In the story of the Tree of Life, Nephi talks about four groups of people.  Some are traveling towards the tree and some are not.  

The first group discovered the path and began their journey to the tree.  But then they entered the mist of darkness  (which represents the temptations of the devil).  It was thick and soon they wandered off the path and were lost.  

Elder Bednar wrote that those people who ignore or treat lightly the word of God do not have access to that divine compass which points the way to the Savior.  The first group obtained the path and pressed forward, exhibiting a measure of faith in Christ and had spiritual conviction, but they were diverted by the temptations of the devil and were lost. (unquote)

The second group pressed forward with faith and commitment.  They found the rod of iron, grabbed on to it – the clung to it - and got through that mist of darkness -- this group did partake of the fruit.  But even though they tasted of the sweet fruit, they did not stay true to it’s promises.  They were made fun of and yelled at by the finely dressed people who inhabited the great and spacious building that was across the river.  The scoffing and finger-pointing of these well-dressed people caused this second group to be ashamed, annoyed, easy to convince and they left the path and were lost. These people had received the word of God in their lives – they had been blessed by the powers of Christ’s atonement and they sins had been forgiven.  But in the end they were too worried about what others thought – they were too concerned about being made fun of or people questioning their faith.  They couldn’t handle the presecution and adversary.

Elder Bednar writes this about this group:  Even with faith, commitment and the word of God, this group eventually was lost-perhaps because they only periodically read or studied or searched the scriptures.  Clinging to the rod of iron suggests to me only occasional “bursts” or irregular dipping rather than consistent, ongoing immersion in the word of God.  (unquote)

The third group pressed forward on the path and caught hold of the rod or iron.  They hung on, kept walking, journeyed through the mist of darkness, fell down at the tree and partook of the fruit.  We assume that they were faithful, they held to the rod and were humble.

The fourth group did not even reach the path, but went straight to the great and spacious building.  They didn’t have any interest in the tree of live, nor what it would give them.  They entered the building and went along with the others there; scoffing and pointing fingers