How to Reach Your Potential for LDS Youth

His Finest Team

Heroic. Noble. Chosen. Is this how you would describe yourself? No? Well it’s how a prophet has described you.

President Russell M. Nelson said, “Our Heavenly Father has reserved many of His most noble spirits—perhaps, I might say, His finest team—for this final phase. Those noble spirits—those finest players, those heroes—are you!”

Does hearing that make you feel just a little bit. . . overwhelmed? Or maybe even a bit inferior? Could he really be talking about you and me?

I think maybe Nehemiah felt this way too.

Nehemiah's Great Work

Nehemiah was living in Babylon after the city of Jerusalem had been destroyed and all of the Israelites were taken captive.

After 70 years of captivity, some of the Israelites had gone back to Jerusalem and were helping to rebuild the temple. When Nehemiah learned about it he felt a strong impression that he was supposed to help in a different way. He was supposed to rebuild the walls that surrounded the entire 30 acres of Jerusalem.

But how could he do it? He didn’t even live in Jerusalem! And he’d never built a wall before! But he went forward with faith.

Moving Forward

When he got to Jerusalem and started making plans to build the wall, powerful men from the surrounding cities mocked and laughed at him. But he kept moving forward.

He gathered the supplies and the workmen and began to build the wall. Again, these same powerful men conspired together to try to destroy his work. They attacked him, the wall, and the workmen. But rather than quit Nehemiah simply assigned guards to watch over the work. He kept moving forward.

When the wall was almost finished these same powerful men tried to distract Nehemiah by inviting him to meet with them– pretending to offer a hand of friendship while actually planning to harm him.

But Nehemiah told them, “I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down.” (Nehemiah 6:3) He kept moving forward.

Nehemiah believed in the great work he was doing; and even though he knew that he was weak, he believed in the importance of the work and in the God who asked him to participate in it.

And guess what?

Nehemiah rebuilt the walls of Jerusalem despite his lack of experience, despite the mocking, despite the attacks, and despite the distractions in only 52 days because he kept moving forward.

Your Great Work

So have you been called to a great work? Yes! Will there be opposition? Absolutely! Will it be hard? Of course it will! Things that bring eternal blessings are usually hard! But you can do it!

Sister Sheri Dew said, “The simple fact is that our Father did not recommend Eve or Moses or Nephi or countless other magnificent exemplars for this dispensation—He recommended you and me. Do you think God would have left the last days to chance by sending men and women He couldn’t count on?”

God knows He can count on you! Now your job is to do three things: first – you have to always remember the importance of the work you’re doing; second – you have to trust that even if you are weak God can make you strong; and third – you just have to keep moving forward!