VISIONS 3, PART 2 - A SPECIAL APOSTLE

Elisha doesn't understand why he is in the presence of Christ and is told that he is being called on a special mission like Paul, who was called as an apostle to the Gentiles separate and apart from the Twelve in Jerusalem. But in this case, Elisha will be an apostle to the isles of the sea. (As an aside, the word "apostle" comes from the Greek apostolos, meaning "a messenger or one sent forth"--in the case of Christianity, to proclaim the Gospel of Christ. It's related to epistle, from epistolos, meaning "a message, letter, etc. sent to someone else".)

I think it's also interesting that Jesus warns Elisha to not claim more authority than he's given and to beware of pride. I can imagine that having seen Christ and been called by Him, one might feel they have carte blanche and potentially overstep their bounds or claim a greater stewardship than they've been given. Paul, it seems, also had to walk this fine line in fulfilling his divine mission to the Gentiles and not overstepping the authority of the Church in Jerusalem. Though he was in contact with the Twelve and sent them aid, Paul's apostolic and missionary efforts throughout the region were almost completely independent from those of the greater Church. Reading between the lines, this also suggests that if Elisha is like Paul with a special mission, then there must be others (i.e., twelve apostles) with authority over Christ's established church.

Christ then tells Elisha that throughout his life he has been and will continue to be prepared for the great work of bringing forth a record of the people of the isles of the sea. In the past, the Spirit has inspired him, and in the near future, special servants will minister to and prepare him (Visions 4). Oleeha will also return to help him translate this ancient record (Visions 5).

Jesus then relates two familiar parables, "Not everyone who says Lord, Lord, shall enter the Kingdom" and "The wise man who built his house upon a rock". Throughout the Aklatan, Christ continues to speak in parables, most of them familiar from the record of His ministry in the Gospels, but often with added meaning. The principle remains with His parables: he who has ears to hear, let him hear.

Elisha's mission is to prepare the isles of the sea to become a great and prosperous people according to the Lord's covenant with their ancestors to remember them and make them mighty. He will also establish a kingdom in the islands, and His people will be gathered by the book Elisha will bring forth and his preaching from the Bible and the Lord's other Holy Words. (A short while later, Christ will address Elisha's confusion and teach that the Bible doesn't contain all of God's word.)

[Addendum: 10/13/14]
Early in the history of the LDS Church, the Three Witnesses to the Book of Mormon were also called as special apostles, or witnesses of Christ, apart from the Quorum of the Twelve, as Paul was:

And now, Oliver Cowdery, I speak unto you, and also unto David Whitmer, by the way of commandment; for, behold, I command all men everywhere to repent, and I speak unto you, even as unto Paul mine apostle, for you are called even with that same calling with which he was called. (D&C 18:9)