A Good and Faithful Servant

Like many of you, I've been saddened today by the news of the passing of Elder L. Tom Perry of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles from thyroid cancer. I will remember not only his distinctive, folksy, grandfatherly Cache Valley voice and delivery but also his fearless, powerful conference talks and testimony, fearlessly proclaiming the truths of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ and of the importance of the family in God's eternal plan.

During my lifetime, I had the opportunity to run into this man twice.

The first time I do not remember personally, for I was a toddler when it occurred. As my mom tells the story, my parents, older brother, next-youngest brother (who was a baby), and I attended our stake conference in Cheyenne, Wyoming, when we lived for a very brief time in western Nebraska. Elder Perry presided at this conference, and as he was leaving the building, he passed by my family. Looking at the young couple and their three young boys, he smiled and said (if I'm paraphrasing Mom correctly): "This little family right here is what the Church is all about."

The other encounter took place many years later when I was an employee at the Church Office Building. One day, I was eating lunch at the Chinese food place in the ZCMI (a department store that used to exist before City Creek) food court, something I was wont to do during the time I was employed at the COB. In between mouthfuls of my meal, I spotted Elder Perry walking by, and my eyes made contact with his. He winked and pointed his index finger at me as if he were firing a gun.

It was a brief but a memorable gesture. Why? Because the First Presidency and the Twelve are very, very busy people. It took only a split-second out of what I'm sure was his very busy schedule, but it made me feel like I was important, too. It is a memory that has stayed with me to this day.

I'm sure many of us have stories to tell about this good man, whether they be of inspirational messages that have taught important principles or of personal encounters like mine.

I'm grateful for this man's example and for his exemplary life. "Well done, thou good and faithful servant" (Matthew 25:23).