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Select Quotations from Sermons and Writings of President Ezra Taft Benson

The following quotes come from the book Sermons and Writings of President Ezra Taft Benson, the thirteenth president of the church. This was an employee gift by the First Presidency in 2003. To visit the site with all of the books and quotes from these, go here.

Book of Mormon

“The most singular evidence in support of Joseph Smith’s claim to being a spokesman for Almighty God was the publication of a scriptural record, the Book of Mormon” ((Ezra Taft Benson, Sermons and Writings of President Ezra Taft Benson, p. 53).

“Excluding the witnesses to the Book of Mormon, the Doctrines and Covenants is by far the greatest external witness and evidence which we have from the Lord that the Book of Mormon is true. At least 13 sections in the Doctrine and Covenants give us confirming knowledge and divine witness that the Book of Mormon is the word of God (see D&C 1; 3; 5; 8; 10-11; 17-18; 20; 27; 42; 84; 135)” (Ezra Taft Benson, Sermons and Writings of President Ezra Taft Benson, p. 100).

‘’We are not required to prove that the Book of Mormon is true or is an authentic record through external evidences—though there are many. It never has been the case, nor is it so now, that the studies of the learned will prove the Book of Mormon true or false. The origin, preparations, translation, and verification of the truth of the Book of Mormon have all been retained in the hands of the Lord, and the Lord makes no mistakes. You can be assured of that” (Ezra Taft Benson, Sermons and Writings of President Ezra Taft Benson, p. 101).

Jesus

“Jesus Christ is the Son of God. He came to this earth at a fore-appointed time through a royal birthright that preserved His godhood. Combined in His nature were the human attributes of His mortal mother and the divine attributes and powers of His Eternal Father” (Ezra Taft Benson, Sermons and Writings of President Ezra Taft Benson, p. 2. Italics his).

“To qualify as the Redeemer of all our Father’s children, Jesus had to be perfectly obedient to all the laws of God. Because He subjected Himself to the will of the Father, He grew ‘from grace to grace, until he received a fulness’ of the Father’s power. Thus He had ‘all power, both in heaven and on earth’ (D&C 93:13,17)” (Ezra Taft Benson, Sermons and Writings of President Ezra Taft Benson, p. 3. Italics his).

“To possess a testimony of Jesus is to know that He voluntarily took upon Himself the sins of all mankind in the Garden of Gethsemane, which caused Him to suffer in both body and spirit and to bleed from every pore. All this He did so that we would not have to suffer if we would repent. (See D&C 19:16, 18.)” (Ezra Taft Benson, Sermons and Writings of President Ezra Taft Benson, p. 12).

“There are some in our midst who sponsor the sophistry that this appearance of God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, was not literal, that it was probably a product of Joseph Smith’s own imaginings. This is not true. This is an attempt to discredit the testimony of Joseph Smith. It is also an attempt to discredit the testimony of Jesus Himself, who came to Joseph as a witness of His own Resurrection. The appearance of God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, to Joseph Smith is the greatest event that has occurred in this world since the Resurrection of the Master. As the restored Church of Jesus Christ, we humbly and gratefully bear this witness to all men. It is the truth, intended for all of our Father’s children” (Ezra Taft Benson, Sermons and Writings of President Ezra Taft Benson, p. 21).

“Yes, God was the Father of His fleshly tabernacle, and Mary–a mortal woman and a virgin–was His mother.  He is, therefore, the only person born who rightfully deserves the title ‘the Only Begotten Son of God.’ Because His Father was God, Jesus Christ had power which no other human had before or since. He was God in the flesh–even the Son of God” (Ezra Taft Benson, Sermons and Writings of President Ezra Taft Benson, p. 26).

“I testify that Christ was born into mortality with Mary as His mother and our Heavenly Father as His father (see 1 Nephi 11:18-21; Mosiah 3:8)” (Ezra Taft Benson, Sermons and Writings of President Ezra Taft Benson, p. 340).

Repentance

“In clearing our channels and keeping them clear, we would admonish all of you to read and reread President Spencer W. Kimball’s book The Miracle of Forgiveness. The sooner you can read it, the greater blessing it will be for you” (Ezra Taft Benson, Sermons and Writings of President Ezra Taft Benson, p. 250).

“Repentance was the cry of our late and great prophet, Spencer W. Kimball. This theme permeated his talks and the pages of his writings, such as his marvelous book The Miracle of Forgiveness. And it must be our cry today, both to member and to nonmember alike—repent” (Ezra Taft Benson, Sermons and Writings of President Ezra Taft Benson, p. 281).

“Repentance was the cry of our late and great prophet, Spencer W. Kimball. This theme permeated his talks and the pages of his writings, such as his marvelous book The Miracle of Forgiveness. And it must be our cry today, both to member and to nonmember alike—repent” (Ezra Taft Benson, Sermons and Writings of President Ezra Taft Benson, p. 340).

“Think of the repentance that could take place with lives changed, marriages preserved, and homes strengthened, if pride did not keep us from confessing our sins and forsaking them (see D&C 58:43)” (Ezra Taft Benson, Sermons and Writings of President Ezra Taft Benson, p. 3335).

 

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