"I am grateful for the honor of speaking in the name of the Lord to the shepherds of Israel. That is who we are. When we accepted the priesthood, we took upon us the responsibility to do our part in watching over the church."
In scripture, the sheep are often in danger. The Savior warns us we must watch them as he does. We must do more than warn them against danger; we must feed them. It is painful to imagine a shepherd feeding himself and letting the sheep go hungry.
I have seen many shepherds who feed their flocks. It is not easy to learn to do that well nor to do it consistently. The Savior showed us how and how to train others. What he did can be a guide for us.
"He, who sees all things, whose love is endless, and who never sleeps, watches with us. He knows what the sheep need at every moment."
The wolf who would kill the sheep will certainly tear at the shepherd. As a shepherd, do not go anywhere or do anything that offends the spirit. The shepherd must hear the voice of the spirit and bring down the powers of Heaven.
"It is love that must motivate the shepherds of Israel. That may seem difficult at the start, because we may not even know the Lord well. But if we begin with even a little grain of faith in him, our service to the sheep will increase our love for him. I am a witness that the loving Savior watches over his sheep with his faithful shepherds."