My professor, Brother Adams, led me to see this in a totally different perspective. I want to share some of the things he talked about. First, he said to always assume that you're the bad guy. We all are in the Great and Abominable Church. We need to get out and cross the river to the path that leads to the Tree. We all have made mistakes and we aren't perfect. That is why we have to cross this river which can represent many different things. It is the gulf of misery and endless wo, justice, and hell. We have to go through hell to get to the tree. We need to repent and get across, but the only way is with Christ and his atonement. We can become baptized as we pass through the river. In 1 Nephi 8:22 it says that they did commence in the path which led to the tree. They were baptized, they got a fresh start, and began again. Once we make it to the tree and partake of the fruit, we are only tasting a little bit of eternal life. This whole process is the process of true conversion. I think that once we get to the tree, that is not the end, but it is perhaps just the beginning of the process. We just had a taste of what it is like, and now the true test is to see if we can stay on that path in which we have the rod of iron to help hold us up.
Brother Adams said that an example of this process is the life of a missionary. Missionaries go out and live in such a way where they are being truly converted. They study, teach, testify, and serve. They have gotten a little taste of the fruit. They know what it is like, but as in the vision, some who taste of the fruit fall away. Once you've tasted of the fruit, learn and grow from it! The mission teaches missionaries how to live, but what do they do after their missions? The Tree is not the end of the path. Once we've tasted, keep continuing on the path.
After learning about this in my class, I was able to see this all throughout the scriptures. I encourage you to look for this while studying. It is all over in the scriptures. An example is Ammon. In Alma 26:18, Ammon went about with many threatenings to destroy the church. He was in the Great and Abominable Church. Then in verse 20, he crossed the river. "...in his great mercy hath brought us over that everlasting gulf of death and misery..." He used Christ's atonement to cross the river. an in verse 22 he repented and exercised faith, brought forth good works, and prayed without ceasing. He started on the path and partook of the fruit and is becoming truly converted to the gospel of Jesus Christ.
