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00:00:06 Since I was a boy, whenever I saw 00:00:08 a blank piece of paper, I felt like drawing something. 00:00:14 I was born in 1925 00:00:16 in Lillehammer, Norway. 00:00:22 My father received a brochure. 00:00:24 He was not that religious, 00:00:27 but after reading it, he started preaching straightaway. 00:00:30 Our family and neighbors didn’t like it at all, 00:00:35 but I listened to him 00:00:38 because he spoke about a paradise earth. 00:00:41 I found my father’s bag 00:00:44 and thought to myself, ‘Now it’s time for me to try.’ 00:00:50 I also started telling my classmates about it. 00:00:55 They all decided to make fun of me, 00:00:56 but one of them changed his attitude; 00:00:59 he listened. 00:01:09 After the war, it was possible 00:01:11 for both of us to travel by train 00:01:13 to Oslo to get baptized. 00:01:22 Later on, I returned to Oslo to attend an art school. 00:01:34 At the same time, I attended all the meetings. 00:01:37 There I met a former full-time minister, 00:01:39 and he said to me, 00:01:40 “The happiest time of my life was when I was 00:01:44 in the traveling work, visiting the brothers.” 00:01:47 It got me thinking, ‘Maybe that could be me one day.’ 00:01:53 I got a lot of work as a painter in my hometown, 00:01:56 and gradually I became known as an artist. 00:02:05 But it took too much of my time. 00:02:07 I knew Matthew 24:14 00:02:10 and that the Kingdom should be preached. 00:02:12 And I thought: 00:02:14 ‘I need to do my part. 00:02:16 I can’t just stand by and let others do the work.’ 00:02:20 So I decided to start pioneering. 00:02:33 Now I’ve been in the full-time ministry for about 70 years. 00:02:42 My life has been meaningful. 00:02:44 I have many good friends, 00:02:47 inner peace, and joy. 00:03:13 At a convention, I met Edith. 00:03:15 She has always been encouraging 00:03:19 —actually, very encouraging. 00:03:51 After doing traveling work for several years, 00:03:54 I wanted to return 00:03:56 to Lillehammer to pioneer 00:03:58 and see if I could be of any use there, 00:04:01 and I found more than enough work to do. 00:04:08 I still paint occasionally. 00:04:10 Sometimes you get these ideas you really want to put on the canvas. 00:04:16 I look forward to a paradise earth 00:04:19 with peaceful, 00:04:21 smiling people who are joyful and happy.
00:00:06 Since I was a boy, whenever I saw 00:00:08 a blank piece of paper, I felt like drawing something. 00:00:14 I was born in 1925 00:00:16 in Lillehammer, Norway. 00:00:22 My father received a brochure. 00:00:24 He was not that religious, 00:00:27 but after reading it, he started preaching straightaway. 00:00:30 Our family and neighbors didn’t like it at all, 00:00:35 but I listened to him 00:00:38 because he spoke about a paradise earth. 00:00:41 I found my father’s bag 00:00:44 and thought to myself, ‘Now it’s time for me to try.’ 00:00:50 I also started telling my classmates about it. 00:00:55 They all decided to make fun of me, 00:00:56 but one of them changed his attitude; 00:00:59 he listened. 00:01:09 After the war, it was possible 00:01:11 for both of us to travel by train 00:01:13 to Oslo to get baptized. 00:01:22 Later on, I returned to Oslo to attend an art school. 00:01:34 At the same time, I attended all the meetings. 00:01:37 There I met a former full-time minister, 00:01:39 and he said to me, 00:01:40 “The happiest time of my life was when I was 00:01:44 in the traveling work, visiting the brothers.” 00:01:47 It got me thinking, ‘Maybe that could be me one day.’ 00:01:53 I got a lot of work as a painter in my hometown, 00:01:56 and gradually I became known as an artist. 00:02:05 But it took too much of my time. 00:02:07 I knew Matthew 24:14 00:02:10 and that the Kingdom should be preached. 00:02:12 And I thought: 00:02:14 ‘I need to do my part. 00:02:16 I can’t just stand by and let others do the work.’ 00:02:20 So I decided to start pioneering. 00:02:33 Now I’ve been in the full-time ministry for about 70 years. 00:02:42 My life has been meaningful. 00:02:44 I have many good friends, 00:02:47 inner peace, and joy. 00:03:13 At a convention, I met Edith. 00:03:15 She has always been encouraging 00:03:19 —actually, very encouraging. 00:03:51 After doing traveling work for several years, 00:03:54 I wanted to return 00:03:56 to Lillehammer to pioneer 00:03:58 and see if I could be of any use there, 00:04:01 and I found more than enough work to do. 00:04:08 I still paint occasionally. 00:04:10 Sometimes you get these ideas you really want to put on the canvas. 00:04:16 I look forward to a paradise earth 00:04:19 with peaceful, 00:04:21 smiling people who are joyful and happy.
