I reverence the Constitution of the United States as a sacred document. To me its words are akin to the revelations of God, for God has placed his stamp of approval on the Constitution of this land. Ezra Taft Benson More Quotes by Ezra Taft Benson More Quotes From Ezra Taft Benson You must not allow yourselves to become discouraged. Missionary work brings joy, optimism, and happiness. Don't give Satan an opportunity to discourage you. Here again, work is the answer. The Lord has given us a key by which we can overcome discouragement: "Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart; and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." Ezra Taft Benson workhearthappiness I never travel across this great nation without experiencing a feeling of gratitude and thanksgiving for all that we have and are. As I see its broad fruitful farms, its humming factories, its gleaming cities, certainly it is easy to realize that we have achieved unequaled material progress in this great country. Ezra Taft Benson gratitudecitiescountry We need to be more grateful. I think there is no true character without gratitude. It is one of the marks of a real strong character to have a feeling of thanksgiving and gratitude for blessings. We need more of that spirit in our homes, in our daily associations, in the church, everywhere. It doesn't cost anything, and it is so easy to cultivate. Ezra Taft Benson gratitudestrongreal God loves us. He's watching us, he wants us to succeed, and we'll know someday that he has not left one thing undone for the eternal welfare of each of us. If we only knew it, there are heavenly hosts pulling for us -- friends in heaven that we can't rememer now, who yearn for our victory. Ezra Taft Benson victorywantheaven The devil knows that if the elders of Israel should ever wake up, they could step forth and help preserve freedom and extend the gospel. Therefore the devil has concentrated, and to a large extent successfully, in neutralizing much of the priesthood. He has reduced them to Sleeping Giants. Ezra Taft Benson devilisraelsleep When we set goals, we are in command. Clearly understood goals bring our lives into focus just as a magnifying glass focuses a beam of light into a burning point. Without goals our efforts may be scattered and unproductive Ezra Taft Benson glasseslightdream Temples are places of personal revelation. When I have been weighed down by a problem or a difficulty, I have gone to the House of the Lord with a prayer in my heart for answers. The answers have come in clear and unmistakable ways. Ezra Taft Benson prayerhouseheart I feel certain that if, in our homes, parents will read from the Book of Mormon prayerfully and regularly, both by themselves and with their children, the spirit of that great book will come to permeate our homes and all who dwell therein. Ezra Taft Benson homebookchildren 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 wishheartmean This is our first interest as a church-to save and exalt the souls of the children of men. There is no richer program anywhere in the world than we have in the Church today for the building of men and women and providing the answers to the problems that face parents, families, and individuals. It is a program that is needed today as never before. Ezra Taft Benson church-todaymenchildren If we have any criticism of our leaders, we invite Satan into our lives and beliefs. Ezra Taft Benson leadercriticismlife From the 5th grade through the 4th year of college, our young people are being indoctrinated with a Marxist philosophy and I am fearful of the harvest. The younger generation is further to the left than most adults realize. The old concepts of our Founding Fathers are scoffed and jeered at by young moderns whose goals appear to be the destruction of integrity and virtue, and the glorification of pleasure, thrills, and self-indulgence. Ezra Taft Benson integrityphilosophyfather Just as a man does not desire food until he is hungry, so does he not desire the salvation of Christ until he knows why he needs Christ. Ezra Taft Benson doedesiremen By deriving it's just powers from the governed, government becomes primarily a mechanism for defense against bodily harm, theft, and involuntary servitude. It cannot claim the power to redistribute money or property nor to force reluctant citizens to perform acts of charity against their will. Government is created by the people. No individual possesses the power to take another's wealth or to force others to do good, so no government has the the right to do such things either. The creature cannot exceed the creator. Ezra Taft Benson defensegovernmentpeople Our desires, be they spiritual or temporal, should be rooted in a love of the Lord. Ezra Taft Benson lordspiritualdesire One of Satan's most frequently used deceptions is the notion that the commandments of God are meant to restrict freedom and limit happiness. Ezra Taft Benson satandeceptionlimits In the scriptures there is no such thing as righteous pride. It is always considered as a sin. Ezra Taft Benson scripturesinpride For nearly six thousand years, God has held you in reserve to make your appearance in the final days before the Second Coming of the Lord. . . . God has saved for the finalinning some of His strongest and most valiant children, who will help bear off the kingdom triumphantly. That is where you come in, for you are the generation that must be prepared to meet your God. . . . Ezra Taft Benson kingdomschildrenyears I have a vision of artists putting into film, drama, literature, music, and paintings great themes and great characters from the Book of Mormon. Ezra Taft Benson characterdramabook Communism introduced into the world a substitute for true religion. It is a counterfeit of the gospel plan. Ezra Taft Benson substitutescommunismworld
