Place: Jerusalem and the surrounding wilderness
Reference: 1 Nephi 7,8,11,12
Characters:
Lehi: Father of the family and a prophet. He enjoys fearlessly preaching repentance to the Jews, receiving death threats, reading books obtained in strange ways, dreaming crazy dreams, trekking through the wilderness, and dwelling in tents.
Sariah: Wife of Lehi and a worried mother. She enjoys spending time with family, bearing children in the wilderness, matchmaking, and gardening.
Nephi: Legendary younger brother and heroic prophet. He enjoys archery, playing with swords, building ships, hiking to high mountains, writing poetry, and confounding his brothers.
Sam: Faithful but sometimes forgotten middle child. He enjoys long walks through the wilderness, campfire stories, sailing, and playing with God's compass.
Laman and Lemuel: The two peas in a pod rebellious older brothers. They enjoy antagonizing their brothers, eating raw meat, making new friends, dancing with hot women, and uttering tribal cries.
Zoram: Promise-keeping servant of Laban. He enjoys playing hide-and-seek in the dark, hitch hiking, reading in the libraries of Laban, and skinning beasts.
Ishmael: Adventure-seeking Jerusalem father. He enjoys playing matchmaker, listening to stories, going on trips with his family, and building camp fires.
Sons of Ishmael: Strong, rude, party animals. They enjoy bullying, building alliances with others, practicing robe knotting, and arm wrestling.
Hot daughter of Ishmael: Sweet, spiritual, beautiful woman. She enjoys shopping for clothes, saving people's lives, staring at hot boys, and batting her eyes at Nephi.
Writer: Nephi
Background information: This is a popular story in the Book of Mormon. This story teaches us about God's love for all of us and what more we can do to come closer to Him. It also teaches us about the danger of temptation and the importance to hold fast to what we believe.
Previously on Book of Mormon Stories: Nephi and his brothers were commanded to return to Jerusalem to obtain the brass plates. Nephi was adamant about keeping the commandments and knew of the blessings that come from it. Along the way he learned an even deeper lesson on keeping the commandments. He slew Laban, took the brass plates, and brought a new friend, Zoram, back to Jerusalem with them. They all rejoiced to be able to have the scriptures with them in their travels. (click here to read the full story)
After Nephi, Laman, Lemuel, and Sam's arduous journey to Jerusalem and back to get the brass plates, the Lord once again commanded them to return to Jerusalem. The Lord needed them to return to bring Ishmael and his family into the wilderness so that Lehi's children could have someone to marry. It's interesting to note that no complaining took place this time. The sons gladly hiked back to Jerusalem to get some hot wives.
"And it came to pass that we went up unto the house of Ishmael, and we did gain favor in the sight of Ishmael, insomuch that we did speak unto him the words of the Lord. And it came to pass that the Lord did soften the heart of Ishmael, and also his household, insomuch that they took their journey with us down into the wilderness to the tent of our father."
As they were travelling back, "behold Laman and Lemuel, and two of the daughters of Ishmael, and the two sons of Ishmael and their families, did rebel against us." Oh how surprising: his brothers are rebelling again. They wanted to go back to Jerusalem instead of going on a crazy trip into the wilderness. Nephi tried to testify and be like "guys..commandments..promised blessings..you saw an angel..Why aren't you guys getting this?!" Laman and Lemuel weren't impressed and they proceeded to bind Nephi with chords and leave him there to die. But faithful Nephi prayed to God and God loosed the bands so that he could stand and continue preaching. Then his brothers were super angry, but one of Ishmael's daughters and her mother and brother all pleaded for them to spare his life. They then realized that they were being jerks and asked for forgiveness and they continued on their way. A few chapters later, Nephi married this cute, brave daughter of Ishmael. ("And it came to pass that I, Nephi, took one of the daughters of Ishmael to wife...And also, I, Nephi, had been blessed of the Lord exceedingly" "because I have a hot wife" [1 Nephi 16:7-8].)
After they had all been travelling in the wilderness together, Lehi came to his family one morning and told them he had had a dream. Super. Lehi's dreams are so fun. He told them that in his dream, he saw a "large and spacious field...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 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." So there are tons of people in this huge field who are holding on to this rod of iron trying to get to this tree. Why is this tree so important? "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.. And as I partook of the fruit thereof it filled my soul with exceedingly great joy.."
It made him so happy that he wanted his family to have some too. He gestured to his family to come eat the fruit and Sariah, Sam, and Nephi did and they were also filled with joy. But when he beckoned Laman and Lemuel to come, they did not. Instead, they were on the other side of a river in a "great and spacious building...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."
There were lots of other people there other than the ones in the building and the ones eating the fruit. There were some who would hang on to the rod for a while but eventually let go and were lost in the darkness. Others actually partook of the fruit but then were ashamed because of those laughing at them so they left the tree and were lost. Many were wandering around in the darkness, either making their way towards the great and spacious building or simply not knowing where to go and were also lost.
The number of those actually on the iron rod was few, but they were strong and knew what they wanted and where they were headed. "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."
Now you may be wondering, what does this all mean? So were Nephi and his brothers. Nephi went and prayed to the Lord and the Spirit of the Lord appeared to him and told him what the things in Lehi's dream meant. Here I will give you a cheat sheet of what the elements in the dream symbolize.
Tree of Life: The love of God "Yea, it is the love of God, which sheddeth itself abroad in the hearts of the children of men; wherefore, it is the most desirable above all things.. Yea, and the most joyous to the soul."
Rod of iron: The word of God.
The mists of darkness: The temptations of the devil, "which blindeth the eyes, and hardeneth the hearts of the children of men, and leadeth them away into broad roads, that they perish and are lost."
River: The depths of hell. Ouch.
The great and spacious building: The pride of the world. "And it fell, and the fall thereof was exceedingly great...Thus shall be the destruction of all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people, that shall fight against the twelve apostles of the Lamb."
I love the story of the tree of life. I have tasted of the fruit and I know that it is so desirable above all else. Maybe there is a huge great and spacious building with fingers pointing at me and mocking me for my beliefs but I know what I have felt and seen and I know that this is true. I want others to be able to have it as well. That is why I am a missionary and I go and teach others about the gospel of Jesus Christ. There are so many people out there who are lost and don't know where to go. I am trying to find those who are willing to come to the iron rod so that they can be brought to the love of God and enjoy the fullness of His gospel. This gospel is the only way and it brings me so much joy and happiness. Nothing in that great and spacious building can even compare to the incredible love of God and gospel of Jesus Christ. I know that as we all hold on to the iron rod by reading our scriptures, praying, going to church, keeping the commandments, and heeding the words of the prophets and apostles, we can all make it to the tree of life and rejoice together.
"And moreover, I would desire that ye should consider on the blessed and happy state of those that keep the commandments of God. For behold, they are blessed in all things, both temporal and spiritual; and if they hold out faithful to the end they are received into heaven, that thereby they may dwell with God in a state of never-ending happiness. O remember, remember that these things are true; for the Lord God hath spoken it"(Mosiah 2:41).
Amen.
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