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Straight to the Great and Spacious

And he also saw other multitudes feeling their way towards that great and spacious building. And it came to pass that many were drowned in the depths of the fountain; and many were lost from his view, wandering in strange roads. And great was the multitude that did enter into that strange building. And after they did enter into that building they did point the finger of corn at me and those that were partaking of the fruit also; but we heeded them not. These are the words of my father: For as many as heeded them, had fallen away. And Laman and Lemuel partook not of the fruit, said my father.
—1 Nephi 8:31–35

Thoughts, Insights, and Observations

The fourth group Lehi saw seemingly had no interest in the tree of life, but went straight toward the great and spacious—“feeling their way” along. Some were drowned, and some wandered in strange roads, and some arrived at the building and joined the chorus of taunters.

It seems a little odd, doesn’t it? After they entered the building, they pointed the finger of scorn. Didn’t they want to look around? After all, it was a spacious building! With all that space, it must have had many rooms, many things to do, many things to see. And yet, in such a spacious building, it appears the activity of choice was to go to the balconies and point. One wonders what was so interesting about those partaking of the tree—particularly for those who seemingly wanted nothing to do with it. Neal A. Maxwell remarked:

“Why—really why—do disbelievers who line that spacious building watch so intently what the believers are doing? Surely there must be other things for the scorners to do—perhaps in the building’s bowling alley—unless, deep within their seeming disinterest, there is interest.” (Neal A. Maxwell Quote Book, 295)

One of the most powerful sentences uttered by Lehi in this dream is “we heeded them not.” Nephi explains why Lehi’s sentence is so important—“as many as heeded them, had fallen away” (1 Nephi 8:34). Clearly, we head toward what we heed. The Lord warns that if we don’t “give heed to the words of the prophets and apostles” we will be “cut off” (D&C 1:14). Jesus himself was subject to mists of darkness—he “suffered temptations but gave no heed unto them” (D&C 20:22). The issue of how we “heed not” the scoffers in the great and spacious building will be covered in more detail in the final chapters.

Applying the Dream to Our Reality

Dr. James Dobson, a Christian author and founder of Focus on the Family, described a hallway of doors, that interestingly, fits nicely into what might be inside a modern great and spacious building:

Think of yourself as a teenager being required to walk alone down a long, dark corridor. Low-wattage bulbs hang from the ceiling, casting eerie shadows on the walls. On either side of this hall are many large doors, each bearing a different inscription. They are called Alcohol, Marijuana, Hard Drugs, Pornography, Gambling, Homosexual Experimentation, Premarital Sex, Anorexia, and so on. Every form of addictive behavior is represented by at least one door. So there you are, groping along in the darkness and wondering what to do next. Should you stay on the straight and narrow—or push open one of the enticing doors? As you approach each portal, you can hear boisterous laughter and gaiety coming from within. Your friends—or people you want as friends—are already inside, and they are obviously having a blast. Every now and then you hear someone call your name and ask you to join the party. Who knows what excitement awaits those with the courage to enter? Slivers of light escaping from under each door reveal dancing bodies inside. Pounding music reverberates through the walls. As you stand there in the shadows, you ask yourself, “Why shouldn’t I get in on the fun? Who has the right to shut me out?” That does it! You reach for the doorknob. What happens next could be remembered for a lifetime. Why? Because for a certain percentage of the individuals who open the doors, a tragedy begins to unfold. Lifelong addictions can be traced to that moment. (Life on the Edge, 189–90)

In Lehi’s dream, a gulf divided the tree of life from the great and spacious building, but today, there seems to be no gulf at all. President Boyd K. Packer taught:

Largely because of television, instead of looking over into the spacious building, we are, in effect, living inside of it. That is your fate in this generation. You are living in that great and spacious building. (“Lehi’s Dream and You”)

Is it possible to leave the building and join those at the tree? While that scenario is not addressed in the scriptures, we all know from experience that it’s possible, in fact, it happens all the time. I remember one day sitting in priesthood meeting when a man in the back made a fascinating comment. I was fairly new in the ward, so his words were a bit of a shock to me—I never would have guessed! I scrambled to find a pencil and record what he said. He stood up and remarked, “Back when I was drinking and partying, I have to admit—I had a good time. I had a great time. I was in the great and spacious building and I was laughing at you guys. But then it turned on me. I lost my job, I lost my marriage, I lost the chance to raise my two daughters. And in 25 years, I spent $500,000 on drugs and alcohol.”

Steve, the man who made this comment currently serves as a church service missionary, a powerful and loving force for good (tough=love, I should say) who, along with his wife, spends many hours at the local jail and prison teaching others how to find God and break their addictions. Interestingly, the teaching tool he uses most often (with members and non-members alike) is the metaphor of Lehi’s Dream.