Ezra Taft Benson Biography Quotes 4 Report mistakes

Early Life and Education
Ezra Taft Benson was born in 1899 in the farming community of Whitney, Idaho, where work in the fields and orchards shaped his character from a young age. Raised in a Latter-day Saint household, he learned discipline, thrift, and a devotion to faith and family that remained constant throughout his life. As a young adult he served a mission in the British Isles, an experience that honed his leadership, public speaking, and organizational skills and deepened his conviction in the religious principles that would guide his later public service.

After returning to the United States, he pursued studies in agriculture, attending Utah State Agricultural College and undertaking graduate work at Iowa State College. He became closely identified with rural life and the scientific improvement of farm practices. Early professional assignments included work as an agricultural extension agent and leadership in cooperative organizations. Those roles brought him into contact with farmers across the Intermountain West and introduced him to national discussions about farm economics. His marriage to Flora Amussen Benson was central to his stability and purpose; she was a steady partner throughout an unusually public life, and together they raised a family while navigating church callings and national responsibilities.

LDS Church Leadership Before National Office
In 1943, during the rigors of World War II, Ezra Taft Benson was called as a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He was ordained alongside Spencer W. Kimball, marking the beginning of a decades-long association between the two leaders. He served under the direction of presidents Heber J. Grant, George Albert Smith, and later David O. McKay, who relied on his administrative talent and tireless work ethic. Immediately after the war, he was sent to Europe to assess needs and coordinate relief among Latter-day Saint congregations devastated by conflict. Operating out of church offices on the continent and in Great Britain, he oversaw shipments of food, clothing, and supplies and worked closely with local leaders to rebuild ecclesiastical structures and community life. That assignment left a lasting impression on him, reinforcing his belief that faith communities could mobilize to meet temporal as well as spiritual needs.

United States Secretary of Agriculture
In 1953 President Dwight D. Eisenhower asked Ezra Taft Benson to serve as United States Secretary of Agriculture. Accepting with the approval of the church's First Presidency, he undertook a rare dual role: a senior ecclesiastical leader who also held a cabinet post. In Washington he worked with President Eisenhower and congressional leaders to modernize federal farm policy. He advocated flexible price supports rather than rigid guarantees, encouraged efficiency and conservation, and supported programs that aimed to ease the transition for struggling farmers during a period of mechanization and consolidation. The Soil Bank program, conservation incentives, and promotion of farmer cooperatives reflected his belief in both stewardship of the land and market-oriented solutions.

His tenure was consequential and often controversial. While agribusiness leaders and some economists endorsed his direction, many small farmers and farm-state politicians criticized the reductions in price supports and the perceived acceleration of rural dislocation. He defended his approach as necessary to strengthen agriculture in the long term, and he worked closely with colleagues across the administration, including Vice President Richard Nixon, to explain and implement the agenda. Throughout, he maintained active ties to his church responsibilities, returning frequently to meet with leaders such as David O. McKay and J. Reuben Clark and to participate in ecclesiastical councils.

Return to Ecclesiastical Duties and Public Advocacy
Leaving office in 1961, Ezra Taft Benson resumed full-time service as an apostle. He spoke widely about moral agency, constitutional principles, and the defense of religious liberty. In the context of the Cold War, he became known for forceful anti-communist addresses, sometimes praising private organizations and writers who, like Robert Welch, warned of totalitarian threats. His rhetoric drew public attention and occasional criticism, both within and outside the faith. Senior church leaders worked to balance his public profile with the institution's pastoral and missionary priorities, and he responded by emphasizing that spiritual foundations were the surest safeguard to freedom.

Within the church he served on governing councils that oversaw missionary work, education, and welfare. He encouraged self-reliance, family devotion, and the study of scripture as daily disciplines. His messages frequently returned to the dignity of work, the sanctity of marriage, and the need for personal integrity in public life. Colleagues in the Twelve, including Harold B. Lee, Gordon B. Hinckley, Thomas S. Monson, and others, collaborated with him on initiatives that reflected the globalizing membership of the church.

President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
In 1985 Ezra Taft Benson became president of the church, succeeding Spencer W. Kimball. He called Gordon B. Hinckley and Thomas S. Monson as counselors, and together they guided the expanding worldwide community of Latter-day Saints. As church president he placed singular emphasis on the Book of Mormon as a spiritual foundation and invited members to read, ponder, and share its teachings. His general conference addresses, notably the sermon known as "Beware of Pride", urged humility, repentance, and a turning of hearts toward God and family.

Advancing in age, he faced health challenges that limited his public appearances, and his counselors assumed a larger share of day-to-day administration and public representation. Nevertheless, his priorities were clear: strengthen families, fortify personal faith, and spread the church's message globally. Temple work, missionary outreach, and curriculum efforts continued to accelerate. He met with government and interfaith leaders who visited Salt Lake City, and he remained attentive to the needs of members in diverse nations. Upon his passing in 1994, he was succeeded by Howard W. Hunter, continuing the established line of leadership.

Personal Life and Character
Those who worked closely with Ezra Taft Benson described him as disciplined, punctual, and direct, with a farmer's practicality and a pastor's warmth. His partnership with Flora Amussen Benson was widely admired; she managed the demands of public scrutiny with grace and kept their home centered on faith and affection. He drew strength from the heritage of his namesake, an early Latter-day Saint leader, yet he forged his own path at the intersection of church and state. Whether in a European warehouse sorting relief shipments, in a cabinet meeting debating farm policy, or in a pulpit urging scripture study, he conveyed conviction that personal righteousness and civic responsibility were inseparable.

Final Years and Legacy
Ezra Taft Benson died in 1994 in Salt Lake City, closing a life that had spanned two world wars, the Great Depression, the Cold War, and the dawning of a global religious era. His legacy is distinctive for its breadth. Farmers remember a secretary who confronted structural change with an eye to long-term vitality, even at political cost. Latter-day Saints remember an apostle and church president who called them to deeper discipleship through the Book of Mormon and to moral clarity in an age of rapid change. Policymakers recall his collaboration with President Dwight D. Eisenhower and his influence on debates about the role of government in markets. Church members and colleagues, including Spencer W. Kimball, Gordon B. Hinckley, Thomas S. Monson, and Howard W. Hunter, interacted with him across decades of shared leadership, while Flora Benson and their children formed the constant circle of support around him. His life bridged soil and scripture, institution and home, leaving a record of service that shaped both American public life and the spiritual journey of millions.

Our collection contains 4 quotes who is written by Ezra, under the main topics: Faith - Honesty & Integrity - Learning from Mistakes.