To View the Lesson Video on YouTube: 1 Nephi 6-10 Video
To Purchase Teaching Materials: Teaching with Power Etsy Shop
1 Nephi 6-10
Now I would probably spend the majority of my time this week fairly exclusively in 1 Nephi 8, Lehi’s vision of the Tree of Life. Which is unequivocally one of the most symbolically rich and spiritually significant chapters in the entire Book of Mormon. It’s so good. I would place it on the same level as the visions of John from the Book of Revelation, or Isaiah, Moses, or the parables of Jesus even. This chapter alone gives me faith in Joseph Smith’s divine calling as a TRANSLATOR of the Book of Mormon. There’s no way that Joseph Smith just made this up one morning after eating corn bread with Emma. If he did, then he was a literary genius at age 21 with a third-grade education. It is deep. It is vivid. It’s thought provoking. It’s sublime. I mean, there is so much to unpack here.
VIDEO
And to introduce my students to the vision of the tree of life, I would consider encouraging them to come to class prepared having already read 1 Nephi chapter 8, so that we wouldn’t have to spend a lot of time covering the text of the dream itself and instead spend more time discussing and pondering its meaning and messages. Or, I might consider showing the Church’s video of the dream, which is really well done and then inviting my students to identify the major elements of the dream
THE BASICS
And then after the video, I would place the following slide on the screen or have this chart written on the board and challenge them to fill in what each element symbolizes. And if they don’t know, to look up the provided references. Now I would imagine that most of your students are going to have a basic understanding of the major symbols of the vision of the tree of life, so I would want this activity to be brief. A quick review unless you feel that they don’t have a good foundation yet.
But the major symbols are:
The Tree (1 Nephi 11:25):
The Rod (1 Nephi 15:23-24):
The River (1 Nephi 12:18):
The Mists (1 Nephi 12:17):
The Building (1 Nephi 12:16):
Now there are other symbols like the straight and narrow path, and the fountain of water, but let’s just focus on these 5
And if we fill it out, we find that the tree represents the Love of God:
The Iron Rod represents: The word of God, or we would say, scripture, the words of the prophets and church leaders, and the guidance of the Spirit
The River: Depths of hell, or in other words, the consequences of sin
The Mists of Darkness, we learn are the temptations of the devil
And finally the Great and Spacious building represents the vain imaginations and pride of the world
The decision you have to make as a teacher now, depending on how much time you have, is where are you going to focus your attention. On which symbols. For the rest of the video, basically, I’m going to give you three different lesson ideas that focus on three different sets of symbols from the dream. And before you teach, prayerfully consider where you feel your students most need to direct their attention, because you probably won’t be able to do all three. So first:
LESSON #1 THE TREE AND THE FRUIT (1 Nephi 8)
OBJECT: For my object, I would have displayed at the front of my classroom a large basket or bowl filled with different kinds of fruit.
ICEBREAKER
Then for an Icebreaker, I would take the following classroom poll by asking “To you, what do you think is the best, most delicious fruit?” Is it apples, oranges, bananas, peaches, pineapples, or strawberries? And then I’d be sure to ask if there was a fruit that I didn’t list that somebody would add that they feel I’m missing. This is a good way to get a bit of a discussion going because somebody is going to wonder why you didn’t include watermelon, or grapes, and they will want to share what their favorite fruit it.
Then, to transition into the scriptures I would explain that in Lehi’s dream of the Tree of Life, fruit is a key symbol. Perhaps one of the most important symbols in the entire dream. That fruit grows from a very special tree —the Tree of Life. And we’ve already learned that the Tree of Life represents the Love of God. And I feel that that’s a great symbol for God’s love. It’s living, growing, vibrant, sturdy, and beautiful.
But, I like to separate those two symbols, the tree, and its fruit. Because, if the tree represents God’s love, what does the fruit represent? Well, the fruits of God’s love and gospel.
CROSS REFERENCE
And before we continue in 1 Nephi chapter 8, we’re going to take a quick side trip to the Book of Revelation in the New Testament to get a few more details about the tree of life and the kind of fruit that grows from it. Read Revelation 22:2 and tell me what additional insight it gives us.
2 In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.
Now isn’t that wonderful, John tells us that the tree of life bears twelve different kinds of fruit, and it’s always in season, and the leaves are good for medicine and healing. What a great description of this tree! God has a lot of varied good to offer us, and it’s always available, and it will heal wounded souls. This is the central symbol around which the rest of the dream revolves. So let’s learn a little more about that fruit. So if I were an artist, which I’m not, if I were to paint the tree of life , there would be many different kinds of fruit hanging from the same tree. What does that teach us about the blessings or fruits of the love of God? There are many blessings God has to offer us. And that tree yields its fruit every month. Most trees only bear fruit in season, at limited times of the year. But not the tree of life. This is a different kind of tree. It yields it's fruit every single month. God’s blessings can come at any time. There aren’t limits placed and the bounties of his love. And not only does the tree bear fruit for us, its leaves provide healing.
BRAINSTORM
So with that insight in mind, let’s brainstorm the symbol for a moment. As a teacher I would draw a circle on my board at the front of the classroom labeled “The Fruits of God’s Love” and ask, “What ARE some of those fruits that hang from the tree? What are the blessings or manifestations of God’s love?” Possible answers: truth, forgiveness, the temple, joy, family, salvation, revelation, mercy, priesthood, miracles, and probably the largest fruit on the tree, the Atonement of his son. What is it that John 3:16 tells us?
16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
And there are many, many more. In short, the fruit represents all the good things that come into our lives because of our commitment to the gospel and God’s love for us.
SEARCH ACTIVITY/HANDOUT
Now the dream is going to help us understand an extremely crucial truth about those particular fruits. There are eight different adjective that are used to describe the fruit that is growing on the tree of life, and I want you to find all of them. Lehi gives us four of the words, Nephi adds three, and then Alma gives us one more in Alma 32. And you could either have them find the adjectives by simply making this list on the board and having your students identify them, or you could do it with the following handout which invites them to write the word under the picture that they feel best matches the word used to describe the fruit. And, one more thing to look for as you do this, I want you to pay attention to how those words are presented. There’s something interesting about the phrases those adjectives are couched in. They all have something in common. Can you find it?
So what are the words?
In 8:11, the fruit is described as sweet, but notice, it’s not just sweet, most fruits are sweet, donuts are sweet, but how sweet is this fruit? It is most sweet, above all that I ever before tasted. The picture of the sugar jar is the match
Also in vs. 11, it’s white, but it isn’t just white, lots of things are white, but it was white to exceed all the whiteness that I had ever seen. The match is the whiteboard
In vs. 12 and in 11:23, it filled his soul with joy. But not just joy, what kind of joy? Exceedingly great joy. 11:23 says it was the most joyous, so that’s our adjective. So the happy face is our match.
Also in vs. 12, it was desirable. But not just desirable, Desirable above all other fruit. The match is the hand reaching out.
Well let’s look at Nephi’s words:
11:8 Beautiful, but not just beautiful, the beauty thereof was far beyond, yea, exceeding of all beauty. This was a harder one to come up with a representative picture, but it would be the beautiful landscape picture here.
And then he repeats one of Lehi’s with whiteness and tells us it did exceed the whiteness of the driven snow.
11:9 Precious, but not just precious, precious above all. The diamond.
11:22 repeats desirable above all,
15:36 repeats precious and desirable, but adds a new one for us, what is it? Greatest. It is the greatest of all the gifts of God. The match is the #1 ribbon.
Finally, one more, Alma gives us one additional adjective to our list in Alma 32:42
He repeats precious, and sweet, and white, but adds what word? Pure, but again, our pattern, not just pure, pure above all that is pure. The picture match is the dove, a symbol of purity.
So let’s take a look at our list here: Sweet, white, desirable, beautiful, precious, joyous, great, pure. And remember that each of those words is couched in some form of the idea of above all other things with those qualities.
TRUTH
It sure seems like the Lord wants us to understand something about his fruit, what would you conclude that that is?
Here’s how I would put it. There is nothing better than God’s fruit. There is nothing out there that compares to the sweetness and beauty and purity of that fruit. There isn’t anything, anywhere, in this universe that you can desire and seek for that is going to satisfy and fill you like this. It’s not good, it’s not better, it’s the best. That is a truth that we absolutely must come to believe and know.
LIKEN THE SCRIPTURES
Why do you think it’s important for us to know and understand that now, in our day?
My thoughts: Because what will we do if we believe that there is something sweeter, or more beautiful, or more desirable out there? We’ll leave the tree to look for it elsewhere. We may think or become convinced that there is something sweeter or more desirable in the great and spacious building, or down the strange roads, or on the forbidden paths. But what happens to those people that try to find joy and sweetness in other places in the dream. Some are lost, some are drowned in the river, and some are crushed in the fall of the building. If we were to leave the tree and its fruits for the love of the world or the pride of the world, we will have made a very, very poor choice. We will have chosen the lesser.
QUOTE
CS Lewis once wrote:
What Satan put into the heads of our remote ancestors was the idea that they could . . . invent some sort of happiness for themselves outside God, apart from God. And out of that hopeless attempt has come nearly all that we call human history--money, poverty, ambition, war, prostitution, classes, empires, slavery--the long terrible story of man trying to find something other than God which will make him happy.
C.S. Lewis, "Mere Christianity, 53-54"
It reminds me of that story in the New Testament in John 6 where many of Jesus disciples turn away from him because they are offended by his hard sayings. And then he turns to the apostles and poignantly asks, will ye also go away? And Peter steps forward and says, “Lord, to whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life”. See, Peter understood the principle of the tree of life. There isn’t anything out there that is better. There is no other real fruit to turn to.
OBJECT LESSON: RUNTS (THE UNHEALTHY ALTERNATIVE)
Now Satan does have his fruits too right? Lust, greed, cruelty, materialism, power over others, and they have a sweetness to them too don’t they? If they didn’t, people wouldn’t indulge in them, would they? I’d like to invite you to compare Satan’s fruits to RUNTS. Have you ever had these candies before? And when I’m teaching I’ll actually pull out a box of them and then set a candy banana next to a real banana and ask: How might this be a good comparison between the fruits that God offers compared to the fruits that Satan offers? My answer: God’s fruit provides real nourishment, while Satan’s fruits offer only empty calories. Satan is a good counterfeiter. Yes a RUNT banana has the same basic shape as a real banana, the same color, and sweetness, but it’s not real, it’s man-made. So love is counterfeited by lust. Confidence, with pride. The need for rest, with sloth. And abundance with greed and materialism. Satan’s fruits may taste great for a short moment, but eventually they rot your teeth and give you a stomachache. God’s fruit on the other hand, has long term nutritional value and is satisfying and filling. So let’s make sure we choose the right fruit. The most desirable fruit. (https://amzn.to/48LleIE)
There was something my Grandma Wilcox used to say to me. And she, in terms found here in Lehi’s vision of the tree of life, was somebody who, when she was younger, had spent a considerable amount of time in the great and spacious building before coming to the sad realization that she didn’t really want to be there. There wasn’t any fruit in that building, only RUNTS. And so she finally decided to leave the building and came back to the tree. Which, by the way, is one of the great fruits available on that tree, forgiveness. But she used to say, “Kids, I’ve been to the great and spacious building, and I want you grandkids to know that there is nothing worth seeing there. You don’t need to go check it out for yourselves. Take my word for it. Stay at the tree.”
TAKING IT TO HEART
And here I would like to ask you: What are some of the most delicious fruits of God’s love you have tasted thus far?
In addition to some of the blessings I shared earlier such as truth, the atonement, and priesthood, here are some other precious fruits I’ve tasted compared to what the adversary was offering. The fruit of kneeling at the altar across from my amazing wife, knowing that we were both worthy and committed to each other for eternity was a fruit far sweeter than anything a superficial high school relationship or immoral indulgence could have ever provided. The fruit of seeing a family I taught on my mission enter the waters of baptism, far outweighed any professional or educational advantage that not serving a mission would have given me. The fruit of raising my children, taking them Trick or Treating, or watching them on Christmas morning, or baptizing them, or teaching them how to ride a bike is far sweeter than any career or financial benefit that could have come from delaying or choosing not to become a parent would have. And there are many future fruits out there I haven’t had a chance to try yet! I have yet to taste the fruit of sending a child on a mission, or becoming a grandparent, or serving as a temple worker, or the fruit of resurrection. How’s that going to taste! Or the fruit of meeting the Savior.
I WILL GO AND DO
Will you recommit yourself to nourishing your spirit with God’s fruit and God’s fruit only? And setting aside any counterfeit fruits of the devil we may have been snacking on lately.
(And a quick teaching note here. If you like, you may wish to hand out a piece of real fruit to each of your students at the end of the class and inviting them to ponder their commitment to seeking the fruit of the tree of life as they eat)
THE TAKEAWAY
Because, and I bear witness of this here from personal experience, there is no fruit like God’s fruit. It is the most sweet, most white, most desirable, most beautiful, most precious, most joyous, most great, and most pure fruit above all others. Please believe that, trust that, take Lehi and Nephi’s word for it. The fruit is worth it! It’s worth the sacrifice, it’s worth the obedience, it’s worth the journey. God runs quite the fruit stand, doesn’t he!
NOTE
Now THAT is an individual lesson or truth taught by Lehi’s dream that I would certainly want to highlight as a parent or a teacher. But there is so much more to the dream and so many other truths you could focus
So let’s move on to two other symbols from the dream.
LESSON #2 THE ROD AND THE PATH
OBJECT: For an object, I would have some kind of thick metal rod to display. Now I’m fortunate in this matter because I have an actual giant rod made of pure iron that I was given that I use as an object lesson in my classes. It’s really heavy and makes a big impression. But you probably won’t have that luxury. But that’s ok. Just find something that looks like an iron rod. You could go to the hardware store and buy a length of pipe or just look around the house or in your garage and you might find something that fits that description. Long and made of metal. And set that at the front of your classroom. Or, you could purchase an actual rod of iron from Amazon. I had this link a couple of weeks ago and I’ll provide it again, but they’ll send you a length of iron rod for about 16 bucks.
Iron Rod: https://amzn.to/3RSSsAs
ICEBREAKER
And for an icebreaker, I might play a round of pyramid. One of my favorite little activities. And I’ll refer you to a previous video for a more in-depth explanation of how the game works. The explanation is right at the beginning (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zwnpv1Q4Eaw) , but here are the words that I would use:
Scriptures
Iron
Danger
Grip
Consequence
Mock
River
Mist
Protect
Guide
Confidence
Ignore
Then I would explain that each of these words has a connection to the specific symbols we’re going to examine now. The Iron Rod and the Strait and Narrow Path. And here I would point to my iron rod and ask: why is an IRON ROD a good symbol for God’s word (his scriptures, words of the living prophets, and the promptings of the Holy Ghost)? It is solid, heavy, reliable. It doesn’t bend or break. We can trust that rod and have confidence in it. It’s firm and easy to grip.
SEARCH ACTIVITY-HANDOUT
For a search activity, I would invite my students to fill out the following handout either individually or with a partner.
The first section invites them to ponder the purpose of the rod. And explain that you mean within the context of the dream. Put yourself into the dream, imagine yourself there. What four purposes does it serve? And it’s ok if they don’t fill all of them out. And they may come up with different answers that I never even considered here. That’s ok. The purpose is to get them thinking, not to “get the answers right”. I provide some verses there that I feel contain some meaning, but like I said, they may see something different. I encourage that.
But I’ll lead you through what I see in those verses. In verse 19, I see two purposes. Where is the rod placed? It extends along the bank of the river. Now why would he put the rod there? Remember the river represents the consequences of sin. If you saw a rushing dangerous river and there was a big solid iron rod running along its bank, what would you suppose its purpose would be? Protection right? A guard rail to keep you from falling in. A number of years ago I took my family to Yosemite, and we hiked up to Vernal Falls. And I had my little 6-year-old with me at the top of the falls looking out over the valley. And what did they have there at the edge of the water? A guardrail. A rod extended along the bank. Why? To hold us back from all the fun we could have on the other side? No. To protect us. And I was grateful that it was there, especially to keep my children safe. Well, that is one of the major purposes of the word of God, to keep us out of the river. The scriptures, and the words of living prophets are intended to keep us safe from the consequences of sin. Studying them, and listening intently to them will protect us from the results of poor choices and the spiritually drowning effects that they have.
The second purpose, also in vs. 19, it leads us to the tree. And remember that the tree represents the love of God. The scriptures and the words of the prophets will lead us to God’s love and his blessings, those fruits that we just discussed in depth. They help us to focus on those blessings more intently and offer us motivation to press forward to obtain them.
The third purpose is in vs. 20. It keeps us on the strait and narrow path. The path represents the path of the gospel. The path of God’s commandments and covenants. It’s the way that leads back to the presence of God. It’s strait S, T, R, A, I, T (which also means narrow) and narrow because God’s path is somewhat strict and prescriptive in its instruction. Anybody can get into the great and spacious building. I’m sure its doors were also great and spacious, easy to get into. But to follow God’s path requires some balance, and effort, and a willingness to focus on what’s at your feet. But we have the rod to help us! Don’t we! The scriptures and the prophets and the promptings of the Spirit will keep us on that path. It’s a lot easier to stay on a path when you have rail to hold on to right? Have you ever climbed Angel’s Landing in Zion National Park? Now that’s a strait and narrow path. But aren’t you glad they put those “iron rods” there? They keep you on the path so you don’t stray into dangerous territory. The word of God will help us to make right choices and guide us to the summit where angels truly land.
And finally, one more purpose in vs. 23. It gets us through the mists of darkness. The mists of darkness represent temptation, right. The scriptures and the prophets will help us navigate through the mists. There is certainty in that rod, safety in that rod, and confidence in that rod. Things may get pitch black around us, but as long as we hold tight to the rod, we know that we’re still going the right way, and we’ll be safe. We won’t get lost, we won’t fall into the river, we won’t be overcome by the mists. So the rod leads us successfully from one side of temptation to the other and gives us the strength to pass through it.
TAKING IT TO HEART
The next question on the handout is a “Taking it to Heart” question. When have you seen the word of God do one of these things for you? Invite a number of your students to share their answers to that question.
For me, one quick example. When I served as bishop, I found the scriptures to be incredibly valuable in counseling people. When I opened the scriptures to people to help them through their mists or to convince them to stay on the straight and narrow path, they had power to persuade, comfort, guide, and instruct. They have incredible power. Don’t underestimate them, as do the words of our living prophets and the promptings of the Spirit.
The 4 C’s of Holding to the Rod
Now the 4 C’s of holding to the rod. This is what I would call Lehi’s version of the parable of the sower. It’s the same basic idea. You have different ways that people interact with the word of God. I see at least 5 different groups of people in this section. And a quick teaching suggestion here. As I covered each group of people, I would use my “object lesson” rod that I have at the front to illustrate the different groups of people. There is the group of people that never even get to the path. They begin in the great and spacious building, or they are like Laman and Lemuel in the dream. They never try the path. These are the people who never let the seed even get inside their hearts. They have no desire to even try God’s path. They look down at that rod and say, “Meh, don’t think I need it”.
Then we have the first C. We have a group of people in vs. 22 that Commence in the path. It appears as if this group never even grasps on to the iron rod. They make a half-hearted effort to get to the tree, but as soon as there is any sign of opposition, or persecution, they’re out. The mists of darkness cause them to lose their way, and they wander off and are lost. The best description of this group comes from Jesus. I would compare them to the stony soil in the parable of the sower. (Matthew 13:20-21)
20 But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it;
21 Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended.
That is the commence group in Lehi’s dream. They dureth for a little while, but when the mists arise, by and by they are offended, and they get lost. Here I would illustrate this by lightly laying my hand on the rod and then slowly dropping my hand from it and walking away.
The second and third Cs are in vs. 24. Some people Caught hold, and they Cling to the rod. Now there may be some that catch hold to the rod, but they don’t cling to it. They eventually end up leaving it. Others catch hold and cling to the rod. But still, that’s not enough to get us to, and keep us at the tree.
There is one more C word we need to add. This is the step that sets people apart. These are the individuals who not only enjoy the fruit of the tree, but they never leave it. What is their secret? What do they do that the others fail to do? In vs. 30, this group of people commences, catches hold, clings, but most importantly, they continually hold fast to the rod of iron. They have staying power. They are in it for the long haul, and they endure to the end.
To compare to the parable of the sower. This is the good soil. Those that have roots, and deepness of earth, and clear away the thorns. And therefore, they bear fruit-a connecting symbol between these two parables or visions. They enjoy the fruit of the tree of life they have grown in their hearts.
To me, though, there is one more important step to this process that I would like to add here. Is partaking of the fruit enough to guarantee us a place in God’s kingdom? No, there is a group of people that leave the tree. Next question then: What was it that caused some people to leave the tree after they had already tasted of the fruit? (1 Nephi 8:26-28) They leave it because of the mocking of the people in the building. It seems like this is the activity of choice for people in the building.
QUOTE
I love what Neal A. Maxwell suggested:
“they are intensely and busily preoccupied, pointing fingers of scorn at the steadfast iron-rodders. Considering their ceaseless preoccupation, one wonders, `Is there no diversionary activity available to them, especially in such a large building--like a bowling alley?"[Neal A. Maxwell, "`Becometh as a Child,'" Ensign May 1996: 68].
I love that, it’s like “Haven’t they got anything better to do?” But what does that tell you about the influence of the building? If that mocking can draw people away from the fruit? And remember, this is the most sweet, most desirable, most joyous fruit in the world. That tells me that the lure of the building is powerful. Don’t underestimate the power of the great and spacious building. If it can draw away people who have tasted the fruit, then it is a force to be aware of and reckoned with. So what is the key to avoid being drawn away by the great and spacious building because certainly we are going to hear the mocking. I’m sure you already have because it’s all around us. So the next question on the handout is “According to 1 Nephi 8:33, what else must we do once we have made it to the tree and partaken of the fruit?” The final step is to “heed them not”. We’ve got to learn to pay no attention to the ridicule of the great and spacious building. This is where the phrase “Have an eye single to the glory of God” would apply.
So there we have it. If we wish to enjoy the fruits of the tree forever, we must commence, catch hold, cling, continually hold fast, and “heed not” those that are in the building. That’s the key. That’s the secret to Lehi’s dream, never let go of the rod and the fruit.
LIKEN THE SCRIPTURES
But there is one more question that I would want my students to ponder here—a liken the scriptures question. What does that look like in real life? What does somebody that is “continually holding fast" to the rod look like? It’s good to put some of these ideas down in concrete, practical, relevant examples. I’ll tell you what I see. This is a person who feasts on God’s words daily. They study and search the scriptures continually. People like you, who are willing to take the time to search out material like this online so that you can get a deeper understanding of God’s word. This is the person who not only studies and knows the gospel, but acts on it. They seek to pattern their lives after what they learn in the scriptures. This is the person who pays close attention to the words of living prophets. They not only watch general conference, but they study the words of the brethren and apply their counsels. This is the person who seeks the guidance of the Spirit and acts on the promptings. The word is an integral part of their life. They think about it often and they speak about it often. That’s what I see.
TRUTH
If I continually hold fast to God’s word, then it will protect me from the consequences of sin, lead me to God’s love, keep me on the strait and narrow path, and guide me through the mists of temptation.
TAKING IT TO HEART
What’s your relationship to the rod right now? I would point to my iron rod at that moment. Which group of people from the dream do you most identify with? I might ask myself: Am I studying my scriptures consistently? Am I listening to general conference and reviewing the words of the living prophets? Am I living worthy of the companionship of the Holy Spirit and following its promptings? Do I apply the word of God to my life and seek to live it from day to day?
QUOTE
Ann M. Dibb, former member of the General Young Women’s presidency and President Thomas S. Monson’s daughter gave a wonderful talk in General Conference years ago focused on the iron rod. She said the following:
“Holding to the iron rod is not always easy. We may let go because of peer pressure or pride, thinking we can find our own way back—later. When we do so, we are leaving our safety equipment behind. In Lehi’s vision he saw many who let go of the iron rod. Nephi says, “And many were lost from his view, wandering in strange roads” (1 Nephi 8:32). In difficult times in our own lives, we may find we are also “wandering in strange roads.” Let me reassure you that it is always possible for us to find our way back. Through repentance, made possible by the atoning sacrifice of our Savior, Jesus Christ, we can regain and recommit to a strong grip on the iron rod and feel the loving guidance of our Heavenly Father once again. The Savior has extended an open invitation to us: repent, hold on, and don’t let go.”
Ann M. Dibb
(Conference Report, October 2009)
MUSIC
To sink this message more deeply into my student’s hearts I might consider inviting them to watch the following performance of the Hymn “The Iron Rod” from General Conference a few years ago while following along in their hymnbooks and considering what their favorite line from the hymn is and why. Then I would invite some to share. Sacred music often has a powerful effect in sinking the message of the scriptures even deeper.
I WILL GO AND DO
What can I do to grip the rod more firmly in my life? You might have them write their thoughts in a study journal.
THE TAKEAWAY
I believe in the power of the rod! It works. It protects, it keeps us on the path, it guides us through the mists, and it leads us directly to the tree and fruits of God’s love. Therefore, may we commence, catch hold, cling, and continually hold fast to that rod and then heed not the mockings and cries of those languishing in the great and spacious building. Hold to the rod, the iron rod, tis strong and bright and true, AND twill safely guide us through.
LESSON #3 THE MISTS OF DARKNESS
Our final lesson idea here will be a little more brief in scope and cover a symbol that I don’t feel gets as much particular attention. You could definitely do a whole lesson on the great and spacious building because it’s such a great symbol for Satan’s kingdom, and if you decided to focus on that symbol, I’m sure you could find a lot of ideas and insights out there to do that. But I’d want my students to ponder the significance of the mists of darkness or the temptations of the devil.
OBJECT:
An object I might use for this lesson would be a blindfold or a sleeping mask.
ICEBREAKER
And for an icebreaker, I would consider telling a story where you personally have experienced the dangers of darkness. I would tell the story of the time when I got lost in a cave as a college student because our flashlight batteries ran out and we were, humiliatingly rescued by a troop of cub scouts. And it was very frightening to be in those circumstances, in the pitch black. But I imagine that if you stopped to think about it, you could probably come up with an experience where you got lost, hurt, or frightened by darkness. Or I would hold up the blindfold or sleeping mask and invite my students to imagine what would happen if they decided to walk around that day with a blindfold on. They would probably get lost, or hurt, and it would be quite a frightening experience.
Well, in Lehi’s dream, you’ll remember that mists of darkness are a significant symbol. What do they represent and what is their purpose according to 1 Nephi 12:17
From that verse we learn that they represent the “temptations of the devil”, and their purpose is to “blind eyes, harden hearts, and lead people away to perish and be lost.”
QUOTE:
And before I continued I would want to make the following point highlighted by this quote from Elder Holland. He said:
“It is imperative to note that this mist of darkness descends on all the travelers—the faithful and the determined ones (the elect, we might even say) as well as the weaker and ungrounded ones.
Jeffrey R. Holland (“Safety for the Soul,” Nov. 2009, Ensign or Liahona, 88)
So, this isn’t a message just for those that end up being overcome by the mists of darkness. This isn’t a message for the “wicked”. All of us will and do face temptation.
SEARH ACTIVITY/LIKEN THE SCRIPTURES
So the activity for this symbol is more of an exercise of imagination, pondering, or invitation to “liken the scriptures”. Invite your class to put themselves into the dream. When the mists of darkness arise, what can’t you see anymore? In the context and terms of the dream itself. What does the adversary not want us to see? And what might that symbolize? That’s the likening the scriptures element of this.
Here are some possible answers: You can’t see the tree anymore. Satan does not want us to see God’s love. He’s always trying to tell you that God doesn’t love you, or that he’s not a loving God in general. That there’s no hope for you. No blessings in living the gospel. He tries to get us to say things like, “Well if God really loved me, he wouldn’t have allowed this tragedy to happen in my life”. OR “I’ve sinned too greatly, "How can God ever love me again after what I’ve done, I’m hopeless.” Let’s not allow the mists to blind us to God’s love.
They hide the path and the rod. Satan doesn’t want you to see truth or the difference between right and wrong. He wants to hide it from you with the philosophies of men and the theories that are pleasing to the natural man. There is no real truth out there, he whispers. Everything you’ve been taught about prophets, and angels, and miracles and the afterlife is all made up! It’s a big hoax. You’ve been fooled. And there is no real right and wrong. It’s all relative, all dependent on your environment or your upbringing. You don’t really have agency, you’re just a product of your surroundings. So it’s ok to be dishonest, you’ve got to look out for your own self-interest. It’s ok to give indulge in lust, it’s only natural, it’s in your biology. It’s ok to get angry, you can’t control things like that. So, the mists of darkness will seek to blind us from the clear truths taught by the scriptures and the prophets.
They hide the river. At all costs, Satan does not want us to see the consequences of our poor choices. He does not want us to see the misery and the suffering that awaits those that leave the path. All he’ll show us is the fun of the building, not its crushing collapse. That’s why he whispers in our ears in 2 Nephi 28:22 “there is no hell; . . .I am no devil, for there is none”. So it’s ok to do whatever you want, you won’t have to pay. This is where the real party is! Unfortunately he never shows us the addiction, or prison, or the broken hearts of spouses and children, the STD’s or unwanted pregnancies, the loss of trust, and lost opportunities and blessings. He’ll never show any of that. He keeps that safely veiled behind the mists of darkness. But through the darkness, if you strain your ears, you can still hear the rushing waters of the filthy river and the gurgling cries of those drowning in it. Hold tight to the rod and stay away from the river.
One other thought on what the mists may hide. Satan would never want to hide the building from you. Lehi tells us that it “stood as it were in the air, high above the earth”. In my imagination, the building is high enough that you can always see it, even from within the mists of darkness. But what part of the building can’t you see? He hides the fact that there is no foundation. Why does he not want you to know that? Because what is going to happen to a building with no foundation? It’s going to fall. And it does. Nephi tells us that in 11:35, and "great was the fall thereof". The adversary wants you to think that his kingdom is powerful and eternal. That he can’t lose. Unfortunately for him and all those that are a part of it, it’s all temporary, it’s propped up on stilts and rubble. It won’t last. It’s like that for us as individuals as well, a life built on sin, indulgence, lust, greed, pride, or hedonism, cannot last. Eventually we will fall. The tree is forever, the building is fleeting.
TRUTH
If I allow the mists of temptation to blind my eyes or harden my heart, I may get lost, suffer painful consequences, or fall.
TAKING IT TO HEART
What has helped you most to get through your mists of darkness?
And you know, you could use elements of the dream to answer that question. Is it the iron rod? God’s words have guided you through the mists? Is it the tree? The reassurance of God’s love? Is it the fruit? The blessings of the gospel give you motivation to keep pressing forward. Is it the river? The consequences of sin act as a stern reminder not to allow the mists to blind you. What has been your greatest aid to resisting and overcoming temptation.
THE TAKEAWAY
So, to be clear, we will all face the mists. But we don’t have to be overcome by them. Our hearts need not be hardened when they descend. Getting lost is not inevitable. There is a way through the mists. We can hold fast to that iron rod. We can remember that the tree of God’s love is still there, even when it’s hard to see. We can remain wary of the rushing, filthy river that flows nearby, and we can stay aware of the foundationless heights of the great and spacious building and its future collapse. That we will endure those mists and come out better for it on the other side is my prayer for all of us.
TAKING IT TO HEART
Well, I feel that a great way to end any discussion or lesson on Lehi’s vision of the Tree of Life would be to ask a personal pondering question. I believe THE major purpose of the vision is an invitation to self-reflection. So whichever lesson or lessons you choose to cover from 1 Nephi 8, I would invite my students to consider the following question:
Where do you see yourself in the dream?
Where are you right now? Are you under the tree enjoying the fruits of the gospel? Are you drowning in the consequences of poor choices? Are you wandering forbidden, strange, and broad roads? Are you feeling your way to the building? Are you holding fast to the rod as you push through some mist of temptation? Are you partying in the great and spacious building? Are you feeling ashamed of the mocking and considering leaving the tree?
And the fact of the matter is that we can probably all see ourselves in multiple locations at different times of our lives and daily experiences. I don’t believe the dream is meant to be interpreted linearly but holistically. Sometimes we’re under the tree, sometimes we’re pushing through the mists of darkness, sometimes we may feel we're wandering, or in the river suffering the consequences of sin, and maybe eying the great and spacious building.
Wherever you see yourself, I’ll end with this thought from the very beginning of Lehi’s dream. Look at how Lehi describes his surroundings. A dark and dreary wilderness. And a dark and dreary waste. He says he travels for many hours in the darkness before he is driven to cry out for mercy from the Lord. What was the purpose of giving Lehi this experience before showing him the tree? Couldn’t he have just started the dream with the tree. Why this agonizing loneliness and darkness? I think it’s because he wants him and us to understand what life is like without the tree. To really emphasize the stark contrast between the two. Without the tree, life is dark, dreary, lonely, tedious, and a waste. Those are great words to describe it. Life without the tree is dark and dreary. Come to the tree, come feast on its fruits!
FINAL THOUGHTS
Now what about all the other chapters in this week’s study? Honestly, if I were teaching Sunday school, and I only had one class session to teach, I would focus exclusively on the vision of the tree of life. But maybe I’ll give you just a few quick thoughts.
1 Nephi 6
1 Nephi 6 adds some phrases for us to our marking activity from last week on the worth of the word. What else do we learn about the scriptures here? They contain the “things of God”. They “persuade men to come unto the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, and be saved.” They don’t contain “things which are pleasing unto the world” but they do contain “the things which are pleasing unto God and unto those who are not of this world”. One way we can tell whether we have truly chosen God, or the world is to reflect on how we feel about the scriptures. Are they pleasing to us, or are they drudgery? And they only contain things that are “of worth” unto the children of men. I hope that you will find and feel that worth this year.
1 Nephi 7
Chapter 7 tells the story of Nephi and his brothers returning to Jerusalem to get Ishmael’s family and the problems Nephi encounters while they’re making their way back. We did cover this story briefly last week in our comparison between Nephi and Laman, but one particular verse that stands out to me from that story is verse 21. After Laman and Lemuel have attempted to kill Nephi (tie him up and leave him in the wilderness to die) how does he forgive them? Frankly. That means quickly, easily, willingly. I don’t know about you, but I’m not so sure I would be willing to forgive someone “frankly” for just trying to murder me. Nephi was the kind of person that could do just that. This is a message we see in numerous places in the scriptures. Always forgive, especially members of your own family.
1 Nephi 9
Chapter 9 tells us of Nephi’s plan to make two sets of plates at the direction of the Lord. What stands out to me most here is what he says in vs. 5
5 Wherefore, the Lord hath commanded me to make these plates for a wise purpose in him, which purpose I know not.
So he doesn’t know why he’s doing it, he’s just going to do it because God has commanded him to. Now WE know why he makes two sets of plates. It’s to prepare for the future loss of the 116 pages, But Nephi didn’t know that.
What does this teach me? Well, it’s a great illustration of the principle of what I call “trust obedience”. I think that members of the church are often accused by the world of being blindly obedient. That we don’t think for ourselves. Or that we’ve been brainwashed. The prophet speaks and we must follow. But that is simply not the case. Moses 5 is another great place to see this principle when Adam and Eve make sacrifices without knowing why. I believe that there is a big difference between blind obedience and trust obedience. Blind obedience is when you are so caught up in the charisma of the giver of the command and the emotions they produce and the sheep mentality of everyone around you that you don’t even stop to think about what they’re asking you to do, you just do it. That is not the type of obedience Christ’s church asks of us. It asks for trust obedience. There are times when we may be asked to do things we don’t completely understand, but because of our prior experience with the giver of the command. Our recognition of their integrity and character, the positive results that following them has produced in the past, and the confirmation of the Spirit we receive when we seek to know if it is God’s will all come into play in our decisions. We’re not following blindly, we’re following smartly, educatedly, and faithfully.
And you know what the cool thing about trust obedience is? Eventually it always leads to enlightened obedience. Trust obedience is not intended to be permanent. God assures us that at some point in the future, we WILL understand. I’ve had that experience before. There were certain standards that as a teenager, I thought, well that doesn’t seem to make sense. What’s the big deal if I do that? Like with dating standards, or media choices. It wasn’t until later in my life that I looked back and said “Ah, now I get it, now I see why that really WAS a big deal”. Look at what happened to my peers that did go down that road, that disregarded that counsel. It totally makes sense. My trust obedience became enlightened obedience. Nephi here, is a great example of that principle here with the plates.
1 Nephi 10
Now Chapter 10 contains some of Lehi’s teachings about the Savior. One study suggestion would be to try looking for and marking all the different titles for the Savior that Lehi mentions. And then verses 15-22 are a prime example of what we spoke about last week about gaining a testimony and the process of revelation. Look for the steps that Nephi goes through that were similar to Lehi’s in chapter 1. You may want to particularly check out verse 17 for that. And always remember that:
19 For he that diligently seeketh shall find; and the mysteries of God shall be unfolded unto them, by the power of the Holy Ghost, as well in these times as in times of old, and as well in times of old as in times to come; wherefore, the course of the Lord is one eternal round.
That promise applies to us too!
Комментарии