This One is for Elder Perry

I met Elder Perry as a student at BYU. I remember him being very tall and friendly. He lived a great life and will certainly be missed. I absolutely loved his last lds general conference talk Why Marriage and Family Matter—Everywhere in the World 

"Once we are married and once we have children, the true commonality among all mankind becomes even more evident. As “family people”—no matter where we live or what our religious beliefs may be—we share many of the same struggles, the same adjustments, and the same hopes, worries, and dreams for our children."

As I work with families each day I realize that we all have so much in common even though we are so different. Everyone wants to have meaningful family relationships. I love how he closed his final conference talk: 

" Let me close by bearing witness (and my nine decades on this earth fully qualify me to say this) that the older I get, the more I realize that family is the center of life and is the key to eternal happiness.  

I give thanks for my wife, for my children, for my grandchildren and my great-grandchildren, and for all of the cousins and in-laws and extended family who make my own life so rich and, yes, even eternal. Of this eternal truth I bear my strongest and most sacred witness in the name of Jesus Christ, amen."

What a great quote that his family will always be able to treasure. If you want to read more about his life go here. I'm grateful to have grown up listening to his wonderful talks and I agree that the older I get the more I appreciate my family and want mine to be the very best it can!