Elder Perry instructs students

“Turn up the candle power and illuminate the world!” said Elder L. Tom Perry of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles last Tuesday at BYU-Idaho’s devotional.

Elder Perry admonished students to “keep the light of the gospel shining in mankind.”

He spoke of the investment The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and others have put into the students who attend this university.

“I’m a finance man. What kind of a return can we expect to gain by investing in you?” Elder Perry asked.

He spoke of the world’s need for individuals who bring solutions, who are prepared physically and emotionally to lift souls and increase the happiness of others.

“We will play no part in [preparing the earth for the Savior’s coming] if we refuse to make a contribution to the world,” Elder Perry said.

Although he advised students to stay away from sins of worldly materialism, Elder Perry did not want them to be detached from the world.

“What will the history of this year record about what you have done?” Elder Perry asked.

Fireside with the Perrys

Sister Perry speaks of joy and happiness

Sister Barbara Dayton Perry spoke of the Atonement being the center of happiness to BYU-Idaho female faculty members at a special fireside Tuesday, Jan. 24.

Many times throughout her life, Sister Perry has experienced joy and happiness.

Sister Perry expressed the joys she had as a nurse, especially in the delivery room.

There was nothing like the joy experienced with the birth of the child, she said. “Whether it was the first or the tenth [child], it was never routine for the mother — or for me.”

Between 1994 and 1995, she and Elder Perry lived in Germany.

Though “they were separated from family and that which was most familiar,” they experienced joy.

With tears in her eyes, Sister Perry said, “It was a choice experience made even better by close associates and those dear people.”

Another joyous event for Sister Perry was in 1975, when she was a professor at BYU. Her father had given her a blessing, and in it she was “promised a glorious year.”

It was that same year that she met and later married Elder Perry.

Since then “we have had many wonderful, happy times for 30 years,” Sister Perry said.

Elder Perry urges to safeguard homes

“You truly are the hope of the future,” said Elder L. Tom Perry in his closing remarks at the fireside for female faculty members.

Elder Perry spoke of the deterioration of the family and asked sisters to make sure they had gospel-centered homes.

“You have more influence than anyone else on your children,” Elder Perry said.

Along with his plea, Elder Perry encouraged sisters to “make [their homes] look like gospel-centered homes.”

There were four items he said to have in a gospel centered home: the holy scriptures, generational pictures of family, the temple and a framed copy of “The Family: A Proclamation to the World.”