Lehi’s Dream
READ 1 Nephi 8:2, 4-9
Where does Lehi’s dream begin?
Does he pray for help?
Who comes to Lehi?
What does the man in the white robe do and who is he?
What lessons can we learn from this experience?
How is Lehi rescued from darkness?
Why does Lehi travel in darkness for many hours before he prays to the Lord?
Why does the Lord allow us to be led into darkness when we are seeking for Him?
READ 1 Nephi 8:10-12
What is the distinguishing feature of the Tree?
How does Lehi describe the fruit?
What is Lehi’s first thought after partaking of the fruit?
What is the responsibility of those who have partaken of the fruit?
READ 1 Nephi 8:19-23
What is the intention of this large, first group of people Lehi sees?
What happened to this first group?
READ 1 Nephi 8:24-28
What is the intention of the second group of people Lehi sees?
What do the second group do differently from the first group which enables them to get to the Tree?
What does the second group do after partaking of the fruit?
READ 1 Nephi 8:30-34
What is the intention of the third group of people Lehi sees?
What does the third group do differently from the second group?
What is the intention of the fourth group Lehi sees?
Why are they “feeling” their way to the building?
Why are many drowned or lost in strange roads?
Why do those in the great and spacious building mock and scorn those eating the fruit?
Nephi’s Vision
READ 1 Nephi 10:17-19 and 1 Nephi 11:1
What are the three concrete steps Nephi teaches us for anyone to receive the things of God in vision or revelation?
What is Nephi’s desire?
How is Nephi’s desire to know for himself manifested?
Why does Nephi believe that the Lord will make these things known to him, too – isn’t showing them to the prophet enough?
READ TPJS 156:3
“…the things of God are of deep import; and time, and experience, and careful and ponderous and solemn thoughts can only find them out. Thy mind, O man! if thou wilt lead a soul unto salvation, must stretch as high as the utmost heavens, and search into and contemplate the darkest abyss, and the broad expanse of eternity—thou must commune with God. How much more dignified and noble are the thoughts of God, than the vain imaginations of the human heart! None but fools will trifle with the souls of men.”
Why does the Lord require us to ponder on His words?
Why doesn’t God use theatricality to get our attention – why does it require time, experience and pondering to find them out?
READ 1 Nephi 11:2
What governing principle of heaven does this verse teach?
READ 1 Nephi 11:3-6
What is the nature of the questions asked by the Spirit of the Lord?
Why does the Spirit of the Lord shout for joy at Nephi’s answers?
Why will Nephi be shown the vision of the Tree of Life?
READ 1 Nephi 11:7-9
Why does the Spirit of the Lord use the word “witness” instead of “see” or “testify of”?
Why is beauty a representation of good and godliness?
READ 1 Nephi 11:10-23
What is the angel showing Nephi?
What language does Nephi use to describe the Tree he sees?
What is Nephi immediately shown when he asks for an interpretation of the Tree?
How does he describe the Virgin/Mother of the Son of God?
Why does Nephi use the same language to describe the Tree as to describe the Mother of the Son of God?
What does “condescension” mean?
Why is Nephi asked if he knows or understands the condescension of God right after he is shown a vision of the virgin?
If the Tree is the Mother of the Son of God, what is the fruit of the Tree?
Why is the Tree of Life the love of God?
READ 1 Nephi 11:24-28, 31-33
What is the Rod of Iron?
Why does the angel tell Nephi to behold the condescension of God again?
Why is Nephi shown Christ’s birth, ministry, atonement, death and resurrection?
What did Christ do for the people during His ministry?
How did the people react to Christ and His works?
READ 1 Nephi 11:34-36
Why did the people react this way to Christ’s ministry?
What did the people do to Christ’s followers?
What is the Great and Spacious Building?
Why is it “great and spacious”?
Why does the great building fall?
Why is the House of Israel called out as being residents of the great building?
READ 1 Nephi 12:17
What is the “mist of darkness”?
READ 1 Nephi 15:26-30
What is the river of water that Nephi and Lehi saw?
How does the justice of God separate the wicked from the righteous?
READ 1 Nephi 15:32-36
Why can the wicked not dwell in heaven?
READ 1 Nephi 15:7, 12-20
Who is the House of Israel in this analogy?
Who are the Gentiles?
In the latter days, who receives the fullness of the gospel first?
Why do they receive it first?
What is the task assigned to the Gentiles in the latter days?
How is the remnant of Lehi lost?
What does it mean to “receive the strength and nourishment of the true vine”?
What does it mean to “graft them in” to the true olive tree?
READ 1 Nephi 15:6-11
Why do Laman and Lemuel not understand Lehi’s words?
Why do they not inquire of the Lord?
What is the pattern for receiving revelation that Nephi teaches?
