1 Nephi 8 - 11

Each time I read the words of Nephi, I am struck with, what I consider, the great similarities between Lehi and my own father.

Nephi tells us -

"...Laman and Lemuel....did murmur in many things against their father, because he was a visionary man..." (Book of Mormon 1 Nephi 2:11)

He also tells his mother, Sariah -

"...complained against my father, telling him that he was a visionary man..." (Book of Mormon 1 Nephi 5:2)

And Lehi even admitted -

"...I know that I am a visionary man..."(Book of Mormon 1 Nephi 5:4)

And being a visionary man, his visions and dreams were about obedience, righteousness, and his love for his family. The dream that become known as the "vision of the tree of life" reflects this. Lehi relates -

"...I beheld a tree, whose fruit was desirable to make one happy.
11 And it came to pass that I did go forth and partake of the fruit thereof; and I beheld that it was most sweet, above all that I ever before tasted. Yea, and I beheld that the fruit thereof was white, to exceed all the whiteness that I had ever seen.
12 And as I partook of the fruit thereof it filled my soul with exceedingly great joy; wherefore, I began to be desirous that my family should partake of it also; for I knew that it was desirable above all other fruit." (Book of Mormon 1 Nephi 8:10 - 12)

He then tells us -

"...And as I cast my eyes round about, that perhaps I might discover my family also, I beheld a river of water; and it ran along, and it was near the tree of which I was partaking the fruit.
14 And I looked to behold from whence it came; and I saw the head thereof a little way off; and at the head thereof I beheld your mother Sariah, and Sam, and Nephi; and they stood as if they knew not whither they should go.
15 And...I beckoned unto them; and I also did say unto them with a loud voice that they should come unto me, and partake of the fruit, which was desirable above all other fruit.
16 And...they did come unto me and partake of the fruit also." (Book of Mormon 1 Nephi 8:13 - 16)

His love for all his children, whether obedient or not, becomes apparent when he relates -

"...I was desirous that Laman and Lemuel should come and partake of the fruit also; wherefore, I cast mine eyes towards the head of the river, that perhaps I might see them.
18 And it came to pass that I saw them, but they would not come unto me and partake of the fruit..." (Book of Mormon 1 Nephi 8:17 - 18)

And later after the dream, Nephi tells us -

"...because of these things which he saw in a vision, he exceedingly feared for Laman and Lemuel; yea, he feared lest they should be cast off from the presence of the Lord.
37 And he did exhort them then with all the feeling of a tender parent, that they would hearken to his words, that perhaps the Lord would be merciful to them, and not cast them off; yea, my father did preach unto them.
38 And after he had preached unto them, and also prophesied unto them of many things, he bade them to keep the commandments of the Lord..." (Book of Mormon 1 Nephi 8:36 - 38)

I know that my father tasted of fruit of the Tree of Life very early in his life. And I know that ever since has been "desirous that [his] family should partake of it also". As long as I can remember he too has exhorted us with all the feeling of a tender parent, that we would hearken to his words and the teachings of the gospel, that perhaps the Lord would be merciful unto us. He has been a great example of his faith to us and has always bade us to keep the commandments of the Lord.

Like Lehi, my father is a visionary man. Though I could mention several visionary dreams he has related to me, the one of most significance to me came on a summer evening in 1976. I was in a deep sleep when I was awakened by my Dad in the middle of the night. He was very shaken and concerned with a dream he had just had awaken from. From his dream, like Lehi, he exceedingly feared for my well being and that I might be cast off. Though I remember very little of his actual dream, I do remember the warning. It was to the affect that the Lord had a great work for me to do. That Satan was more than aware of that and that he would do everything in his power to thwart that work. And that Satan would take advantage of my youthful foolishness to harm me physically such that I would not be able to accomplish the work.

I believed him and knew it was of God. The reality of this warning was forever etched in my mind when a week later, on a young adult trip to Lake Powell, I dove off a 125' cliff and collapsed a lung. The collapse may have not been totally caused by the recklesse height of the dive because I had had pleurisy a week earlier. Nonetheless, I was consious of my father's warning and have chosen since to follow his counsel. To this day, there is a strained muscle behind my left shoulder blade that is a constant reminder of the warning I received that summer night.