518 Ezra Taft BensonPresident of the Church, 19851994 President Ezra Taft Benson placed renewed emphasis on the Book of Mormon: "The Book of Mormon is the instrument that God designed to 'sweep the earth as with a flood, to gather out [His] elect' (Moses 7:62). This sacred volume of scripture needs to become more central in our preaching, our teaching, and our missionary work. ... Indeed, I have a vision of flooding the earth with the Book of Mormon" (in Conference Report, Oct. 1988, 35; or Ensign, Nov. 1988, 46). "Let us continually reread the Book of Mormon so that we might more fully come to Christ, be committed to Him, centered in Him, and consumed in Him" (in Conference Report, Oct. 1987, 104; or Ensign, Nov. 1987, 85). "There is a power in the book which will begin to flow into your lives the moment you begin a serious study of the book. You will find greater power to resist temptation. You will find the power to avoid deception. You will find the power to stay on the strait and narrow path. ... This is my prayer, that the Book of Mormon may become the keystone of our lives" (in Conference Report, Oct. 1986, 67; or Ensign, Nov. 1986, 7). He is remembered for his condemnation of pride: "Pride is the universal sin, the great vice. ... Pride is the great stumbling block to Zion" (in Conference Report, Apr. 1989, 67; or Ensign, May 1989, 67). Elder Mark E. Petersen wrote this tribute to President Benson: " 'What is best for the kingdom?' The answer to that question has been the deciding factor in every important matter that has come before [him] throughout his life" ("President Ezra Taft Benson," Ensign, Jan. 1986, 23). 1899 | Born 4 August in Whitney, Idaho, to George T. Benson and Sarah Dunkley Benson | 1907 | Age 8, baptized on his birthday in the Logan River Canal in Whitney, Idaho | 192123 | Ages 2124, serves a mission to Great Britain | 1926 | Age 27, marries Flora Smith Amussen on 10 September; she dies in 1992 | 1943 | Age 44, ordained an Apostle by Heber J. Grant on 7 October | 1946 | Age 46, begins service as president of the European Mission; distributes needed supplies to the Europeans after World War II | 195361 | Ages 5361, serves as United States secretary of agriculture under President Dwight D. Eisenhower | 196465 | Ages 6566, serves as president of the European Mission | 196871 | Ages 6872, supervises missionary work in Asia | 1986 | Age 86, sustained as President of the Church on 6 April (having been ordained on 10 November 1985), with Gordon B. Hinckley and Thomas S. Monson as counselors | 1986 | Age 87, dedicates the Denver Colorado Temple on 24 October | 1987 | Age 88, dedicates the Frankfurt Germany Temple on 28 August | 1994 | Age 94, dies on 30 May in Salt Lake City after eight and a half years as President of the Church |
SummaryEzra Taft Benson, 13th President of the Church, encouraged every member to read the Book of Mormon. He testified that the Book of Mormon will help us come unto Christ. He said, "There is a power in the book which will begin to flow into your lives the moment you begin a serious study of the book. ... This is my prayer, that the Book of Mormon may become the keystone of our lives." © 1997 by Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved. Printed in the USA |
