1 Nephi Chapter 8- Lehi's Vision

Okay, so it's been a while. The funny thing, I read the chapter weeks ago, but was intimidated by the task of applying it to me. Comparing the Vision of the Tree of Life to my life, that's big! I pondered it for days, forgot about it for days, remembered it for days, and now here I am writing.
I want to make sure I point out the brief, but solid push for food storage in this chapter. The first verse begins with Nephi saying, "And it came to pass that we had gathered together all manner of seeds of every kind, both of grain of every kind, and also the seeds of the fruit of every kind."
After that, the entire focus is shifted. We are immediately introduced to Lehi's monumental vision.
Rather than trying to analyze the dream and how each symbol represents something grand in my life, I feel compelled to share an experience that likens Lehi's experience to me.
When I was in 9th grade and attending a non-denominational Christian church in Montana, while attending a youth retreat, I had what believers there called "a vision". In my mind it was simply my worries and fears manifesting through my overactive imagination, but you say tomatoes and I say tomatoes with a different inflection and pronunciation.
Anyhow, I remember, after being "saved", praying and thinking about my family. I remember thinking about each person in my family, and watching them cry out for help as they got sucked down into the depths of a dark tornado. You can imagine the sadness that overcame me. I started crying and I only wanted to call them and tell them what I had seen. Fortunately this was before cell phones were common. I probably would have freaked them out simply because I was so emotional.
When I got home after the weekend retreat I did calmly call them and tell them what I had seen in my mind and they, for the most part, listened to me. I remember one of my brother's friends getting on the phone and asking if I saw him too. To this day I don't remember if I had or not, and to this day I don't know if he wanted to know or if he was teasing me.
In any case, I have often thought back on that experience. Especially as I read of Lehi's concern for Laman and Lemuel after the vision he had, I remember the feelings that I experienced.
Whether it was a vision or simply my overactive imagination, it made an impression on me about the urgency of helping to bring my family unto Christ, and while that is a rocky path even still, I do know of the importance of trying to keep my family out of the darkest tornadoes. Unfortunately, just as with Laman and Lemuel, it is their choices that keep them on their paths and I, nor anyone else can pull them from their agent choices. Instead I pray and fast and keep faith that the Lord's time table will eventually meet up with mine.