1 Nephi 8:36–38

36 And it came to pass after my father had spoken all the words of his dream or vision, which were many, he said unto us, because of these things which he saw in a vision, he exceedingly feared for Laman and Lemuel; yea, he feared lest they should be cast off from the presence of the Lord.

37 And he did exhort them then with all the feeling of a tender parent, that they would hearken to his words, that perhaps the Lord would be merciful to them, and not cast them off; yea, my father did preach unto them.

38 And after he had preached unto them, and also prophesied unto them of many things, he bade them to keep the commandments of the Lord; and he did cease speaking unto them.

Lehi never gave up trying to get his sons to be converted. His dying words to them were an expression of concern for their eternal welfare and for them to repent. (See 2 Nephi 1:13–29) I suppose if I had any rebellious children I would take it personally, as so many parents do. They feel like they didn’t do enough, or that they should have done something differently. Often that is the case, but there is no evidence from Lehi’s experience that he was judged for his children’s rebellion. (2 Nephi 1:15) We believe that children will not be punished for their parents’ sins, so likewise parents should not be punished for their children’s sins as long as they are doing everything they can to bring those children to Christ. In my situation, with no rebellious children, it’s easy to see that parents are not judged for their children’s sins, as long as they are doing their best to teach them correct principles. It may be more difficult to see that if my situation were different. When you teach and work and love someone, like your children, and they don’t respond, it must be very difficult to not blame yourself. But as long as parents are doing their best, there is no evidence that they need fear for their own eternal welfare, just for their children.

• 2 Nephi 1:13–29

1 Nephi 8:35

35 And Laman and Lemuel partook not of the fruit, said my father.

We are often our own worst enemies, and that is the case with Laman and Lemuel. They had the same opportunity as everyone else to partake of the fruit. In fact, their chance was better. They had someone show them the way, show them the iron rod, show them the benefits of taking the fruit, and they consciously chose to ignore or reject the opportunity. This is the nature of the agency of man. Once we are told what the choices are, we are free to choose life or death. We literally get what we want.

• 2 Nephi 5:20 (19–24)

1 Nephi 8:34

34 These are the words of my father: For as many as heeded them, had fallen away.

I never thought about it in this way, but following the crowd was apparently contrary to the Law of Moses. Exodus 23:2 commands that, “Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil…” Whenever I read “Thou shalt not,” I assume the Lord means business. In several places the Lord tells his people that they are a “peculiar people,” which tells me that they are to be different from the crowd, if the crowd is going contrary to the Lord’s will. Peer pressure is powerful, so it’s important that we have our own testimonies and that we are truly converted. In that way we’re more secure in our beliefs and are less susceptible to peer influence. Peer influence works well on those who don’t have a clear understanding of who they are and what they want. This applies to areas other than spiritual as well. Any time we allow peer pressure to take us away from accomplishing a worthy goal, we were not really committed to that goal.

• Exodus 23:2
• Deuteronomy 14:2
• Proverb 19:27
• Mosiah 2:37 (33, 37)

1 Nephi 8:33

33 And great was the multitude that did enter into that strange building. And after they did enter into that building they did point the finger of scorn at me and those that were partaking of the fruit also; but we heeded them not.

Those who found their way to the great and spacious building turned around and mocked the ones who found the very thing that most of them were looking for when they found the building instead. This is not too bright. As recorded in Ether 12:26, “fools mock, but they shall mourn.” That is the end of pride. Humility does not mock or scorn.

I like those who, at the end of the verse, were partaking of the fruit and paid no heed to the scorners. This is someone who is secure in his beliefs and faith. It reminded me of Joshua 24:15, where he tells the people of Israel, “You guys do what you will, worship who or what you want, but it doesn’t matter to me, because I and my household will worship God regardless of what you do.” I like that idea of doing the right thing even if it’s unpopular and you’re the only one.

• Ether 12:26
• Joshua 24:15

1 Nephi 8:31–32

31 And he also saw other multitudes feeling their way towards that great and spacious building.

32 And it came to pass that many were drowned in the depths of the fountain; and many were lost from his view, wandering in strange roads.

These descriptions of people and their fate really make it look like most people are searching for some answers in their lives. The multitude “feeling their way towards that great and spacious building” sounds as if they are just as lost and blinded as those who came across the iron rod were. These just didn’t find the direction of that rod, so they drifted to the building instead of the Tree, almost unwittingly at first. Once they entered the building they joined the others who were persecuting and mocking the ones who found the Tree of Life. (see vs. 33) Is part of this out of jealousy? Some of those who were searching never found any answers, right or wrong, but “were lost from his view, wandering in strange roads.” Although not mocking, they are just as bad off personally. So are those who are “drowned in the depths of the fountain.” It’s like they just give up hope of finding the answers they are looking for. The time to help these people is while they are searching and before they give up hope. It’s much harder to help someone who has given up or has entered the building than it is to help someone who is looking for answers. The ones who give up don’t believe there are answers, and those in the building think they have the answers and everyone else is wrong. All these groups are closed to the truth. Now the trick is to be able to recognize the people who are searching.

1 Nephi 8:29–30

29 And now I, Nephi, do not speak all the words of my father.

30 But, to be short in writing, behold, he saw other multitudes pressing forward; and they came and caught hold of the end of the rod of iron; and they did press their way forward, continually holding fast to the rod of iron, until they came forth and fell down and partook of the fruit of the tree.

This next group of people is the one who really become converted. Nephi doesn’t make a full description of their situation here, but this seems to be the people who ultimately return to Heavenly Father and stay there. These would be the ones described in D&C 76:50–70.

• D&C 76:50–70

1 Nephi 8:28

28 And after they had tasted of the fruit they were ashamed, because of those that were scoffing at them; and they fell away into forbidden paths and were lost.

Those who enter into sacred covenants with the Lord, then break away from those covenants are worse off than those who never took the covenant in the first place. They are spiritually left to themselves, or as D&C 121:38 says, “[they are] left unto [themselves], to kick against the pricks, to persecute the saints and to fight against God.” They had tasted the good fruit, but it takes self discipline to stay in the Kingdom of God. You have to want it enough to make fundamental changes in your life, to give up certain worldly things that may seem precious. I like the way King Lamoni’s father, in his prayer of repentance after listening to Aaron, said, “I will give away all my sins to know thee.” (Alma 22:18) That seems like a simple enough trade, but it’s not as easy as it sounds. It’s definitely appropriate and worth it, but those sins are often habits hard to break. If we don’t do it, we can’t come to really know God. Then we “fall into forbidden paths and are lost.”

• 2 Peter 2:20 (19–22)
• Mark 4:17 (14–20)
• 8:38; Luke 8:13 (11–15)
• John 12:43 (42–43)
• Hebrews 6:4–6
• Luke 9:62 (57–62)
• D&C 121:34–35 (34–40)

1 Nephi 8:27

27 And it was filled with people, both old and young, both male and female; and their manner of dress was exceedingly fine; and they were in the attitude of mocking and pointing their fingers towards those who had come at and were partaking of the fruit.

The irony of this verse is that the world, as represented by the mocking people in the spacious building, is mocking those who have rejected them. They are trying to appeal to the insecurities of those who have taken the fruit, but even in their pride, they themselves are not secure. If they were secure in their choices, why would they even care about anybody who made different choices? This is the way it has always been though. The Savior told His disciples that the world would hate those who have been chosen out of the world. (see John 15:19) In fact, if you find that you are popular with the world, you may need to reexamine yourself. The world will always accept those who conform to their beliefs. In fact, they will surround themselves with these people, so-called “yes men,” who will not tell them what they need to hear, but rather what they want to hear. (see 2 Timothy 4:3–4) So there is the irony. Pride puts on the face of security and confidence, when in fact it has none.

• Luke 6:26
• John 15:19

1 Nephi 8:26

26 And I also cast my eyes round about, and beheld, on the other side of the river of water, a great and spacious building; and it stood as it were in the air, high above the earth.

Later we learn that this great and spacious building represents the learning and pride of the world. Considering that, it is completely appropriate that the building be floating high above the earth. The pride of man is baseless; it has no firm foundation. In spite of that, the proud have no eyes to see how silly they are. They think they are the beginning and end of wisdom. They can’t see beyond their own discoveries. Paul taught that the “foolishness of God is wiser than men.” (1 Corinthians 1:25) There is nothing humble about this building. From its size to its foundation floating in the air, it is full of pride.

• 1 Nephi 11:35 (35–36)
• 1 Nephi 12:18

1 Nephi 8:25

25 And after they had partaken of the fruit of the tree they did cast their eyes about as if they were ashamed.

It’s interesting to me that people feel ashamed for feeling the Love of God. There seems to be no sense of accomplishment with some who live a good and righteous life. For example, the world heaps praise and respect upon those who complete their secular educations. The same honor is not given to those who raise a righteous family, even though it takes all the wisdom, energy, creativity, and most of your time throughout your life. The world dismisses that effort as if it has no value. Then they turn around and lament the awful state the world is in. Some who partake of the Love of God seem to get caught up in that and become more concerned with the honors of men than of God. It takes faith to stay at the Tree, just as it takes faith to get to it. I think that being ashamed of partaking of this fruit is a sign of a loss of faith. This is one of the scariest verses in this chapter to me. I never want to be ashamed of my relationship with Heavenly Father.

• Romans 1:16
• Alma 46:21
• Mormon 8:38
• D&C 60:2–3

1 Nephi 8:24 (24–28)

24 And it came to pass that I beheld others pressing forward, and they came forth and caught hold of the end of the rod of iron; and they did press forward through the mist of darkness, clinging to the rod of iron, even until they did come forth and partake of the fruit of the tree.

[verses 24–28] These verses describe a set of people who are very sad to me. After doing everything right, getting on the path, clinging to the rod of iron, pressing forward to the point of partaking of the fruit of the Tree of Life, the Love of God, they blow it. They get ashamed and self-conscious because they are different from those who are making fun of them. I hope and pray that I am not in this group. These people almost endure to the end, but once t hey get to where they want to be they give it up for popularity, or some other equally unworthy motive.

One thing I do admire about Christians these day, and especially Evangelical Christians in the “Bible Belt” is that they are not ashamed to be Christian. While I may not agree with some of their doctrines, I am encouraged to see them stand up to a very anti-Christian world. I think that gradually they are gaining that same respect for the LDS Church members, as we stand up to with them, and often lead the way in some issues that are definitely not taught by the Lord. I hope that I am that bold when it comes down to it.

1 Nephi 8:21–23

21 And I saw numberless concourses of people, many of whom were pressing forward, that they might obtain the path which led unto the tree by which I stood.

22 And it came to pass that they did come forth, and commence in the path which led to the tree.

23 And it came to pass that there arose a mist of darkness; yea, even an exceedingly great mist of darkness, insomuch that they who had commenced in the path did lose their way, that they wandered off and were lost.

This first group of people that Lehi saw in his dream are, for the most part, good-intentioned people who want the right things in life. However, just knowing the way to the Tree of Life, and having a desire to obtain its fruits is not enough to get you there. Temptations will confuse and misdirect even those with the best of desires and highest of goals if they don’t keep the word of God. The fact is that the path is His path, and in order to travel it we must follow His rules. That’s where the iron rod comes in. How can we go by His rules if we don’t know what they are? People want to return to Father in their own way instead of by His word. They are deceived. If we don’t hold fast to the word of God, it is impossible to stay on the path, to do the things we need to do to return to Him, no matter what our desires may be.

• Matthew 7:21–23
• Matthew 13:19–22
• 1 Nephi 12:17
• D&C 76:75 (71–80)
• D&C 123:12

1 Nephi 8:20

20 And I also beheld a strait and narrow path, which came along by the rod of iron, even to the tree by which I stood; and it also led by the head of the fountain, unto a large and spacious field, as if it had been a world.

The “strait and narrow” path is an interesting study. Prior to the 1981 edition of The Book of Mormon, the phrase was rendered “straight and narrow.” While straight and strait definitely have two different meanings (and there is some discussion about which one is more accurate in this verse), I think that either rendition works here. On the one hand, strait, while a bit redundant in conjunction with the word “narrow,” since they have similar definitions, emphasizes how strict or how exact the requirements are to return to Heavenly Father. On the other hand, the term straight emphasizes that there are no hidden, secret ways to return to Father. Any deviation from straight forward is our deviation, not the Lord’s. The Lord does not “walk in crooked paths” (Alma 7:20), and neither is our path to Him crooked as we follow in His footsteps. So, while either strait or straight may be serviceable in this verse, I like the added meaning offered by “straight.”

This leads me to the Christian world’s attitude about being saved. Many believe that as long as you are Christian (confess Christ) it doesn’t matter what church you belong to; they all get you back to heaven. And in a sense they are right, but not the way they think. There are only two churches: God’s true church, and all the others. If you don’t belong to His true church, it really doesn’t matter which one you belong to. Both of these paths may indeed lead you to heaven and some form of salvation, but the difference is where in heaven you end up, and how much authority and honor you have when you get there. It’s not the same. The road to heaven is not so broad as what the world would have us believe. (Matthew 7:13–14)

• Matthew 7:13–14
• Alma 7:19–20

1 Nephi 8:19

19 And I beheld a rod of iron, and it extended along the bank of the river, and led to the tree by which I stood.

I’m not totally sure that I completely understand or appreciate the importance of holding to the iron rod. I do know a few things about it, however. This iron rod, or the word of God, is the only thing that I have found that will take us safely through the perils and temptations of the world. And it’s more than just knowing the words, it’s holding to them, following their teachings. It takes determination, and it takes faith to stay with it and obey. The Liahona was also compared to the word of God. (see Alma 37:43–45) It only worked according to faith and diligence in following it. Interestingly, these are both fairly passive tools. The rod of iron doesn’t reach out and grab your hand, and the Liahona doesn’t ring a bell or grab your attention every time it has new directions. Just the opposite is true. We have to hold to the rod with our own effort; we have to look for direction with our own desire to find it. And yet, once we take that initiative to live by the word of God, it somehow changes into a very powerful tool. In telling us to put on the “whole armor of God,” the apostle, Paul, describes the only offensive weapon in the armor as the “sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” Once we take possession of the word of God, it gives us power to not only defend ourselves, but to help others find the Tree of Life. Someone holding to the rod can hold another’s hand and lead them to the rod, but only if the first person is holding to it. In the dark, just talking about the rod doesn’t get either one to it. This is very powerful doctrine, yet such simple imagery.

• Ephesians 6:13–18
• Revelation 22:14
• 1 Nephi 11:25
• 1 Nephi 15:23–24
• 2 Nephi 31:17–21
• Alma 31:5
• Alma 37:38–47

1 Nephi 8:17–18

17 And it came to pass that I was desirous that Laman and Lemuel should come and partake of the fruit also; wherefore, I cast mine eyes towards the head of the river, that perhaps I might see them.

18 And it came to pass that I saw them, but they would not come unto me and partake of the fruit.

If a prophet’s joy (or any parent’s joy) is greatest when their own families accept the gospel and come to Christ, how great must be their disappointment and sadness when they choose to not partake. I’m sure that as much trouble as Laman and Lemuel caused, Lehi still loved them and wanted them to join him and the rest of the family at the tree. However, it should be noted that he didn’t want to be together with his sons enough to leave the tree. It was still up to Laman and Lemuel to come and partake; the tree could not go to them, nor could Lehi take some of the fruit to them. I know of some parents who, in an attempt to befriend their children and have a positive influence over them, have become caught up in the same problems the children are having. As parents, we need to teach and encourage, but never lower ourselves to the standards of a wayward child.

1 Nephi 8:14–16

14 And I looked to behold from whence it came; and I saw the head thereof a little way off; and at the head thereof I beheld your mother Sariah, and Sam, and Nephi; and they stood as if they knew not whither they should go. 15 And it came to pass that I beckoned unto them; and I also did say unto them with a loud voice that they should come unto me, and partake of the fruit, which was desirable above all other fruit. 16 And it came to pass that they did come unto me and partake of the fruit also.

Lehi must have been very pleased that Sariah, Sam, and Nephi came to partake of the fruit of the Tree of Life. A prophet’s calling is to invite and encourage all people to come unto Christ, but they must feel a particular joy and satisfaction when their own families partake of this precious fruit. Verse three tells us that Lehi has reason to rejoice because of these three family members. Like Lehi, I have had great joy over the years as I watch how my family has come to the Tree and partaken of this fruit.

• D&C 18:14–16

1 Nephi 8:13

13 And as I cast my eyes round about, that perhaps I might discover my family also, I beheld a river of water; and it ran along, and it was near the tree of which I was partaking the fruit.

What an interesting image that is used to symbolize the division between the wicked and the righteous. This is the interpretation that was given to Nephi in 1 Nephi 12:16–18. Not only does it separate the wicked from the Tree of Life, it represents the depths of hell. This is the illustration I think is so interesting here: the contrast between the love of God and its rewards, and the depths of hell. The tree is solid and bears delicious fruit, while the river is shifting and ever changing its filthy contents. It has no fruit, but the water conforms its standard to whatever its surroundings happen to be. It is always trying to erode its banks or boundaries, so those standards, if you will, are always shifting. Satan works that way and would have us believe that truth itself and standards of righteousness are what is shifting relative to their circumstances. This includes situations you are in and where you happen to be in history. In other words, whatever the standards of the world are determines whether something is right or wrong. Standards of morality, for example, are based on what is acceptable and tolerable to the society in general, not on what is acceptable to the Lord. If adultery is not punishable by law, it must be ok, for example. Another example of that is plural marriage. In some societies it is acceptable, in others it is not. The Lord’s standards are not based on what is socially acceptable, but man’s standards often are. So I think the shifting nature of a river is an appropriate symbol for hell.

• 1 Nephi 15:26–27 (26–29)

1 Nephi 8:12

12 And as I partook of the fruit thereof it filled my soul with exceedingly great joy; wherefore, I began to be desirous that my family should partake of it also; for I knew that it was desirable above all other fruit.

This verse has a couple of significant points. First is the joy Lehi felt after partaking of the fruit of the Tree of Life. The whole purpose of man, or at the main purpose of man, is to have joy (2 Nephi 2:25). We gain that joy by coming to Christ and partaking of His love. Lehi found that joy was the most desirable thing, “above all other fruit.” It seems that a person’s main objective in life is to find joy or true happiness. Realizing this, Satan provides many activities that provide a false or counterfeit form of happiness, but as Alma says, “Wickedness never was happiness.” (Alma 41:10) The more fully we keep the commandments, the more we are encircled in God’s love, and the more joy we feel, even to a fullness of joy.

The next point in this verse is that once you fully partake, you want to share with your loved ones. If you love someone, you want him or her to feel the same joy and happiness you feel. Not so much with Satan’s counterfeit. The person pursuing Satan’s version of “happiness” may want others to be in the same situation they are in, but the feeling is pretty selfish. The cliché, “Misery loves company,” applies here. They may want to drag others in, but it’s not so the others can feel happy, it’s more so the one doing the dragging can feel like they aren’t the only one messing up. You can plug in any kind of vice (i.e. Satan’s addictions) here, and see that the motivation is different from Lehi’s motivation to share the fruit with his family.

• 2 Nephi 2:25
• Psalm 16:11
• John 15:7–11
• Alma 41:10

1 Nephi 8:11

11 And it came to pass that I did go forth and partake of the fruit thereof; and I beheld that it was most sweet, above all that I ever before tasted. Yea, and I beheld that the fruit thereof was white, to exceed all the whiteness that I had ever seen.

The Tree of Life, or Love of God, is offered freely to all, but only those who make the effort to go to the tree, actively seeking that love are able to enjoy its fruit. And the fruit of this tree is desirable. It is white, or pure, more pure than anything we can experience in this life. The closest we come is charity, which Mormon defines as the “pure love of Christ.” (Moroni 7:47) Charity is one of the fruits of the Tree of Life. Again, the tree is offered to us all, but it doesn’t come to us without effort on our part. We must approach the Tree. If we wait for the Tree to come to us, we miss the mark. It must be our effort that brings us the fruits of God’s love.

• Moroni 7:47
• Matthew 7:17–20
• 3 Nephi 14:17–20

1 Nephi 8:10

10 And it came to pass that I beheld a tree, whose fruit was desirable to make one happy.

I’ve been studying and pondering this Tree of Life and its meaning for several days now, and I don’t think I yet comprehend all the implications of it. So I’m glad this will not be the last chance to write about this tree and its fruit.

The Tree of Life is a symbol of God’s love, and interestingly is found in several ancient civilizations. The fruit of that love makes us happy and fulfilled. As I think about people who clearly have come to this tree or partaken of its fruit, the personal traits they possess are things like self-confidence, peace, and an understanding of who they are. It’s interesting to note that while the tree is offered and available to all men, only those who make the effort to come to it get to partake of its beauty and fruit. I had a religion teacher at BYU, Joseph R. McConkie, who taught us that God’s love is conditional, contrary to what the world, and often the members of this Church teach. It’s conditional on us making that effort to come and partake of it. Yes, it is offered to all unconditionally, but only those who come to Him actually receive the benefits of His love. If you consider love and hate as verbs instead of feelings, this is more easily understood. The Lord loves and supports His people more than His enemies. In that sense the love of God is conditional on us becoming His people. The way we signify that is through taking on us the saving ordinances, such as baptism. In other words, we make a covenant.

The relationship we have with God has been compared many times in the scriptures to a marriage covenant, and it’s a great metaphor. I have a covenant relationship with my wife and children that sets them apart from everyone else in the world. That doesn’t mean I don’t love other women and children, but I certainly don’t have the kind of relationship with them that I do with my own wife and children. The covenant makes all the difference. And just like that, the Lord loves all of us, but I believe He holds a special place in his heart, or has a special kind of love and relationship with those who are willing to make a covenant with him. In this case, that covenant is symbolized by taking the fruit of the Tree of Life.

• Revelation 22:1–6
• 2 Nephi 2:15,25