Post Script on Tree Symbolism

I want to conclude my discussion of the meaning that might be associated with a tree.  Above all is the tree of life, which Nephi represented as the “love of God.”  The love of God, of course, is manifested in the gift of his Son (John 3:16), who worked out the atonement and offers eternal life to those who partake of the fruit of the tree and accept him.  By extension, the tree may represent the results of accepting Christ, which is salvation and exaltation in God’s heavenly Kingdom. The love of God also manifests itself in the hearts of those who partake of Christ and is delicious and satisfying in the here and now.  This tree may also symbolize the means by which salvation and blessing are accessed, the great plan of happiness that is the Gospel, and its ordinances, along with repentance and righteous living.

This tree is also representative of the atonement of Christ, as he was lifted up and suffered on the tree that was a cross.  The tree may also symbolize Christ himself, as the giver of life, or his power and priesthood which is inseparable from Christ himself.  The fruit of the olive tree is used to anoint kings and priests, and to give blessings of health and vitality.

In some senses, this tree may represent distinctions in gender roles of the highest order.  Trees provide elevated vision, sustenance, and shelter, which may equate to the preside, provide, and protect for fathers in the Family Proclamation.  As Cassler suggests, the sons of God administer the ordinances of salvation and exaltation and in that way may preside over the  the doorway through the veil that brings us home to God.  This of course suggests a second tree which relates to the nurturing capacity of women, that of bringing souls to mortality and the perpetuation of the fullness of life and love in families.