Rupert 5th ward reunion

I grew up in an LDS congregation called the Rupert, ID 5th ward.  The size of our group was about 350 members and the geographic boundaries included all the LDS people who lived in an area roughly five miles by 20 miles.  Many of the families who made up this group were the original homesteaders who homesteaded farm ground in the "Magic Valley" of Idaho north of Rupert.  These early farmers drew in a lottery for the chance to win 80 acres of untouched ground that had the potential to become rich farm ground.  The families who entered the lottery were soldiers who fought in WWII and had moved to Idaho to start their farms and their futures.  They were required to build a home on their 80 acres, thus insuring that they would stay in the area at least for a period of time.  While my dad didn't "win" in the draw for the 80 acres, he and my mom moved to the area to teach school and ended up buying a 40 acre farm in the geographic boundaries of the Rupert 5th ward.  Thus our futures and our stories combined with these families and we mixed and mingled for the 30 years that our family lived in the area.  We became very well acquainted and we grew to love and respect the good farm people who were our friends.

I often affectionately refer to the farm way of life and values instilled in me as "the Rupert Way."  This is a way of living that was exemplified by the people who lived in our neighborhood ward area.  They were farmers and dairymen who worked with their hands and toiled in the soil.  They worked hard and their wives and children learned to work alongside of them.  Some came to church with manure on their boots and bolo ties cinched around the necks of their white shirts, with calloused hands from all the hard work they did.  They helped their neighbors and shared the wisdom and knowledge they gained as they fought to tame the wild desert and start their mostly prosperous farms.  They were unassuming folks who were the salt of the earth.  The men had interesting names like Parl, Woody, Lamar, Walt, Sherill, Bud & LaVerl and some of their wives were named more endearing  names like Grace, Fay, Merentha, Pat, Betty, Phillis, Lila and Ruth.

Our group of girls growing up consisted of 8 girls who were my age and who were the same grade in school, along with 9 boys the same age. We got to know each other very well. Their names were Carla, Celia, Brenda, Kathy, Lynn, Rita, Sue and Lorene.  We didn't always get along and unfortunately I wasn't as kind as I should have been to several of them.  I had the change to see  four of them at the 50 year reunion of the Rupert 5th ward that was held in Rupert last Saturday.  It was so fun to see them and to have a chance to visit and catch up (and apologize to those I was rude to as a kid.)  They are good women who have been through the ups and downs of life and who are still standing and keeping the faith now as grandmothers.
The reunion was so well organized and fun to attend!  Hundreds of people attended and we got to reconnect with many friends and neighbors from across the years.  My mother, two brothers Paul and Gary and sister Janet attended as well and enjoyed their time visiting with old friends.  These good people influenced my life in so many ways.  Their examples of hard work, determination, kindness, goodness and faith continue with me today.  My testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ was strengthened by many of these down-to-earth people who taught me in church and who were my leaders through my youth. I got to see two of my young women leaders and thank them for being such a good influence on me.  I'll be forever grateful for their influence in my life and for their strength of character that showed us how to live life the "Rupert Way."