A good friend of mine was quite the ladies’ man in High School. During General Conference, he took a particularly, ahem, frisky, girl with him down to the Tabernacle to attend a Saturday session. After the session they went back to his truck, which was parked along first avenue just a block east of the Church Office Building. They took advantage of the warm spring day and indulged their youthful passions in an enthusiastic makeout session.

They were horizontal in the truck when they heard footsteps approaching through their rolled-down window. My friend didn’t think too much of it at first, so focused was he on the attractive young woman in the car. But the footsteps got nearer and nearer, until they finally stopped right beside the truck. My friend looked up and saw L. Tom Perry looking down at the two of them.

It was obvious where they had just come from, given their (now somewhat loosened) dress clothes, and the scriptures sitting on their dashboard. Elder Perry, in that inimitable voice of his, said to them with a big grin: “Nice day, isn’t it?”

They quickly sat up and adjusted their clothing. My friend stammered out, “Yyyyeesss, it IS a nice day.”

To which Elder Perry replied heartily, “Why then, let’s keep it that way!”

I think that story is hilarious, so vivid, and so embarrassing for my friend. But oddly enough, it has also helped me in my weaker moments when I am tempted to do something I know to be wrong. At moments like that, I’ll sometimes say to myself in a booming, gravelly voice, “It’s a nice day, isn’t it? Why then, I ought to keep it that way!” and then that temptation doesn’t seem so appealing compared to the beauties of a sunset, or cherry blossoms, or the cool breeze blowing across the greening grass.

This story I offer to you, dear readers, as I write from Utah on a beautiful spring day. For a laugh, but also in the hope that it may be helpful to you in those moments when you may be tempted to ruin an otherwise beautiful day.