President Henry J. Eyring's prepared commencement address was read by Rob Garrett, Executive Strategy and Planning Vice President at Brigham Young University-Idaho.
I am grateful to be with you graduates of BYU–Idaho. As I have thought of you, your accomplishments, and what lies ahead for you, I’ve been drawn to a verse in the book of Revelation. It is the first verse of the fourth chapter of Revelation, which is attributed to John the Revelator, the beloved disciple of our Savior. It reads thus:
After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter.[1]
As I pondered this powerful scripture, a recent event came to mind. Just last week, I made a brief presentation and associated request for funds to make important upgrades to the George S. Romney Building on this campus. Many of our students and alumni know the Romney Building, where the physical sciences have been taught and applied for generations.
The cost to modernize the Romney is substantial. Yet the purposeful plans are not only comforting but energizing. The Romney, completed in 1963, deserves a facelift at this point. Over many years, what was once state of the art has become outdated. For example, the basement, which once housed photo labs, has been underutilized.
Renovations to increase the usefulness will include new ceilings, LED lights, HVAC replacements, and a physics lab. And, with good care, it may stand and serve students for another sixty years, perhaps longer.
While studying these building improvements, I felt moved to learn more about the man the Romney Building was named for—George S. Romney. Brother Romney was born in St. George, Utah. Like my Eyring ancestors, his branch of the Romney clan left the United States for northern Mexico to escape persecution.
They may have stayed for generations had it not been for the threat of bandits and expulsion due to the Mexican Revolution in 1912. Many of the Romneys (and the Eyrings, incidentally) had to flee the Mexican colonies for safety. Though they had felt very prosperous there, heaven guided them to other paths of possibility.
George S. Romney married Artemesia Redd, and together they had eleven children. They were dedicated to the Savior and His Church. George accepted a call to serve a two-year mission in the northern states. Upon his return, he worked day and night jobs to support his family while finally completing his high school education. He eventually earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees.
In 1917, Brother Romney was called to be the principal of what was then known as Ricks Academy. Under his supervision, the school received state certification and, in 1918, became Ricks College, with Principal Romney becoming President Romney.
Those beginning days of Ricks College were significantly impacted by World War I. Interestingly, the young junior college also endured a quarantine, along with other impacts of the influenza epidemic. But through it all, President Romney was positive, proactive, and ever on the Lord’s errand.
President Romney implemented standards of conduct and broadened the mission of the school. After his tenure as president of Ricks College, in 1931, Brother Romney was called to return to the Northern States Mission to serve as the mission president. He died while still in the mission field in 1935.[2]
Brother Romney followed the direction of the Lord and was shown “things which must be hereafter.”[3] He saw the potential in Ricks College, as we see it at BYU–Idaho today and when looking at what you graduates will do as you go forward throughout the world.
We must follow the faithful examples of stalwart Saints, like the Romneys, who have gone before us. As we find new doors that the Lord will open for us, we can be blessed to see the potential in ourselves and others.
President Nelson, in his most recent general conference address, gave a similar sacred charge:
I call upon you, my dear brothers and sisters, to become this righteous people. Cherish and honor your covenants above all other commitments. As you let God prevail in your life, I promise you greater peace, confidence, joy, and yes, rest.[4]
We must find the right doors, at the right time, with the right plans to open those doors. This comes over time and with gained wisdom. Hurrying can be debilitating, even self-defeating.
We also must know ourselves and our motives. As Paul said, “When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.”[5] As a teenager, I prided myself on being “my own man.” I believed that I had found most of life’s answers at that point in my life. On top of that, I had thick hair. But hair, I have learned, is just skin deep.
What matters most is seeking to open doors in heaven. We can do that not only for ourselves, but also for loved ones and those seekers of gospel truth we meet along the way.
From this inspired university, you and I can press forward reaching out to our spiritual sisters and brothers throughout the world. In the name of our Savior, Jesus Christ, amen.
[1] Revelation 4:1.
[2] See David L. Crowder, The Spirit of Ricks: A History of Ricks College, Ricks College, 1997.
[3] Revelation 4:1.
[4] Russell M. Nelson, “Overcome the World and Find Rest,” Liahona, Nov. 2022.
[5] 1 Corinthians 13:11.