-- June 13, 1927
Benson received a research scholarship to Iowa State College, where he obtained his master's degree in agricultural economics on June 13, 1927 and later returned to the family farm, which he and his brother Orval had purchased from their father. (1)
-- March 4, 1929
He was appointed Franklin County agricultural agent. He helped farmers solve their problems by setting up demonstration farms, inviting in specialists, teaching crop rotation, and introducing improved varieties of grains. (1)
-- 1930
In 1930, he was promoted to agricultural economist and marketing specialist for the University of Idaho, with offices in the state capitol in Boise. Traveling throughout Idaho, he encouraged farmers to work cooperatively in producing and marketing their goods. For five years, he served as the executive secretary of the Idaho Cooperative Council. (1)
-- During 1932
By 1932 he was living in Boise, Idaho, and serving as economist/extension specialist, directing the marketing efforts of the University of Idaho's Extension Division. (2)
-- January 1935 to November 1938
Serves as first counselor in the stake presidency of the Boise Stake. (3)
-- 1936
Did additional graduate study at the University of California in Berkeley on a fellowship awarded by the Giannini Foundation for Agricultural Economics. (1)
-- November 1938
He was called by the Church in November 1938 to serve as stake president in Boise. (1)
-- April 1939
He became executive secretary of the National Council of Farmer Cooperatives at its headquarters in Washington, D.C. The council represented some 4,000 cooperative purchasing and marketing organizations involving almost 1.6 million farmers. Ezra Benson represented cooperatives before committees of Congress and served on a four-man national agriculture advisory committee to President Franklin D. Roosevelt during World War II. (1)
-- During 1939
The very popular "Prophecy and Modern Times," by W. Cleon Skousen is published by Deseret Book. Some later editions include a foreward by LDS Apostle Ezra Taft Benson.
Skousen promotes speculative ideas-- saying Noah built the ark in North
America before floating to the Middle East; that Euphrates, Canaan,
& Ethiopia were actually places located in North America; that Salt
Lake City will be a wicked city; the earth would become desolate before
Mormons migrated to Jackson County Missouri; the constitution would hang
by a thread, but saved by the Elders of the church; That the church of
the devil will cause most to have a mark in the right hand or foreheads;
that no one will be able to buy or sell without that mark; that America
will be cut off from the rest of the world by violent seas and that the
lost tribes will move towards Missouri, with wicked trying to stop
them. (4)
Endnotes:
1 - Encyclopedia of Mormonism, "Ezra Taft Benson," Reed Benson and Sheri Dew, Daniel H. Ludlow (editor), New York: Macmillan, 1992
2 - Utah History Encyclopedia: Ezra Taft Benson, http://www.uen.org/utah_history_encyclopedia/
3 - Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Ezra Taft Benson, Intellectual Reserve, Inc. (2014)
4 - "Prophecy and Modern Times," by W. Cleon Skousen (Deseret Book)
LDS History Chronology: Ezra Taft Benson
Mormon History Timeline: the life of Ezra Taft Benson
http://lds-church-history.blogspot.com/
