Elder L. Tom Perry on living in the light and joy of the gospel

Elder L. Tom Perry (1922-2015) was called as an Assistant to the Twelve in 1972, then as a member of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles in 1974. At the time of his passing at age 92, he was the oldest living general authority and the third in seniority among the leading quorum.

"The scriptures have always seemed to equate righteous living with a special light, spirit, joy, and happiness in the lives of those who so live....

"When one follows the course marked by the road signs of the gospel of Jesus Christ and places his trust in the Lord, its influence is such that it is manifest not only in action and deed but by a marked and visible change in his very being. There is a special light and a spirit which radiates from his eternal soul. It can be described in words like brightness, light, joy, happiness, peace, purity, contentment, spirit, enthusiasm, etc....

"How the world needs the example of those who will let the light of the gospel of Jesus Christ radiate from their eternal souls! How we need to show that righteous living yields an eternal joy!

"To you who have embraced the gospel of our Lord and Savior, stand as a beacon upon a hill to light the way for those who seek a happier, more fulfilling life. To you who have not discovered this greatest of all gifts, come join with us and let us assist you in building a better life. By conforming our lives to the teachings of our Savior, we can bring greater joy to a troubled world."

- L. Tom Perry, "Trust in the Lord," Ensign, May 1978, pp. 51-52
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There is a light that comes with righteous living. It brings happiness and peace; those things show in the countenance of one who possesses them. For one so endowed, there "a marked and visible change in his very being." Elder Perry teaches about the benefit to the world of this light:

The Savior instructed his followers to "Let your light so shine" and to "stand as a beacon upon a hill" to help light the way for others. As Elder Holland counseled, we should "Live the gospel as conspicuously as you can" ("A Prayer for the Children," General Conference, April 2003),