A ground-breaking day for the 8th Stake
Construction begins on a new stake center in Rexburg
- posted: 05 June 2007
- scrollnews@byui.edu
Members of the BYU-Idaho 8th stake gathered Saturday morning at the site of their future stake center in order to celebrate the commencement of the new building project with a groundbreaking ceremony.
Jay Harris, president of the BYU-I 8th Stake spoke briefly as part of the groundbreaking ceremony. He related to those in attendance the trials that were overcome before the construction could receive final and full approval. One trial was the location.
The original location was planned on top of the hill near the Rexburg temple site. Final approval on the original plans fell through when members of the first presidency feared that the elaborate plans for the building would detract people’s focus from the temple.
Upon finding a new location for the proposed building, another stumbling block appeared. The original building plans were declared to be too elaborate and costly. The presiding bishopric told those involved in the building planning to start all over again.
Beginning from scratch would have delayed construction another two full years. Rather than draw up completely new plans, the building architect was able to modify plans from an existing building located in Orem, Utah. These modified plans received the necessary approvals much more quickly than would have otherwise been possible.
The 8th Stake currently consists of ten wards. President Harris said that they could easily create three more wards if they could only find a place for these new wards to meet.
Although Harris expressed his gratitude for the new building that will one day occupy that ground, he directed the congrega
tion’s attention to the top of the hill where the temple was clearly visible to all. He reminded everyone in attendance that their focus should remain on the temple. “On many winter mornings when the sun rises it will do so directly behind the temple. Our building will stand in the temple’s shadow, where it belongs,” Harris said.
The new building will take 16 to 18 months to complete. Many students who currently belong to the 8th stake will graduate before the building is completed. Ben Brown, a senior from Broken Arrow, Okla., is one such student who does not plan on seeing the building’s completion but who still attended the groundbreaking ceremony.
Brown has been meeting for Sunday services with his family in the Mark Austin Technology/Engineering Building. Although he will not personally benefit from the new building, Brown gave some advice to those students who will enjoy the new building. “Be grateful for leg room and keep paying your tithing,” Brown said.
Construction on the new stake center building site, which is located near the intersection of 
