kjellberg, who in the late 1930’s left his career as a wrestler to devote himself fully to the truth. Gustaf, who is still pioneering, recalls:

“During the summer, my fellow pioneer and I lived in a tent, but during the winter, we lodged in private homes. This was often difficult and expensive. In an effort to help, the Society sent us a description of how to build a collapsible trailer that could be pulled behind a bicycle. We immediately had one built.

“It was cold in the winter, as the trailer was made of thin fiberboard. In addition to heating it by burning sticks and pinecones in an iron stove, we wrapped ourselves up in all our clothing to keep fairly warm. One night my companion woke me up and complained that he could not raise his head. No wonder! His thick hair had frozen to the steel frame of his bed! I had to release him by melting the ice with my hands. However, during all the time we lived in that trailer, we were never sick and were able to spend long days preaching the good news. What a wonderful time!”

Ingvar Wihlborg witnessed among the Lapps and covered vast territories in the North in the late 1930’s. He reminisces: “Far north above the Arctic Circle was the sparsely populated stretch, 130 kilometers [80 miles] long, between Kiruna and the Norwegian border. To find my way, I had to walk or ski along the railroad tracks, which I did twice a year. One dark cold evening, a train suddenly came rolling up in back of me. Its powerful snowblower threw me, along with my skis and rucksack, high up into the air and down into a deep valley. Well, it took me a few seconds to get oriented. Thanks to the lights from the Abisko Tourist Hotel, I found my way out. The hotel staff were taken aback as I strode in looking like a snowman. ‘How on earth did you get here?’ they asked. ‘By air,’ I cheerfully retorted. They were kind and treated me to hot cocoa and sandwiches.”

Despite the tough living conditions at that time in Sweden and the extraordinarily cold winters, the zealous pioneers did not slow down in their activity. Jehovah kept their hearts warm. The work steadily expanded during those years. The number of worshipers more than doubled, from 1,427 in 1938 to 2,867 in 1945, after the war.

The pioneers were again blessed during the 1944 service year. The special pioneers had good reasons to rejoice when they were able to organize 17 new congregations. The other pioneers were also gladdened when 11 new congregations were formed as a result of their efforts. That year 144 new congregations were formed! Thus, the campaign against us backfired. The following is a typical example:

The State Church Board in a country parish decided to demand that two pioneer sisters (1) stop calling on the people with their literature, (2) believe in the Lord Jesus, and (3) take up their abode outside that parish without delay.

The landlord with whom the sisters were staying was also pressured by the local priest to evict them immediately. The letter informing the landlord about the decision made by the board to evict the sisters ended with these words: ‘With hearty greetings to you and them (the two sisters).’ The landlord and his brother, both regular churchgoers, became so disgusted with the false accusations that they stopped going to church and started to attend the studies conducted by the sisters.

Not All Priests Opposed

A pioneer sister invited a brother from a nearby congregation to give a public talk in her territory. To everyone’s surprise, the local priest came, listened attentively, and took notes. Afterward he asked many questions and admitted that the church was wrong in many of its teachings. He complained that people would not come to church even if he were to preach the truth to them.

The brother said that the priest and his colleagues ought to do as Christ and his followers did, that is, go from house to house. The priest replied: “Yes, we ought to do that, but we are cowards and too lazy for it, and besides that we have too much to do about worldly things.” When leaving, the priest shook hands in a friendly manner and thanked the speaker for the talk.