[MUSIC PLAYING]
"This is a tremendously significant and sacred
occasion for members of the Church throughout the world.
The First Presidency will please arise.
It is proposed that we sustain Ezra Taft Benson as prophet,
seer, and revelator and President of The Church of
Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints."
"My brothers and sisters, I want you to know that I know
that Christ is at the helm.
This is His world.
This is His Church.
His purposes will be accomplished.
I know that."
It's a long journey from Whitney, Idaho, to the cabinet
room of the White House, and then to become the Lord's
spokesman to the inhabitants of the earth.
But such a journey has been Ezra Taft Benson's.
In the pages of his journal and other personal accounts,
one catches a glimpse of the path he has traveled from farm
boy to prophet of God.
That path began here in the hills and valleys
of southeast Idaho.
"May 23, 1912.
Father and mother returned home from town today with the
mail, and both were in tears.
They brought us inside and told us Father had received a
mission call.
We will all need a shoulder to work at the farm.
Through her tears, Mother said we are so proud that father is
worthy to serve.
Separation will be hard for her."
In a matter of weeks, George Benson was 1,500 miles away.
At night Sarah would gather the seven children around the
coal oil lamp in the kitchen and read letters from their
missionary father.
Ezra recalled, "There came into our home a spirit of
missionary work that never left it." In 1921, Ezra
himself was called on a mission to Great Britain.
"September 13.
The prejudice in this area has been intense, but tonight we
addressed a large crowd at South Shields.
I spoke with a freedom I had never experienced.
Afterwards, I couldn't recall what I had said, but several
nonmembers surrounded me and said, tonight we received a
witness that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God, and we are
ready for baptism.
It was the first experience of that kind I've had where I
knew the Lord was with me."
In 1926, Ezra Taft Benson graduated with honors from
Brigham Young University with a degree in Animal Husbandry.
The studentbody voted him most popular man.
When a certain young lady named Flora Amussen returned
from a mission to the Hawaiian Islands, it seemed all was
aligned for two unique lives to become one.
"September 10, 1926.
The wedding ceremony was too beautiful for words.
Everything was so quiet and peaceful.
It all made us so thankful for the restored gospel and all
that it holds out to us.
Surely, we have never been happier."
Loading all their belongings in the back of an old Model T
Ford pickup, the couple drove to Ames, Iowa, where less than
a year later Ezra received a master's degree in
Agricultural Economics from Iowa State University.
Then it was back to the farm in Whitney where, Ezra
reflected, "We expected to spend the rest of our lives,
but it was not to be." Before long, the model farm he
operated attracted widespread attention, and he was offered
the position of County Agricultural Agent for the
University of Idaho.
Spending scarcely 30 days at his desk the first year as
county agent, he traversed the back roads of southeast Idaho
helping farmers solve their problems.
Word of his effectiveness spread and a promotion took
him to the State Capitol in Boise.
Here he also served as first counselor in the Boise Stake
presidency and then as stake president.
Eventually, national agricultural leaders became
aware of this bright and energetic farm
specialist from Idaho.
In 1939, the National Council of Farmer Cooperatives in
Washington, D.C. invited him to become their executive
secretary to the organization's
Chief Operating Officer.
After much prayer and consideration, the young
family moved to Washington.
"June 30, 1939.
Spent all day in meetings with the USDA and at the capitol
lobbying against a certain farm bill.
The job appears almost too large for me, but I expect to
give it the best I have."
In 1940, the Church's first stake in the east was
organized in Washington, D.C., and Ezra Taft Benson became
its president.
Then three years later, while visiting Salt Lake City, an
event occurred which would forever change his life.
"July 26, 1943.
Was told that President Heber J. Grant wanted
to meet with me.
He was convalescing from a stroke in his summer home in
Emigration Canyon.
I was shown into his room, where he was
resting on the bed.
I sat down next to him.
He took my hand in both of his and said, 'Brother Benson,
with all my heart I congratulate you and pray
God's blessings to attend you.
You have been chosen as the youngest member of the Council
of Twelve Apostles.'
"For several minutes I could only say, 'Oh, President
Grant, that can't be.' He held my hand for a long time as we
both shed tears.
When I was able to state that I loved the Church, he said,
'We know that, and the Lord wants men who will give
everything for His work.' "
It would not be long before he would be called upon to do
exactly that.
"January 29, 1946.
I am leaving today for London for the purpose of reopening
missionary work in the war-torn countries of Europe.
This is a challenging opportunity, for which I am
deeply grateful."
During the next 11 months he traveled over 61,000 often
hazardous miles in everything from unheated aircraft to
military jeeps.
He searched out and met with the starving Saints of Poland,
Czechoslovakia, Hungary, and the rest of occupied Europe.
"February 13.
Drove through once-beautiful Berlin.
The wreckage cannot possibly be understood unless seen.
Later I faced, in a half-wrecked auditorium, 480
cold, half-starved but faithful Latter-day Saints.
It was an inspiration to see the light of their faith."
Elder Benson oversaw the distribution of 92 boxcars of
food, clothing, and bedding to thousands of war-weary Saints.
He authorized the printing of 5,000 copies of the Book of
Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, and Pearl of Great
Price in German.
He organized branches, purchased properties, and
rejuvenated missionary work.
When he left 11 months later, the Saints throughout Europe
had a renewed spirit of hope, but challenging missions of
service were only beginning for this
dedicated disciple of Christ.
"You're about to see the Secretary of Agriculture, Ezra
Taft Benson, Face the Nation with questions from veteran
correspondents representing the nation's press."
In 1952 President Dwight D. Eisenhower asked Elder Benson
to serve as United States Secretary of Agriculture.
His acceptance at the urging of President David O. McKay
thrust Elder Benson into intensive government service
at its highest levels.
"At San Francisco airport, Secretary of Agriculture
Benson and son Reed are welcomed aboard the private
plane of Jacqueline Cochran Odlum.
The world-famed aviatrix will fly them to El Centro.
They next join the $50 a plate diners in the
National Guard Armory.
Here Secretary Benson speaks out against continuing rigid
wartime price supports, which he says have piled up
unmanageable surpluses and reduced farm income."
"And as your Secretary of Agriculture, I pledge to you
and to farmers everywhere that I will never knowingly support
any program or policy which I believe is not in the best
interests of our farmers and fair to all of our people,
regardless of political pressure."
Upon his return to Utah in 1961, he told the Saints in
general conference: "I have had a conviction through all
this period that I was where the Lord wanted me to be.
I hope and pray that I will always be where He wants me to
be." Even though there were several attempts to draft
Elder Benson for political office, he declined those
overtures and immersed himself totally in the work of the
ministry, keeping a schedule that exhausted those
trying to keep up.
He served as European Mission President with headquarters in
Frankfurt, following which he supervised the work of the
Church in the Orient.
He dedicated Italy, Indonesia, and Finland for the preaching
of the gospel and organized numerous stakes
throughout the world.
Wherever he traveled, he was welcomed by high-ranking
government officials who admired and respected him for
his work in the Eisenhower cabinet.
"Yes, we're going back to 1982, and Elder LeGrand
Richards was well up in his 90s.
And a couple of months before that
had had his leg amputated.
And he was deteriorating at the time."
"And we came into the office of Elder Richards on a Tuesday
afternoon, and there were members of the Boundary and
Leadership Change Committee.
And after the opening prayer, Elder Richards startled
everybody by announcing his resignation as the chairman of
that committee.
And, of course, the other members of the committee
protested, and they tried to dissuade him from that.
And then he said, 'When the old man gets to the point that
he can't any longer carry his responsibility, he ought to
turn it over to one of you younger men.' "
"Then the door opened, and there was atmospheric change
as President Benson walked in."
"He says, 'I'm not going to accept your resignation, but I
tell you what I am going to do.
I'm going to appoint Brother Marv Ashton as the vice
chairman of this committee, and you can delegate as much
responsibility as you want to him.
But LeGrand, as long as you live, you will be the chairman
of this committee.' Well, it's the only time in my experience
that I've ever seen LeGrand Richards speechless."
"Then the thing that happened next is what was heartwarming
for me."
"A tear formed in his eye, and he grabbed ahold--he was on a
prosthesis at this time--and he grabbed ahold of his big,
black leather armchair there, and he boosted himself up, and
then he worked himself away around the desk.
And then President Benson stood up when he saw he was
coming around, and the two grabbed each
other by the arms.
And then he looked up into President Benson's face and
said, 'President, I love you.' And President Benson
responded, 'LeGrand, I love you,' and then they embraced."
Over the years he would repeatedly emphasize the home
and family in his teachings.
Few subjects were closer to his heart.
His beloved Flora was one of his greatest sources of
strength and comfort.
He would often refer to their wedding day, September 10,
1926, as the day life began.
For over 30 years, she had worn daily a gold pendant her
husband had given her inscribed "To Flora, for
constant help, devotion, and inspiration."
As 1985 drew to a close, he would discover just how much
that inspiration from loved ones and
from on high was needed.
On the evening of November 5, 1985, President Benson
received word that Spencer W. Kimball, the man he had loved
and served with for 42 years was gone.
He and Flora dropped to their knees.
In his journal he recorded, "I have never felt weaker.
And never before have I felt the influence of the Spirit in
such great strength.
May the good Lord sustain me as I go forward humbly."
He chose Elders Gordon B. Hinckley and Thomas S. Monson
to serve as his first and second counselors
respectively.
From that day, the love and loyalty manifest by the First
Presidency has been a lesson in unity
for the entire Church.
"President Benson seemed to have been cradled by the Lord
and prepared for the role he now serves as President of The
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Men of letters, men and women of distinction, come to visit
him here at the Church Office Building, but he is never
happier than when children come to meet with him.
They like the glow in his eyes, and they
like his warm smile.
"And when he embraces these little ones, one thinks of the
passage from the Lord, 'Suffer the little children to come
unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of
heaven.' When one looks at Ezra Taft Benson, one can say,
here is a man for all seasons.
I say to the world, he is a prophet of God."
"The Lord never makes a mistake.
It is He who has chosen, nurtured, cultivated, and
directed this, His chosen servant.
He stands now at the summit of his life, a man whose entire
career from boyhood to old age has been consistent in his
attention to duty.
I extend my love to this great and choice servant who has
been called, appointed, and anointed of the Lord to stand
as a prophet to His people."
"I have a vision of homes alerted, of classes alive, and
of pulpits aflame with the Spirit of
Book of Mormon messages.
My beloved Saints, I do not know fully why God has
preserved my life to this age, but I do know this--that for
the present hour, He has revealed to me the absolute
need for us to move the Book of Mormon forward now in a
marvelous manner.
God willing, I intend to spend all my remaining days in that
glorious effort."