“Our Founding Fathers, with
solemn and reverent expression, voiced their allegiance to the sovereignty of
God, knowing that they were accountable to Him in the Day of Judgment. Are we less accountable today? I think not.
I urge you to keep the commandments and to pray for our nation and its
leaders.”
Ezra Taft Benson was named after his great grandfather. A man who was the first apostle called to serve after the prophet Joseph martyrdom. Called by Brigham Young he was in the first company headed to Salt Lake. After speaking in Sacrament, he headed back to tell others that a settlement has been reached.
Born in Whitney, Idaho Ezra came into this world by a miracle. After a hard and prolonged labor, the doctor could not get Ezra to breathe. He laid that baby on the bed and pronounced that he would not live. He worked hard to save the mother and left the baby. The grandmothers that were there quickly and fervently prayed while they rushed to the kitchen, grabbed a bucket of cold water and a bucket of warm water and returned to the bedroom. They dipped the baby in first cold and then warm alternatively until the baby started to cry. They both testified of the miracle of preserving this child. At 11 3/4 lbs. Ezra entered this world on August 4, 1899. His parents were Sarah [Sophia Dunkley] and George [Taft Benson Jr.]. Along side his father "T" as everyone called him, learned the value and to love hard work, reaping what you sow, and the law of the Harvest. He played baseball and basketball (alongside of Harold B Lee).
At age 12, his father was called on a mission to the Northern States. Every week they would gather around the kitchen table and listen to the letters his father sent them and a great love for missionary work began for the Benson family.
He attended a church sponsored school and says that he learned more than how to read and to write. He also learned of moral, physical, and intellectual courage. He relates a story here..
“One day in the middle of an important examination in high school, the point of my lead pencil broke. In those days, we used pocket knives to sharpen our pencils. I had forgotten my penknife, and turned to ask a neighbor for his. The teacher saw this; he accused me of cheating. When I tried to explain, he gave me a tongue-lashing for lying; worse, he forbade me to play on the basketball team in the upcoming big game.
“I could see that the more I protested the angrier he seemed to become. But, again and again, I stubbornly told what had happened. Even when the coach pleaded my cause, the teacher refused to budge. The disgrace was almost more than I could bear. Then, just minutes before the game, he had a change of heart, and I was permitted to play. But there was no joy in it. We lost the game; and though that hurt, by far the deeper pain was being branded a cheat and a liar.
“Looking back, I know that lesson was God-sent. Character is shaped in just such crucibles.“My parents believed me; they were understanding and encouraging. Supported by them, Uncle Serge’s lessons in courage, and a clear conscience, I began to realize that when you are at peace with your Maker you can, if not ignore human criticism, at least rise above it.
“And I learned something else—the importance of avoiding even the appearance of evil. Though I was innocent, circumstance made me look guilty. Since this could so easily be true in many of life’s situations, I made a resolution to keep even the appearance of my actions above question, as far as possible. And it struck me, too, that if this injustice happened to me, it could happen to others, and I must not judge their actions simply on appearances”
Scouting became a passion of him and he dedicated his much of his life to the program. He loved being a scout and during his life received the top honors of scouting, the Silver Beaver, the Silver Antelope, and the Silver Buffalo. He also received the world Scouting international award, the Bronze Wolf.
Before graduating from high school, Ezra met his future bride:
‘We were out near the dairy barns when a young woman—very attractive—drove by in her little car on her way to the dairy to get some milk,’ he remembered. ‘As the boys waved at her, she waved back. I said, “Who is that girl?” They said, “That’s Flora Amussen.” I told them, “You know, I've just had the impression I’m going to marry her”.’
“His friends laughed and told him, ‘She’s too popular for a farm boy.’ Young Ezra simply said, ‘That makes it all the more interesting.’
They had a wonderful courtship and before he left on his mission he told her that things would resume after he came home. Flora graduated from BYU with a high school degree and then went to Utah State of Agriculture in Logan (now Utah State University).
He served a mission to Great Britain in 1921. David O McKay was his mission president starting in 1922. Although the church was well received during the pioneer ages, much anti-Mormon literature, movies, and other propaganda made Britain tough to serve. They were under much prosecution and while good did happen it was a hard mission. Ezra kept his humor. In one of his one-lined entries of his journal he wrote, "Went tracting was kicked out twice is all." March 31, 1922 The Millennial Star did an article on how the "Mormons" were doing much more good than harmed. Meeting started to increase in numbers.
Ezra came home and Flora and Ezra's courtship began again. To Ezra's surprise, his bride to be was called on a mission to the Hawaiian Islands. He was excited for her to have this opportunity. Flora saw it as a way for Ezra to finish his schooling. The same year he graduated from Utah State of Agriculture Flora came home from her mission and the couple was married and then moved to Ames, Iowa, where he was able to study agriculture at Iowa State University and receive $70/month scholarship doing so. After receiving his master's the family moved back to Whitney, Idaho and Ezra helped other farmers reaped what they sowed from their crops. He was elected County Agricultural Extension Agent.
At 31, Ezra moved to Boise and worked at University of Idaho as a agricultural economist and marketing specialist. He founded the farmer's council. His church callings in Boise included MIA superintendent, counselor in the stake presidency, and eventually stake president.
At age 39, Ezra was offered a job in Washington DC where he would represent 2 million farmers and 4600 coop farms as executive secretary of a national organization. He was promised that he would never have to compromise his standards by taking this posistion. While in DC he was called as a stake president and balanced the life of executive secretary and stake president. While touring he learned the truth of feed a man a fish-feed him for a day, teach a man to fish-feed him for a lifetime. The quote of Jospeh Smith to teach men correct principles and then let them govern themselves never rang more true for Ezra.
On October 7 1943, along with Spencer W Kimball, Ezra T was called as an apostle of the Lord. This became his full-time occupation and spent the rest of his life serving the Lord.
In the aftermath of World War II, Elder Benson was called on a to preside of the Europe mission. His duty was to reopen missions and provide food, clothing, and bedding for Saints that were suffering. While serving in most of the time freezing weather he organized a singing quartet that would help lift the Saints. The Lord opened the way and obstacles were broken down. The Finland mission was opened while Elder Benson was there. His mission ended after 11 months.
In 1952, Ezra received a phone call that President Dwight D Eisenhower of the United States wanted to talk to him about becoming the United States Secretary of Agriculture. After recieving permission from President David O McKay and President Eisenhower's promise that he would never have to enodorse a policy he did not agree with-he was sworn in. From 1953-1961 (both terms of Eisenhower's presidency) Ezra served as Secretary Benson. Those years came with challenges but those who heard him and knew him believed him to be a honest man. He was over 78,000 employees and helped feed 160 million Americans while in his administration. Ezra knew that the solutions to many of the problems in America could be solved by impleteing the gospel. During his term, Cabinet meetings started with prayer and he introduced FHE to the Eisenhower's.
“Though the tide of public opinion often washed against him, time proved him a wise, competent Secretary, and one of the most popular who ever served.
The Benson's never felt any guilt for saying no to social events when their sons/daughters had something planned. Whether it was a play, concert, or a daddy-daughter date Elder Benson attended what mattered most: Family. Family was what really mattered most and it showed. Elaine McKay relates a story of sitting in general conference along with the Benson family. It was Elder Benson's turn to speak and along down the line the message of "pray for dad" was passed as he rose to the pulpit. He knew and taught that our homes needed to be founded on true principles and as we kept our homes Christ-centered the world, our country, and our lives would be benefited. He also taught that spirituality was the KEY to keeping our Freedom. December 30, 1973 he was sustained as President of the Quorum Apostles as President Spencer W. Kimball was sustained as President of the Church. He fully sustained President Kimball but felt overwhelmed and insufficient for his.
In 1974 President Benson witnessed the call to missionary work by President Kimball, When the World will be Converted" . After Kimball finished, Benson expressed with full emotion that there was a prophet on the earth just as in times of Israel and Moses.
November 10, 1985 President Ezra Taft Benson became the 12th President of the Church. His wife, although never anticipating this call to serve, said that the work of the Lord would continue. President Kimball's focus on threefold mission of the Church would continue.
- Preach the Gospel
- Perfect the Saints
- Redeem the Dead
President Benson traveled the globe, dedicated temples, witnessed the "Iron Curtain" fall (1985 Frieberg temple dedicated and 1988 missionaries were granted permission to enter German Democratic Republic and those Saints were granted access to become missionaries elsewhere), he had a great love for the Book of Mormon and spoke of it greatly. He urged all to read it daily and absorb its contents and then 'flood' the earth with its presence He counseled the youth to be clean, he counseled for single adult men to pursue a life of celestial marriage, he counseled single adult women to keep the goal of celestial marriage. He counseled fathers that their calling was to be taken seriously, mothers were reminded the nobility of their work, and warned against pride. He proclaimed that the Church of Jesus Christ was one of Christianity and bore testimony of Christ's divinity and our salvation only comes by Him.
August 30, 1989 President Benson received the US Presidential Citizens Award for his lifetime dedication and service to country, community, church and family.
“The text of the citation accompanying the medal reads:
“‘The President of the United States of America awards this Presidential Citizens Medal to Ezra Taft Benson. A lifetime of dedicated service to your country, community, church and family make Ezra Taft Benson one of the most distinguished Americans of his time. As agriculture adviser to Presidents Roosevelt and Eisenhower, leader of his Church, and 60-year friend of the Boy Scouts of America, he has worked tirelessly. His devotion to family and commitment to the principles of freedom are an example for all Americans’”
May 30, 1994, 94, President Benson died of heart failure.
