Aslaug Hagen Mjølsvik, who passed away following a long and debilitating illness in June 2010, was a founder of NCAY in Norway. Her husband, Gunnar Mjølsvik, passed away four years previously. She is survived by a daughter and several grandchildren.

Sister Mjølsvik joined the ministry in 1988 in Bergen, Norway, and served as Pastress alongside her husband for some years before relocating to Sweden in 1998 to help found the new headquarters. She was one of the fellowship's oldest members both in terms of years as well as service, remaining loyal through the many upheavals that inevitably follow a new work of Yahweh. She experienced every phase of our evolution. A number of her sermons may be read on the Norwegian website.

Sister Mjølsvik was Vice-President of the Revelations Committee that oversaw the editing and production of the ministry's collection of revelations and prophecies, the Olive Branch, in 1997. Very much an evangelist, she was often on the streets of Bergen witnessing in the harbour.

Aslaug Hagen Mjølsvik was in many ways the 'First Lady' of this ministry and a tireless servant, loved and admired for her warm heart, beaming face and total sense of hospitality. Missionaries and other visitors were always made to feel welcome. It was therefore entirely appropriate that she receive ordination as the First Matriarch, the highest and most responsible female position in our community. She was in every sense of the word a Mother to all the members.

Born and raised on a small farm in Eidsland in 1921, in Western Norway, when that country was still one of the poorest in Europe and dependent on fishing for its livelihood (before the discovery of North Sea oil), Sister Mjølsvik knew all about extreme physical hardship in a harsh sub-Arctic climate, not knowing whether she would survive each winter or not. She was hard working, diligent and frugal.

On one occasion when she was a young woman she fell through the ice in the frozen Sognfjorden and hauled herself out. Realising that she had lost a mitten in the icy water, and not wanting to lose it (because it was her only pair and because of all the work that gone into getting the wool from the sheep to make it), she dived back in to recover it! Through her we learned how to salt, smoke and store fish and vegetables through the winter. Many are the stories she told us that will live long in our memories.

By profession, Sister Mjølsvik was a nurse and served for many years in a hospital in Bergen. She thrived around people and they around her, inspiring them to hard work and faithfulness. She was a superb cook, and was known by us as 'Sausens Dronning' or the 'Queen of Sauce' for her superb sauces. But she was also famous for her bløtkake, a Norwegian cream cake, which multiplied prodigiously at Conference time! There were never any empty stomachs after Sister Mjølsvik had organised meals. She was also admired for her jams and Maryland cookies!

Raised a Lutheran and briefly a Mormon, she was converted to this work in 1988 and remained unswervingly faithful to it in her two decades of membership. Where physically possible, she and he husband attended all major conferences and hosted a number in Bergen.

Sister Mjøksvik was an avid gardener and was to be found outside on a more or less constant basis in the summer months. With her husband, she was one of the pioneers of the United Order of All Things in Common, which is a feature of firstborn colonies, and was an enthusiastic promoter of it.

In her latter years Sister Mjølsvik fell victim to Alzheimer's disease and together with her husband we had to watch the heart-breaking consequences of that terrible illness. By 2008 the disease had so totally reduced her brain that she was no longer able to recognise anyone around her but for a brief and miraculous awakening (see The Revived First Matriarch). She spent her last years in special care in Arvika, Sweden, where she finally succumbed in 2010. Given the terrible mental and physical suffering she went through in her last years, her passing was doubtless a relief for her even though it was, of course, a great loss for us and her family.

The likes of Aslaug Mjølsvik will probably never pass us again. She belonged to a robust generation where honour, faith and loyality held greater value than they do today. As such, she was a pillar of this work and indispensible. She will be greatly missed. May she find the undoubted joy and peace in the presence of her Saviour whom she loved so dearly while on earth.

This page was created on 23 July 2010 Last updated on 23 July 2010

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