Father and son - one a prophet, the other a stake president - sat next to each other on the stand in the Salt Lake Ensign Stake center Sunday afternoon, Aug. 21. Before the meeting commenced, both had turned to answer an inquiry directed to "President Benson." By the end of the meeting, friends and fellow Church workers had begun calling them by their full names: President Ezra Taft Benson and President Mark A. Benson.

President Ezra Taft Benson and his wife, Flora, attended a service to dedicate the Salt Lake Ensign Stake Center. The stake is presided over by Pres. Mark A. Benson.The meeting seemed very much like a reunion, not only because the prophet and his wife were with one of their sons and his family, but also because they were among old friends. The Salt Lake Eagle Gate Stake, in which they now reside, was created from the Salt Lake Ensign Stake in 1986.

Many faces in the congregation were familiar to them as they walked down the aisle at the beginning of the meeting. With a smile of recognition flashing across his face, the prophet paused on his walk to the podium area to reach out and shake hands with friends and acquaintances.

A message and prayer for dedicating the building were offered by Elder Marvin J. Ashton of the Council of the Twelve. Elder William R. Bradford of the First Quorum of the Seventy and a counselor in the Utah North Area Presidency attended the ceremony, as did Elder Merlin R. Lybbert, the regional representative who serves the region encompassing the Salt Lake Ensign Stake.

Also present were four former presidents of the Salt Lake Ensign Stake: Arza A. Hinckley, who served 1959-66; Harvey R. Durrant, 1966-76; David M. Grant, 1976-1985; V. Stanley Benfell, 1985-87; and W. Herbert Klopfer, president of the Salt Lake Eagle Gate Stake.

Music was provided by combined ward choirs, directed by Beryl Smiley and accompanied by Melvin W. Dunn.

The congregation filled the chapel and overflowed into the large cultural hall. In addition to hearing addresses by President Ezra Taft Benson and Elder Ashton, the congregation also heard from the stake president; Bishop John W. Thomson of the Ensign 5th Ward, and Bishop O. Claron Allredge Jr. of the Ensign 6th Ward.

President Benson, the prophet, spoke of his love for Elder Ashton, who had preceded him at the podium, and of their long-time association.

The prophet said he had enjoyed listening to his son, Stake Pres. Mark Benson. The Church leader drew a burst of laughter from the congregation when he said he has known the stake president even longer than he has known Elder Ashton.

The prophet reminisced about being back in the Ensign stake, recalling association he and his wife once had with stake members.

He spoke of the dedication of the stake center, and said, "This is a marvelous building. I feel sure the Lord is pleased with the sacrifices and labor that have gone into the building of this sacred structure.

"Let this also be a time of dedication for us as members of the Church. Let us show our rededication by remembering our covenants, and living lives of honesty, morality and righteousness. Then we shall further merit the Lord's favor as He wishes."

He assured the congregation that "the work in which we are engaged is true. It is the work of God; Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world; Joseph Smith is a prophet of God."

The 89-year-old Church leader further said, "The kingdom of God is rolling forth today as never before. I know. I have been in the world a long time. I love this world, but I don't endorse all that is going on in the world."

Elder Ashton began his address by referring to a remark he had heard the prophet make a few days earlier: "Thank God for good people."

Using that remark as the theme of his address, Elder Ashton spoke of patience, a character trait of "good people."

He spoke of the many areas in which people need to learn and exercise patience, including having patience to cope with admonition, pain, authority, success, unhappiness, and to "cope with the impatient, and with the slow learner."

Salt Lake Ensign Stake Pres. Mark Benson spoke of the stake's name, saying the scriptures refer to an ensign. (D&C 64:42.) Using the dictionary definition of an ensign being a "standard," he encouraged members to be an "ensign" in worshiping the Lord and in loving and serving others.

Throughout the meeting, speakers spoke of "this day of history," referring not only to the dedication of the Salt Lake Ensign Stake center but also to the moments the Church president and his son, a stake president, were side by side in a meeting.