Shortly after His ascension, Christ visited a detached body of Israelites then existing as a great nation on the Western Continent. To them He declared Himself to be the slain and resurrected Son of God, through whom alone salvation was made possible to man. He gave them precepts and commandments, and chose twelve disciples whom He ordained to teach the Gospel and to administer in His name the ordinances thereof. To them He said, referring to the Jews amongst whom He had lived and died: "This much did the Father command me, that I should tell unto them: 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 stiffneckedness 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, 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 they understood me not, for they supposed it had been the Gentiles; for they understood not that the Gentiles should be converted through their preaching. And they understood me not that I said they shall hear my voice; and they understood me not that the Gentiles should not at any time hear my voice; that I should not manifest myself unto them, save it were by the Holy Ghost. But behold, ye have both heard my voice, and seen me; and ye are my sheep, and ye are numbered among those whom the Father hath given me." (Book of Mormon, 3 Nephi 15:16-24). It is evident that even the Jewish Apostles had failed to apprehend the real significance of the Master's words; for they had vaguely surmised that He would manifest Himself in personal ministry among the Gentiles, oblivious to the fact that He had been sent to the lost sheep of the House of Israel; and that only through the ministrations of His ordained representatives would the Gospel be declared to the Gentile world. But, as other parts of the sacred record make plain, the Gospel is offered freely to the Gentiles of the earth, and they through acceptance and obedience shall be numbered with Israel and be made partakers of the blessings assured by covenant to the righteous. See Book of Mormon, 2 Nephi 30:2; 3 Nephi 16:13. -- 42 -- FROM GOD TO MAN Divine Communication in the Current Age WE believe all that God has revealed, all that He does now reveal, and we believe that he will yet reveal many great and important things pertaining to the Kingdom of God. (Articles of Faith, No. 9).