Elder L. Tom Perry: Finding Lasting Peace and Building Eternal Families

I don't know about the rest of you, but peace is something I am constantly looking for. My life always seems to be crazy and I always feel overwhelmed with all the many things there are to do. But I know in my heart that peace can be found in this gospel. I have felt the Spirit's peaceful presence and so can you.

Elder L. Tom Perry: Finding Lasting Peace and Building Eternal Families

Elder Perry began this talk with a reference to his mother. He mentioned notebooks that she kept and in which she prepared Relief Society lessons. He shared several of the quotes she recorded. You should check them out.

He then took some time dicussing the parable of the tares in the wheat. In this parable (Matthew 13) the householder is apprached by his servants because they have discovered that an "enemy" has placed tares in the wheat. They want to cut the wheat down and destroy it. The householder tells them that instead of destroying the wheat, they should wait until it is ready to harvest and the tares can be removed without causing damage.

When I read this parable I can't help being reminded of the idea that we have to live in the world, but not be of the world. Life is hard and we are constantly bombarded with negative messages and voices. I know that I have to stay strong despite these negtive influences. I know that it is possible because I also know that Heavenly Father is helping me. Like the householder, He will wait for me to grow so that that tares can be safely removed and I can return to live with him. In the mean time, I have to continue to grow, surrounded by the dangerous tares.

Brothers and Sisters, stay strong. Your may be surrounded and bombarded by negative influences, but Heavenly Father is still watching out for you. He will protect you.

One of the other issues that Elder Perry spoke about was the importance of family. He said that "as members of the Church, we have the responsibility to preserve and protect the family as the basic unit of society." He then spoke about the powerful infleunce mothers have on their children, reminding us that "the decisions made by the women of this generation will be eternal in their consequences."

I have already told you that I am not a mother, but I still found comfort in Elder Perry's words because he reminded me that I don't have to become a CEO or a best selling author to be successful. I can fulfill my purpose and have an impact through small and daily acts of nuturing those around me, just as a tired and overworked mother nutures her children.

I would like to end by thanking all of the wonderful mothers, and fathers, who sacrifice so much for their children. You are appreciated. You are loved. You will be blessed for all that you have done.