A weekend in Rexburg

This past weekend I was in Rexburg, Idaho to see my sister Sally graduate

with her bachelor's degree in Elementary Education from BYU-Idaho.

Congratulations to Sally!

Sally and I

This is Sally with our Mom.

She too, received an honorary degree this weekend from our family,

for graduating all of her 5 daughters from college.

That is a great accomplishment considering:

That our mother married young, started her family,

and never graduated from college herself.

Our mother knew that getting an education was important to her daughters.

Over the years she made tremendous sacrifices to help each of us get an education,

and earn our bachelor degrees.

My grandpa came to Rexburg this weekend too.

In the above photo is a picture of Thomas E. Ricks.

The man who founded the town of Rexburg,

and whose name the university was originally named after.

Ricks College is now BYU-Idaho.

Thomas E. Ricks is my great, great, great, Grandfather.

He is my grandpa's Great Grandpa.

Do they look alike?

My dad says they have the same ears.

The photo also shows a picture of my brother Steven,

who is also a student at BYU-Idaho.

Steven is one of Thomas's great, great, great, grandsons.

I think that is cool.

I went to Ricks College.

Loved it, really loved it.

It is always fun to be back on campus.

It has changed quite a bit.

The biggest change is the having the Temple on top of the hill, overlooking the campus.

I can not describe it, it is magnificent.

It gives the whole campus a great, great feeling!

I loved seeing the temple at night, when we drove around the town.

The Light on the Hill

There's a beacon shining brightly

On a hill in Idaho

And it's steady, glowing beauty

Guides me everywhere I go,

through the lowest darkest corners

To the tops of mountains high

Through the vale of disappointment

To the soul's triumphant cry.

It's an ever-constant beacon

Lighting torches in the hearts

Of the children of our Father

As they yearn to do their parts

In the building of His kingdom

Both on earth and up above;

And to show our Father's gospel

In their acts of truth and love.

Poem written by Iris H. Hathaway,

in 1968, long before the temple was ever built in Rexburg

Ricks College has done the same for me, just as the poem describes.