L. Tom Perry, An Uncommon Life

Two Volumes available 

Vol. 1: Years of Preparation, 1922-1976

Elder L. Tom Perry, a senior member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, is fond of describing himself as being "as common as dirt." Yet his life is uncommon by any standard. After spending most of his early years in his hometown of Logan, Utah, and additional years on a mission and in the military, young Tom Perry launched a twenty-year professional career that took him from his first job as an internal auditor in Boise, Idaho, to executive positions in retailing on the west and east coasts of the United States. Soon after his fiftieth birthday, he was surprised to be called as an Assistant to the Quorum of the Twelve. Not long afterward, President Spencer W. Kimball extended to Elder Perry the call to join the Quorum of the Twelve. Elder Perry has now served for forty years as a General Authority. For Elder Perry, the value of life's experiences is determined primarily by the lessons they teach. As the story of his life shows, his positive attitude has created positive lessons that we can learn from. He has lived a life of faithfulness to God, family, and country, and he continues to be blessed with faith-promoting experiences. This first volume of Elder L. Tom Perry's biography extends from his birth on August 5, 1922, through his marriage to Virginia Clare Lee, the births of their children, and his career in the world of retailing to the time of his call to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and the passing of his beloved Virginia. Uplifting and inspirational, this story of a remarkable man of faith encourages us to live better lives by drawing closer to God, selflessly serving others, and leading our families along the path of righteousness.

Vol. 2: Years of Hastening the Work of Salvation

Elder L. Tom Perry, a senior member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, was fond of describing himself as being "as common as dirt." L. Tom Perry's apostleship could be characterized by one word: enthusiasm! It was evident in everything he did—especially in his zeal for hastening the work of salvation in numerous ways. This concluding volume of Elder Perry's biography shares his uncommon experiences after his call in April 1974 to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the passing of his beloved wife, Virginia, only a few months later in December 1974. The part of Elder Perry's life story we learn about here begins with President Spencer W. Kimball's counsel to remarry and then his whirlwind courtship of Barbara Taylor Dayton, which culminated in their marriage in April 1976. Through the remaining nearly forty years of his apostolic ministry, Elder and Sister Perry traveled the globe together, speaking to audiences large and small wherever they were called to go. These decades were a time of growth for the Perry family and were also one of the most challenging periods of grown in the Church. Lee Tom Perry, only son of Elder Perry and his biographer, shows us how Elder Perry, for twenty-one years the second most senior member of the Twelve, influenced for good the lives of countless people in the Church and in the broader community worldwide. Elder Perry's contagious zest for living and his cheerful outlook, no matter the difficulties he had to face, were the hallmarks of his faith-filled life. This intimate story of his life and ministry inspires us to live our own lives more fully and with optimistic enthusiasm.