Activity: Understanding Lehi’s Dream

Help children become familiar with Lehi’s dream and gospel truths it teaches.

Set up a reenactment of Lehi’s dream (see 1 Nephi 8; 11).

• Before starting, review the details of the dream for those who aren’t familiar with it. Explain what each element represents:
  • The tree represents the love of God through Jesus Christ and His Atonement.
  • The iron rod represents the word of God.
  • The mists of darkness represent the things in the world that distract us from the gospel.
  • The great and spacious building represents the pride of the world and the people who try to lead us away from the gospel.
• Set up an “iron rod” (can be made of something like string, rope, or tree branches) leading to an end point representing the tree of life.
• Blindfold each child and tell them their goal is to find their way to the tree of life.
• Have an adult or older youth stand by their side the entire time. At the beginning, the adult whispers to the child that they will be standing by their side if they have questions or need help. The adult does not tell them what to do but responds only when the child asks.
• Put the child’s hands on the iron rod and instruct them not to let go.
• Place obstacles for the child to encounter as they walk along the path, such as something small they may need to walk over. Have them move slowly. Take precautions to make sure they cannot get hurt.
• You can have the iron rod go through a darker area or a room with most of the lights off to represent the mists of darkness.
• Have adults or youth come up to the child and try to tempt them to go a different direction or to take their hands off the iron rod. Be sure that any child who lets go of the rod has the opportunity to return.
• Play or sing Primary songs by the tree of life so the children can hear the direction they need to go.
• When the children reach the destination, welcome them warmly, and praise them for being faithful.
• After the activity, have the children share how they felt and what they learned.

Please adapt activities as necessary to ensure all individuals are able to participate, belong, and contribute.

• Play a matching game with the symbols in Lehi’s dream and their meanings. Have the children take turns trying to match an item with its interpretation. For example, “the iron rod” would match up with “the word of God,” “the great and spacious building” would match up with “the pride of the world,” and so on.
• Help children prepare a home evening lesson on Lehi’s dream. Have them draw and label the symbols in Lehi’s dream and practice how they will teach it to their families.

Encourage children to talk about how what they are learning can help them and others grow closer to Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. Discussions can take place before, during, or after the activity and should last just a few minutes. You could ask questions like the following:

• How does Lehi’s dream help you know what is important to focus on in your life?
• What are ways you can hold on to the iron rod?
• What are some things that can distract you from the gospel of Jesus Christ, and how can you avoid being distracted by them?
• How do you feel God’s love in your life?