1 Nephi 8:23

In Verse 23, we get a description of a very important phenomenon. This time, I will talk about the application of this event in our lives. It's been on my mind lately because of the things that I've been doing for church. Those in Lehi's dream that have spotted the fruit and are pressing forward on the path, holding to the rod are the genuinely good people here on earth. Those people are trying to live the gospel of Jesus Christ. They may be members of the true church, and they may not be. (If they are not, then we need to find them!) Then comes a mist of darkness in which, temporarily, prevents the people from seeing the tree. However, they are holding to a rod of iron that they should know leads to the tree. The people must hold fast and not waiver. The mists of darkness are one form of the temptations of Satan. He does not want us to get to the tree and stay by it. Notice that the mists come to try and have everyone lose their way. Some let go of the rod, wander away, and are lost. This means that they do not follow the commandments. They might not come to church. They might not be reading in the scriptures or praying. We need to find these people too, and help them to come back. How unfortunate, one may think, that they had to go through the mists of darkness and be lost. Well, this is what we are here on earth to pass through. We are being tested to see if we will follow what God has commanded us or follow the temptations of Satan. In some writings of Abraham, it was revealed to him what the plan would be for us:

"Now the Lord had shown unto me, Abraham, the intelligences that were organized before the world was; and among all these there were many of the noble and great ones;

"And God saw these souls that they were good, and he stood in the midst of them, and he said: These I will make my rulers; for he stood among those that were spirits, and he saw that they were good; and he said unto me: Abraham, thou art one of them; thou wast chosen before thou wast born.

"And there stood one among them that was like unto God, and he said unto those who were with him: We will go down, for there is space there, and we will take of these materials, and we will make an earth whereon these may dwell;

"And we will prove them herewith, to see if they will do all things whatsoever the Lord their God shall command them;" (Abraham 3:22-25).

When God gives a commandment, there needs to be an opposition to it that comes upon us. This is why God has allowed Satan to tempt us to not follow the commandments. If we pray, then we can conquer Satan and his followers (see Doctrine and Covenants 10:5). Another scripture that I think about is 1 Corinthians 10:13 which says:

"There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it."

This all can happen if we take the initiative. We need to hold to the rod. If we let go, even for a moment, we need to grab a hold of it again, as soon as we can. The mists and tempations will come. So, what can we do to hold to the rod during the mists? Helaman 5:12 tells us:

"And now, my sons, remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall."

Finally, what do we have to do to build our foundation on Christ? Follow His commandments. Daily reading of the scriptures, daily prayer, weekly church attendance and family home evenings (so our families can be there with us, too), and enduring in these thing to the end are a few things.