Are You Living Below Your Potential and Your Privilege?

Come Unto Me September 21-27

As the Savior is teaching his twelve disciples, he reminds them, they are of the tribe of Joseph and have been separated because of the iniquity of those in Jerusalem. Those in Jerusalem had no knowledge of either the Mulekite, Nephite, or other civilizations started by those who had been separated from them. The only thing the Father allowed Christ to tell them was the following.

“That other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd. “And now, because of stiff-neckedness and unbelief they understood not my word; therefore I was commanded to say no more of the Father concerning this thing unto them.

“And verily, l I say unto you, that ye are they of whom I said: Other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.”

“And verily, verily, I say unto you that I have other sheep, which are not of this land, neither of the land of Jerusalem, neither in any parts of that land round about whither I have been to minister. … But I have received a commandment of the Father that I shall go unto them, and that they shall hear my voice, and shall be numbered among my sheep, that there may be one fold and one shepherd; therefore I go to show myself unto them.”

Book of Mormon, 3rd Nephi 15:17-18, 21 and 16:1, 3

“And I command you that ye shall write these sayings after I am gone, that if it so be that my people at Jerusalem who have seen me and been with me in my ministry, do not ask the Father in my name, that they may receive a knowledge of you by the Holy Ghost, and also of the other tribes whom they know not of, that these sayings which ye shall write shall be kept and shall be manifested unto the Gentiles, that though the fulness of the Gentiles, the remnant of their see, who shall be scattered forth upon the face of the earth because of their unbelief, my be brought in, or may be brought to a knowledge of me, their Redeemer.”

Book of Mormon, 3rd Nephi 16:4

He then tells them to write down those words in case those in Jerusalem do not ask for, and obtain an understanding of who the lost sheep are. These questions came to me while reading these verses.

• What knowledge am I missing simply because I do not ask to understand what I do not understand?
• What responsibilities and tasks under my stewardship had to be assigned to others?
• What gifts and talents are not developed because I do not draw upon the enabling power of the atonement?

I love Elder Uchtdorf’s parable given in April of 2011 General Conference.

This week think of the one small thing you can do to realize your potential. Please feel free to share your insights with others.