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Ezra Taft Benson

Portrait of Ezra Taft Benson
Portrait: Wikimedia Commons, public domain

AUTHOR PROFILE

Ezra Taft Benson

Ezra Taft Benson served as the thirteenth President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1985 to 1994. Before that call, he combined decades of apostolic ministry with work in agriculture, including service as United States secretary of agriculture. He is particularly remembered for urging Church members to study the Book of Mormon.

FEATURED QUOTE
“Men and women who turn their lives over to God will find out that he can make a lot more out of their lives than they can. He will deepen their joys, expand their vision, quicken their minds, strengthen their muscles, lift their spirits, multiply their blessings, increase their opportunities, comfort their souls, raise up friends, and pour out peace.”
— Ezra Taft Benson

Biography at a glance

  • Born: August 4, 1899, in Whitney, Idaho
  • Family: Married Flora Amussen in 1926
  • Church service: Apostle from 1943; President of the Church from 1985 to 1994
  • Public service: United States secretary of agriculture during the Eisenhower administration

Roots in farm life

Benson grew up on an Idaho farm, studied agriculture, and worked to help farming communities during the Depression. His training led to national service in agricultural cooperatives. The Church’s historical biography follows that work alongside his family life and Church assignments.

Public office and apostolic service

Called to the Twelve in 1943, Benson continued to speak as an apostle while serving as secretary of agriculture from 1953 to 1961. His government role placed him in political disputes that did not always map neatly onto his religious teaching. Readers of his quotes benefit from keeping the date and setting of each address in view. In 1985 he became Church president and repeatedly invited members to make the Book of Mormon part of daily study.

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Sources and further reading

Quotes by Ezra Taft Benson

69 quotes

“Yours is a great responsibility in this day when the need for courageous leadership is so urgent. You can become those leaders. … Our [people] need to develop qualities of leadership. They need to learn the value of staying power—stick-to-it-iveness. They need to learn devotion to duty—the devotion to duty that keeps a good doctor on the job right around the clock in an emergency; the devotion to duty that leads a scientist or a teacher to persevere in a low-paying position in public service because that is where his maximum contribution can be made.” –

— Ezra Taft Benson

“The question is sometimes asked by younger priesthood holders, ‘Where do I place my greatest priorities—to the Church, to my family, or to my profession?’ I have answered that question by emphasizing that heads of families have four major responsibilities. Certainly the first is to the home and family. There should be no question about this. A man may succeed in business or his Church calling, but if he fails in his home he will face eternity in disappointment. … Home is the place where the Lord intended a father’s greatest influence to be felt.”

Teachings of Ezra Taft Benson, 509–10

— Ezra Taft Benson

“. . . we must be careful, as we seek to become more and more godlike, that we do not become discouraged and lose hope. Becoming Christlike is a lifetime pursuit and very often involves growth and change that is slow, almost imperceptible. The scriptures record remarkable accounts of men whose lives changed dramatically, in an instant. . . . But we must be cautious as we discuss these remarkable examples. Though they are real and powerful, they are the exception more than the rule. For every Paul, for every Enos, and for every King Lamoni, there are hundreds and thousands of people who find the process of repentance much more subtle, much more imperceptible. Day by day they move closer to the Lord, little realizing they are building a godlike life. They live quiet lives of goodness, service, and commitment. They are like the Lamanites, who the Lord said “were baptized with fire and with the Holy Ghost, and they knew it not.”

“A Mighty Change of Heart,” Ensign, October 1989, p. 2

— Ezra Taft Benson

The greatest events of history are those that affect the greatest number of people for the longest periods. By this standard, no event could be more important to individuals or nations than the resurrection of the Master. The literal resurrection of every soul who has lived and died on earth is a certainty, and surely one should make careful preparation for this event. A glorious resurrection should be the goal of every man and woman, for resurrection will be a reality. . . .As one of His latter-day witnesses, I testify that He lives today. He is a resurrected Being. He is our Savior, our Lord, the very Son of God. I testify that He will come again as our glorified, resurrected Lord. That day is not far distant. To all who accept Him as Savior and Lord, His literal resurrection means that life does not end at death, for He promised: “Because I live, ye shall live also.”

“The Meaning of Easter,” Ensign, April 1992, pp. 2-4

— Ezra Taft Benson

“I would not have anyone believe that there is no hope if there are some who have made such a grievous mistake, because repentance and forgiveness are also a part of the gospel. Thank God for that! But it must be real repentance. Such repentance is a deep, heartfelt sorrow for sin that produces a reformation of life. It is not just a confession of guilt. Sometimes we regard all too lightly the principle of repentance, thinking that it only means confession, that it only means feeling sorry for ourselves. But it is more than that. It is a deep, burning, and heartfelt sorrow for sin that will drive us to our knees in humility and tears—a deep, heartfelt sorrow for sin that produces a reformation of life. That is the right test: a reformation of life. Only then may the God of heaven in his mercy and his goodness see fit to forgive us. He—not the priesthood on the earth—is the judge. Priesthood holders can only carry out certain requirements. They can require certain things set forth in the revelations, but forgiveness comes from above.”

God, Family, Country: Our Three Great Loyalties, Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1974, p. 196

— Ezra Taft Benson

“Stewardship in the Church is a very important matter. The Lord has mentioned it in the revelations. (See D&C 59; 104.) We are stewards over these earthly blessings which the Lord has provided, those of us who have this soil and this water. We have no moral latitude, it seems to me. In fact, we are morally obligated to turn this land over to those who succeed us — not drained of its fertility but improved in quality, in productivity, and in usefulness for future generations.”

The Teachings of Ezra Taft Benson, 645.

— Ezra Taft Benson

“A certain kind of devil goes not out except by fasting and prayer, the scriptures tell us. (See Matt. 17:14-21.) Periodic fasting can help clear up the mind and strengthen the body and the spirit. The usual fast, the one we are asked to participate in for fast Sunday, is to abstain from food and drink for two consecutive meals. Some people, feeling the need, have gone on longer fasts of abstaining from food but have taken the needed liquids. Wisdom should be used, and this fast should be broken with light eating. To make a fast most fruitful, it should be coupled with prayer and meditation; physical work should be held to a minimum, and one should ponder on the scriptures and the reason for the fast.”

“Do Not Despair,” Ensign, October 1986, p. 4

— Ezra Taft Benson

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