About the time of the thrilling year 1914, several Kingdom proclaimers were incited to change their lives radically. A number of young sisters​—at a time when it was thought that young women should get married and raise children—​unhesitatingly took up full-time service and remained in it till their death. Their work has been richly blessed, as some equally zealous modern-day Witnesses in Sweden can refer to them as their spiritual mothers, grandmothers, or even great-grandmothers.​—Joel 2:28.

A young nurse, Ebba Palm, wanted to help spiritually sick persons so much that she wore her nurse’s uniform in the preaching work. As her uniform represented a highly respected nurses’ order, the Sophia Sisters, the doors of many fashionable homes were opened to her. During her first three months as a colporteur, she placed 1,085 bound books and very many booklets.

Ebba’s older sister, Ellen, left her job as a bank clerk and began in the colporteur work. Her zeal was outstanding. After getting married, she and her husband together manned a steamboat to visit people along the fjords and inlets of the Baltic Sea.

Anna Wickbom was the daughter of a police commissioner. She had served as governess at the court of the Russian czar and later as a private teacher in the family of a count. She quit her well-paying job to become a colporteur in the territory near her home. Knowing her identity, the neighbors received her respectfully. Her good knowledge of languages opened many a door for her.

Once, she visited an imposing residence. The countess living there sent her butler to the door to intimidate Anna. “Today the countess will only converse in French,” he thundered. “That will be just perfect,” Anna retorted. When the countess heard Anna’s excellent French, she, speaking poor French, felt so embarrassed that she begged: “Swedish, please!” Needless to say, the countess was so impressed that for many years she regularly took literature when visited by the Witnesses.

Another young woman, Maja Lundquist, volunteered as a Photo-Drama attendant for three years. She enjoyed this privilege so much that it spurred her to continue zealously in the full-time ministry for 53 years, until her death. Her specialty was witnessing on foreign ships. For many years, this cheerful and energetic little woman was frequently seen on docks and decks, telling captains and their crews about God’s Kingdom and placing huge quantities of literature in many languages. “The harbor is my best territory,” she used to say.

The stamina, faith, and perseverance of such pioneer sisters were extraordinary. The late Branch Committee coordinator, Johan H. Eneroth, once reported: “It is indeed touching to learn how weak and feeble women walk on their feet many, many miles and sometimes through roadless woods, carrying heavy bags with books, to find some isolated little village and bring the message of hope and comfort and good cheer to the people living there under very difficult conditions.”

Tons of literature were placed. The booklets Millions Now Living Will Never Die and Where Are the Dead? were eagerly accepted. At times colporteurs needed this literature so urgently that they telegraphed the branch office to send “500 Millions” or send “200 Dead”​—messages that puzzled many a telegraph operator.