By Elder L. Tom Perry

Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

From an address delivered on January 15, 2010, at Utah Valley University.


L. Tom Perry God bless you with the will and desire to be an example to the world and to live the balanced, righteous life He expects His children to live during their mortal probation.

At the beginning of the memorable musical Fiddler on the Roof, Tevye, the protagonist, introduces his story by saying:

"In our little village of Anatevka, you might say every one of us is a fiddler on the roof, trying to scratch out a pleasant, simple tune without breaking his neck. It isn't easy. You may ask, why do we stay up here if it's so dangerous? We stay because Anatevka is our home. And how do we keep our balance? That I can tell you in one word—tradition!

"Because of our traditions, we've kept our balance for many, many years. … Because of our traditions, everyone knows who he is and what God expects him to do."1

I and other older members of the Church have been privileged to live in a special time in Church history. The pioneer era has given us great traditions. Because the very survival of the pioneers depended upon it, they developed a great spirit of togetherness. I am a third-generation descendant of a noble Mormon pioneer family, but I have been able to enjoy the blessings of a modern home, automobile transportation, and a college education. My life was not so far removed from the life of the pioneer, however, and pioneer traditions continued to be practiced in our family, ward, and community.

In my boyhood home it was evident that Father and Mother loved each other and loved each of their children. They were unselfish in devoting the best part of their lives to the family. As a family we always had three meals a day together. The traditional-type home that I knew is less and less common today. We sometimes long for the "good old days."

Our social activities centered on the ward or our local grade school. The ward turned out to watch our participation in athletic events. Ward dances involved the entire family. Celebrations such as Christmas, Independence Day, Pioneer Day, and the county fair were community events that the entire family attended.

We also had family traditions. The experiences gained from these family traditions taught us basic principles. One fun tradition we practiced in our family had a lasting impression on us. When the children in the family reached the age of one, they were placed at one end of a room and the family at the other end. Where the family was gathered, four objects were placed on the floor: a baby's milk bottle, a toy, a small savings bank, and the scriptures. The child was then encouraged to crawl to the objects and select one of them.

I selected the bank and turned out to be a financial executive. My brother Ted selected the scriptures, was a great lover of books all his life, and became a lawyer. My brother Bob was the well-rounded member of the family. He crawled up and sat on the scriptures, picked up the bank and placed it right at his feet, and put the bottle in his mouth with one hand and held the toy in the other hand. He became an accountant. He lived a well-balanced life.

Using these four items as examples, I would like to discuss living a balanced life.