An incident some years ago involving a shepherd in Morocco was recalled by Elder John R. Lasater Sunday afternoon to illustrate the Savior's example of leadership.
"The personal nature of the Lord's ministry as the Master Shepherd should be the pattern for all who shepherd the flocks of Israel," said Elder Lasater, who was sustained to the First Quorum of the Seventy at last April's general conference."The depth of His love, His willingness to give freely of Himself, His undeviating loyalty and devotion to the cause shared so completely with His Father, and His constant attention to the needs of the one, stand as hallmarks of the true shepherd's calling."
Elder Lasater said he was visiting Morocco as part of an official U.S. government delegation. He was riding in one of five limousines on a trip into the desert to visit some ruins.
During the trip, the Moroccan king's limousine struck and injured a sheep.
The shepherd was now entitled to 100 times the value of the sheep at maturity. However, under the same law, the injured sheep must be slain and the meat divided among the people.
But Elder Lasater said his interpreter hastily added: "The old shepherd will not accept the money. They never do."
When Elder Lasater asked why, the interpreter responded, "Because of the love he has for his sheep."
"It was then that I noticed the old shepherd reach down, lift the injured sheep in his arms, and placed it in a large pouch on the front of his robe," Elder Lasater related. "He kept stroking its head, repeating the same word over and over again. When I asked the meaning of the word, I was informed, `He is calling it by name. All of his sheep have a name, for he is their shepherd, and the good shepherds know each one of their sheep by name."
Elder Lasater said that during the trip, the interpreter shared with him more of the traditions and practices of Moroccan shepherds. He said the shepherds combine their flocks into a single enclosure at night and a single shepherd guards them until morning.
"Then, the shepherds come to the enclosure, enter therein, and, one by one, call for their sheep by name," Elder Lasater explained. "The sheep will not hearken unto the voice of a stranger, but will only leave the enclosure in the care of their true shepherd, confident and secure because the shepherd knows their names, and they know his voice."
He quoted John 10:2-5, Jesus' words about sheep knowing the shepherd's voice, and said: "Into our hands, as members of this great Church, has been given the responsibility to be true shepherds unto the flocks of Israel. Do we understand the personal nature of the shepherd's call?
"Whether we go as home teachers, visiting teachers, auxiliary leaders and teachers, priesthood leaders, or whatever our calling, we have received a divine injunction from God, through a living prophet, to become personal shepherds and ministers."
"Do we know our sheep, each one by name?" he asked. "Do they know our voice or must they hearken unto the voice of a stranger?"
