I'm in Chapter 8, Lehi's vision of the Tree of Life. I want to see if there's anything that I've missed before, if there is some meaning I hadn't noticed before, or that hasn't been brought to my attention.
Lehi starts off telling them about the vision by saying how he rejoices in Nephi "and also of Sam, for I have reason to suppose that they, and also many of their seed, will be saved." So here we have a very positive statement by Lehi that Sam is indeed a faithful follower, just as worthy as Nephi of salvation. In the scriptures, I believe "salvation" isn't just being saved in a kingdom of God, as that could include the telestial and terrestial kingdoms, but being saved in the celestial kingdom.
Lehi saw a man dressed in white who told Lehi to follow him -- but he led him into a dark and dreary waste. That is not where we expect to be led by the Lord. But that's where Lehi was led. And he traveled for the space of many hours in this waste, and then began to pray to the Lord for mercy. After he prayed, he beheld a large and spacious field, and the tree with the fruit desirable to make one happy.
What is there about first being led into a dreary waste? The Lord teaches through opposites. Lehi experienced the dark and dreary waste to better comprehend the beauty of the tree and the blessing of the fruit. We sometimes don't understand how necessary opposition is. We don't realize that when the Lord had led us into some darkness, then it's so we can better appreciate what lays ahead. God our Father understands human nature -- He's lived through it. And Christ also lived through it. Though Christ lived a perfect life, he was also tempted in every way known to man.
As soon as Lehi partakes of the fruit, he wants his family to enjoy its blessings. When looking around for his family, that's when he notices the river of water. At the head of the river, he saw Sariah, Sam and Nephi and they looked like they didn't know where to go, so he called out to them and they came and partook of the fruit. No hesitation, no questions, no need for explanations -- they just followed Lehi's instructions and partook of the fruit. And we know that Laman and Lemuel did not.
Then the rest of the vision is for us. Lehi sees a strait and narrow path, and a rod of iron along the path, which led to the tree of life. The path connected a large and spacious field, as if it were a world, and the tree of life. And many people did come out of the world and commence in the path towards the tree. But then there was a mist of darkness, causing those people to lose their way and wander off. But the people who caught hold of the rod of iron and clung to it, made it to the tree and partook of the fruit. Of course, we know the explanation is that we must hold fast to the Scriptures and the Living Prophets or we will lose our way.
But some of them were ashamed -- because of the mockings of the people in the great and spacious building. These I think are the saddest group, they make it to the tree and partake of the fruit only to become ashamed. We have been advised several times in the last few General Conferences that the day is coming when we will be ridiculed for being Christian -- it is happening to a certain measure now.
But others do hold tight to the rod of iron, do partake of the fruit, and do remain faithful. Still others go directly to the large and spacious building.
As important and complete as this vision was, it was not all the Lord wanted to reveal. That's the way it is with the Lord -- He gives us the seed, and then depending on how much we want further light and knowledge, He gives us more and more until we have the full tree. It was Nephi that asked the Lord for more light and knowledge. I believe one of the gifts of the Spirit is to have that inquiring mind, that deep desire to know more. Nephi had that gift of the Spirit, and he inquired. Another gift of the Spirit is to receive that greater light and knowledge from others. Sam had that gift - he didn't inquire but he believed. Laman and Lemuel didn't have either gift, they wouldn't inquire and they didn't believe. Which gift do I have? Or have I, like Laman and Lemuel, rejected both gifts?
We have to be careful when we assess how someone is acting. I used to think poorly of Sam for not inquiring. But that simply may not have been one of his Gifts of the Spirit. We know that God does not give everyone every gift. So it may not have been a weakness in Sam to not inquire -- it may simply have been that inquiring wasn't his gift -- believing was his gift. Nephi was already called to be Lehi's successor as the spiritual leader of the family, and so that gift of the Spirit would be an essential element of his call. It would have been a much bigger deal if Nephi had failed to inquire.
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