talksshez1 ( ** )

This talk was delivered in the Grandview 19th Ward, some time during my service as bishop of the ward:

There is a king in the Book of Mormon named Shez.  Do you recognize the name?  Until last October, I would not have recognized his name.  But now, Shez is an important part of my spiritual connection to the Book of Mormon.  Let me tell you why. Like most of you, I responded to our prophet’s admonition to read the Book of Mormon during the last five months of last year.  I had many beautiful experiences with the teachings of the book, but one of the most memorable experiences was with King Shez.  In early October, I began reading the book of Ether.  I loved the faith-promoting stories about Jared and his brother, and then I waded through several chapters that dealt almost exclusively with wicked kings and their families, deceit, murder, treachery, and warfare.  These were difficult chapters, and the main thing I derived from them was a feeling of gratitude that I didn’t live during those times.

Then, on a given morning, I came upon the few verses that describe King Shez.  “Shez began to build up again a broken people.  Shez did remember the destruction of his fathers, and he did build up a righteous kingdom; for he did remember what the Lord had done in bringing Jared and his brother across the deep; and he did walk in the ways of the Lord…”   I was grateful to have finally read about a righteous king, after having read about 13 generations, or about 600 years, of wickedness.  I was about to continue my reading when the spirit stopped me.  A wonderful feeling enveloped me as I realized what I had just read!  The material that Moroni included in the Book of Mormon that covered the entire life of Shez comprises only 3 verses, but the magnificent lesson he left us was how Shez reversed 600 years of wickedness and set up a righteous kingdom.  Listen again to the words: ‘Shez set up a righteous kingdom and walked in the ways of the Lord.  How? Why? He remembered what the Lord had done in bringing Jared and his brother across the deep.’

What did the Lord do in bringing Jared and his brother across the deep?  Let me mention just 5 of the many miracles that could be mentioned concerning this voyage.  A) Lord, these vessels are to be tight like a dish.  How will we get air to breathe?  My son, I will show you how to create an air chamber or vent so that you will have air. B) Lord, there will be no light. I have prepared 16 white stones.  Will you touch them with your finger so that they will shine forth and provide is light for the crossing.  And it was done.  C) Lord, we will be buried in the deep and encompassed about by much water!  My son, I will bring forth your vessels upon the top of the water, and there shall be no water that will hurt or harm you.  D) Lord, we will have no sails or rudders.  How shall we steer and move forward?  My son, the wind shall go forth out of my mouth, and a furious wind will blow upon the face of the waters, driving you toward the land of promise!  E) Lord, can we possibly survive such a voyage?  My son,  I will preserve you upon the face of the deep.

Shez obviously pondered upon these miracles and the faith that brought them forth.  He drew personal spiritual strength from his forefathers, and put that faith into action in his own life and in the lives of those he governed.  The sixteen stones, the constant wind, the building of the miraculous vessels, the safe arrival of these souls after 344 days on the ocean: these were more than just stories to relate.  They became part of his soul, building blocks of his faith, and great motivations for righteous endeavor.  All because he took the time to remember what the Lord had done for his ancestors.

What about us?  Is there a lesson for us from the life of righteous king Shez?  Do we remember what things the Lord has done for our ancestors, for the early leaders of the church?  First, do we study their lives and the legacy they left us?  And if we do, do we incorporate their acts of goodness and greatness into our souls, and move to new spiritual heights, as did Shez?  I would like to illustrate this principle with an example.

The year – 1833.  The place – Kirtland, Ohio.  The commandment – to build a temple, a house of the Lord, wherein He could reveal Himself to His people.  The dilemma – how to do it!  Joseph and the brethren felt they could, through great sacrifice, obtain the money and materials to build the temple, but they had no one with the necessary experience to oversee such a prodigious building project.  Joseph and Brigham and the others had reviewed the names of every Latter-day Saint brother with any construction experience at all, and there was no one who could successfully undertake and master-mind this endeavor.  The brethren were willing to do the work, but they had no one to direct the work.  At this point, Joseph Young, Brigham Young’s brother, stepped forward.  He said, “Brethren, I know of a man up in Canada who is excellent in construction, building design, and architecture.  His name is Artemus Millett.  He could design and construct this temple.  There is one slight problem, however.  He is not a member of the church.”  Without the slightest delay, the prophet Joseph turned to Brigham Young and said, “Brigham, I give you a mission.  You are to go to Canada.  You are to convert Artemus Millett.  You are to bring him back to Kirtland, with his family.  Also, tell him to bring at least $1000 in cash to donate to the building effort.”  Are you picturing this situation in your mind?  Now, as an almost incomprehensible testimony of the strength and devotion of Brigham Young, he responded without hesitancy with these five words: “Brother Joseph, I will go.”  No shuffling of the feet, no wringing of the hands, no questions, no fear.  He went.  He converted Artemus Millett and his family.  He led them to Kirtland and introduced them to the prophet Joseph.  And what do you think Artemus handed to the prophet when they met?   One thousand dollars in cash.  Artemus was indeed the architect and master-builder of the Kirtland Temple.  This miraculous project could not have been undertaken with him.

This is perhaps the first time some of you have heard this story.  How do you feel right now?  Hopefully, the way I felt when I read this story, motivated, uplifted, grateful, fortified!  Can you see the power of the king Shez principle?  The scriptures are full of such accounts.  The lives of our early church leaders, our ancestors, and even our own parents are peppered with experiences like this one.  They should be studied and re-told not just to make us feel good, but to motivate us to do good!  To do something better, to be something better, to rise above something higher!

How do we get beyond the “nice story” phase and into the “change my behavior” stage?  This involves looking in detail at the experience, looking through the eyes of those that were involved.  It involves seeking to feel what they felt, seeking to think what they thought.  The spirit can then teach us how and inspire us to make necessary changes in our lives, based on these experiences.   A more detailed consideration of this story will make this principle even more clear.  Let’s look at this experience through the eyes of the four principle men involved.

First, Joseph Young.  Was it mere happenstance or coincidence that Brother Young knew of Artemus Millett in Canada?  I don’t know how it was that Joseph knew of Artemus, but I do know if wasn’t coincidental.  Divine design was involved here.  What about us?  Are there aspects of our lives that are the result of ourselves or others being in the right place at the right time?  Are there things happening right now in our lives that might seem trivial or inconsequential that could bless generations yet to come?  Yes, without question, but these things can’t happen if we are not worthy instruments, if we are not bringing forth fruit representative of faith and devotion.

Second, what about the role of the prophet Joseph in this story?  He turns to Brigham and gives him a mission.  Was Joseph confident in his calling?  Did he have unbounded confidence in the Lord?  Did he have a testimony of the divine principle that “with God, nothing shall be impossible”?  This was the Lord’s work, the Lord’s temple.  He would provide.  The brother of Jared asked the Lord to touch some stones with his finger.  Joseph was asking the Lord to touch a life with His finger.  That principle of unwavering faith in the Lord was evident every day in the life of the prophet Joseph.  Pondering on examples similar to this led Shez to live a life of righteousness and establish a kingdom of righteousness.  Should it do any the less for us?  Should these examples not lead us to establish lives of righteousness and devotion?

Why did the prophet turn to Brigham rather than his brother, Joseph?  Joseph was actually the one who knew Artemus in Canada.  Wouldn’t it make more sense to send Joseph?  Again, this is the Lord’s work.  The Lord knows his servants.  This mission required Brigham.  The Lord knew that, Joseph Smith knew that.  Shouldn’t this bolster our testimony that, even in our days, the Lord appoints and calls those who can most ably and dependably carry out His purposes?  When we are called to positions and stewardship and receive assignments and duties, we also should take courage in the fact that the Lord qualifies those whom He calls, and we should move forward with faith.

Do we think about the fact that it was undoubtedly hard for the prophet to send these faithful brethren on extended missions that took them away from their families and home responsibilities?  He was called upon to do it countless times, and I am sure he fretted over this.  But again, this was and is the work of the Lord, and where much is given, much is required.  In Joseph’s day – in our day!

Third, consider the position of Brigham Young.  Can we even begin to comprehend the faith of this man?  What questions didn’t Brigham ask that he certainly could have?  How do I pay for this mission?  How do I travel to Canada?  Couldn’t I wait until summer when the weather is better?  Where and how do I find Artemus?  What do I say when I find him?  A $1000 dollars?  Isn’t it enough that you expect me to convert him?  Do I also need to ask $1000 of him?  No, a 1000 times no.  Brigham was on the Lord’s errand.  Brigham was the Lord’s messenger.  The Lord would provide.  “I will go and do the things which the Lord has commanded, for I know that he giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save He shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them.”   This wasn’t just a catchy scripture in Brigham’s mind.  It was his creed, it was his faith, it was his testimony!   Brigham knew that “men should be anxiously engaged in a good cause, and do many things of their own free will, and bring to pass much righteousness, for the power is in them, wherein they are agents unto themselves…”  No one needed to tell Brigham Young how to accomplish a task for the Lord.  Like Nephi, he “was led by the spirit, not knowing beforehand the things which he should do”.

What about us?  Do we approach our callings, our assignments, our responsibilities with that same faith and attitude?  Does Brigham’s example resonate with our spirits?  Are we in a spiritual state of mind and attitude which would allow his example to resonate with our souls?  Shez built a kingdom of righteousness out of the ashes of evil and filth because of strength he gleaned from Jared and his brother, that strength being carried into his heart by the spirit of the Lord!  Should we be experiencing anything less, with all of the uplifting example which came before us?

Fourth, consider Artemus Millett!  It would be wonderful to know more concerning his conversion and how he responded to Brigham’s message.  Can you imagine, however, how the Lord had prepared this man and his wife and his family to receive the gospel message?  Can we imagine the prayers that were offered by Joseph Smith during the weeks that Brigham was enroute to Canada?  Can we imagine the pleadings of Brigham Young to the Lord as he traveled?  Can we imagine Joseph Young’s prayers, the man who first brought up the name of Artemus Millett?  Can we imagine the scene as Brigham first meets Artemus?  Brigham was direct and straight-forward.  I can easily picture him saying, “My name is Brigham Young.  I am an ordained apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ.  I am on an errand from a living prophet of God to preach the gospel of our Lord to you and your family.”  Brigham might have waited until their second meeting to bring up the temple and the $1000, but whenever those topics came up, we can be assured that Brigham’s words were carried into the heart of Artemus Millett by the power of the Holy Ghost.  How deep must Brother Millett’s conversion and faith have been to pack up his belongings and family, move to a new country, turn over his life savings to a man he just met, accept an assignment to oversee the construction of a temple of God, and on and on.

It is experiences of this type of faith that caused Shez to build a kingdom of righteousness when all odds were combined against him doing so.  What about us?  Are we developing an understanding and appreciation of how important it is to remember what the Lord has done for those of our faith who have preceded us?  In Mormon chapter 7, Mormon enumerates several things that we must do to follow Christ.  One of those items is, “Know ye that ye must come unto the knowledge of your fathers.” The scriptures, stories from our leaders and ancestors can build us, encourage us, motivate us, but it is our own personal righteous experiences and endeavors that truly bind us to the Lord and point us on the path leading to exaltation. What legacy of faith are we forging now in our lives that we will pass on to those that follow us in the kingdom?  Our legacy will probably not come by crossing an ocean or obtaining brass plates or building a temple.  Our legacy will come from absolute, unwavering commitment to the gospel of our Lord, by daily devotion and determination in standing as witnesses of God at all times, in all things, and in all places.  We should “be anxiously engaged in a good cause, and do many things of our own free will, for the power is in us, wherein we are agents unto ourselves!”  And again, we should consider upon the blessed and happy state of those who keep the commandments, for they are blessed in all things, both temporal and spiritual.

Like Shez, may we all remember what the Lord has done for those that love him, and have faith in the promise that eye hath not seen, nor has ear heard, nor has entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those that love him.

I bear my testimony of the power of the atonement of our Savior, of the prophetic calling of Joseph Smith and his living successor, Gordon B. Hinckley, and of the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon.  Our stake is led by three Christ-like, inspired brethren that I love dearly.  I pay honor to my devoted counselors and other members of the bishopric, and I likewise honor you.  You now only represent the future of the church; to me you represent the present of the church.  This ward accomplishes all it does because of you, right now, today.  I love you all so much.