Isaiah 66 - Jeremiah 4

During the days of Josiah, Jeremiah being a young man tells us -

'...the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
5 Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations..." (Old Testament Jeremiah 1:4 - 5)

A call came from the Lord for Jeremiah to be a prophet, but what is of great significance is that Jeremiah was foreordained to be a prophet to the nations during this period of time. Alma taught the Amalekites -

"...I would that ye should remember that the Lord God ordained priests, after his holy order, which was after the order of his Son, to teach these things unto the people.
2 And those priests were ordained after the order of his Son, in a manner that thereby the people might know in what manner to look forward to his Son for redemption..." (Book of Mormon Alma 13:1 - 2)

He also teaches that all priests were also foreordained or appointed to be priests after his holy order before this life. Alma continues -

"...And this is the manner after which they were ordained—being called and prepared from the foundation of the world according to the foreknowledge of God, on account of their exceeding faith and good works; in the first place being left to choose good or evil; therefore they having chosen good, and exercising exceedingly great faith, are called with a holy calling, yea, with that holy calling which was prepared with, and according to, a preparatory redemption for such." (Book of Mormon Alma 13:3)

What a great reinforcement to those who are called to serve to understand that, like Jeremiah, they were foreordained, annointed or selected to perform such calling because in our pre-earth existence " having chosen good, and exercising exceedingly great faith".

Jeremiah felt inadequate as he responded to the Lord -

"...Ah, Lord GOD! behold, I cannot speak: for I am a child." (Old Testament Jeremiah 1:6)

The Lord answered Jeremiah -

"...Say not, I am a child: for thou shalt go to all that I shall send thee, and whatsoever I command thee thou shalt speak.
8 Be not afraid of their faces: for I am with thee to deliver thee, saith the LORD..." (Old Testament Jeremiah 1:7 - 8)

This is a great example of works and grace. First Jeremiah had to, in faith, "go to all that I shall send thee", and in doing so -

"Then the LORD put forth his hand, and touched my mouth. And the LORD said unto me, Behold, I have put my words in thy mouth." (Old Testament Jeremiah 1:9)

Moroni taught this same concept of works and grace -

"...if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them..." (Book of Mormon Ether 12:27)

A modern day prophet said -

“Whom the Lord calls, the Lord qualifies.”