Prophets

of the Restoration

Ezra Taft Benson

Time Line of Life Events

4 August 1899

Born in Whitney, Franklin County, Idaho, to George T. Benson and Sarah Dunkley.


1918

Graduated from Oneida Stake Academy.


1921

Served a mission to Great Britain.


10 September 1926

Married Flora Smith Amussen.


13 June 1927

Received master's degree from Iowa State University.


4 March 1929

Appointed Franklin County (Idaho) agricultural agent.


1930

Appointed to Idaho State University extension service in Boise.


1931

Served as executive secretary of Idaho Cooperative Council.


1938

Served as president of Boise Idaho Stake.


15 April 1939

Became executive secretary of the National Council of Farmer Cooperatives in Washington, D.C.


1940

Served as first president of the Washington D.C. Stake.


7 October 1943

Ordained an Apostle by President Heber J. Grant.


29 January 1946

Reopened missionary work as European Mission president and supervised distribution of welfare supplies in Europe after World War II.


1953

Served as U.S. secretary of agriculture.


1964

Presided over the European Mission.


1968

Supervised the work of the Church in Asia.


30 December 1973

Set apart as President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.


18 February 1979

Organized the 1,000th stake of the Church in Nauvoo, Illinois.


10 November 1985

Became President of the Church.


14 December 1985

Seoul Korea Temple dedicated, first of nine temples to be dedicated during President Benson's presidency.


4 October 1986

Quorums of seventy discontinued in stakes.


October 1988

Delivered landmark "Flooding the Earth with the Book of Mormon" talk at General Conference.


April 1989

Warned Church members against pride in his General Conference address.


1 April 1989

Second Quorum of the Seventy created.


August 1989

Received the Presidential Citizens Medal from the president of the United States.


8 December 1989

First full-time proselytizing missionaries enter the former Soviet Union.


30 May 1994

Died in Salt Lake City, Utah.