Our guest speaker was Elder L. Tom Perry of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Elder Perry began his talk by stating that his Mayflower ancestor is Degory Priest.
During the era when Columbus sailed the globe, Spain was a major world power, Elder Perry exclaimed. But at the roots of Spain’s power was her wealth. The English explorers, the Pilgrims, sailed for other purposes. “The Spanish came for gold, the English came for God,” he said. “The Pilgrims’ beliefs were centered in a trust of a divine being.”
Elder Perry lamented that we get too comfortable with the gifts of previous generations. Referencing Tom Brokaw’s book about Americans from the World War II era, he said, “I am willing to abdicate the title of the greatest generation to whomever is willing to take it on.” “We need to teach our children and grandchildren about sacrifice. We need to be taught to have the courage to preserve our blessings.”
We appreciate Elder Perry taking the time out of his very busy schedule to speak to the Utah Mayflower Society. Thank you, Elder Perry!