1 Nephi 8

Before we left on our long journey we gathered together the seeds of all the grains and fruits we knew of, so that we could plant them upon our eventual arrival in the land that God had promised to us.

While out walking in the wilderness Lehi had another dream. “I have dreamed a dream,” he said. “Or in other words I have seen a vision. Because of what I’ve seen I have reason to I rejoice for Nephi and Sam. I believe their descendants will be saved. I fear greatly, though, for Laman and Lemuel whom I saw I saw in a dark wilderness.”

“A man in a white robe appeared and asked me to follow him. For many hours we traveled through a dark, dreary wasteland. Eventually we arrived in a broad field that held a beautiful tree with white fruit. When I tasted the white fruit I was instantly filled with joy and wanted to share it with my family. It was truly the best fruit imaginable. Beside the tree ran a river and beside the river, a little ways off, stood Sariah, Sam, and Nephi who all looked as if they didn’t know where to go. When I called to them, they came and also tasted the fruit. I looked further and saw Laman and Lemuel. But they would not come to me and taste the fruit.

“Also along the river’s bank was an iron handrail leading directly to the tree, and a straight and narrow path beside the handrail leading to a large fountain. I saw multitudes of people groping their way towards the tree, trying to stay on the narrow path. A great mist of darkness arose causing many who were on the path to lose their way, wander off, and become lost. Those who held onto the handrail tightly managed get to the tree and taste its fruit. Many who tried the fruit acted ashamed afterwards.

“Across the river there was a great building so tall that it seemed to float high in the air above the earth. It was filled with people of all ages who were finely dressed, pointing their fingers and mocking those who were sampling the fruit. This was what was causing the people to act ashamed, fall away, and become lost on forbidden paths.”

There was much more to my father’s vision, but I’ll be brief. In addition to the multitudes groping their way toward the tree there were other multitudes making their way to the great building. Many were drowned in the fountain and many were lost from view wandering down strange roads. The multitudes who entered the great building all pointed their fingers of scorn at those who tried the fruit. Lehi saw that those who followed the words of scorn were lost and fell away, while those who ignored the scorn and ate the fruit were saved.

Because Laman and Lemuel had refused the fruit Lehi was deeply concerned for them. He feared that they might be lost to God and cast away from his grace. So he pled with them, as a loving parent, that they should pay attention to his words and obey the commandments of God, so as to not be cast off and lost from God’s grace.