ST. GEORGE — After waiting for 14 years, the dream of American citizenship came true for an Ivins couple hailing from Austria. 

On Tuesday, Harald and Helga Schwaiger joined others in a naturalization ceremony in Zion National Park.

More than 10 countries worldwide were represented, including Austria, Brazil, Canada, Columbia, Ecuador, El Salvador, France, Guatemala, India, Mexico, Myanmar, Peru, the Philippines, Tonga and the United Kingdom. Zion National Park joined other National Park Service sites nationwide with a ceremony.

This was the second time the park hosted a naturalization event. Speakers included Zion National Park Superintendent Jeff Bradybaugh, President and CEO of Zion National Park Forever Project Natalie Britt and U.S. Magistrate Judge Paul Kohler.

“In my heart, I’ve been an American for many, many years,” Harald Schwaiger told St. George News. “But now, finally, after more than 14 years. We have it officially — we are citizens. It was a long, long journey. We came in a student visa first, then on a religious visa, extension of a religious visa, green card, and then citizenship. So if you do it right, it takes a long time and we are strong believers in doing it right.”

After the couple met with church missionaries in their homeland, their desire to come to the United States was sparked. The couple loves Austria but are just as proud to be Americans now. They have six children: Rebecca, 25; Elisa, 24; Debora, 19; Johanna, 16; Joshua, 12 and Olivia, 10.

“This is really the greatest country,” he said. “And I will never forget when the missionaries came to Austria and they shared with us that Americans were praying for us. They just touched me; they’ve never seen us. They didn’t know who we were but were praying for us. So there’s something so special about America.”

God blessed America because it was founded on biblical principles, he said, adding that he appreciates the United States even more since his country is a “socialist country.” He prays that God continues to bless the USA.

“It’s a wonderful country,” he said. “And it’s just so amazing seeing so many people in the U S who are strong believers in Jesus.”

He was a financial planner in Austria. When the couple first made their home in Wyoming, he attended a Bible college in LaGrange. The family learned how to speak English and Harald Schwaiger said he appreciated how the community welcomed them.

Eight years ago, God inspired a move to Southern Utah to start a nondenominational church. The Grace Place holds services on Sundays at 10:30 a.m. at Vista School in Ivins.

“We prayed, Jesus; please make it so clear to our whole family where you want us to live,” Schwaiger said. “Then we just stepped out in faith because God united us as a whole family and everyone felt St. George area.”

Schwaiger’s wife Helga said receiving her citizenship in a national park was meaningful. 

“On the drive from home to the park, I had this special feeling in my tummy,” she said. “Many years ago, it was the first time we changed our citizenship. And it was the citizenship with living, like being a person in this world to become a follower of Jesus Christ. And at that point, when Jesus came into our lives, I knew I was a citizen in heaven. It changed my whole life. And driving from home to the national park to Zion, I got this feeling again.”

She added that the Bible, John 5:24 states, “If you believe in Jesus Christ, you have crossed over from death to life and your citizenship is in heaven. And so just going into this national park was for me like, ‘Wow, and now I become a citizen of America.’”

Zion National Park Superintendent Jeff Bradybaugh said the national parks belong to all Americans during the ceremony.

“We invite you to enjoy, to learn, to volunteer and to join us in the care of these wonderful places. Because while you may have traveled to Zion as a visitor today, our new citizens become owners,” Bradybaugh said.

Photo Gallery

Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2023, all rights reserved.