ANNOUNCING NEW PROJECT FOR PLAIN VIEW FARM, THE OLD RUGGED CROSS FUND:

Matriarch of the Alfred and Bergit Stadem line, Pearl Ginther at 99 and 10 months, wants a Calvary cross erected at the farm. Anyone who wishes to contribute to this, will be honored with a Certificate of Appreciation. This Certificate can be framed. You can choose "In Honor Of" or "In Memory Of" or both, if you give two gifts of course! This gift can be given in lieu of flowers or money gifts to her for her birthday, as it will last for years and years and point people to the saving work of Christ on the Cross, visible for miles around the Farm. We can also assemble at the foot of the cross for hymn sings and special services. How meaningful and unforgettable that will be, don't you think? Well, be a part of this, join in, and help us make this a reality. Pearl is giving money gifts all the time to PVF, the Heritage Center and the various beautiful ancilliary projects connected with it, and surely this Cross of Calvary on the Farm will be the centerpiece once it is erected by Steve Stadem and his helpers. Please send money gifts and for whom and what it is designated to Eloise Hefty, PVF Secretary, 2820 S. Saint Charles Lane, Sioux Falls, SD 57103.

Steve Stadem, manager of the Heritage Center project, has a card printed portraying his original painting of a cross in a mountain-fringed field in Montana, shown below. It is a particular Montana scene that he knows and loves. This card pack with envelopes can be obtained from him for the love donation of $15. He is selling it to help finance the Heritage Center. Please contact him for it.

Please see Rennard Svanoe's tribute to his Uncle Hans Spilde, who passed from this earth to heaven's glories on Wednesday, November 12, 2003, at the ripe age of 92. In it you will catch a gleam and a foretaste of glory divine. This tribute is excellent and moving and so clearly from Rennard's heart, you must not miss any of it. It was read to Hans shortly before his death, so he got to hear it, and his family says he listened intently, so we know his heart was blessed during his last hours by the love we all had for him.

Rennard Svanoe's Tribute to Hans Spilde

"Why Give Memorials--Some Good Reasons You can Think About

The John Morrell Meat Company of Sioux Falls, SD, Celebrating 100 Years in 2009, Supports the PVF Heritage Project!

We prayed for a big check, as our God is a Big God--and not even 1,000,000 is an impossibility with the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob!Well, we got a big check, from John Morrell Companies! We know some of you Stadem descendants are worth at least a million--okay, cough it up, will you? Just kidding! But the Bible does exhort the rich to give generously, not hoard riches, and the generous giver is blessed by God.

PRAISE TO GOD OUR WONDERFUL PROVIDER: JOHN MORRELL COMPANIES HAS JUST SENT A CHECK TO PEARL GINTHER FOR $1,000 AS A CONTRIBUTION TO THE HERITAGE CENTER AT PLAIN VIEW FARM!

These items, a Gospel Tract & Pearl's Card for the Plain View Farm Website, are put with the wonderful check from John Morrells for a good reason: The Gospel of the Saving Grace of Jesus Dying on the Cross for us sinners, and our cherished Scandinavian heritage--those two things make us what we are and give us our golden heritage that we are called to share with the world. God bless John Morrell Companies for their warm support of American heartland values along with our Scandinavian heritage and the saving Gospel of Jesus Christ! With this latest contribution, which is a miracle from God of provision, there is more than sufficient funds (in May 2009, $14,700+) to start the construction on PVF (as confirmed by Steve Stadem, Heritage Center Project supervisor), donated since Pearl began the funding drive in August 2008.

PLEASE DON'T STOP GIVING, HOWEVER, AS WE WILL NEED AT LEAST $100,000 to finish the Heritage Center's First Phase, which will make it usable! We can very well surmise that Hollywood celebrities have air conditioned golf carts that cost that much, so this is not being extravagant in the least. This John Morrells grant is much appreciated, showing their strong commitment to support and strengthen Bryant and other local communities in their efforts to preserve and share with present-time young people and also future generations our truly golden Pioneer and Christian farm family values, faith in God, and cultural heritage. As some might suspect when reading this glowing report, are we putting words in their mouth? This is, we are well aware, an increasingly secularized society and culture (particularly on the two coasts) where the very mention of Jesus and traditional values has been increasingly under attack by secularists who are dominant in government and everywhere else in well-organized, well-founded activist groups to make the government officials lose sleep at night if they don't toe the line. No, we did not put words in the "mouth" of anybody. On the contrary! We were completely upfront about our Christian witness from the get-go, even sharing the Salvation message with the President of the corporation, and they were not offended, they responded in this beautiful way, so we know they have a love for Jesus Christ and our Scandinavian heritage and our pioneer family values, not to mention farm communities.

Laura Ingalls's book series and TV shows based on it, the equally popular "I Remember Mama" TV series about a turn of the prior century Scandinavian family, even the Canadian "Anne of Green Gables" saga and TV series, all prove the continuing great appeal to millions of Americans of our pioneer forefather's faith, values, and legacy, among both children and adults. It behooves us not to keep all this to ourselves, but to share it with others: thus the PVF Heritage Center, which will provide a wonderful means in the Bryant area to increase cultural and spiritual values, not to mention the fun and fellowship that will be had using the Heritage Center for all sorts of groups and gatherings. Contributions from families, churches, businesses, and clubs are most welcome and will be given recognition at the Center.

Heritage Center Gift Envelopes are now available at Pearl Ginther's too. Write to her at: P.O. Box 212, Puyallup, WA 98371.

Excerpt from the Stadem Samtaleren on Giving:

"Giving!

"Giving is living," the angel said to me. "Go feed the hungry sweet charity's bread."

"And must I keep giving and giving again?" my selfish and querulous question ran.

"Oh, no," replied the angel, his eyes pierced me through.

"Just give until the Master stops giving to you."

Please send contributions and queries to: Eloise Hefty, Secretary Plain View Farm, 2820 S. St. Charles Lane, Sioux Falls, SD 57103. Please sign the check to Eloise Hefty, Secretary of Heritage Center Fund. The bank has less problem with it that way. Tel: (605) 335-3153.

Pearl says she is so happy to see this wonderful project blossom as it is doing, as she thinks of her beloved parents, Alfred and Bergit Stadem of Plain View Farm, and thinks how very happy they would be to see it too. A grand future with much sharing and ministry and plain, old-fashioned fun and fellowship, indeed, is assured for Plain View Farm's heritage as the shining torch is handed to the younger generation in this most meaningful way. Bryant and the whole area will be richly blessed, there is no doubt.

--Contributed by Ronald Ginther, son of Pearl A. Ginther"

CALLING ALL WOOD CARVERS! We need you as volunteers to carve the beautiful, interwined Norwegian acanthus leaves and other traditional Norwegian motifs on the Heritage Center, to give it a truly authentic Norwegian or Scandinavian appearance! Can you come and do that work of love and sharing of your Godgiven gift for wood carving with others in this beautiful center of Norwegian Christian Heritage? Here is your opportunity to make your art available and meaningful to many people for years and years to come! Please contact Steve Stadem, via his address given on this page, or contact us via our mailing address, which is: P.O. Box 212, Puyallup, WA 98371. This Norwegian Art Book, which Pearl Ginther and her son showed visiting Holbek cousin Rune Holbek, has many examples of expert tapestry and also wood carving in Norway, if you want to see what they are all about.

HERE IS VISIBLE PROOF OF OUR URGENT PRESENT NEED TO GROW AND MOVE INTO A MUCH BIGGER FACILITY: The ever growing clan of Stadems have been trying valiantly to meet for the last ten years or more in a small, unimproved shed that is called the Spise Hutte (another name might be "Snuggie, Buggie Hutte" or the "Ye Olde Sardine Canne"!). There we (not all, by any means, but all that can squeeze in) meet and have meals and present programs as best we can in the extremely tight quarters. The barn Alfred Stadem built (which you see in Steve Stadem's picture above) was started in 1942 and lasted about 50 years but did not survive a big storm a few years ago and is now removed, leaving space on the grounds for a new barnlike meeting place, the Plain View Farm Heritage Center. It will be a wonderful thing to have real elbow room and a place for the many activities and programs in the clean, bright, new Heritage Center! The small old Spise Hutte can then be retired honorably to serve usefully as a storage building for the games sets, mowing equipment and other farm maintenance items.

Please note: the boy and girl sitting in the foreground in the center, they are brother and sister, and the boy is graduating from high school, with the sister not far behind! So this shedlike structure has been around a long time and without any end in sight, except for the Heritage Center Project! "You cannot follow a parked car!"--John Hagee, Pastor, Cornerstone Church, San Antonio, Texas. We must all move ahead, it is time, and use our faith to raise a wonderful new beginning in the form of a Heritage Center! WE CAN DO IT WITH GOD'S HELP AND GUIDANCE!

"VELKOMMEN" or, Welcome!!! in Norwegian is rendered here with Rosemaling. With comparison to the beautiful Maljorica tile designs of the Balleric islands in the Mediterranean (an art form that the Vikings surely saw, as they sailed that sea early on to raid and trade), rosemaling is a beautiful, traditional Norwegian folk art that originated and developed in the rural culture of Norway during the 18th and 19th centuries. It had its beginnings in Norway's small, green valleys where it was used as a form of interior decoration on walls, ceilings, trunks, bridal trousseau trunkis, and other items in the rural home. It served to brighten up the home's interiors considerably during the long winters of Northern sunlessness.

Each district developed its own style of rosemaling with that from Telemark and Hallingdal districts becoming the most highly developed and enduring. These various styles have been passed down through generations of painters, thus preserving this unique art in its most original and traditional form.

With it flowing scrolls and flowers, rosemaling is recognized as one of the most sophisticated and mature forms of decorative painting. Preserving this art form so all may enjoy and share its beauty is one of our purposes at the Plain View Farm Heritage Center. We will have classes in rosemaling to train new artists in this wonderful Norwegian art.

PLEASE WRITE TO US, BETTER YET COME IN PERSON, DEAR HOLBEKS AND STADEMS IN NORWAY! OUR FIRST HOLBECK RELATION, COUSIN RUNE HOLBEK FROM THE MANDAL AREA, HAS JUST COME TO VISIT US, IN FACT, AS THIS PICTURE PROVES. SEE ANY FAMILY RESEMBLANCES IN THIS PICTURE?

COUSIN RUNE HOLBEK WAS GIVEN A SLICE OF CARROT CAKE BY PEARL STADEM GINTHER, AND A SLICE OF FRESH PUMPKIN PIE SMOTHERED WITH WHIPPED CREAM, AND HE LIKED IT, HE SAID. SPOKEN LIKE A TRUE HOLBEK! HERE IS PEARL WITH TWO OF HER PUMPKINS GROWN IN HER OWN GARDEN, AND SHE LOOKS LIKE SHE IS FIXING TO BEAT SOME EGGS AND MAKE SOME DELICIOUS PUMPKIN CUSTARD WITH THOSE PUMPKINS, WHICH IS ANOTHER WAY TO MAKE PUMPKIN DELICIOUS EATING! IF WE DON'T HAVE A RECIPE IN THE COOKBOOKS LISTED BELOW, WE WILL PUT PEARL GINTHER'S IN SOON.

COUSIN RUNE HOLBEK PROMISED TO RETURN SOON. PEARL AND HER FAMILY HAD A WONDERFUL MEETING WITH HIM AND IT WAS A GREAT THRILL TO BE REMEMBERED, BUT MAY THERE BE MORE, MANY MORE SUCH VISITS BY HOLBEKS--OR, BETTER, ALL (STADEMS AND HOLBEKS) COME TO THE NEXT REUNION, LATE JUNE 2009. THE DATE WILL BE POSTED HERE ON THIS PAGE, THOUGH IT WILL BE THE LAST WEEK OF JUNE AND USUALLY THE FIRST DAY OF JULY.

OUR SPECIAL GREETINGS AND CALL TO OUR SPECIAL STADEM AND HOLBEK RELATIVES IN NORWAY: Most recent word, a Holbek family is coming in 2010 to the Reunion--so the true reunion of Holbeks is coming as we unite on Plain View Farm. And how about you Stadems over in Norway? You are being outdone by the Holbeks down in the south part round Mandal! Please, all you dear loved ones residing in our ancestral Holbeck-Stadem homeland of Norway, let us hear from our related Stadems and Holbecks--a card, a letter of support, would be a grand thing--something to read out Mother's centennial birthday celebration on and about Sept. 13, 2009 and later at the opening of the Heritage Center on the Farm, June 2010. If you can volunteer your labor and help build, or finish the Heritage Center interior facilities (plumbing, electrical, etc), or even can carve Norwegian style on the posts and door frames, you may contact the Plain View Farm project secretary: Eloise Hefty. Her address is: 2820 S. St. Charles Lane, Sioux Falls, SD 57103. You may also contact Ronald Ginther (Pearl Ginther's contact person, by writing to him at P.O. Box 212, Puyallup, WA 98371). He asks that no funds be sent to him for the project(s), as that is the responsibility of the PVF secretary, Eloise Hefty, and he would never ask for funds from anyone to be sent to him, as he is not a business person in any way and has no desire to be.

Above all, pray for this project, that it go forward SPEEDILY, so that the eldest Stadem daughter (who turns 99 this September 13, 2008) will be able to set her dainty foot in it at the grand opening of the Heritage Center or at least its dedication, June 2010, and give glory to God in her dedicatory words and prayer! This is her golden dream, and this our own golden opportunity. There will not be a better time than this time--you can be sure of that, considering the events in this world and in this country! You can make it a shining reality, with prayer, with actual funds, and with construction abilities, with support, however you can help out (as this is a community project, not just a Stadem family endeavor, which will reach out to bless the entire community of Bryant and the surrounding state and the world).

Pearl Stadem Ginther says: "I want to see the barn heritage center go forward! It is a real necessity. It is on my heart so strongly. I want to see it done before I am 100. [in prayer] Mama and Papa would be so joyful, and even get in on it in heaven perhaps. To see souls saved! Nothing is impossible with God!"

The Plain View Farm Heritage Brochure is now out and available in an easy to mail (without envelope), printed and illustrated format! Please write and order some to be sent to you, and it has all the information you will need to show people what it is about, plus contact information. The gift envelope will soon be printed and available with it. We will show it here too.

PLAIN VIEW FARM HERITAGE CENTER MOTTO: That His Light, Jesus, Shine Through Our Heritage--"To God be the Glory!"

As we know well, the Gospel, Christ's Church of which He is the Head, and all worthy projects lifting up Christian heritage and values costs money--that is a fact of life. We must raise the money, what part of the needed amount we can, and our faithful God will provide the rest--which will probably be at least $100,000 to do the facility adequately and well! He has proven this time and time again, that He is Our Provider!

WHAT IS THE STADEM FAMILY UNIQUE ETHOS OR SPIRIT-BOND? Jerry Ginther (youngest son of Pearl Stadem Ginther) expresses in a wonderful way the unique Stadem family ethos in these terms: "We're sticking together, by the way, every last one of these complicated, challenging energized people, this wild group we call THE STADEM FAMILY--through thick and thin--this tried and true tribe will be there for each other, together whether we are laughing or crying, having a discussion or an all-out disagreement, no matter how crazy life gets, we will not forget we have each other in a bond created by our love for Christ Jesus."

Jerry has just given us his definition of FAMILY, a CHRISTIAN FAMILY! Can you think of a better one? Let us know!

HERITAGE CENTER PROJECT MANAGER STEVE STADEM WRITES TO HIS AUNT PEARL: "We sure have an exciting year ahead in relation to the Farm. Jesus in PLAIN VIEW. It's exciting to realize that the Heritage Center will be officially dedicated and quite possibly all framed up. We'll have to do the project in phases. 1st phase: foundation/plumbing/some electrical; 2nd phase: frame and shell all in; 3rd phase: finish work, etc. Thanks for your enthusiasm for this project! Know that your Mama and Papa had tent/revival meetings on the Farm has been a huge motivation for me. I can't wait to have a praise/thanksgiving/worship service in the Heritage Center/Barn. Hallelujah! We all love you bunches and bunches out here in South Dakota. Thanks be to God for you, your family and how you've lived out your faith. Your faith has been a tremendous example for us all! We want to pass our heritage to all the world in need. To God be the glory!! Lovingly, your nephew Stephen

Latest update from his recent email about the Heritage Project: Steve plans to first build a tool shed for equipment, that will also give him a roofed work area. This is necessary for doing the Heritage Center itself. Would you consider contributing to this necessary work-and-storage shed? The funds are needed now, and they will be most encouraging too to him, as they show you are just as committed to the project as he is!

Pearl Ginther, from her widows' mite account, is donating $500 to the tool shed and working area! She just received a totally unexpected rebate of $1,0033.22 from the power company that sends her heat and electric bill to her each month. She has never received a rebate check before from them. It was truly God's special provision to her and also this project.

Pearl Stadem Ginther With 100 Real Dollars as Her New Birthday Coat! Now the coat of dollars has been spent, but just now Pearl's sister, Cora the missionary in Brazil for something like 60 years, has just contributed $100 to the Heritage Center in honor of her sister Pearl's 100th Birthday! Hey, you Taylors and Templetons and all the rest, she is your example to follow, right? She is a most generous giver, if there ever was one! God bless you richly, richly in return, Aunt Cora!--Your adoring fan and nephew, Ron.

Pearl Stadem Ginther's Brief Bio:

"A Pearl is formed by years of an oyster's irritation [Pearl had eight "irritations"),but eventually it becomes a pearl of great price."--Captain Wendy Morris, Salvation Army, February 17, 2008

"Let's Get Acquainted With...Pearl Ginther," A Brief Bio by The Golden Rose Community, Puyallup, Washington

"The Lord will send a blessing on your barns and on everything you put your hands to. The Lord your God will bless you in the land he is giving you."--Deuteronomy 28:8.

Our poor old Plain View Farm saw many years of being forsaken, the grass grown up like a field in the yard, the paint flaking off the old farmhouse, fences falling down, the hedge and gate lilacs overgrown, unwanted guests like mice and passing vagrants (vagrants leave nice notes, but the mice leave their droppings!), and general shabbiness to take the place of the once neat, trim, much beloved farmstead--but that is all going to change dramatically:

"Thou shalt no more be termed Forsaken; neither shall thy land any more be termed Desolate; but thou shalt be called Hephzibah, and thy land Beulah, for the Lord delighteth in thee."--Isaiah 62:4

See how God multiplies the Widow's Mite to Pay for the Entire Heritage Center in the coming weeks:

PRAYER BY PEARL STADEM GINTHER AND SON AND DAUGHTER, NOVEMBER 7, 2008:

"Scripture says it so we believe that where two or three are present, there the Lord is present in our midst, and we believe for the Heritage Center to go forward NOW in ministry of souls to be saved and healing by Jesus' Grace--and that we will be a testimony there to the Bryant Community and surrounding area just as (Grandpa) Alfred and (Grandma) Bergit Stadem were all their lives. Therefore, we pray that God will come through for us Stadem Families at P.V.F., NOW, for NOW is the day of salvation."--Signed: Lovingly, Pearl Ginther, Ron Ginther, Roberta Lee Ginther

LONGTIME CHRISTIAN FRIEND OF THE STADEMS AND THEIR ATTORNEY, ART HENDRICKSON, GAVE THIS GODLY ADVICE TO THE STADEM RELATIONSHIP IN 1971:

"There is another thought that comes to me. As a result of the Christian [way or mold] in which your father and mother [Alfred and Bergit Stadem] raised their family, you are all living Christian lives, and laboring to spread the Christian gospel, far and wide, and yet each one in a different manner, as well as in different denominations. In this time, when differing denominations are planning and attempting to unite in their Christian activities, perhaps the Stadem family, and their families, should get together, and try to unite their efforts. We are living in a new age--a new era: Who knows how the Lord might be able to use the Stadem families, with preachers, missionaries, lay people working in the Kingdom, and not to forget the Ewalt Memorial Bible School, Incorporated, of P.O. Box 518, Atascadero, Calif. 93422, which I assume has publication facilities [Russell Schaefer, instructor at Ewalt, indeed had a printing press]. Perhaps the Lord has a plan. If He has, and we all join in praying Him to lead and guide all of us, we may be certain that He will do just that."

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT: THE PLAIN VIEW FARM HERITAGE CENTER BROCHURE WILL SOON BE PRINTED AND IN THE MAIL--LOOK FOR IT! IT IS GOING OUT TO STADEM FAMILIES, SO THAT THEY CAN SHARE IT WITH OTHERS. WRITE TO ELOISE OR PEARL GINTHER TO ASK FOR MORE COPIES, OR MAKE A COPY OF THE ONE YOU ARE SENT.

Pearl Ginther holding pictures of the Kristine Stadem, Stene, Fjelstad, and Yuge Families of California!

AN ENTIRE FAMILY AND CLAN JUST A FEW DAYS AGO FOUND US THROUGH THE WEBSITE:

The Stadem Descendants of Kristine Stadem, first child of Sjur and Oline to be born in the U.S. Here are her direct descendants, all born of Andrena, Kristine's daughter, before Kristine died at the age of 24. These are the Stenes, Fjelstads, and Yuges by name. They are our Stadem cousins! What blessing God gave this line, all these beautiful people who presently reside in California. Their family clan picture is below in the Genealogy and Stadem History section. We fully believe they will bring new life in Christ and a big boost of love to our relationship and the reunions from this year onward. From the moment they heard about the Heritage Center Project, they wanted to be a part of it! They have already donated $1,000 to the Heritage Center, and Tom Yuge (Sylvia Fjelstad-Yuge's husband) has already promised his civil engineering help and counsel to Steve Stadem on their visit to the Farm for the 2009 Reunion, where they were the star attractions!).

WOULD YOU BELIEVE IT? THANKS TO PAPA ALFRED STADEM, PVF ONCE HAD A BEAUTIFUL CEMENT-SIDED POND WITH WATER LILIES AND FISH, AND PEARL STADEM GINTHER WANTS IT RESTORED AND RUNNING, WITH A RECIRCULATING BROOK ATTACHED TO ANOTHER POOL FURTHER UP THE YARD IN BACK, AND A FOUNTAIN TOO! WHO CAN DO IT? PLEASE COME FORWARD!

Please see the "Minnow Story" by Pearl Ginther about her Papa's fish pond, and how she got fish for it. This new story will appear on-line, with a link beneath her Uncle Andrew Vorseth's picture on this page!

CALLING A VOLUNTEER DRAUGHTSMAN WITH A HEART TO GIVE OF HIS DRAUGHTING, ARCHITECTURAL TALENT AND SKILL

This design is probably best suited to our needs in the Heritage Center, as it could have this wonderful, sunny south-exposure extension giving very adequate room to a kitchen and eating area with tables and chairs, and fireplace and a pot belly stove for added warmth, with a tea pot singing on the stove? A bathroom too would be a good idea in this area. We want to make the Center versatile and flexible for all sorts of uses and groups. If someone has an ability to design structures such as this, we could use that special person to work up a draught of a design for this model! Soon too! We do not have money to pay a professional working architect, but someone out there no doubt has more than adequate building experience and draughting ability and can draw floor and building plans, and maybe God is calling YOU to do this design for us. Please let us know! You will be blessed by God for your investment of your time and ability for this project. And by all means, make it BIG. Barns are usually big, are they not? We have had more than ten years of extremely cramped quarters in the old Spise Hutte. We don't want to be cramped soon after dedicating it, on the planned date of June 2009, for which we are seeking Almighty God's provision and breakthroughs in motivating the workmen and builders and barn raisers from all over (not just from our Stadem families) to come together behind this project to do the work! Please feel free to contact Steve Stadem too--for he is the project manager! He will need your input. We can pass it on to him, however, if you send your plans to us first. That way Pearl Stadem Ginther gets to pray over them, for God's leading and enabling and wisdom to be given all involved. Prayer is the foundational thing, we know. We cannot do anything without it.

The Heritage Center will have many exciting features! A dining room (old-fashioned country style cafe in style), and the quilting classes and exhibitions for those who have a gift with the needle and the sewing machine.

Guess which lady in the pictures above was born in 1909, the year Buffalo Bill Cody sent this postcard picture to his friend--hint: her birthday is coming Sept. 13, 2009, when she turns 100!

Wooden Pendant from Norway

Gurina Stadem was the second wife of Peter or Peder Stadem, son of Sjur and Oline. She taught their son Bernard to weave. She wrote this in Norwegian to Alfred Stadem, her step-son whom she raised from early youth.

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One of the most important features of the Heritage Center will be the Archives and Library, to be named the Russell Schaefer Memorial Archives and Library. Letters from family and friends, momentos and cards and pictures, books in Norwegian language, special family books and documents, farm history documents, we will need glass cases for the more perishable items and also bookcases to house the items. A complete computer system to view the Plain View Farm website with all its materials on-line is also a part of the projected Memorial Library. Stadems, friends, and guests of the Heritage Center can do research or just browse to their heart's content on these fascinating items. We will have a Stereoscope and pictures of Norway, authenic museum piece that it is. Albums by the dozens too jammed with family pictures going back to Sjur and Oline Stadheim. A Video TV will be available to play family videos. Stadem family matriarchs and patriarchs are on video telling stories of old Plain View Farm. We also have Ginther family movies of the Farm and the Stadems as well as innumerable friends, collected together on a video. All this will make a living contribution to the younger generation, as well as remind the older folks of what we are now passing to the ones who will take "the Glory of the Gospel and of our godly heritage" into the rest of this new century.

In this reunion 2008 picture, Ron Ginther, his mother Pearl Stadem-Ginther in the driver's seat of the Plain View Farm golf cart, and her Great-Grandson and his banner picture of an angel presented to his Gr Gr Grandma!

September 13, 2008, Pearl Stadem Ginther turned 99 years of age (which passes the age when her beloved Mama went to the Lord at age 98!). Please plan on attending either the PVF birthday celebration this coming June 2009 for her, or if you can, attend the birthday celebration this coming September, on or about Sept. 23, her birthday. Many, many grand events are planned. We can let you now what accommodations are available. We hear that Holbek cousins are flying in from Norway! This is a wonderful opportunity to combine Pearl's Centennial Birthday with all sorts of sight-seeing in Seattle, Mt. Rainier area, and the ocean, not to mention Boeings and the Puget Sound region with all its attractions within easy reach by Freeway.

For gifts donated, the Plain View Farm Heritage Center Appreciation Certificates are available and are made to be framed by you if you want yours on your wall. Her address for mail is at her address: 10709 63rd St. E., Sp. 28, Puyallup, WA 98371.

Memorials Given in Memory of:

Mrs. Karen Brendsel Brende (pictured in the foreground, sitting in front of sisters Pearl Stadem Ginther and Bernice Stadem Schaefer, loved the Lord Jesus Christ her Savior dearly and in 1991 went to him after her 105th birthday in Sioux Falls, SD! A mother and devoted wife, she was widowed. Her husband Joseph Brende died in 1953, and after his death Karen Brende attended Lutheran Bible Institute in Seattle and also Minneapolis, graduating at age 69. She was a music teacher, giving private piano lessons for more than 50 years. She took into her home elderly women who could not care for themselves, feeding them and looking after them, and this included poor students attending college in town who were out of money and couldn't buy food! (I know, for I was one!--Ron Ginther) She directed the Women's Auxiliary of the Norse Glee Club, and directed the "Keen Agers" choral group in the nursing home where she later resided until her early 90s. She was a member of First Lutheran Church in Sioux Falls for more than 60 years, and was a charter member of Union Gospel Mission. A true saint of God, she is a special friend to the Stadem-Holbeck relationship! She truly left a golden legacy of Christian love and service to others for all her family and friends to preserve and follow!

Mrs. Opal V. Stime, churchwoman and also Children's Hour Director in Sinai, South Dakota for the Lutheran Fellowship Meetings, took on herself (on top of her duties as wife and mother) to transcribe the Funeral messages and events, and her transcription was produced and printed at her own considerable expense as the only official Funeral Tract for Robert Ginther and Arthur Stadem, both killed in the private plane crash of 1947 that was in the process of being tested for Robert Ginther's clients who were friends of his. The tract containing the wonderful and truth-searching messages of Bryant Lutheran pastor, Rev. Henry J. Peterson, and numerous other pastors and church officials (as they each wrestled with the tragedies and what plan God might have had in allowing them to happen) was given to LBI, a number of Midwestern colleges and churches, and reached hundreds of people with the Gospel of Jesus Christ that was preached at the double funerals in Bryant, S.D., January 1947, to an overflow gathering of over 1,000 people. Stunned by the tragedy of these two sudden deaths of young men, reported in the papers in Sioux Falls and across the whole upper Midwest, thousands of people were given pause to consider the brevity of life and question where they would spend eternity if they should so suddenly be taken in the prime of life as these two young men were. She continued a dear friend of the Stadem family for many years, surviving the deaths of Alfred and Bergit Stadem for over 10 years until her passing to Glory, November 15, 2007. Her testimony of Jesus, her love of others, was vibrant in her countenance and life and all her actions. We are very glad as Stadems to have been blessed by her Christian friendship all those years, and rejoice in the crowns she will undoubtedly be given by the Lord she loved so much and served so faithfully in her long and fruitful life. Her memory is a golden one, not only in her immediate and large family, but in the entire relationship of her many friends.

The Claire and Norma Hobart Memorial at the Heritage Center: Blind Musician, Composer, and School for the Blind Director Claire Hobart was a wonderful friend of Bergit and Alfred Stadem, and they supported him for many years with contributions and also personal visits on their way to the churches and missions in Mexico run by the LALM (Latin American Lutheran Mission), where they brought needed clothes, food, and also contributions they raised among the Lutheran Fellowship Meetings in South Dakota and from various churches. Please go to the special, new Claire and Norma Hobart page with pictures of the Hobarts' free LALM-connected school for the blind in Laredo, Texas, as well as his ministry in composing music, teaching blind piano students, and performing at concerts and recitals to raise monies for the mission school. They are gone now to their great reward in heaven, but we can continue their memory in this Heritage Center, and possibly Christian work among the blind, for we must forget them.

If you wish to contribute to the Heritage Center in their blest and golden memory, please do so! They would be very pleased to hear even in heaven that their untrumpeted but wonderful work for the Lord among Mexico's cast-off blind people is remembered in this way. Those blind people were dearest to their hearts, and they served them faithfully long past retirement age, without big donors or a Madison Avenue-type, high powered solicitation for funds! No, out of the labors of his own musical ability on the piano and his composer's pen, Claire provided for the school year after year after year, without complaint, and contributions from churches they gave programs at added the needed remainder. Norma his nurse and faithful set of seeing eyes, a fellow missionary, was ever the perfect wife for him to the end! God bless their memories! The link to their special page is given below the picture of Claire Hobart at work with a blind student.

Claire and Norma Hobart Memorial, "Hobart Happenings"

Names of the Memorialized and contributors to the Heritage Center:

Aunt Katrine Holbeck-Lundring by Grand- Niece Pearl A. Stadem-Ginther

A most godly woman, elder sister of Bergit Holbeck Stadem, she visited the young Alfred Stadem household once, saw that Alfred had not begun daily devotions with the Family as a daily practice, and reproved him. Alfred then began the devotions, which traditionally is called "The Family Altar"!). Lastly, Pearl Stadem Ginther was born in her house in Canton, SD, Sept. 13, 1909.

Mrs. Opal Stime, by the Stime Families, and the Ginther Family,

Ray Lawrence-Smith, a godly father and husband, ever supportive of the work of the Lord, by Kathleen Lawrence-Smith of Worcester, England (and she has since donated another $400+ gift so that a Stadem descendant could go to the 2009 Reunion),

Claire and Norma Hobart by Pearl and son Ronald Ginther,

Mrs. Karen Brendsel Brende, by friend Ron Ginther (she volunteered him hearty meals when he ran out of funds while attending Augustana College, Sioux Falls, back in the early 1960s!),

Aunt Estelle Rangen and son Paul, by Ron Ginther,

Alida Stadem Spilde, by Gloria Ginther Brown and families.

Monies given to the Heritage Center in honor of:

Pearl A. Ginther by son Darrell R. Ginther,

Pearl A. Ginther's 99th birthday by son Jerry Ginther.

Pledges:

Gift to Heritage Center by Jerry Ginther in honor of sister Gloria Brown and her families.

Additional Gifts to be Made By Ginther family (to God be the Glory, not the givers!):

In Memory of gift pledge for Uncle Arthur Donald Stadem, from Nephew Ron Ginther (please go to his tribute and see the lyrics of the song found in his "Little Bible," a tiny book with scriptures, hymns, and pictures not much bigger than a matchbook, which was given him by his Bryant Christian youth group friend Alva way back in his youth. Please try to make to to both or either of these grand occasions.

Tribute Poem to the Memory of Arthur Donald Stadem, "Winter's Child" (Arthur Stadem was born on the day of a most beautiful, even magical looking ice storm in winter):

"Winter's Child," Tribute Poem in Memory of Arthur Donald Stadem, With Special Pictures and School Documents and the Song, "O Love That Wilt Not Let Me Go," found in his "Little Bible"

Arthur's own written Autobiography, with some Remarks by his Nephew Ron Ginther, and his father, Alfred Stadem, who also relates the letter from Arthur's roommate at Augustana College describing his dear friend:

Arthur Stadem's Autobiography (1946)

In Memory of Stadem Jewish Christian friend and evangelist, Joe Berkowitz (who ministered Christian cheer and the healing, delivering Word of God to brother Darrell Ginther being treated in the mental hospital--see Darrell's special testimony of God's deliverance and healing in the "Prince of Zion" series on these websites).

In Memory of gift pledge for Ginthers' family friend, Athena Smith; she suffered from MS and was paralyzed head to foot after a boating "accident" arranged by her husband to get rid of her, but painted pictures with her mouth and even went on the Internet and did email!. She never complained but took her paralysis and suffering joyously as the cross that saved her sinful soul and kept her for Jesus alone! Formerly a very wealthy woman with several luxurious homes and a beach home too, she lost it all when her husband tried to kill her. He was in their boat on the lake pulling her way too fast on a big water ski in tighter and tighter circles until she went down in the water and came up hitting the board with her head, knocking her unconscious (and the paralysis and multiple schlerosis disease came soon after a neighbor ran and rescued her from drowning), but she counted her homes and the lifestyle of the rich nothing compared to the riches of Christ she gained through surrendering her heart to Jesus and being granted forgiveness of her sins and eternal life, which is salvation. She wrote to Pearl Ginther once: "Merry Christmas and how nice it would be to talk about the Lord. I still thank you and Corlie Ross for praying me through to salvation. We had some wonderful Bible studies."

In Memory of gift pledge for Ron Ginther's lifelong friends in his hometown of Puyallup, Washington State, former Puyallup High school teachers Gladys Sorenson and Nora Page Hall, who employed him to do their lawn mowing and their gardening and house painting and window cleaning, etc., for over 45 years and treated him as a friend from the tender age of 13, a time when he deeply needed such adult support as a fatherless boy!

In Memory of gift for Rev. Andrew Holbeck (Bergit and Katrina's brother) by Pearl Ginther; Andrew Holbeck was first of their little family of Holbek orphans to emigrate to America to start a new life and went to seminary and pastored until he retired in Montana. Thanks to his brave example, they followed to join him, and new life came to all of us too as their descendants!

In Memory of gift pledge for Tom Harrington, whom Estelle Stadem Rangen called "The Rainbow Man" because he lived to be a blessing to others and was so modest and unassuming, but shining nevertheless in a many-colored way that speaks of God's bow of special providence and blessing, the Rainbow, which God set in the rainy clouds for the sun to illumine for all people to see and remind them of God's faithfulness.

Please to to the Tributes Central page, which will give you the Tribute to Tom Harrington. You can also find tributes to Russell Schaefer, Bernice Schaefer, Myrtle Svanoe, Hans Spilde, Ruth Harrington, Paul Rangen, Estelle Rangen, Luther Svanoe, Art Stadem, and others. Stadems_Saga is the Plain View Farm website that will carry many of these tributes, or links to them.

Tributes for Those Memorialized, on Stadems_Saga

Russell Schaefer, for the Russell Schaefer Memorial Archives and Library, by Ginthers [please see his "Rainbow" poem, by going to the Tribute to Aunt Bernice Stadem Schaefer, in link provided below picture of rainbow on Plain View Farm].

"Tribute to Bernice Stadem Schaefer," by Nephew Ronald Ginther

Money grants to the Heritage Center:

From Alida Spilde (via Spilde families, and just recently Bonnie and Joe Hilt, who have just contributed another really BIG HEARTED amount to add to the previous big amount!),

From Pearl Ginther (a number of gifts),

From Chloe Koslowsky,

From Bertine and Arnold Egge (via Pearl Ginther)

Mrs. H. Peterson, wife of Bryant Lutheran Church's Pastor Peterson and beloved mother of a large family, was honored as Mother of the Year (1955).

In Memory of the "Mother of the Century," Irene Hovdenes, a single Christian lady who loved, mothered, fed, clothed, disciplined, trained, and in every way took care of over 2500 foster children in a long career of helping cast-off and abused or neglected children from dysfunctional families that became wards of the state. A Sioux Falls friend of Pearl and Bob Ginther and the Stadems, she learned babysitting from the Ginthers while practicing with their young ones, which stood her in good stead when she moved to Tacoma, Washington, and set up a foster care home in her own house. In the picture, Irene stands on the left of Pearl Ginther, and Irene's sister Ruth is to Pearl's right. We have a special tribute to Irene all ready written by Roberta Ginther, which won her an A-grade in a writing class, and which was presented at a special program and dinner by the Ginthers to Irene in her honor, with Pearl Ginther seated beside her at the Golden Rose Manor Club House, a year or so before Irene's passing to glory. This tribute is illustrated by Ronald Ginther and will be offered soon on these pages as time permits.

Money grants to various projects at PVF and other memorials:

In Memory of Arthur Arp, gift by Pearl Ginther; he was a lifelong Christian friend of the Ginthers and Stadems

In Memory of Arthur Donald Stadem, gift by sister Pearl Ginther; Art died with Robert Ginther in the plane crash, but left a precious memory of his Christlike live and spirit

In Memory of Palma Larson, lifelong friend of Pearl Ginther and the Stadem Family, gift by Pearl Ginther

In Memory of Robert Ginther, gift by his widow Pearl Ginther

Irene Doering, long-time friend of Pearl Ginther and family, a gift by Pearl Ginther

Additional memorial gift in memory of George Baldwin by his nephew Jerry Ginther, for the kitchen/dining room of the Heritage Center. He is also giving additional "In Honor of" gifts we will itemize later.

A gift was given by the former landlady of Jerry Ginther's, for the Heritage Center which he had told her about.

Jerry Ginther continues to give numerous large money gifts to the Heritage Center in honor of Mrs. Floy McDonald, a lifelong Christian friend and onetime neighbor to the Ginther family, and other notable friends.

Roberta Ginther has also given a gift in memory of a lady whom she cared for as a nurse. She had told this lady about the Heritage Center and Plain View Farm, and she was so interested to hear about it.

Jerry Ginther continues to give and give to the Heritage Center, so we must award him "Most Generous and Sacrificial Giver" Award! We can't itemize them all or keep up! THANKS, JERRY! YOU ARE A SHINING EXAMPLE OF WHAT A GENEROUS HEART IS LIKE AS YOU THINK OF OTHERS BEFORE YOURSELF AND HELP BY YOUR MONEY GIFTS TO MAKE A NEW FUTURE FOR THE YOUNGER STADEM GENERATION TO USE FOR REACHING OUT TO THE LOST AND NEEDY SOULS OF OUR NATION AND THE WORLD.

These listings of gifts are not complete and are being added to as contributions keep coming in, day by day! This does not include the considerable contributions already given via Stephen Stadem's Barn Picture Project. Certificates for the donors will be soon in the mail to the contributors, signed by Pearl A. Ginther, Eldest Stadem, and by Eloise Spilde Hefty (Secretary). Some are being sent already. Most will be available at the Reunion in 2009 for contributors who come, as it is very expensive to send them by mail in the protective folders. They are very suitable to be framed (try to choose something rustic or old-fashioned in frame, to suit the rustic scene). Thank you with all our heart to those who have given, and thank you to those who are in the process of giving to the Heritage Center! You will be richly blessed by your giving to this wonderful facility, insuring that our golden Stadem-Holbeck legacy will be passed to the younger generation in a way that will keep it alive and growing and reaching many people even beyond our relationship who can also benefit.

"Thou wilt show me the path of life; in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand are pleasures for evermore."--Ps. 16:11

OTHER PROJECTS FOLLOWING HARD ON THE HEELS OF THE BARN HERITAGE CENTER PROJECT ARE:

1. Rev. Henry J. Peterson Memorial Chapel

2. Claire Hobart Memorial Garden of Peace and Fountain of Healing (with two pools and recirculating brook)--Please go and read the new story, "Pearl's Minnows," located under Andrew Vorseth's picture on this page!

3. Windmill to replace the one that once stood on PVF (see Pearl Ginther's story about her stopping the runaway windmill)

Nary a day goes by that Pearl Ginther, on the phone, does not tell someone about the Heritage Center and how much she yearns to see a windmill there again! We can do it! It is not an impossibility! Let's get up a windmill worthy of Plain View Farm. Steve Stadem knows of several in the Sioux Falls area alone that are standing unused, and could be re-located, perhaps without having to pay for them, as land around them is being developed from farm land to residential. Do you have a windmill you can donate to this worthy project that would bless so many, with wonderful pictures and memories of it? Let us know. Make Pearl Ginther's day! Bless her sweet, old heart! Contact Steve Stadem or Eloise Hefty.

Contributions will be accepted for memorial gifts toward these and other yet announced projects (you might see the list of prospective projects offered in this site), as well as the furnishings. Six stained glass windows in the chapel, for instance, can be dedicated to various loved ones who have gone Home to Heaven. Pearl Ginther has already donated a money gift for one window in memory of Tom and Ruth Harrington. Five windows remain to be made commemorative and contributed and designated. The carillon in the steeple of the chapel, which can be a digital or CD-based system that can play chimes and bell sounds and also hymns, can also be contributed and memorialized. A Bogen Public Address System and Chimes Carillon were given by Alfred and Bergit Stadem to Augustana Academy in 1952 in memory of Arthur Stadem, a graduate of AA in 1941. The Dedication service bulletin reads of that memorial gift: "Through the music and messages that go out over this public address system Arthur Donald Stadem will continue to speak to us of the Savior he loved and for whom he had planned to live. Thru these sounds, the blessings of his memory will fall upon us who shall live and work on this campus." Surely, those blessings can continue with a new system donated to the Chapel and the Heritage Center of Plain View Farm! Would you be the one or ones to do that? We will also need contributions (or the donated items themselves) for such as the pulpit, the altar railing, the picture of Jesus Christ in Gethsemane, and the pews. Heating can be provided by a medium or small-sized house electric furnace.

Many, many sacrificial labors of sweat and brawn, not trumpeted and a lot of them enjoyed but unrecognized by the recipients as such, have been performed to make the Farm what a tremendous blessing it is for reunions--and donations given that have not been itemized or even known by others. We have made the effort to name and thank all we know of who have contributed over the years to Plain View Farm and the reunions, but we ask your forgiveness if you are one we have failed to mention. It may happen, despite our desire to give honor where honor is due! Recently, the Stadems and Iserman family have labored hard and long on stripping the farmhouse roofs (for it had a number of roofs, laid on, layer upon layer!) and replacing them with new roofing. I worked one day on a roofing job for a roofing contractor in Tacoma, Washington--and that was enough for me! I retired early on in life from that trade forever--deciding it wasn't for me, so I think I know a little how hard, grimey, gritty, sweaty, exhausting, and even dangerous such work is. Half the roof was replaced by the time of the June Reunion 2008. We know that roofs are essential items on any structure, so this was essential work, and so our hats are off to all those who labored on this task! Thank you so much!--Ronald Ginther, Grandson of Bergit and Alfred Stadem, son of Pearl Stadem Ginther

"I have so far addressed only fellow adults in my serious "adult" way. But now a word to those who are just as important, and perhaps more important, as they are our future. I am speaking just as seriously, and from the heart, to the CHILDREN OF PLAIN VIEW FARM HERITAGE:

Dear and Precious Children of the Stadems and Holbecks! The Heritage Center is really for YOU! That is why these letters are so big! It is mainly for you that it is being built. You are our future, spiritually and physically. We do not want what God has richly given us to be lost, so in this way we are passing the best of our blessings to you in this way. You are that important to us. Yes, YOU! You may not have even heard about the Heritage Center. Please ask your parents about it. To make it we need YOU too. We need YOU to pray Jesus about it, first of all. Can you pray to Jesus that people will give us the money we need and the helping hands of people who will build it on Plain View Farm where the old barn once stood? The barn might have been a place for us to use to meet in, but it fell down in a storm. You may have heard about it or seen it. But we can build this Heritage House in its place, and it will be even better for us to use than the old barn Granpa Alfred Stadem built, though it will look like it on the outside. In the Heritage House, we can share the Lord Jesus with others in many interesting and also fun ways, and also enjoy together the many, many good things that we have as God's children, which Jesus has blessed us with. We will have games, music, Christian plays, Norwegian cooking, Norwegian dancing by boys and girls in Norwegian clothes, crafts and painting, a Christian Puppet Show, all sorts of fun events that can teach us things and keep our wonderful heritage alive. Imagine taking a sleigh ride in the snow, all bundled up in warm blankets, and a horse pulling the sleigh to Bryant from the Farm, and everyone singing Christmas carols on the way and in town to the people and back again to the Farm! What fun that would be! Best of all, the Heritage House is where we can share the good things God has given with our guests and where we can reach out to others, making them know they are loved by God and us, and always welcome on Plain View Farm at the Heritage House." Pearl Ginther says that that children might want to give a penny for each year when they have birthdays, so they can contribute to the Heritage Center that way! SO, PLEASE, PARENTS, ALL YOU STADEMS, LUNDRINGS, SPILDES, TEMPLETONS, TAYLORS, RANGENS AND ALL YOUR FAMILIES BY OTHER NAMES, TELL YOUR SWEET KIDS HOW THEY TOO CAN BE A BIG PART, WITH THEIR PRAYERS AND PENNIES!

--Ronald Ginther, Grandson of Alfred and Bergit Stadem

The Plain View Farm wool carders, used by Mama Bergit and her daughters to card wool to make filler for quilts, the wool produced from their own sheep's wool.

At the Heritage Center we can feature carding, spinning, and weaving.

Pearl Stadem Ginther recalls how she churned butter on PVF--a hard job, but she marvels to this day how it miraculously turned butter out of cream in the wooden churn, after pressing the butter out from the cream with a special wooden stick she rammed down into the churn again and again and again! The butter was delicious, especially with Mama's wonderful jams and jellies on slices of Mama's homemade wheat bread! But it took a lot of elbow grease to make butter, and store-bought butter, when it became cheap came to be a substitute, but it could not equal the taste of real Plain View Farm butter.

"Mama's Old Cook Stove," by E. C. Stangland

This account by E.C. Stangland in verse is followed by Pearl Ginther's friend, Marion Dralle Kirschenmann's fond remembrance of her own Dralle farm family's cookstove, which is very much like the one known to the Stadems and the Stanglands, as you will see. Please go to Estelle Stadem Rangen's reminiscences as well, for descriptions of Mama Bergit's cookstove, which can be found in the series, "God's Little Acres" listed on home pages of the Plain View Farm websites. God willing we will also be putting online Marion's (she was a long-time friend of Pearl Ginther's) extensive reminiscences of her Dralle family's farm in rural SD on the James River, as they are fascinatingly detailed.

Norwegian Girl appears here in the Gubrandals costume, with the "snazzy" grass-roofed house in the background.

BACK TO US ADULTS! THE MEANING OF HERITAGE--WHAT IS IT? IT IS A GOOD QUESTION! Why should our Stadem-Holbeck Heritage be preserved? In the Psalms, it says that God's people were to walk around the Holy City of Jerusalem, observing her walls, fortreses and palaces and holy temple, in order to tell it to the next generation--which means, they needed to pass on the glorious workings of God on their behalf as a legacy to their descendants. It was something God commanded them to do--pass on their legacy of God's mighty works in their midst to the young--and it is something He commands us to do today too.

What is there worth preserving about our Heritage? Let us try to answer that! Someone is going to wonder why all this fuss and bother about "Heritage," when it hasn't been properly defined. For a description of Heritage, which may prove helpful as we pick out the still gleaming, golden threads of it in the life, character, and achievements of Alfred Stadem and devoted helpmate Bergit Holbeck Stadem, please go to:

"Pioneering, Godly Heritage-Building in the Life of Alfred Stadem

But now we would like to call your attention to projects that would greatly enhance the value and use-ability of the Farmstead and the wider extension of its ministry to others:

Stadem Projects (First Presented 1997 at the Plain View Farm Reunion gathering!):

Stadem Projects That Will Earn the Savior's "Well Done!"

WHO EVER HEARD OF A FARM WITHOUT ANIMAL SOUNDS? For years and years now, there have been no animal sounds on the Farm for reunions. It was unthinkable to me, that the children would have grown up all those years never hearing them on Plain View Farm. The deadness of that was so unthinkable to me, and so contrary to nature and farm life), that one year for the reunion I took a tape of really neat animal sounds (MOO, QUACK QUACK, CLUCK CLUCK, WHINNYS OF A HORSE, ETC.) and, dauntless me, played it among the tents one early morning of my relatives camped out on the lawn with their families. Boy, did I get a "snort" from one of my relatives about it soon afterwards, but I am glad I gave a memory of animal sounds on Plain View Farm to some of the Stadem kids.

FRUIT STAND COULD BE A REAL ASSET TO THE FARM ONCE THE HERITAGE CENTER IS BUILT AND RUNNING: There is no reason why we cannot have a fruit stand, with prime vegies too, and maybe some honey products, for sale at Plain View Farm. Think how people are preferring organically grown items today, just like they were grown on Plain View Farm in the past, without pesticides and all the sprays commonly used now on commercial farms.

PRAISE GOD, LETTERS ARE ALREADY COMING IN, AND THERE IS A LETTER FROM CORA STADEM TAYLOR. Cora Stadem Taylor is 60 yr. plus missionary with the New Tribes Mission in Brazil, and she is a dearly beloved sister to Pearl Stadem Taylor! She has just turned the grand age of 94! And she is still on the job, though officially retired. And representing a sacrificial gift of her widow's mite, she has recently sent a big money gift to the Heritage Center!

Cora Taylor, Heritage Center supporter, writes to sister Pearl Ginther and son Ron:

"I'm anxious to see what the Lord has in mind for the 'Heritage Center.' I'm expecting GREAT THINGS that will glorify the Lord. I love you."

Please go soon to the new Cora and Carl page, with Cora's "Died with His Shoes On," telling of Carl's homegoing in 1990 in the Southern Cross of the May issue.

"Died With His Shoes on," by Cora Taylor

Her account contains the miraculous conversion of the Brazilian telephone lineman, right after Carl Taylor's tragic accident--a direct connection to God's miraculous grace through the fulfilment of a scripture verse he had marked in his devotions shortly before the fatal accident on the road! So don't miss it!"

GOD IS MOVING ON MORE LOVING HUMAN HEARTS TO GIVE! The funds are coming in for the Heritage Center from friends outside the family circle but still well within our circle of love. A former land lady and longtime friend to Jerry Ginther, Pearl Ginther's son, has contributed $100. This below represents the hundred dollar bill given in honor of Pearl Stadem Ginther by her eldest son Darrell R. Ginther:

THIS AND THE FOLLOWING PARAGRAPH MAY BE THE MOST IMPORTANT PARTS ON THIS PAGE FOR YOU!

HOW DOES THE HERITAGE CENTER FIT IN TO TODAY'S CRISIS OF A DRIFTING SOCIETY THAT HAS CLEARLY LOST ITS MORAL COMPASS? BILLY GRAHAM, RECEIVING WITH RUTH GRAHAM THE CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL OF FREEDOM, WARNED AMERICANS AND SAID AMERICA HAS FORGOTTEN GOD AND WAS HEADING DIRECTLY TOWARD JUDGMENT! HOW? WE NO LONGER DEFEND HUMAN LIFE, IN THE WEAKEST MOST VULNERABLE FORM--THE CHILD IN THE WOMB! IT IS SAD WE HAVE TO MAKE THE FOLLOWING STATEMENTS, BUT WE NEED TO DO IT, LEST WE STADEM DESCENDANTS COVER UP WHAT NEEDS TO BE STOPPED AND REPENTED OF--NAMELY UNIVERSAL "ABORTION" GOING ON THROUGHOUT SCANDINAVIAN AND OTHER WESTERN COUNTRIES, INCLUDING AMERICA. THERE IS A VERY DARK CLOUD HANGING OVER AMERICA AND THE WESTERN COUNTRIES TODAY. THAT DARK CLOUD IS GOD'S JUDGMENT, FOR OUR KILLING THE INNOCENT, LITTLE UNBORN CHILDREN IN THE WOMB. WHAT IF WE STADEM AND HOLBECK DESCENDANTS LOSE OUR TRADITIONAL, GODLY REVERENCE FOR THE SANCTITY OF HUMAN LIFE--WILL WE ULTIMATELY LOSE OUR MOST CHERISHED VALUES AND FREEDOMS? THAT IS CALLED A RHETORICAL QUESTION, AS THE ANSWER IS OBVIOUS: YES! YES, WE WILL CERTAINLY LOSE OUR MOST CHERISHED VALUES AND FREEDOMS, FOR REGARD FOR THE SANCTITY OF GOD-CREATED LIFE UNDERGIRDS ALL OUR OTHER VALUES. GOD'S "THOU SHALT NOT KILL" PROTECTS EVERYTHING ELSE FROM HARM AND INJURY.

A DEAR FRIEND OF THE GINTHER FAMILY, A PASTOR, HAS JUST COME OUT WITH HIS NEW BOOK WHICH SHOWS OUR COUNTRY'S CHRISTIAN FOUNDING AND HERITAGE. "CAN THESE BONES LIVE", WHICH SHOWS HOW THE PROVIDENCE OF GOD ESTABLISHED AMERICA, IS A MUST-GET BOOK FOR ALL OF US! PARTICULARLY YOU PARENTS AND GRANDPARENTS NEED TO GET A COPY AND BE INFORMED TO SHARE WHAT THE BOOK HAS GATHERED TOGETHER FOR US IN ONE EASY FORMAT. SERIOUSLY, WE MUST NOT RELY ON OUR GRADE SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOL HISTORY, WHICH WAS SO DEFICIENT. SO MUCH IS AT STAKE IF WE LOSE AMERICAN VALUES AND CONSTITUTIONAL FREEDOMS AND OUR GOD-GRANTED INALIENABLE RIGHTS. WE MUST TAKE THIS EFFORT NOW, WHATEVER OUR AGES, TO KNOW WHAT WE WERE GIVEN BY OUR FOUNDING FATHERS IN AMERICA, LEST WE BE ROBBED OF IT BY REVISIONISTS REWRITING THE HISTORY AND DISTORTING ALL THE FACTS. YOU CAN ORDER THIS BOOK DIRECTLY FROM THE AUTHOR, PASTOR DAVID PETT. HIS EMAIL ADDRESS AND WEBSITE ARE BELOW THE BOOK. WE WILL BE BRINGING SOME COPIES TO THE REUNION IN JUNE OF THIS YEAR TO ACQUAINT YOU WITH IT EVEN MORE, IF YOU HAVE NOT YET ORDERED AND READ YOUR COPY.

To order Pastor David Pett's book, CAN THESE BONES LIVE?

If the above STILL does not speak to your heart and conscience AS A CHRISTIAN AND FOLLOWER OF CHRIST, can I ask you this simple question (there is no one watching you, so you can be perfectly open without anyone judging you): Are you truly born again by the Spirit of God? I didn't say, please notice, are you baptized? or, are you a member of a church? Or, are you a good person? I said, are you born again by the Spirit of God and you know it for sure? It makes all the difference in a Christian's walk with God. Jesus said so to Nicodemus (go to John 3:1-10). Read the Lord's statements to Nicodemus yourself, to make it clear and plain to you, if you do not understand the meaning of "born again," which many people today do not understand rightly. Here is a car license sign that challenges other motorists to consider Jesus's words (just as the Stadem Family's two Gospel Signs in memoriam to Bob Ginther and Art Stadem reflected their concern for the saving of souls after their sudden homegoings in the plain crash in 1947):

Somebody who knew full well what "born again" by the Spirit of God really means: Here is Pearl Ginther's sister Myrtle giving her testimony Sept. 13, 1989 to Pearl in a birthday card, about how she was saved and born again as a teenager thanks to Pearl's timely, loving admonition:

"Pearl, it was you whom the Lord used to turn me from the World to Jesus Christ!

I stayed with you in Sioux Falls one night. I came home from a filthy movie (with a guy of course) and you looked at me so lovingly and intently and said, 'Myrtle, you'll lose your faith if you keep living like this.' It resulted in me going to Bible camp next day where I made a personal commitment to Jesus!! Praise God!!"

"I knew and was loved almost to pieces by Aunt Myrtle, and can testify she went through all storms of life and the onslaughts of the Enemy with her flags unfurled and her spirit undaunted. She was truly a victorious saint of God, her strength based primarily on prayer and daily intercession for needy people and the church, and her own commitment to the Lord Jesus Christ as her saving and sustaining Savior, as well as her submitting to the cross daily and obedience to the Lord in all matters. I mean every word of this and more. It is not just words that sound nice. She stood in the most extremes test of her faith in Jesus, and triumphed as pure gold! Her life bore fruit that is stupendous to behold. Her memory is sacred to me, as it should be. You can tell a tree by its fruit. Her life testifies she is a child of God, a woman of God, and now a glorious, heavenly saint of God. She left an incredible legacy for her children and relations to enrich their own lives with. I did not get to give my tribute to the Memorial given her at the Farm by the Svanoe Family, but this has to be it, besides my previous writes in tribute to her and Uncle Bill.--With love and eternal gratitude, her nephew, Ronald Ginther

For Pearl Stadem Ginther's Scripture Garden, the Reunion Graphic for 2000, and Janet's Smith's Ancient Norwegian Calendar Stick

THE STADEM FAMILIES REUNION 2008 was a great success, as you can see by the following picture of the group (some attendees not shown here).

Stadem Families still on vacation after the Reunion stopped at the Black Hills and its manifold sights, including this magnificent replica of the all-wooden "stav" churches in Norway, which are 800 years old or even older. There is the Hopperstad stav church, in Vik, that looks just like this one in the Black Hills.

Pearl Stadem Ginther, oldest surviving Stadem in the Alfred and Bergit Stadem clan, now matriarch of the clan, is pictured in the center with some of her family beside the Black Hills stav church. She is turning 100, the grand Century Age, this coming Sept. 13, 2009. There will no doubt be birthday festivities in advance this coming June on Plain View Farm. And there is a celebration also being planned right now at her home church of Mt. View Lutheran Church, Puyallup, Washington, where she has been a member for over 60 years.

Both children and adults are delighted when they see the herds of magnificent buffalo restored in numbers like this herd, one of many now grazing the pastures and mountain slopes in western South Dakota and in the Black Hills.

Pearl Stadem Ginther has appeared in the Lutheran Water World Ministry Newsletter (Summer 2008):

With picture, quote from Pearl Ginther: "Sometimes God brings special projects into our lives and gives them a home in our hearts."

Here is a music album signed for Pearl Ginther after a concert with a "God bless you!" by the Lawrence Welk show star, the fantastic Norwegian accordianist, Myron Floren

The Buffalo Mound, with Christmas Letter from Mama Bergit, and Christmas Card (1947) to the Ginther Family, and Mama Bergit's Embroidery.

To order a beautiful color copy of Pearl Ginther's Confirmation Certificate, please write Ronald Ginther, P.O. Box 212, Puyallup, WA 98371, or write to Pearl Ginther, at same box number and address. Your free will Heritage Center gift of any amount can be sent written out to "Eloise Hefty, Secretary, Heritage Center, Plain View Farm," and all of it will all go to that project. We ourselves will pay from our own money for the postage for sending you the copy.

A new series: Stadem reunions!

Stadem Reunion--1994, "Memories of Reflection"

A tribute by Estelle Stadem-Rangen to her beloved Mama!

Estelle Stadem-Rangen's "Tribute to Mother"

OUR STADEM ROOTS IN NORWAY:

Lawrence Lundring (son of Katrine (Catherine) Holbeck Lundring, with his grandchildren:

Bergit Wilhelmina Holbeck-Stadem's Church in Vatnedal, Norway:

Grandma, in telling how things were in Norway when she was still living there, related on tape and in conversation and in writing how the church in Norway where she attended grew cold and formal, so they would go by boat to get to another church meeting in a home and worship God there. The lack of faith in so many Christians in large part drove her from her homeland to America. She never looked back. In America she found many people with hearts burning with love for God and His people and was well satisfied she had made the right decision, even after a young man once came to try and get her to go back.

Stadem churches:

Just days ago the great granddaughter of Kristine Stadheim, the first Stadem born in this country in the family of Sjur and Oline Stadheim or Stadem, contacted us! How exciting this is, and she said she and some of her family would be coming to my mother Pearl Ginther's centennial birthday celebrations in September. In tribute to Kristine Stadem this poem is gratefully submitted for the Stenes and Fjelstads and Yuges and all descendants of Kristine Stadem:

"Kristine Stadheim: In Heartfelt Memoriam"

Our roots were brought from Norway over the sea.

Stadems came to build new lives in the land of the free,

and settled first in Iowa's Worth County.

Kristine was the first to be born of our family,

but as soon as she bloomed a young wife and mother,

her petals closed early.

Slender, tall, of striking beauty,

her wedding cape flowed down gracefully.

Andrena was her daughter's name--

it's found in Norway just the same.

My mother too has her Aunt's name,

a link to Kristine, no little fame.

And Great Grand Aunt, she would be to me; I hold her picture,

a fine-stemmed rose with many buds

whose blooming she would never see.

And yet she was first,

like Christ her Namesake born,

and like Him she went before us all.

--by Ronald Ginther, Gr Grand Nephew of Kristine Stadem (Stadheim)

Kristine's descendants, who live in California!

Emigrants at Oslo (formerly Kristiana), and arriving at Ellis Island for immigration into the United States in the early 1900s:

1903 was a great year! From the Franklin Mint Magazine: "Wasn't 1903 a remarkable year? Henry Ford starts his company. The first Harley-Davidson motorcycle is created. And the Wright Brothers rewrite history by creating the first powered aircraft that can actually fly." We also can add to 1903's epic events: Bergit and Katrina's sailing from Norway to America! That trip changed history, as far as we Stadems and Holbecks (with or without a "c") are concerned!

The Epic Journey of Pioneering Faith made by Katrine ("Tena" Holbeck also the fully Americanized "Catherine") and Bergit (Americanized to "Bessie") Holbeck to America on the Norwegian American Line passenger steamship OLAF HELLIG in 1903!

Pearl Stadem-Ginther, daughter of Bergit and Alfred Stadem, relates her mother's memories of that voyage: "When my mother Bergit Holbeck (Stadem) and Kathryna Holbeck (later Lundring) came over in 1903 to America on Hellig Olaf ship from Mandal, Norway, water was coming in on one end of the boat (perhaps from high waves or the wash of the wake). So to stop it they had to start moving their luggage to the other end so no more water would come in. When the Statue of Liberty appeared, that made my mother happy that it was close to their arrival to S. Dakota, where she got married to Alfred J.P. Stadem and raised 9 children."

"Ballad of the Voyage of Faith," Centennial Tribute (1903-2003) of Bergit and Katrine "Tena" Holbeck leaving their family home in Mandal and their epic Voyage from Kristiansand, Norway, to America and the start of new lives.

Card Picturing Augustana Academy and Comments (her words are given below the picture) from Katrine (Catherine or Tena) Holbeck Lundring to Niece Pearl and her husband Bob Ginther, July 22, 1945:

Dear folks big and small, I feel kind of sad today, it is just one year on the hour now since your uncle ( "Tena" Katrine Holbeck Lundring's husband, Albinus Lundring, who had just passed away] went away. I know I should not wish him back when I know he went home to be with Jesus. I am well and working hard pulling weeds, cutting grass, have just painted walls in D. room and kitchen, picked 50 quarts of strawberries, canned some but was so glad to have something to give away to friends. I have a nice big garden. It has been cool, but now the Lord has put the heat on the two last days. Thanks for letter, cards and pictures. Will soon take a trip to Bryant. Rev. Hofstads are gone to N. Dakota for a year. Send me a card, Bernice, please. Lots, lots of love, Aunty

The Stadems departed Norway a generation earlier than the Holbecks:

The Stadems of Vik i Sogn and Bergen were emigrants in steerage in a sailed fixed-rigged bark called BODRENE, sailing from Bergen in 1866 via Quebec, Canada. You can trace this truly exciting history and the genealogy of the Alfred Stadem line back to Sjur and Oline Olson Stadheim (and even earlier) in Stadem/Vorseth descendant Barbara Benson's wonderful genealogy book and a printed and illustrated supplement. Sjur/Syvert Stadheim and his wife Oline Madsdatter Vikoren left Norway with their family, sailed on one of those wooden ships with all the sails aloft, and emigrated to Worth County, Iowa, via Quebec, Canada, after sailing all the way up the St. Lawrence River by ship, a considerable lengthening of their entire voyage from Norway. This intrepid couple and their growing family started new lives in America, and though they could not read or write English, their children, as young as 1 year old, soon learned how! Sjur/Syvert is the father of Peder Stadem, who is the father of Alfred Stadem, the husband of Bergit Holbeck, who together brought forth the 9 Stadem sons and daughters that are featured in these Plain View Farm websites. There must have been a lot of Sjur and Oline's vim and vigor and vision in Alfred when he came along in the second generation to be born and raised in America, as the pioneering spirit remained strong in Alfred, who prided himself greatly on being a son of the pioneers.

If you can get access to Barbara Benson's excellent genealogy book and supplement (at least get the supplement, which gives a lot of information), you can trace out these great ancestors and their descendants, as multiple family lines developed soon after they landed and put down roots in Iowa and, soon after, South Dakota. She may have some copies left, for the cost of her copywork (but add S and S, and little love gift of thanks!). We have used her pictures of the Stadem churches and the Norwegian bark, and thank her for them. Her email address is:

BVorsethB@prodigy.net

We will reprint some pages in this section, when there is time available to do it.

Barbara Benson's latest book for the Stadem Family is now available. It can be sent to you free of charge, via Powerpoint (which you first need to get Microsoft.com's free downloads for the Powerpoint package to download and view). Or you can order it from Barbara for $25 which pays for the binder, the photocopying in color, and the Shipping and Handling. It is a beautiful book, and would be most attractive on your coffee table or even a fireplace mantel. Containing unique Stadem photographs going back to the 1800s and continuing to the present day, the text that goes along with the photos will give you many items to reflect upon regarding our ancestors and the wonderful things we have inherited from them.

Vik i Sogn, Norway, the home town of the Stadems:

The Stadem (Stadheim) Farms are in Yellow Highlight on Right of the Fjord in Enlargement.

Barb Benson is in this picture of the Vorseth families, along with her mother and father and sisters. Can you pick her out? She is the cutest little girl in the picture, with the biggest smile!

Using her book, we have identified the three Koistinen graduates from Bryant High School, shown in the graduation class pictures in the May 13 issue of the BRYANT DAKOTAN, as cousins! There are two lines of these Koistinens, descending from Anna Sophie Stadem, youngest daughter of Oline and Sjur Stadheim (Stadem). Anna married Erik Hanger. They had eight daughters. Two were Edna Hanger and Anna Hanger. They both married Koistinens. There you have it! Thanks, Barb! Now we can tell our cousins, the Koistinens, who have just graduated, and we would like to see the Koistinens and the other families descended from the Hangers come to our reunions too! They are most welcome!

Cousin Barbara Benson, our Stadem Genealogist, is descended from Andrew Vorseth and Martha Stadem. Her grandfather is shown here receiving a no doubt delicious birthday cake in a local nursing facility.

Pearl Stadem Ginther has a new story, on how she got minnows from her Uncle Andrew Vorseth for the pond on Plain View Farm! Please go to the Pearl's Stories section below for it and others.

According to Bernice Schaefer, Martha helped Bergit Stadem with the delivery of at least one of the numerous Stadem children on PVF. We look for more visits and participation from Martha Stadem's descendants and other branches of the Sjur and Oline relationship:

RETURN OF STADEMS' BLESSING TO NORWAY!

In 1994 the nationally (and internationally) touring Augsburg College Quartets that were created over many years, combined in a grand Centennial Choir, traveled to Norway to present the people, and king, with Norwegian-American songs in praise of the Lord, and our wonderful Scandinavian heritage, as a special thank you to Norway's beloved people and our revered ancestors who embarked on boats to come to America long ago. In this choir were two Stadem descendants, grandsons of Alfred and Bergit Stadem:

The Ganddal Girls Choir from Norway has come to our country in their beautiful clothing, which has to be one of the more beautiful costumes worn by Norwegians.

Youngest Son of Alfred and Bergit Stadem Travels to Bergen and Vik With Wife and Some of their Family:

From the Archives, Leroy Stadem writes from Bergen to his eldest sister Pearl Stadem-Ginther:

Dear Sis Pearl, here we are in Great Grandpa's town where he was a policeman [or watchman] about 150 years ago. Thought of him as we worshipped and communed at Dom Kirken this A.M. Wondered if this was his church--it's about the 12th century old. Yesterday we were in Vik where Sjur (Great Grandpa) was born, baptized and married. Our Grandpa Peter Johan was born here! We met Lars Stadheim in Vik. He is our third cousin! His farm is on the old Stadheim Farm! We'll tell more at the reunion. Hope our pictures turn out. Tomorrow we head Mandal way! Love, Bro. Leroy.

REPUBLISHED LETTER OF GRANDPA AND GRANDMA STADEM WHILE STILL ABIDING ON PVF HAS A BLESSING FOR YOU! Alfred and Bergit Stadem's Christmas and New Year's Letter, Reviewing the Significant and Tragic Events, along with God's Mercy and Blessings and Comforts, for the Years 1947 to 1948. You will want to look into it! It ends with a word for us today, to help launch this new year of 2009 in the best way even as it helped launch 1948 for his generation and our loved ones and friends at that time. It is now being edited in the final stage, but you might well be reading it while that is going on, for we know you will overlook the typos for the message, which is a rich one, indeed, for any Christian and Fellow Pilgrim in Christ.

Christmas and New Year's Letter of 1947-1948, Reviewing Significant Events and Looking with Faith and Hope to the Future Blessings of God

OUR PLAIN VIEW FARM CHILDREN'S STORIES ARE NOW ILLUSTRATED. Check them out, in "Tales for a Lille Tupin and Tuta," Norskie language for "Tales for a Little Boy and Girl," as told to various Stadem descendants or from the immediate Stadem family members. These stories are true, and you won't find their like in any other place but here! We NOW HAVE THE VIDEO LIBRARY UP AND ON-LINE to introduce the stories to you and your children, with Pearl Stadem-Ginther telling her exciting farm and animal stories herself, or else retold by her sons in their own individual mode. Go to the PLAIN VIEW FARM VIDEO LIBRARY ON OUR WWW.OARINGINTHERIVER.COM MASTER DIRECTORY for the Stories on the new Video Library page. Scroll to the bottom of the page to the Video Library, click, and the list of the stories newly filmed are seen, then clink on the stories we have so far (the Heritage Center explanation by Ronald Ginther, first on the list, is long, so please be patient for it to download, or go to the shorter stories after it first:

PLAIN VIEW FARM VIDEO LIBRARY ON WWW.OARINGINTHERIVER.COM

We also have a video of the Stadem daughters of Alfred and Bergit Stadem, including granddaughter Mim Rinderknecht, reading the PVF stories, while on PVF! This is special, and we hope to have it uploaded on-line in some form soon!

IMPORTANT NOTICE: CHILDREN'S STORY BOOKS AND ILLUSTRATORS CALLED FOR (IN PRAYER!), PLEASE COME FORWARD TO GET THESE MARVELOUS STORIES OF PEARL GINTHER OUT TO THE CHILDREN OF THIS COUNTRY AND THE WORLD! WE HAVE WONDERFUL ARTISTS RIGHT IN OUR OWN STADEM FAMILIES, AND MAYBE THEY COULD DO IT, BUT WE NEED SOMEBODY WHO IS WILLING, WITH A HEART FOR CHILDREN AND HAVING A DESIRE THAT JESUS TO BE MADE REAL TO THEM. LET US KNOW WHO IS THE ONE TO DO THIS PLAIN VIEW FARM CHILDREN'S BOOK SERIES, USING ILLUSTRATIONS, BY CONTACTING PEARL GINTHER OR ELOISE HEFTY. THEY COULD ALSO BE USED FOR ANIMATIONS ON CDS OR VIDEOS AND PLAYED ON PBS FOR CHILDREN. A BIG CHALLENGE FOR YOU: TRY AND FIND BETTER STORIES TODAY THAN THESE! PEARL GINTHER WOULD LIKE TO SEE THESE STORIES PUBLISHED OR EVEN ANIMATED SO THAT ROYALTIES INCOME EARNED COULD GO TO PLAIN VIEW FARM AND ALL THE ACTIVITIES AT THE HERITAGE CENTER.

Pearl Stadem-Ginther, who will turn 100 years old on this coming September 13, 2009, told her real-life stories of the Farm Life of Yore on Plain View Farm, Reunion 2006, with her great-grandchildren present!

Stadems Saga Continues Home Page, for Tales for a Lille Tupin and Tuta

Check out these exciting stories too, which are part of a growing "farm-folio" of Pearl Stadem-Ginther's we would like to see someday featured in a Heritage Center Puppet Show: "How Pearl Got Home in the Dark with Horse and Buggy," "How Pearl Stopped a Runaway Windmill," and "Rooster in the Dark," not to mention, "How Pearl Got Rid of Rats on Plain View Farm", and "Pearl and her Mama Made Ice Cream," and "How Bernice's Horse King Laid Down on the Job":

"NEW STORIES" by Pearl Stadem Ginther on the Buffalo Mound Website:

"Pearl and her Mama Made Ice Cream," by Pearl Stadem Ginther

"How God Provided Pearl with Popcorn," by Pearl Stadem Ginther

Pearl's Childhood Stories Central #2

Or individually:

"How Pearl Got Rid of Rats on the Farm"

Pearl's Newest Stories of Bygone Days:

"Pearl Finds Honey for the Family," by Pearl Ginther (age 99)

"How Pearl Got the Fishes for Papa's Pond"

A Plain View Farm horse cookie!

"How Pearl's Horse, King, Got the Wrong Message," by Pearl Ginther

"How King our Horse Laid Down on the Job," by Pearl Ginther

"I was on my way to school, riding the horse alone because Bernice was sick and couldn't go. She was only six and I was seven. We rode across country, not by the road, as that was the shortest way, and it wasn't far. But as we got to the hill just beyond the barn the horse laid down! I couldn't get him to go, so I tried all I could to get him going. I shouted, and "nudged" him with my foot, and "patted" him with my hand, but he wouldn't go. I had to run all the way to school so I wouldn't be tardy, but I made it on time. I looked back once on my run, and saw him get up and look back at me, then he went home. Evidently, he felt something was wrong when Bernice wasn't on his back, and he refused to carry me alone. He was okay the next day, though, and took us both all the way to school."

NEW STORY!--"How the Cream was Saved!", by Pearl Stadem Ginther, As Told to Son Ronald Ginther

One day Pearl and her Mama went to town with the cream to sell. It was very heavy cream, and the can was not easy for a ten year old Pearl to lift into the back of the surrey, a horse drawn buggy which has an open back, not like the wagon. They had made the trip before in the surrey without a hitch, but this time it was going to be a bit different. Before they could reach town they hit a bump. Out fell the big can of cream and over into the ditch! The can came open and the cream spilled out! What to do? Cry over spilt cream? No! Pearl quickly scooped up all the cream she could back into the can. What saved it from being lost was that the cream spilled out on thick grass, so it didn't sink into the ground. Soon Pearl had most of it back in the can. They continued to town, and Mama, honest soul that she was in everything she did, told the man at the market what had happened. She was so concerned. Would he still want to buy the cream? Oh, that's no problem! the man assured her. He would put it in their Separator, a machine that cleaned and made it, removing all the bits of grass. So the cream was saved and Mama got the money they needed! Mama Stadem and daughter Pearl rode happily back to the farm with the money for the cream in Mama's purse.

"Rooster in the Well!", by Pearl Stadem Ginther, as told to Ronald Ginther

"How Pearl Got Home in the Dark..."

"How Pearl Stopped a Runaway Windmill"

Sven was going for his morning walk one day when he walked past Ole's house and saw a sign that said, "Boat For Sale." This confused Sven because he knew that Ole didn't own a boat, so he finally decided to go in and ask Ole about it.

"Hey, Ole," said Sven, "I noticed da sign in your yard dat says 'Boat For Sale', but ya don't even have a boat. All ya have is your old John Deere tractor and combine."

Ole replied, "Yup, and dey're boat for sale."

LIZ AND LEROY STADEM PERFORMED THEIR OWN VERSION OF CLASSIC NORWEGIAN-AMERICAN COMIC CHARACTERS "PER AND LENA" THIS LAST REUNION ON THE FARM IN 2007. LIFE-SIZE FIGURES OF THEM ARE FEATURED AT A LOG HOUSE IN THE BLACK HILLS AREA. SOME OF THE OLDEST MAY ALSO REMEMBER "PER AND OLA" FEATURED IN THE "FUNNIES" OF THE RURAL DAKOTA TOWN PAPERS FOLKS HAD ON THE KITCHEN TABLES AND ALL ENJOYED THERE. OUR STADEM FAMILY WAS NO DIFFERENT--AND HERE IS A LITTLE TASTE OF SCANDINAVIANS POKING FUN AT THEMSELVES GOOD HUMOREDLY AND NOT OFF-COLOR EITHER. PEARL GINTHER-STADEM, THE OLDEST IN THE STADEM CLAN, AGE 98, RELATES HOW SHE WOULD GO TO THE MAIL BOX A MILE FROM THE FARM AND ALWAYS ENJOY THE PER AND OLA IN THE PAPER AND THEN PROCEED HOME--HAVING HAD HER WELCOME BIT OF AMUSEMENT FOR THE DAY, WHICH ENLIVENED A ROUTINE TASK, GETTING AND BRINGING BACK THE MAIL WITH A LONG WALK!

"Per and Ola," Back by "Popular Demand"

A long-nosed potato that Ronald Ginther bought at a local vegetable and fruit stand run by a family member and which he dressed up and called Pepito:

---

For some more wacky BUT CLEAN Scandinavian humor, you might check out our "Scandin-Avian" toons about an odd extraterrestrial, duck-like species that supposedly invaded Scandinavian countries and took on (or brought with it) Scandinavian characteristics, even coming to love lefse and lutefisk and the use of the single swear word, "Uffdah!"!

Scandinavia: Duck Heaven Toon Central"

Norwegians, not the more reserved Swedes, are justly famed for their offbeat (but not off-color) humor. In Washington State, we had Stan Boreson, who was a Norwegian humorist in Seattle and the Pacific Northwest for many years. One dear friend of the Ginthers, June Durnell, puts on Norwegian costumes and gives humorous monologues with a thick Norwegian accent. Here is one good specimen of Norwegian humor from South Dakota: "Torvald for President!"

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IN LOVING, LOVING MEMORY, ALIDA SEVERINA STADEM SPILDE:

Alida Stadem Spilde passed to Glory in heaven, to be with Jesus her Savior and Lord, March 28, 2008, in Sioux Falls. Heaven has gained a truly beautiful soul. Below is Alida Stadem Spilde standing beside the Stadem gospel sign beside a main road.

Paul Crouch, TBN Founder, and Donor to Christian Television, Scotty Scotvold

FEATURED HERE, A TRUE MIRACLE STORY IN CONNECTION WITH THE SPILDES: As Alida's family has said, their mother, coming from a Lutheran church background, was an ardent supporter of Christian television, and she supported TBN, we know, in money gifts. Here now is a true account by the founder the Trinity Broadcasting Network, as he tells about how a Lutheran man heard the call of God one day and went to Paul Crouch's office in California and gave the exact amount Paul desperately needed to save TBN from financial failure and extinction. It is a perfect, astounding miracle, what happened, that God should speak to a little (we think Norwegian) man on his way to buy a yacht, telling him not to buy the yacht but to give the whole amount for it to Paul Crouch that very day, and it was the day of the deadline for Paul to pay the down-payment and get it in the bank by 3:00, or lose the deal for the buying of the TV station they needed to go on the air! This is a cliff-hanger! Read about it, in "Can God speak to a Lutheran?"

"Can God Speak to a Lutheran?"--True Miracle Account by Paul Crouch, Founder of Trinity Broadcasting Newwork

IN LOVING MEMORY TO ALIDA STADEM SPILDE on the Buffalo Mound Web Site

Please go to our Buffalo Mound site for Christmas Greetings from Joe and Estelle Rangen, and a special Christmas Letter from Mama Bergit Stadem (with Daughter Ruth writing for Mama Bergit, who is age 97)! Also on the page is embroidery by Mama Bergit. Also featured is a Christmas Card with special message and a poem, from Papa and Mama Stadem to the Ginthers, who had lost their dad in January of that same year, 1947. All this on the Buffalo Mound Page, so please go there and return to this page.

Where do the Healing Waters flow, friend? They flow in Jesus Christ and His work of atonement, won for us on the Cross where he hung and died for our sake! Why then are so many of us sick, with even long-term illnesses and diseases? Is this normal for Christians? Are we to be resigned to it, and go on drugs, year after year, and never really get cured, while we are enriching doctors and the hospitals and the pharmacies, with money we would have given to God's work? Something is blocking God's healing waters in our lives--that is obvious from the virtually unchanged and worldly lives that most of us lead. Our health is certainly an indication too, that we are not where we should be spiritually. We must do something about it, and we can if we really want to make a positive change in our health.

As many Stadems and Holbecks (despite the way America and Scandinavia have gone into secularism, pushing God out of the common culture and people's lives) firmly believe, God is a God of Grace. Grace means that the free Gift of God was Jesus Christ, in whom we can have salvation, which is ours not by works, or our own goodness or righteousness, but completely by the death of Christ and His shedding of His innocent blood for us on the Cross--a payment to God for our sin-penalty that completely paid for sin-debt! This is the Gospel of Jesus Christ recorded in the New Testament and preached by Apostles He sent forth into the world. Bill Bennett recently said on his nationally-broadcast radio program, "All saints have a past, and all sinners have a future." Doesn't that express the wondrous, non-condemning, limitless grace of God found only in Jesus Christ and his work on the Cross on our behalf? Trust your life to that, dear one, and your soul is saved for all life and eternity--as God's word says it over and over: "Believe on the Lord Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved."

The Lord spoke to Pearl Ginther Stadem soon after the Reunion that He wants a Healing Service at Plain View Farm. We are believing God to make it possible for a Healing Service in connection with the Heritage Center Dedication and also the Patriarchal Blessings and Prayers for the whole Stadem-Holbeck relationship. Pearl Stadem Ginther will be on hand at the June 2009 Reunion for praying for all those who seek healing from the Lord Jesus. She is gifted with this healing ministry, as testified at her meetings repeatedly by speakers at the Aglow Women's meeting in Puyallup, Washington. Her participating in Women's Aglow--a Spirit-led association for women's ministry and encouragement world-wide--gives us the freedom to reprint this cover of the Aglow magazine, which is so appropriate to our remarks about Healing Waters. In this issue, incidentally, is the most amazing account by Betty Baxter, a paralytic since birth, who was divinely healed, on a date and time set by Jesus over a month from the event. Read this account, by going to The Emmaus Walk, when it comes on-line soon. It will inspire you to seek healing, emotional, spiritual, and physical.

God is saying, in declaring his desire for this Healing Service on Plain View Farm, his will for us all to be healed! Come to the Healing Waters! They are flowing, flowing now for you--yes, you! Believe it. God has not kept Pearl Stadem Ginther so long on this earth not to use her in this special way, as she has prayed already for many people, and there have been many miracles of healing, we know. Let yours be added to the list of Jesus's acts of mercy and grace, friend. Believe, with faith, for God is positive, and faith is your access to God's salvation as well as his healing and blessing--there is no reward for the negative and the unbelieving. Believe, and you can have what you desire from God for yourself as well as your family. "Only Believe," as the old song goes. That is the golden key that opens the door to a transformed life--a holy, separated pilgrim's life that has citizenship in heaven while bearing Christ's truth and love to the unsaved and needy here in this earthly existence (the same kind of life that Alida Spilde spoke about in her letters).

"And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.

Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much."--James 16:15-16

"These signs shall follow them that believe...They shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover."--Mark 16:17, 18. "Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped."--Isa. 35:5. "Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing."--Isa. 35:6. "There came also a multitude bringing sick folks...and they were healed every one."--Acts 5:16. "And the power of the Lord was present to heal them."--Luke 5:17. "He hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives...to set at liberty them that are bruised."--Luke 4:18. "I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: nake, and ye clothed me not; sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not."--Matt. 25:43. "I am the Lord that healeth thee."--Exod. 15:26. "Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases."--Ps. 103:3. "And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him."--James 5:15.

Pearl Stadem Ginther is known for asking people whether they they are ready to go through the Pearly Gates of heaven. The following account is called "The Matchless Pearl," and tells the story of a Indian diver and the huge, perfect pearl his son found, which he wanted to give to a beloved missionary friend for nothing, since the pearl had cost his son his life and he could not sell it or let it go for any amount of money. Read how the missionary responded. You will be surprised, just as the old father was who was offering the treasure as a free gift.

"The Matchless Pearl," How an Old Indian Diver Found The Entrance to the Pearly Gates

From the Plain View Farm Heritage Center Archives, a stirring reminder that we cannot take our priceless Christian faith for granted, and if we do, we will lose the younger generation to the world:

Excerpt from "Have You Met the Bethlehem Babe?", by Clarence Kopp, The Lutheran Digest, Winter, 1964:

"When the Fischer quintuplets of Aberdeen, South Dakota, were born last September, the event was heralded to the four corners of the earth. There was much excitement and ado. As these quintuplets grow up, there will be many eager to meet them.

In striking contrast, when the Bethlehem Babe was born, His birth created no excitement. Only a handful knew about it. There was no rush to meet Him and become acquainted. Even 2000 years after His incomparable philosophy and way of life have been made known throughout the world, there is no great demand to meet Him. Grave doubt even exists that many in Christian circles today have not really met him.

Mere knowledge of Christ's mission in the world, membership in a Christian congregation, oral confession of faith and observing ecclesiastical forms and ceremonies do not necessarily mean you have met the Babe in the Manger in the true sense of the word.

Suspicion that there are many in the church whose acquaintance with the Babe in the Manger does not go deeper than religious formalism is widespread, not only among non-Christians, but also among church leaders who are in a strategic position to observe. Among them is Dr. Oswald Hoffmann, speaker of the International Lutheran Hour, who recently expressed that opinion in the public press during an interview. He called attention to the conspicuous number of professing Christians who do not live what they profess to believe [we shall see if we can get a transcript of his interview remarks for the Heritage Center--Ed. There is also this interesting connection, as the Lutheran Hour was broadcast for many years from the Black Hills stav church you see featured on this page! The Augustana Academy Choir provided the music too!--Ed.].

A national magazine not long ago published an article in which churchmen ventured a percentage estimate of truly converted Christians in their respective denominations. Spokesmen for the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod estimated it to be about 33% of the denomination's membership. One places the percentage at 35% and another 50%. The average of the estimates for the Baptists was 67%. 50% was the estimate for the So. Presbyterians.

While these estimates are subjective, rest purely on human judgment and may be far from correct, they nevertheless point up an awareness of a great disparity today between Christian profession and living on the part of the church members. This an an alarming weakness of the visible church today. It not only is an offense, but impedes the spread of the Gospel.

To meet the Bethlehem Babe is more than a formality. The Christ Child later explained what it means, when He said, "...by their fruits ye shall know them. Not everyone that sayeth unto me Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven."

In other words, it is the evidence and the quality of fruitfulness that differentiates among the professed followers of the Master. This also emphasizes the importance of really having met the Babe of Bethlehem. It calls for serious self-examination."

Note: If the statistics Clarence Kopp gave about our denominations in the U.S. Christian churches seems to indicate an on-going spiritual slump, Norway seems to be doing no whit better. It is reported that 45% Norwegians believe in God, but only 5% go to church. Isn't it high time to pray for revival and a return to God, in the churches, in our families, and in our nation?

Follow Pearl Ginther into her diminutive, postage-stamp sized kitchen garden in the back of her home in Puyallup, where every little flower seems to speak of God's grace and love and will minister to you if you just step into her "scripture garden" offered here:

New Offerings Directory

Navigate Alphabetically By Our

Plain View Master Directory

The Stadem Family Photo Abum is a must-see!

Photo Album Master Directory

Navigate With The Help of Our Wonderful Family Storyteller, Estelle Stadem-Rangen:

Directory to God's Little Acres by Daughter Estelle

Navigate By Way Of Our Central for Family Tributes

Tributes to Stadem Family Members

Now More Links To Explore Here and Also Beyond Beloved Plain View Farm:

Mama Bergit Stadem's Personal History

Can you read this Norwegian grace? If you took Norwegian in school (I took a year in college, but needed more to really get it under my belt!), or picked it up from Norwegian-descent parents, you are fortunate. The rest of us can guess, or use Google's translator. Or I can always get my Norwegian mother to translate!--Ronald Ginther

"In Jesus Name we go to the table,

Eat and drink of Your Word.

To God we praise and us be blessed,

We then receive food in Jesus' Name.

Amen"

"Let Us Break Bread Together"--A Traditional Communion Song based on an old Negro Spiritual

How about some Rommegrot? It looks like something so bland, you might not like it, being made of primarily flour and milk. But despite how it looks or how it is named, it is delicious! So delicate in flavors, it simply melts in the mouth, as anyone who has had a real dish of it can testify. Here is the recipe from First Lutheran Church of Sioux Falls, SD., which Pearl Ginther offers to you all with her Nowegian blessing! If you have ever had a bowl of Rommegrot, you are hooked for life!

Mama Bergit's Recipes Published in the Bryant Dakota Paper

From Pearl Ginther's Recipe Box (following recipe is in Norske Talk):

Lefse Recipe

Yew tak yust ten big potatoes. Den yew boil dem till dar done.

You add to dis some sweet cream an' by cups it measures vun.

Den yew steal tree ounze of butter and vit two fingers pinch some salt.

Yew beat dis very lightly, if it ain't gude it is your fault.

Den yew roll dis tin vit flour and light brown on stove you bake.

Now call in all Scandihuvians tew try da fine lefse yew make.

***********************************************

From Pearl Ginther's Recipe Box (and this is no yolk, Pearl has a lifetime love for lemon!):

***********************************************

Lemon Sponge Cake

1 Lemon, 2 tsp flour, 1 cup sugar, 1 tbsp butter, 1 cup milk, 2 eggs. Cream butter and sugar, add, separate eggs, mix yolks with sugar and grated rind. Add cup milk and finish with beaten whites of eggs. Bake in 1 unbaked crust in moderate oven.

Grandma's "No Omtrint" (No Guess) Cuisine

We celebrate the epic struggles and achievement of our Bryant area pioneers! They left "giant footprints", indeed, after they turned a howling wilderness into a place where children could safely run and play, leaving to their descendants farms that could feed a nation and a world with good corn and wheat and livestock. Yes, during the same period the wonderful buffalo were driven off and killed by bounty hunters following a cruel campaign against the native Indian tribes--we cannot be thankful for that--but God's bounty and blessings are not diminished by what erring and greedy people do to spoil what God has given all men to enjoy. And in many places the magnificent buffalos are making a great comeback--thanks to their superior ability to survive and flourish on scant forage where domesticated cattle cannot live without food being brought in during bad weather. We can only try to be good neighbors to the Indians, wherever they now reside. Let not forget them, though the reservations are out of sight mostly, and thus out of mind to most Americans! There is much we can do, individually, and together, to give them a hand up in the ways they appreciate help.

Central for "Giant Footprints," our Stadem-Ginther Tribute to Bryant, SD, Pioneers

PVF's Praying for You! Page

Plain View Farm and the Stadems would have gotten nowhere without prayer to the Lord, daily, year after year! God was faithful to all their prayers, answering their calls for his help and guidance, healing and love and provision. He is a Faithful God now as well. Please use the guestbook for prayer requests if you do not email them to us instead. Uff Dah! We have mislaid the password for private entries, so please email us or make them public instead. You might want to check out the Cora and Carl Taylor page when it comes on-line soon, as the first part will be Cora's message, "Prayer is the Key that Open's Heaven's Door." The link to it will be given on this page. Thank you.

Go to Stadems_Saga, The Prairie Farm, and Plainview Farm on Angelfire for family tributes. Here is Stadems-Saga:

Stadem Saga Continues Home Page

WE STADEM DESCENDANTS OF THE FJORD COUNTRY AND VIKINGS OF OLD STILL HAVE A VITAL CONNECTION WITH THE SEA AND ALL WHO VENTURE UPON IT:

The Tacoma Seafarers Center Tribute, Port of Tacoma

Joyful update: Thank you for prayers, for they got through to the throne of Grace that Christ occupies in heaven! We know this for sure, since the Seamen's Center has been notified by the Port authorities that they will not have to move for several years now. We are praying still that it will not be necessary, and that they can remain where they are. The Port does not need this bit of land, it was not needed, and would have subjected the ministry to great expense to move and build elsewhere, where the same thing could happen to them again. May God's pefect will be done concerning this vital ministry, not man's!

The Buffalo Mound Home Page, with Truly Wonderful Bernice Stadem-Schaefer's Memories of the Folks, Papa and Mama, and PVF, also Pearl's Stories, Et Cet.

Please check out this Reunion Report for July 10, 2002, as it relates Bernice's truly great Christian legacy and achievements on the Farm supporting the Reunions for many years with her gifts of merriment, homemade-bread by the dozens of loaves, UNIQUE family anniversary, births, weddings, and other celebration signs and decorations, and her unforgettable self in faithful attendance year after year from the 1980s to the 21st century. Except for one or maybe two instances, she was never paid for her services and labors of love all those years, bearing the considerable expense for her travels and costs of preparing for the reunions all those years! Can we not now try to repay the debt we owe her, in part at least, by commemorating this wonderful lady we were all privileged to know and receive so much love from? Someone out there in the relationship can surely come up with a gift that will establish a lasting memorial to her on the Farm! Come now, you are perfectly able to do it, many of you? You received much, so much is expected of you in return. Pass it on! Don't keep what you were given so lavishly. PASS THE LOVE LIGHT ON! IF YOU DON'T IT WILL EXPIRE IN YOUR HANDS, AND THEN WHAT WILL YOU HAVE, A BURNT OUT CANDLE! PLEASE DON'T DO THAT, FOR THE SAKE OF YOUR CHILDREN AND ALL YOUR LOVED ONES. IF IT IS IN YOUR ABILITY, DO ALL YOU CAN, UNGRUDGINGLY, WITH A WHOLE AND GRATEFUL HEART. PASS IT ON NOW!!

Bernice Schaefer's Reunion Boosting featured at Reunion 2002, Plain View Farm

Take a self-guided tour of Old Norway without the expense of plane or cruise ship--just plump right down on the comfy, old rocker in the parlor and look at wonders of nature and man's making through our Plain View Farm stereoscope, just like they did at the turn of the century (the 20th, that is).

BY THE WAY, WANT TO KNOW THE WEATHER IN WATERTOWN, SD, WHICH IS ABOUT 40 MILES FROM PLAIN VIEW FARM, AND ALSO AT THE VERY SAME TIME OVER IN OSLO, NORWAY, RIGHT THIS MOMENT? USE THE LINK PROVIDED, AND YOU WILL FIND IT ON THE PRAIRIEFARM PAGE:

Weather in Watertown, SD, and Oslo, Norway

Stereoscopic Tour of Old Norway

PLAIN VIEW FARM HERITAGE CENTER WILL HAVE A SHOWCASE FEATURING EMBROIDERIES AND LACES BY STADEMS AND HOLBECKS. PEARL STADEM GINTHER WILL GIVE HER OWN COLLECTION TO IT, AND SHE HAS OVER FIFTY EXAMPLES OF THIS FINE ART FORM OF THE SCANDINAVIANS. JUST A FEW CAN BE SHOWN HERE ON THESE WEBSITE PAGES FOR NOW.

"Pearl's Lacery," Part I

Time to start learning Christmas carols, "Julen Sanger," from Norway! These are great for the family gathered round the Christmas tree at Julekveld! Grandma Bergit Stadem described how over in Norway she and her family would sing songs and join hands and circle around the Christmas tree, a beatiful memory she carried her whole life. Here are 7 lovely Christmas carols from the N.A.L. song booklet:

"Julen Sanger," Christmas Carols from Norway

HAD A HEART-Y TASTE OF GOOD OLD NORWEGIAN HOSPITALITY ON THE FARM YET? THERE IS MUCH, MUCH MORE, IF YOU JUST KEEP WITH US AND EXPLORE A LITTLE MORE! THE BEST IS YET TO COME, SO STAY AND VISIT AWHILE!

An old-fashioned Valentine for you from Pearl Ginther's unique Collection:

Please Visit and Sign Our Guestbook and Tell US What You Enjoyed

You are most welcome too to browse (like that grazing quality of the verb!) our guestbook entries going back to 1998 too, which we have collected on a special page here for you on this site.

Take a Gander at Guestbook Entries Back to 1998 or thereabouts!

Pewter Spoon With Viking Decorations. Sorry, no computer yet is made with pewter in Norway, as some people may have thought, as it would be too expensive!

WE NORWEGIAN DESCENT AMERICANS ALSO LOVE ISRAEL AND THE JEWISH PEOPLE! WE BELIEVE THE BIBLE AND READ HOW GOD IS PLEASED TO BEAR THE TITLE AND NAME: THE LORD GOD OF ISRAEL (NOTE, NOT, "LORD GOD OF AMERICA," OR FRANCE, OR GERMANY, BUT "LORD GOD OF ISRAEL"). BECAUSE HE IS WHO HE SAYS HE IS, THE LORD GOD OF ISRAEL, THIS IS A DEDICATED CHRISTIAN ZIONIST SITE, AND WE ARE ABSOLUTELY PASSIONATE ABOUT THE LAND GOD SPECIALLY GAVE HIS CHOSEN PEOPLE AND ALSO THE CHURCH, FOR WE GENTILE SAINTS TOO HAVE A WONDERFUL, ROYAL PART IN REIGNING FROM JERUSALEM WITH OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST DURING THE 1,000 YEARS CALLED THE MILLENNIUM: In a parade in Jerusalem, Finnish Zionists (no doubt all dedicated Christians) show their ardent support of Israel and the Jews. We too, as Norwegian descendants, also support Israel and God's people ardently! We pray God bless and keep Israel, and protect God's people wherever they are, but especially those in Israel, where they are under constant, increasing attack by rockets and bomb-carrying terrorists of Gaza and Southern Lebanon's Hezbollah terrorists, as well as by hostile Muslim dictatorships all around Israel and the even more dangerous, fanatical Muslim mullahs of Iran! Whoever blesses Israel, will be blessed, God's holy word says. Whoever curses Israel will be cursed, God's Word also warns us. God set it up that way, and we respect God and His ways, for they are absolutely right, and men's ways are absolutely wrong then they come in opposition to God's holy, perfect ways and commandments. Thank God that some Scandinavians, the Finns, have got it right! They are a brave, shining example to us all, are they not?

FROM THE PLAIN VIEW FARM HERITAGE CENTER ARCHIVES:

"In Convict Cells," the Story of Mathilda Wrede of Finland, by W. G. Wilson, Chapters 1-2

"In Convict Cells," Chapter 3, & 4 (Conclusion)

From our Archives (Pearl's Day Book used in the 40s in Sioux Fall):

News paper clipping: "How Hayti Was Named," Story written by Joan Jorgenson, Third Grader. In 1907, S. Cole and his son, A. Cole, lived east of where Hayti is now. They wrote a letter to Washington, D.C. wanting to name the new post office Lake View. The men in Washington, D.C. said that there were too many towns with that name so they had to think of another name. His father was twisting hay to burn when his son showed the letter. The older Mr. Cole said as a joke, "We should name it Haytie." So the next day they wrote a letter to Washington saying they would like to name the post office "Haytie." But somehow in Washington they dropped the last e, so now it is just Hayti.

MORE FROM OUR PLAIN VIEW FARM ARCHIVES: This story is part of the Stadem literature, coming to us, as our best "omtrint" or by guess, from Alfred Stadem: It is the 1944-published life story of a Norwegian boy, John O. Dyrnes, who was born and brought up in a poor, struggling family on the island of Smolen in north-eastern Norway. Losing his father early was a hardship for them all. But John had a spark of something that lifted him above the drudgery of trying to scrape out a living on the island. Finding secluded spots outdoors, he was always reading every book he could get his hands on after he had done his chores on the small farmstead of his family's. John had a calling from early age apparently from God, for he emigrated to America and, hungering for more knowlege, mastered English and eventually went to school in St. Paul, Minnesota, later graduating from Augsburg College. Further medical training made him a doctor while he was an energetic member of Trinity Lutheran Church in St. Paul, and then he was authorized and sent with his young wife to Madagascar, where he became a medical missionary under the auspices of the Lutheran Board of Missions. He served most sacrificially there until his wife's death and not long after his own death in 1943, after 43 years of labors there for the sake of the people, spiritually and physically, and also for the missionaries there who had, before his coming, perished from disease that he could have averted. He was born just six years after Oline and Sjur Stadem left Norway to begin a new life in America. I do not know exactly how we have his life story, as I have asked my mother and she does not recall. But perhaps Grandpa Alfred Stadem knew of him, or had heard him speak on furlough, and acquired the booklet, and it came down to us through my father and mother from Grandpa. However it happened, here is a man who should not be forgotten. It is truly a life spent completely for the sake of Christ and His Church.

Highlights of the Prayerful Program:

1. Blessings bestowed by Eldest Fathers and Mothers (heads of their respective families, the Taylors, Ginthers, Stadems, Spildes, Rangens, Svanoes, Schaefers, on All Their Descendants; and blessings for descendants of Kristine and Martha Stadem, etc., would be welcome too, provided we have a family elder, mother or father!

2. Dedication of PVF Barn Heritage Center

3. "Community Neighborly Testimonial Meeting & Healing", led by Pearl Stadem Ginther

UPDATE ON REUNION 2009 NOW A GOLDEN MEMORY: As we made known to everyone of the relationship long in advance (for purposes of prayer support!), these were the desires and wishes we prayerfully put forward to supply events for the unscheduled, off-year Reunion of 2009. We offered the whole time to the Holy Spirit, to use as He ordained, for God's glory. That was the most important thing we did.

Well, we are very happy to inform you that Reunion 2009 was a most unusual and meaningful and blessed reunion--blessed by the Spirit of God who was in charge!

We did not receive the blessings by the matriarchs and fathers, as we desired so greatly to see happen, but God blessed us as our Father in heaven can only bless. We did speak with a number about the necessity of this blessing to be given by fathers to their children, however, and hopefully they will follow up on it.

We did not have a Heritage Center already built to dedicate, but as Naomi Svanoe Iserman suggested, Uncle Leroy had us join hands on the site and various people representing their family lines prayed for it. That was a wonderful event. We are sorry if you were not there, but just know that God heard our prayers on behalf of you all! YOU WILL SEE A HERITAGE CENTER RISE SOON ON THAT SITE, IF THE LORD TARRIES!

Steve Stadem shared is plans too for the tool shed and work area, that he must have to build the Heritage Center. We promised to pray for him in support, and funds are now pouring in for the tool shed. You can join in giving to the project, which is necessary if the Heritage Center is to be built. God bless you all who give to this tool shed.

We did not have the tent and the invitational testimonial, community, healing service that Mother wanted and the Lord commanded, but something of that sort happened throughout the reunion, as various loved ones met and talked deep, soul-searching questions and problems (even sins) out with other loved ones, and understandings and healing and even reconciliations came, as the result of God's own Spiritual dealings with us. We give the glory to God for this wonderful working of the Holy Spirit on the Farm during the Reunion.

We had a prayer meeting on PVF right before breakfast! This was suggested and taken up, and it proved to be the most powerfully blessed time of prayer I have ever experienced on the Farm and seldom anywhere else! It is not numbers that matter so much, as we were only six in total, as unity of spirit, and thirsting for the Lord's will and his power in our lives, that matters with God. This was truly the highpoint of my entire experience at the Reunion.

Another blessing: Various loved ones wrote out love messages to Uncle Joseph Rangen, who is a resident of Moen Nursing Home in downtown Fergus Falls, Minnesota (2nd floor, north side), and I was privileged to be the volunteer pony express and delivered them straight to him just as he had finished his dinner in the dining hall! I asked him after I read them all out to him, if he enjoyed them, and he said, "A fellow would have to be in a bad way not to!" He has his old Rangen Norskie quaver of the voice, and his humor, and an alert mind too, I discovered, as I asked him various things, and he gave intelligent replies. I gave him a hug from us all and told him we loved him, then departed. God made this possible, and I thank him for the blessed memory, if we do not see Uncle again in this life or at the Open House day of the Heritage Center .

Another great event was the introduction of Sylvia and Tom Yuge from the Kristine Stadem-Stene-Fjelstad line! They have never attended from this line before, and thought we Stadems of Alfred and Bergit's line were extinct (which is not quite yet the case, though we might be considered an "endangered species" if lefse and bread making continues to dwindle)! But Sylvia stood up and said they had discovered us through the Plain View Farm website, from this very page on which you are reading this! They brought a most generous gift of $1,000 to the Heritage Center fund as well. Sylvia shared her heart-stirring testimony of how God was encouraging her in her walk with God despite attacks of the enemy that would make her think she was alone in her faith in Jesus (that can be so damaging, if we think we are alone in this secularist, anti-Christian culture of America today). She was so joyful as she told us these things, and everyone was hanging on her words! You should have been there. We thank God for Tom too, as he has offered help with the Heritage Center. He has a civil engineering firm in California. I wouldn't recommend his position as a guide, however. Following his GPS (Global Positioning System) directions, he led us to the Farm, but first right into a farmer's bean patch. The farmer with his big tractor parked nearby at the road, caught us driving out! I had some fast explaining to do, but when he saw it was just a mistake, he was laughing, and was soon our friend. Thanks, Tom, for a memory I won't forget soon!

Tom and Sylvia brought some 60 Stadems to us, whom we knew nothing about before this, and vice versa. This is an epic event for us all. We shall see great things develop from this vast increase in our relationship's rolls. Funny thing, you can read the names in Barb Benson's Stadem Genealogy book, but that doesn't mean much, if you have never seen those people listed and have no expectation of ever seeing them. Tom and Sylvia did not have Barb's wonderful book, so they didn't even have our names. Yet they found us, not we found them! God used the website too, besides Sylvia's being led by the Lord to make this reunion of two lines of Sjur and Oline possible. We marvel at how God worked this out.

There were great projects also achieved, such as the completion of the roofing by Bernie Iserman and his stalwart sons, Mike and Gene. It was very hard, sweaty, hot work. They perservered and did a beautiful job. Are they being paid? They ought to be! Someone who cares enough should donate what they can to these great workers who did so much to put a good roof over the farm house. They even painted the trim, I believe, as it looks so spiffy now.

But the womenfolk were just as stalwart Vikings as the menfolks, as they trimmed bushes, and even built berms for flower beds in the beautifying of the yard! They did all this on Saturday, and worked until it was pitch dark, finishing just as it grew too dark to see anything.

God had his way, the reunion was not scheduled, but God put it on the hearts of people to come who had not come in years, and they were great blessings and were blessed richly in return no doubt. In terms of what happened, could there be any doubt in anyone that God was with us? I wouldn't have missed Reunion 2009 for the world! Like Jerusalem for the Jews, it is the center of the world for me. I do not pray toward it, but I do revere it as sanctified ground for God's exclusive use and ministry. Food seemed to be short supply at the beginning, with no scheduled meals and provisions for each meal ahead, but somehow, miraculously, we always had more than enough, and the meals were great, from "Pancakes and Oatmeal by Gourmet Chef Wayne" in the morning to vennison and salad in the evening. There was even a little lutefisk. No lefse, however--just tortilla shell substitute!

As for the youth, the special times, other than running around playing various games, had to be the campfires at night and the songfests. Lots of loving togetherness along with some very professional guitar work and singing, with the rest of us "joining in" with our "joyful noises," make the time spent a memorable one for those who were there. And the bugs weren't that bad either. I used a little spray, and slept in the back of my SUV without one mosquito bothering me this time (a first!). I don't know how the others fared, but there weren't clouds of mosquitoes as at other times, when the slough was overflowing across the road, and there was just too much mosquito-breeding dampness to be comfortable. The over-all coolness and breezes, despite the sunny days, was most welcome too. We had a bit of a shower and light show, and that refreshed the whole area, without making the tents soggy and the grass too wet for the children's sports and play. The last week of June proved to be the perfect time (though it had been hot just days before, to be sure, up on the roof for the roofers!).

Thank you, O God! We loved every minute! You made it all possible. And we give YOU all the glory!

Pearl Stadem Ginther:

"Where does the time go? God has been so good to me to give me more years than I ever dreamed I would ever get, so have truly enjoyed every plus years looking forward to another glider ride Wayne has promised me 1 week before my 100th year. My, how I enjoyed the glider ride back when I was 90 years old!!!" Joke: "Why does it get so hot in a stadium after a baseball game? Answer: all the fans have left!!!"

Joke: "I'm sure you know that seven days in bed make one weak." Scripture: "God is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him."--Heb. 11:6

"Scripture: "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me."--Phi. 5:13.

Lovingly, Grandma Pearl

Plain View Farm Home Page

Our New Master Directory of Nine Sites:

WWW.OARINGINTHERIVER.COM Master Directory

Ron Ginther, PVF webmaster, in happy, gardening days when he was the estate gardener for a very sweet amd kind lady, Mrs. Gladys Farquahar, in Sumner, Washington, who was a good friend of his mother's. The Farquahars were once King and Queen of the "Berry Aristocracy," of the valley, with their cold storage plants that processed the valley's berries and fruits. Their pool was Olympic sized, and the patios and walks of the palatial grounds were tiled with red and green marble shipped from Italy. It was a most remarkable place to work in, and I enjoyed it immensely, and got to swim in the pool too!

Please contact us using our new email address: ronald.ginther@oaringintheriver.com.

Note, however: this email will never be used to solicit money of any kind personally, just to prevent its use by someone who seeks to use our email illegally for his own advantage! If you receive such an email, it is not from us, do not answer it, but delete it and inform us instead that someone has done this so we can notify our browser's security office. Thank you!

A word from the webmaster: Our original items, composed or illustrations, on this site are Public Domain with the understanding that people share them but please do not take credit for the items shared here from us and also many various sources besides our own--we ask in return you handle them all with Christian decency and respect for us and others too! God bless. The Golden Rule, that is our operating rule we try hard to observe and obey. We regret we cannot, due to constraints of time and energy, give credit to every one of our additional sources of info or material, of course, being a non-profit, but will certainly give credit where it is due, when notified.

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