THE TREE OF LIFE

One of the most memorable stories in the Book of Mormon is the story of the Tree of Life.  We first hear of the tree from the Prophet Lehi who had dreamed a dream. Most of us have had the experience of dreaming a dream that seems significant and then find it is difficult to explain the dream to someone else because dreams tend to be filled with symbolic representations. Because Laman and Lemuel did not seem to have the Spirit, they didn't understand the symbolism in Lehi's dream and, what's more, I don't think they wanted to make the effort it would take to comprehend.  Nephi and Sam never doubted their father. In fact, Nephi did what he habitually did: he took the question to the Lord. He wanted to understand the things his father saw.  The result was that the Lord showed Nephi the same dream.  He gave Nephi a Spirit Guide to help him understand what the symbols meant through a series of questions, such as what seest thou?

Lehi began in a dark and barren wilderness of a fallen world. It must have been terrifying as he stumbled through the darkness, not knowing where he was going, and seeing no way out.  This is one of the first symbols Lehi encountered, but it's one we don't often discuss. Lehi himself said that this darkness was as if it were the world.   I believe this is our life without the Savior, without the Spirit, without the Father's plan.  We live in a fallen world and without the Light, we do stumble in the dark.

He felt as if he had stumbled, lost and alone, for hours.  (How often I have felt lost and alone.)  But Lehi was not alone. He felt another presence ahead of him and he saw a light ahead in the distance. The Spirit Guide directed him forward toward the tree until he finally arrived at the base of the tree. (I, too, am never alone. I never want to do anything to alienate the Spirit for He will guide me to the Light.)

As Lehi partook of the fruit, he found it to be the sweetest and most desirable fruit he had ever eaten.  He desired to share it with his family and he called to them.  As he watched, he saw his wife Sariah, and two of his sons, Nephi and Sam, pressing forward toward the tree.  They also ate the fruit and experienced the same joy Lehi felt.  As a loving father, he wanted all of his family to partake.

He called out to  Laman and Lemuel and invited them to come to the tree, but they stood afar off, ignoring his invitation. The scoffed at the tree and made it very clear that they wanted no part of it. 

Time and again, these older sons ignored and ridiculed their father and brother, Nephi.  I'm sure it broke Lehi's heart.

Let's follow Nephi and liken the scriptures unto ourselves. Many of us have had broken hearts over children falling away.  When that happens, the first thing parents usually do is to blame themselves: "What did I do wrong? Didn't I love her enough? Did I love him too much?"

Many modern-day Apostles and Prophets have addressed this issue. One who did was President Howard W. Hunter.  In October General Conference, 1983, he addressed these parents.  Said he, there are many in the Church and in the world who are living with feelings of guilt and unworthiness because some of their sons and daughters have wandered or strayed from the fold.*

He went on to say that parents are not the only influence in a child's life and that our children have their agency to choose, even when that choice it outside the value system in which they have been raised. Parenting is perhaps the hardest and most challenging job in this lifetime.  None of us came with much experience in parenting other than that we were once children and were parented by parents.  We all make mistakes as parents. It serves no one to take oneself on a lifelong guilt trip that hampers our capacity to repent, grown, love, and serve our families. It makes sense that if there have been mistakes that require repentance, then repent quickly and as often as needed.  Then prayerfully push forward.

Alma was a prophet and he had a son who  went about as far astray as a youth could go.  Lehi was also a prophet and he had two sons who spent their lives murmuring and kicking against the pricks (as Christ told Paul on the road to Damascus.)  Alma's son came to himself and returned to the fold.  Lehi's sons did not.

If you have a Laman or Lemuel in your family, don't despair.  Remember that Lehi also had a Nephi and Sam.  

©January 2020, Dr. Kathleen Rawlings Buntin Danielson

* President Hunter 1983