4 different groups

i went to a prospective missionary fireside today. president heaton led the discussion and we talked about lehi's dream of the tree of life. this time around there was one particular aspect of the dream that stuck out to me. it was the part about the 4 different groups...

A: these people went along their merry ways but got lost because of the mist of darkness. they wandered off and never made it to the tree of life. (1 ne 8:23)

B: this group made it to the tree of life and even tasted of the fruit but fell away because they were ashamed. then they got lost in forbidden paths. (1 ne 8:28)

C: this group held onto the iron rod and made it to the tree of life. they partook of the fruit. (1 ne 8:30)

D: this group felt their way to the great and spacious building. many drowned or were lost in strange roads. (1 ne 8:31-32)

what struck me the most is when president heaton said that group A wasnt hanging on to the iron rod. that kinda caught me off guard cuz before today, i'd always assumed that all four groups were holding onto the iron rod and that each chose which way it would go from there. but it only says that group C caught hold of the rod. and it doesnt say anything about it for the other 3 groups!

so this is the epiphany i had: the ONLY way we can gain eternal life and partake of the fruit of the tree of life is by hanging on to the iron rod! thats how important the word of god is! there's no way we can survive the mists of darkness and great and spacious buildings AND arrive at the tree of life without it! when we let go of the rod, or stop making time for scripture study in our every day lives, we begin to fall away. eventually we become lost and confused by the world and the mist of darkness. and thats when we start wandering into forbidden paths. it made so much sense when i realized that it was when they didnt have the word of god, (or more like they had it but weren't using it) that they got lost. isnt that a beautiful contrast?

this is such a simple truth--it isnt anything new--but tonight i saw it from a new angle. we all know that we should be studying our scriptures. we know it is essential for returning to live with our heavenly father and we have been taught that we should do it every day. my ultimate goal: to be in group C! the key now: just do it! :)