Alma 18: Ammon's Missionary Adventure: Saving King Lamoni's Sheep from Robbers

Ammon




Servants of King Lamoni testified about what Ammon had done.




King Lamoni





1 And it came to pass that king Lamoni caused that his ^aservants should stand forth and testify to all the things which they had seen concerning the matter.

 2 And when they had all testified to the things which they had seen, and he had learned of the faithfulness of Ammon in preserving his flocks,  and also of his ^agreat power in contending against those who sought to slay him, he was astonished exceedingly, and said: Surely, this is more than a man. Behold, is not this the Great Spirit who doth send such great punishments upon this people, because of their murders?  

 3 And they answered the king, and said: Whether he be the Great Spirit or a man, we know not; but this much we do know, that he ^acannot be slain by the enemies of the king; neither can they ^bscatter the king’s flocks when he is with us, because of his expertness and ^cgreat strength;   therefore, we know that he is a friend to the king. And now, O king, we do not believe that a man has such great power, for we know he cannot be slain.

 4 And now, when the king heard these words, he said unto them: Now I know that it is the Great Spirit; and he has come down at this time to preserve your lives, that I might not ^aslay you as I did your brethren.    Now this is the Great Spirit of whom our fathers have spoken.

 5 Now this was the ^atradition of Lamoni, which he had received from his father, that there was a ^bGreat Spirit. Notwithstanding they believed in a Great Spirit, they supposed that ^cwhatsoever they did was right; nevertheless, Lamoni began to fear exceedingly, with fear lest he had done wrong in slaying his servants;

 6 For he had slain many of them because their brethren had scattered their flocks at the place of water; and thus, because they had had their flocks scattered they were slain.

 7 Now it was the practice of these Lamanites to stand by the ^awaters of Sebus to scatter the flocks of the people, that thereby they might drive away many that were scattered unto their own land, it being a practice of plunder among them.

 8 And it came to pass that king Lamoni inquired of his servants, saying: Where is this man that has such great power?

 9 And they said unto him: Behold, he is feeding thy ^ahorses.

Now the king had commanded his servants, previous to the time of the watering of their flocks, that they should prepare his horses     and chariots, and conduct him forth to the land of Nephi; for there had been a ^bgreat ^cfeast appointed at the land of Nephi, by the father of Lamoni, who was king over all the land.

 10 Now when king Lamoni heard that Ammon was preparing his horses and his ^achariots  he was more astonished, because of the faithfulness of Ammon, saying: Surely there has not been any servant among all my servants that has been so faithful as this man; for even he doth remember all my commandments to execute them.

 11 Now I surely know that this is the Great Spirit, and I would desire him that he come in unto me, but I durst not.

 12 And it came to pass that when Ammon had made ready the horses and the chariots for the king   and his servants, he went in unto the king, and he saw that the ^acountenance of the king was changed; therefore he was about to return out of his presence.

 13 And one of the king’s servants said unto him, ^aRabbanah, which is, being interpreted, powerful or great king... the king desireth thee to stay...

Ammon

16 And it came to pass that Ammon, being filled with the ^aSpirit of God, therefore he perceived the ^bthoughts of the king.   And he said unto him... what is it, that thy marvelings are so great? Behold, I am a ^aman, and am thy servant; therefore, whatsoever thou desirest which is right, that will I do.

 18 Now ... king Lamoni did open his mouth, and said unto him: Who art thou? Art thou that Great Spirit, who ^bknows all things?

   19 Ammon answered and said unto him: I am not.

 20 And the king said: How knowest thou the thoughts of my heart? ... ^aif thou wilt tell me concerning these things, whatsoever thou desirest I will give unto thee; and if it were needed, I would guard thee with my armies; but I know that thou art more powerful than all they; nevertheless, whatsoever thou desirest of me I will grant it unto thee.

 22 Now Ammon being ^awise, yet harmless, he said unto Lamoni: Wilt thou hearken unto my words, if I tell thee by what power I do these things? And this is the thing that I desire of thee.

 23 And the king answered him, and said: Yea, I ^awill believe all thy words. And thus he was caught with ^bguile.

 24 And Ammon began to speak unto him with ^aboldness, and said unto him: Believest thou that there is a God?

 25 And he answered, and said unto him: I do not know what that meaneth.

 26 And then Ammon said: Believest thou that there is a ^aGreat Spirit?

 27 And he said, Yea.

 28 And Ammon said: This is God. And Ammon said unto him again: Believest thou that this Great Spirit, who is God, created all things which are in heaven and in the earth?

   29 And he said: Yea, I believe that he created all things which are in the earth; but I do not know the heavens.

 30 And Ammon said unto him: The heavens is a place where God dwells and all his holy angels.

 31 And king Lamoni said: Is it above the earth?

 32 And Ammon said: Yea, and he looketh down upon all the children of men; and he ^aknows all the thoughts and ^bintents of the heart; for by his hand were they all created from the beginning.

 

King Lamoni

Ammon

33 And king Lamoni said: I believe all these things which thou hast spoken. Art thou ^asent from God?

 34 Ammon said unto him: I am a ^aman; and man in the beginning was created after the image of God, and I am called by his Holy ^bSpirit to teach these things unto this people, that they may be brought to a knowledge of that which is just and true;

 35 And a portion of that ^aSpirit dwelleth in me, which giveth me ^bknowledge, and also power according to my faith and desires which are in God.

 36 Now when Ammon had said these words, he began at the creation of the world, and also the creation of Adam, and told him all the things concerning the fall of man, and ^arehearsed and laid before him the ^brecords and the holy scriptures of the people, ... he ^aexpounded unto them the ^bplan of redemption, which was prepared from the foundation of the world; and he also made known unto them concerning the coming of Christ, and all the works of the Lord did he make known unto them.

 40 And it came to pass that after he had said all these things, and expounded them to the king, that the king ^abelieved all his words.

 41 And he began to cry unto the Lord, saying: O Lord, have mercy; according to thy abundant ^amercy which thou hast had upon the people of Nephi, have upon me, and my people.

 42 And now, when he had said this, he ^afell unto the earth, ^bas if he were dead.



Queen Lamoni



 43 And it came to pass that his ^aservants took him and carried him in unto his wife, and laid him upon a bed; and he lay as if he were dead for the space of two days and two nights; and his wife, and his sons, and his daughters mourned over him, after the manner of the Lamanites, greatly lamenting his loss.