Former BYU alumni Vance Campbell and Gifford Nielsen looked to the past and future of BYU as they saw their items unveiled at the Founder’s Day Time Capsule opening on Thursday, Oct. 16.
A crowd gathered on a chilly Thursday morning to see President C. Shane Reese and University Librarian Rick Anderson unveil the contents of the BYU centennial time capsule that has been buried for 50 years. Items in the capsule included a tape recording from BYU Scientist Harvey Fletcher, various letters, the BYU centennial flag, a tape measure, a gavel that belonged to President Dallin H Oaks, Cinnamon Bears, a $5 bill and two items that brought back memories for Campbell and Nielsen.
These items were a letter Campbell wrote 50 years ago and Nielsen’s BYU football jersey.
“Surprisingly, it was an assignment given to all of us in the freshman English class,” Campbell said, speaking on the origins of the letter.
After Campbell turned in the assignment, his instructor told the class that some of the letters would be selected and put into the time capsule. He was in for a surprise.
“I was completely shocked when I learned that my letter was one of them, because I think there were around 10 or so that were selected from entire freshman English classes at the time,” Campbell said.
He also shared a moment he had with Dallin H. Oaks, former BYU president, after his letter was selected for the time capsule.
“I asked him, President, I have one of the letters that's in the time capsule. How will I know when it's going to be open ... I'd like to be there for that,” Campbell said.
Campbell remembers his response was “I don't know. I won't be here.”
All those years later, Campbell, now a retired electrical engineer, got to read his letter at the time capsule unveiling, and Oaks was recently set apart as the 18th president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on Oct. 14.
It was an emotional experience for Campbell to read the letter that he had written fifty years ago.
“I didn't remember what I had written and just to hold that paper in my hand, something that I (had) written and actually signed my name at the bottom of it, it was very emotional for me to see that again,” Campbell said.
He said he is grateful for the opportunity to have been a part of the time capsule ceremony. He also had a positive message for President Oaks, who is still around 50 years later.
“President Oaks, you may not have been here for the ceremony, but you're here in spirit and we love you and appreciate you and we're praying for you as you take on this new role,” Campbell said.
Nielsen, a former professional football player and College Football Hall of Fame inductee, was the quarterback of BYU when his jersey was buried in the time capsule. He was taken by surprise when his football jersey at the time, number 14, now retired, matched which BYU president would be unveiling his Jersey inside the time capsule.
“I was thinking, ok, the number 14 jersey is coming out of that box and I'm going to be standing by the 14th president of Brigham Young University,” Nielsen said. “That's pretty cool because I don't think you could have orchestrated that any other way.”
He also said it was absolutely remarkable to be part of the time capsule unveiling.
“Back in 1975 and 1976, when they asked you to put your jersey in a little box and you thought about, 'is this really going to happen 50 years (from now)?' (That) they're going to open up the box and your jersey's going to be in there. It's kind of a surreal feeling to think that you were part of something 50 years ago and now they're remembering it today,” Nielsen said.
Since his college football career at BYU, he played for the Houston Oilers in the NFL for six years and became BYU’s first Hall of Fame inductee in 1984. He is married to his wife Wendy and has 6 children and almost 26 grandchildren. He is also an Emeritus General Authority.
He spoke about what the future of BYU is after the 150th anniversary celebration.
“I just think BYU is going to become more relevant and more significant in the entire world. Not only here in Utah, not here in the United States, but throughout the world, and I think that is totally significant because the influence of Brigham Young University is going to be felt around the world,” Nielsen said.
