Elsa Anderson

I am thankful to God for His great love to me. My earliest years were spent in Finland. The future was not very promising for us, so my father decided to seek employment in another land. At first we intended to go to Argentina, but that did not work out. Later, we planned to take up a homestead in Canada, but that failed to materialize also. It seemed that God had other plans for us.

In 1907, the way was opened for us to travel to the United States. Our family of thirteen came across land and sea for thousands of miles—to within one hundred miles of Portland.

A short time later, a band of workers from the Apostolic Faith Church came to hold street meetings in the little town in which we lived. My father heard them and came home and told us that he had found the people of God. These people later opened a place of worship in our town and, although we could understand only a few words of English, we could feel the Spirit of God and the fellowship of real Christian people.

One Sunday afternoon, in a cottage meeting, God talked to my young heart. I was told very simply what I should do to be saved and, at the close of the meeting, I knelt beside a chair and gave my heart and life to God. He saved me and took out the love of the world and the desire for its pleasures; He put peace and joy in my heart.

I went back to school and lived a Christian life. Later, after coming to Portland, Oregon, I worked in business offices and God gave me victory every day.

For many years I have had the privilege to play in the Apostolic Faith orchestra and sing in the choir. I enjoy the fellowship of God’s people and love to give my life in service to the Lord. I can say, “His yoke is easy and His burden is light.”

Sometime ago, the Lord opened the way for me to visit my homeland. I had longed to meet the many Christians with whom our church had corresponded in Finland. It was thrilling to meet those people face to face, and it seemed we had known one another forever.

Today, the Gospel is more wonderful to me than ever before, and I love the Lord better than when He first saved my soul. It is my purpose to go through with God at any cost.

Elsa Anderson worked in the Apostolic Faith headquarters church and office in Portland, Oregon, for more than a half century. She managed all of the Finnish correspondence and aided in translating literature into the Finnish language. She also took an active part in other phases of Gospel work. She sang in the choir, played the trombone in the orchestra for more than forty years, and was a pianist for various departmental groups. From the time she was a young woman, Sister Elsa went with other Gospel workers to tell the Story in the outdoor street meetings and in services held in retirement homes and penal institutions. She also led the youth group activities in the church for a number of years.