1 Nephi 8:21-24
1 Nephi 8:
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.
Dreams or visions are often used as a teaching principle, unfolding the secrets of heaven to the prepared mind and prayerful heart.
The love of God suggests the good and wholesome things of life.
The tree of life is indicative of eternal life—or celestial life—life in the full enjoyment of God's love.
The fountain of living waters is representative of the love of God. All spiritual graces and refreshment communicated by the Spirit are compared to a fountain. We learn from Jeremiah, ". . . they have forsaken the Lord, the fountain of living waters" (Jer. 17:13).
God, then, is called the fountain of living waters. The Savior taught that those who drink of it shall never thirst (John 4:14).
The numberless concourses of people seen by Lehi in his vision represent the different races of men on earth (1 Ne. 8:21).
1 Nephi 8:
22 And it came to pass that they did come forth, and commence in the path which led to the tree.
1 Nephi 8:
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.
My father could remember the very day, even the very hour, that his family—father, mother, and four children—left the Church, many never to return again in this life. He was 13 years old, a deacon, and in those days families attended Sunday School in the morning and then sacrament meeting in the afternoon. On a beautiful spring day, after returning home from Sunday morning worship services and having a midday family meal together, his mother turned to his father and asked simply, “Well, dear, do you think we should go to sacrament meeting this afternoon, or should we take the family for a ride in the country?”
The idea that there was an option to sacrament meeting had never occurred to my father, but he and his three teenage siblings all sat up and paid careful attention. That Sunday afternoon ride in the country was probably an enjoyable family activity, but that small decision became the start of a new direction which ultimately led his family away from the Church with its safety, security, and blessings and onto a different path.
As a lesson to those of our day who might be tempted to choose a different path, the Book of Mormon prophet Lehi shared a vision with his family where he “saw numberless concourses of people, many of whom were pressing forward, that they might obtain the path which led unto the tree by which [he] stood.
“And … they did come forth, and commence in the path which led to the tree.
“And … there arose a mist of darkness; … insomuch that they who had commenced in the path did lose their way, that they wandered off and were lost.”1 [1 Nephi 8:21–23.]
1 Nephi 8:
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.
You are never lost when you can see the temple. The temple will provide direction for you and your family in a world filled with chaos. It is an eternal guidepost which will help you from getting lost in the “mist of darkness.”1 [1 Nephi 8:24.] It is the house of the Lord.2 [See Topical Guide, “Temple, House of the Lord,” 519; “Temple, House of the Lord,” in Guide to the Scriptures, at scriptures.lds.org.] It is a place where covenants are made and eternal ordinances are performed.
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