Ezra Taft Quotes & Sayings

The responsibility of a man is to lead his family. — Ezra Taft Benson

The fact that a book or publication is popular does not necessarily make it of value. — Ezra Taft Benson

Rights are either God-given as part of the divine plan, or they are granted by government as part of the political plan. If we accept the premise that human rights are granted by government, then we must be willing to accept the corollary that they can be denied by government. — Ezra Taft Benson

Freedom can be killed by neglect as well as by direct attack. — Ezra Taft Benson

If you turn your life over to the Lord he can do so much more with it than we can. — 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. — Ezra Taft Benson

There could not be a restoration of the gospel without freedom. God provided this country as the base of his operations in these the last days, a place where there would be freedom, where he could restore his gospel. — Ezra Taft Benson

Young people, you need the wisdom of age, just as some of us older ones need your enthusiasm for life. — Ezra Taft Benson

The secret of a happy marriage is to serve God and each other. — Ezra Taft Benson

Are you honest with the Lord in the payment of your tithes? Living this divine law will bring both spiritual and material blessings. — Ezra Taft Benson

If you really want to receive joy and happiness, then serve others with all your heart. Lift their burden, and your own burden will be lighter. — Ezra Taft Benson

Time is on the side of truth. — Ezra Taft Benson

The temple will be an ever-present reminder that God intended the family to be eternal. — Ezra Taft Benson

From the standpoint of food production, storage, handling, and the Lord's counsel, wheat should have high priority. Water, of course, is essential. Other basics could include honey or sugar, legumes, milk products or substitutes, and salt or its equivalent. The revelation to store food may be as essential to our temporal salvation today as boarding the ark was to the people in the days of Noah. — Ezra Taft Benson

If someone wants to marry you outside the temple, whom will you strive to please - God or a mortal? If you insist on a temple marriage, you will be pleasing the Lord and blessing the other party. — Ezra Taft Benson

Have sufficient food, clothing, and fuel on hand to last at least one year. — Ezra Taft Benson

When individual members and families immerse themselves in the scriptures regularly and consistently, ... other areas of activity will automatically come. Testimonies will increase. Commitment will be strengthened. Families will be fortified. Personal revelation will flow — Ezra Taft Benson

Today the devil as a wolf in supposedly a new suit of sheep's clothing is enticing some men to parrot his line by advocating planned government guaranteed security at the expense of our liberties. — Ezra Taft Benson

The Book of Mormon, the record of Joseph, verifies and clarifies the Bible. It removes stumbling blocks; it restores many plain and precious things. — Ezra Taft Benson

Not only must we move forward in a monumental manner more copies of the Book of Mormon, but we must move boldly forward into our own lives and throughout the earth more of its marvelous messages. — Ezra Taft Benson

Freedom is an eternal principle. Heaven disapproves of force, coercion and intimidation. Only a free people can be truly a happy people. — Ezra Taft Benson

The United States of America has been great because it has been free. — Ezra Taft Benson

Nations cannot endure in sin. — Ezra Taft Benson

Do not be caught up in materialism, one of the real plagues of our generation-that is, acquiring things, fast-paced living, and securing career success. — Ezra Taft Benson

The privilege of holding the priesthood, which is the power and authority to act in God's name, is a great blessing and privilege and one that carries with it equally great obligations and responsibilities. — Ezra Taft Benson

Do not make your mind a dumping ground for other people's garbage. — Ezra Taft Benson

Marriage ... is the most glorious and most exalting principle of the gospel of Jesus Christ. No ordinance is of more importance and none more sacred and more necessary to the eternal joy of man. Faithfulness to the marriage covenant brings the fullest joy here and glorious rewards hereafter. — Ezra Taft Benson

The proud do not change to improve, but defend their position by rationalizing. Repentance means change, and it takes a humble person to change. — Ezra Taft Benson

To a significant degree, we are an overfed and undernourished nation digging an early grave with our teeth, and lacking the energy that could be ours because we overindulge in junk foods. — Ezra Taft Benson

Virtue is akin to holiness, an attribute of godliness. — Ezra Taft Benson

A good name is still to be preferred over great riches. Especially it is to be preferred to the appearance of riches, aquired with nothing down and nothing to pay for 2 months. — Ezra Taft Benson

The Book of Mormon exposes the enemies of Christ. It confounds false doctrines and lays down contention. — Ezra Taft Benson

God will have a humble people. Either we can choose to be humble, or we can be compelled to be humble. — Ezra Taft Benson

I wish that every Latter-day Saint could say and mean it with all his heart: 'I'll go where you want me to go. I'll say what you want me to say. I'll be what you want me to be'. If we could do that, we would be assured of the maximum happiness here and exaltation in the celestial kingdom of God hereafter. — Ezra Taft Benson

Would we not do well to have the pleasing of God as our motive rather than to try to elevate ourselves above our brother and outdo another? — Ezra Taft Benson

There will always be those little minds who, out of vanity or intellectual display, will attempt to destroy faith in the very foundations of life. — Ezra Taft Benson

Pride is concerned with who is right. Humility is concerned with what is right. — Ezra Taft Benson

Becoming Christlike is a lifetime pursuit and very often involves growth and change that is slow, almost imperceptible. — Ezra Taft Benson

Go on daddy-daughter dates and father-and-sons' outings with your children. As a family, go on campouts and picnics, to ball games and recitals, to school programs, and so forth. Having Dad there makes all the difference. — Ezra Taft Benson

To the proud, the applause of the world rings in their ears; to the humble, the applause of heaven warms their hearts. — Ezra Taft Benson

In the scriptures there is no such thing as righteous pride - it is always considered a sin. Therefore, no matter how the world uses the term, we must understand how God uses the term so we can understand the language of holy writ and profit thereby. — Ezra Taft Benson

Above all else, children need to know and feel they are loved, wanted, and appreciated. They need to be assured of that often. Obviously, this is a role parents should fill, and most often the mother can do it best. — Ezra Taft Benson

God our Father, Jesus, our Elder Brother and our Redeemer, and the Holy Ghost, the Testator, are perfect. They know us best and love us most and will not leave one thing undone for our eternal welfare. Should we not love them for it and honor them first? — Ezra Taft Benson

Retirement from work has depressed many a man and hastened his death. — Ezra Taft Benson

While you are going through your trial, you can recall your past victories and count the blessings that you do have with a sure hope of greater ones to allow if you are faithful. — Ezra Taft Benson

One of the cardinal sins in our country is profanity
the taking of the name of the Lord in vain. Reverence for the name of Deity is enjoined in holy writ. Jesus made this clear when teaching His disciples to pray. He said, addressing the Father, "Hallowed be thy name: (see Matthew 6:9). Blaspheming the name of God separates man from his Creator." — Ezra Taft Benson

Selfishness is one of the more common faces of pride. 'How everything affects me' is the center of all that matters - self-conceit, self-pity, worldly self-fulfillment, self-gratification, and self-seeking. — Ezra Taft Benson

Some leaders may be honest and good but unwise in legislation they choose to support. Others may possess wisdom but be dishonest and unvirtuous. We must be concerted in our desires and efforts to see men and women represent us who possess all three of these qualities. — Ezra Taft Benson

An honorable man or woman is one who is truthful; free from deceit; above cheating, lying, stealing, or any form of deception. An honorable man or woman is one who learns early that one cannot do wrong and feel right. A man's character is judged on how he keeps his word and his agreements. — Ezra Taft Benson

Yes, one can repent of moral transgression. The miracle of forgiveness is real, and true repentance is accepted of the Lord. — Ezra Taft Benson

For over forty years, in a spirit of love, members of the Church have been counseled to be thrifty and self-reliant; to avoid debt; pay tithes and a generous fast offering; be industrious; and have sufficient food, clothing, and fuel on hand to last at least one year. Today there are compelling reasons to reemphasize this counsel. — Ezra Taft Benson

Those who are heavy-laden with despair should come unto the Lord. — Ezra Taft Benson

If we are to achieve long-range goals, we must learn to set up and accomplish short-range goals that will move us along the way. If we do not consciously select our goals, we may be controlled by goals not of our own choosing - goals imposed by outside pressures (such as the expectations of others) or by our habits (such as procrastination) or by our desire for the approval of the world. — Ezra Taft Benson

God does hear and answer prayers. I have never doubted that fact. From childhood, at my mother's knee where I first learned to pray; as a young man in my teens; as a missionary in foreign lands; as a father; as a Church leader; as a government official, I know without question that it is possible for men and women to reach out in humility and prayer and tap that Unseen Power; to have prayers answered. Man does not stand along, or, at least, he need not stand alone. Prayer will open doors; prayer will remove barriers; prayer will ease pressures; prayer will give inner peace and comfort during times of strain and stress and difficult. Thank God for prayer — Ezra Taft Benson

Have you ever asked yourself why one person is honorable and another dishonorable; why one is honest, another dishonest; why one is moral, another immoral? Most individuals do not intend to be dishonest, dishonorable, or immoral. They seem to allow their characters to erode by a series of rationalizations, lies, and compromises. Then when grave temptation presents itself, they haven't the strength of character to do what they know to be right. — Ezra Taft Benson

You will live in the midst of economic, political, and spiritual instability. When you see these signs
unmistakable evidences that his coming is nigh
be not troubled, but, "stand ... in holy places, and be not moved, until the day of the Lord come" (D&C 87:8). Holy men and holy women stand in holy places, and these holy places include our temples, our chapels, our homes, and the stakes of Zion ...
"This preparation must consist of more than just casual membership in the Church. You must learn to be guided by personal revelation and the counsel of the living prophet so you will not be deceived. — Ezra Taft Benson

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. — Ezra Taft Benson

One of the standards on which your happiness is based, now and in your future, is moral purity. — Ezra Taft Benson

The Book of Mormon Is the Word of God. — Ezra Taft Benson

Scouting teaches a boy to take care of himself and stand on his own two feet. — Ezra Taft Benson

There must be a renewal of the spirit of our forefathers, an
appreciation of the American way of life, a strengthening of muscle and sinew and the character of the nation. America needs guts as well as guns.
National character is the core of national defense. — Ezra Taft Benson

We must not lose hope. Hope is an anchor to the souls of men. Satan would have us cast away that anchor. — Ezra Taft Benson

We will not know Him, until we become like him. — Ezra Taft Benson

It is my firm belief that the God of Heaven raised up the founding fathers and inspired them to establish the Constitution of this land. This is part of my religious faith. To me this is not just another nation. It is a great and glorious nation with a divine mission to perform for liberty-loving people everywhere. — Ezra Taft Benson

Truly a man does not live by bread alone. A good name is still to be preferred over great riches. Especially is it to be preferred to the appearance of riches, acquired with nothing down and nothing to pay for two months. — Ezra Taft Benson

Our desires, be they spiritual or temporal, should be rooted in a love of the Lord. — Ezra Taft Benson

Yes, as we travel through this topsy-turvy, sinful world, filled with temptations and problems, we are humbled by the expectancy of death, the uncertainty of life, and the power and love of God. Sadness comes to all of us in the loss of loved ones.
But there is gratitude also. Gratitude for the assurance we have that life is eternal. Gratitude for the great gospel plan, given freely to all of us. Gratitude for the life, teachings, and sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ, whose resurrection we will commemorate in the immediate days ahead — Ezra Taft Benson

A missionary should never permit himself to see a movie or (read) cheap literature, or hear music that tends to interfere with or which dampens the spirit of missionary work. There is ample evidence that rock music is offensive to the Spirit and affects adversely the spirituality of the missionaries and thus the success of the proselyting work. — Ezra Taft Benson

Efficient spending and saving will give the family more security, more opportunities, more education, and a higher standard of living. — Ezra Taft Benson

Youth leaders, are you holding aloft our standards, or have you compromised them for the lowest common denominator in order to appease the deceived or vile within the Church? Are the dances and music in your cultural halls virtuous, lovely, praiseworthy, and of good report (Articles of Faith 13), or do they represent a modern Sodom with short skirts, loud beat, strobe lights, and darkness? — Ezra Taft Benson

If there is one word that describes the meaning of character, it is the word honor. Without honor, civilization would not long exist. Without honor, there could be no dependable contracts, no lasting marriages, no trust or happiness. What does the word honor mean to you? To me, honor is summarized in this expression by the poet Tennyson, "Man's word [of honor] is God in man." — Ezra Taft Benson

I have a vision of homes alerted, of classes alive, and of pulpits aflame with the spirit of Book of Mormon messages. — Ezra Taft Benson

The great task of life is to learn the will of the Lord and then do it. — Ezra Taft Benson

Attractive labels are usually attached to the most dangerous programs, often in the name of public welfare and personal security. — Ezra Taft Benson

The Declaration of Independence ... is much more than a political document. It constitutes a spiritual manifesto - revelation, if you will - declaring not for this nation only, but for all nations, the source of man's rights. Nephi, a Book of Mormon prophet, foresaw over 2,300 years ago that this event would transpire. The colonies he saw would break with Great Britain and that 'the power of the Lord was with [the colonists],' that they 'were delivered by the power of God out of the hands of all other nations' (1 Nephi 13:16, 19). The Declaration of Independence was to set forth the moral justification of a rebellion against a long-recognized political tradition - the divine right of kings. At issue was the fundamental question of whether men's rights were God-given or whether these rights were to be dispensed by governments to their subjects. This document proclaimed that all men have certain inalienable rights. In other words, these rights came from God. — Ezra Taft Benson

Young people especially sometimes feel that the standards of the Lord are like fences and chains, blocking them from those activities that seem most enjoyable in life. — Ezra Taft Benson

There are certain basic principles regarding the proper role of government. If principles are correct, then they can be applied to any specific proposal with confidence ... The true statesman values principle above popularity, and works to create popularity for those political principles which are wise and just. — Ezra Taft Benson

Mothers, take time to be a real friend to your children. Listen to your children, really listen. Talk with them, laugh and joke with them, sing with them, cry with them, hug them, honestly praise them. Yes, regularly spend unused one-on-one time with each child. Be a real friend to your children. — Ezra Taft Benson

Happy and successful homes cannot be built on immorality. — Ezra Taft Benson

The proud cannot accept the authority of God giving direction to their lives. (See Helaman 12:6.) They pit their perceptions of truth against God's great knowledge, their abilities versus God's priesthood power, and their accomplishments against His mighty works. — Ezra Taft Benson

Our mothers put God first when they fill their highest mission within the walls of their own homes. — Ezra Taft Benson

In the beginning, Adam was instructed to earn the bread by the sweat of his brow - not Eve. Contrary to conventional wisdom, a mother's place is in the home! — Ezra Taft Benson

Many men and women in the world demonstrate great willpower and self-discipline in overcoming bad habits and the weaknesses of the flesh. — Ezra Taft Benson

Be right, and then be easy to live with, if possible, but in that order. — Ezra Taft Benson

Try as you may, you cannot put the Lord in your debt. For every time you try to do His will, He simply pours out more blessings upon you. — Ezra Taft Benson

Be a light unto the world, a standard to others. You can live in the world and not partake of the sins of the world. You can live life joyously, beautifully, unmarred by the ugliness of sin. This is our confidence in you. — Ezra Taft Benson

Yes, brothers and sisters, the mission of the Church is glorious-to invite all of us to come unto Christ through proclaiming the gospel, perfecting our lives, and redeeming our dead. As we come unto Christ, we bless our own lives, those of our families, and our Father in Heaven's children, both living and dead ...
"I pray that we will be obedient to God, learn His will and do it, and, above all, that we will keep the first and great commandment-to love the Lord with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength" ("Come Unto Christ," April 1988 General Conference). — Ezra Taft Benson

Faith is the foundation upon which a godlike character is built. It is a prerequisite for all other virtues. — Ezra Taft Benson

It is mother's influence during the crucial formative years that forms a child's basic character. Home is the place where a child learns faith, feels love, and thereby learns from mother's loving example to choose righteousness. — Ezra Taft Benson

There is much reading material that is available which is either time-wasting or corrupting. The best yardstick to use in discerning the worth of true knowledge and learning is to go first and foremost to the words of the Lord's prophets. — Ezra Taft Benson

The God of heaven sent some of His choicest spirits to lay the foundation of this government. And he has sent other choice spirits to preserve it. — Ezra Taft Benson

The greatest events of history are those which affect the greatest number for the longest periods. — Ezra Taft Benson

I testify to you that God's pay is the best pay that this world or any other world knows anything about. — Ezra Taft Benson

Right and wrong as moral principles do not change. They are applicable and reliable determinants whether the situations with which we deal are simple or complicated. There is always a right and wrong to every question which requires our solution. — Ezra Taft Benson

God loves us; the devil hates us. God wants us to have a fulness of joy as He has. The devil wants us to be miserable as he is. God gives us commandments to bless us. The devil would have us break these commandments to curse us. — Ezra Taft Benson

I have a vision of the whole Church getting nearer to God by abiding by the precepts of the Book of Mormon. — Ezra Taft Benson

We believe in a moral code. Communism denies innate right or wrong. As W. Cleon Skousen has said in his timely book, The Naked Communist: The communist 'has convinced himself that nothing is evil which answers the call of expediency.' This is a most damnable doctrine. People who truly accept such a philosophy have neither conscience nor honor. Force, trickery, lies, broken promises are wholly justified. — Ezra Taft Benson

Pride is the great stumbling block of Zion ... Pride is ugly; it says if you succeed I am a failure ... Pride is basically competitive in nature. When competition ends, pride ends. — Ezra Taft Benson

Years of happiness can be lost in the foolish gratification of a momentary desire for pleasure. — Ezra Taft Benson

I hope we can be happy where we are, be grateful for our blessings-now-here, accept the challenge that is ours and make the most of it, and don't be envious of others. God help us to be grateful. — Ezra Taft Benson