Aaron and His Brothers: Courageous Teachers, Not Rulers - Book of Alma, Chapter Twenty-One (Alma 21)

Ammon and Aaron are both sons of the Nephite King Mosiah. Along with their brothers Omner and Himni, they renounced their claims to their father’s throne, thus ending their people’s dependence on monarchical rule. The Nephites had witnessed in the past generation how destructive a wicked king can be to his people, with the example of King Noah’s destructive tyranny fresh in their memory.

As we have learned, Ammon demonstrates great faith to carry the gospel into Lamanite lands and right into the heart of one of the Lamanites’ kings—King Lamoni. So there’s an interesting theme surrounding the experiences of King Mosiah’s sons. They are finding ways to minimize the damage that imperfect humans in leadership roles can do to the people they rule. They already showed a desire to “do no harm” by refusing to be kings in their own land. Now, they are softening the minds and hearts of the people who rule over the Lamanites. 

In just a few chapters, Ammon’s reliance on the Lord in several perilously life-threatening situations have given us plenty of material for a great adventure movie plot. Not only have the hearts of Lamoni and his wife been transformed, but in his encounter with Lamoni’s father—the king over all the land—Ammon found a way to show that love conquers all, and the father is now waiting in the wings to learn more. 

Our narrative turns back to the moment when Ammon, his brothers, and their other companions take a deep breath and each travel to different areas populated by the Lamanites to share the truth about God’s plan—with Jesus’ sacrifice and triumph over death and sin at the center of it. 

We learn that Ammon’s brother Aaron goes to a place called Jerusalem (this is an area in the Americas—where the Nephites and Lamanites now live—named after the much better known holy city in the Middle East). This name provides a hint for us about the people who live there. They are still very focused on the places from their family’s past. We know that Laman and Lemuel used to complain that they were pressured into leaving the comfort and stability of their hometown, and that this argument is something their descendants regularly rehash when voicing grievances about their Nephite rivals. So before we even follow Aaron into the land of Jerusalem, we have some idea of the reception he’ll get (not a very welcoming one) (verses 1-2). 

Our narrator (Mormon) also tells us that many of the people in this area are Amalekites and Amulonites, people who are from the family of the wicked priests of Noah. Their opposition to the teachings of gospel truth is even more pronounced than the Lamanites’ basic annoyance. The people of Amalek and Amulon hate anything that could turn their fellow inhabitants toward greater independence of thought and action, because they have become very attached to the control over others that comes with power, position, and prestige (verse 3).

The attitude of the people of Jerusalem can be summed up this way: they feel they are entitled to every accolade or achievement that anyone else gets without having to be held accountable for the consequences of their actions. Why shouldn’t they get every blessing from the Lord, even if they don’t exercise their faith (verses 4-6)?

The most telltale sign of this attitude is the people’s resistance to learning about Jesus Christ. When Aaron brings up redemption from sin through the Son of God, the people of Jerusalem first dismiss him as a fool, then angrily mock him (verses 7-10). Aaron and his missionary companions try moving to other areas, but receive similarly cold responses. When they reach a land called Middoni, Aaron and some of his companions are thrown in prison, with a few others fleeing the same fate (verses 11-13).

After Ammon and King Lamoni come to Middoni and secure their release (something also mentioned in the previous chapter), Aaron and his companions go right back out there to preach the gospel, showing amazing faith and perseverance (verses 14-16). Even if they may feel a new level of support at this point—or at least toleration from the ruling authorities—they still face a hardened people who have previously rejected them at every turn. Also, depending on where they might feel inspired to wander, it is possible they might move into an area with people who have not gotten the word from the ruling authorities to let them be.

Aaron and his company seem to have gone everywhere and anywhere they could to share the message of salvation through Jesus, and Mormon says that they are being led by the Spirit of the Lord. As ever, the Spirit does not lead anyone wrong. It may lead someone into adversity, but if that person is following the Spirit’s guidance, they will often find God working through them to great effect, or learn powerful lessons that helps them grow beyond measure.

The Lord “begins to bless” Aaron and his company. They help many come to a knowledge of the truth, and convince them of their sins and of the incorrectness of their family traditions (verse 17). It is hard for any of us to discard our family traditions, so it’s always impressive when a teacher of the truth can provide another person enough light to help them realize that some of what they learned as a child is wrong or incomplete. 

In the meantime, King Lamoni and Ammon return to the land of Ishmael. Now that he has been given full authority in this area by his father, Lamoni builds synagogues (places of gathering to teach and learn about God’s plan and Jesus’ role at the center of it) and declares that they have freedom of worship. Ammon teaches truth to Lamoni’s people and exhorts them daily, and the people heed his word and are “zealous for keeping the commandments of God” (verses 18-23).

Lamoni's Faith and New Friend Transform His Father - Book of Alma, Chapter Twenty (Alma 20)

You can read the entire chapter here: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/bofm/alma/20?lang=eng. 

Ammon has just been the means by which the Lord has miraculously changed the entire trajectory of a kingdom. The hearts of many Lamanites are now softened and open to the word of God with King Lamoni, his wife, and many others in the land of Ishmael.

This chapter begins with Lamoni expressing a desire to introduce Ammon to his father, who is king over all the Lamanite lands. This seems quite natural. After having such a life-changing experience with Ammon as his guide and mentor, Lamoni seeks to share this new knowledge with his own father and almost certainly has hope that his father will accept the truth as he has, and open even more Lamanite territory and hearts to the teachings of Ammon and his fellow missionaries (verse 1).

There’s only one thing wrong with Lamoni’s idea. The Lord has other plans for Ammon. In fact, He warns Ammon that if he goes to the land of Nephi, where Lamoni’s father rules, the father will seek his life. Instead, the Lord commands Ammon to go to the land of Middoni, where Ammon is told his brother Aaron and Aaron’s companions Muloki and Ammah are imprisoned (verses 2-3). 

As this chapter and the next few chapters unfold, we gain some better understanding of why the Lord commands Ammon to avoid Lamoni’s father and go to Middoni. But there isn’t a full explanation for why Ammon couldn’t simply “rinse and repeat” his approach to Lamoni with Lamoni’s father, other than that what works for one person doesn’t for someone else. It seems as though Lamoni’s father’s heart needed to be softened in a different way.

Lamoni is so loyal to Ammon that he decides if Ammon is going to Middoni, he will go with him to help him find favor in the eyes of the king there, which could be crucial if Ammon is trying to get his brother and friends released. And so they start their journey together (verses 4-7). 

And who, of all people, should they meet on their way? Lamoni’s father, the very person they had been discussing earlier (verse 8). We never learn why Lamoni’s father was traveling. Was he searching specifically for Lamoni, or was he on some other errand?

Based on the father’s attitude, I wonder if he may have been very specifically searching out his son, and nursing a grudge against him. When they meet unexpectedly, Lamoni’s father basically asks him, “Why didn’t you come to the special feast I held for you and your brothers, and for all our people? And why on earth do I find you traveling with this Nephite, who we know must be a liar and terrible person because of his people?” It’s possible the father had already spent days or weeks letting feelings of offense and hurt fester within himself, and now confronted with this picture of Lamoni choosing to spend time with—of all people—a Nephite (Ammon) instead of him, he’s really angry (verses 9-10).

Lamoni makes an effort to explain what has occurred. His entire life has been transformed by Ammon coming into the picture, and these events sidetracked Lamoni from being able to attend his father’s feast (verses 11-12). But what has taken place is something very personal and has happened within the internal workings of Lamoni’s mind and heart. It can often be very difficult to communicate a change of heart, however wondrous, to someone who has not experienced the same events, and especially when that person is very committed to an established way of doing things. Lamoni’s father is very invested in the established order, as the ruler over the entire Lamanite kingdom.

Lamoni is astonished that his father doesn’t soften up after he provides his explanation (verse 13). We have already seen Lamoni soften, and so we have a sense of what is going on inside his mind. But we also saw that it took some pretty miraculous things to happen before Lamoni and his wife were converted. So it’s probably more surprising that Lamoni thought a simple explanation would suddenly turn his father’s thinking around, than the fact that this didn’t happen.

His father is totally unmoved, and seems to believe that his son has been foolishly duped into allying himself with Ammon. Feeling like his son needs some stern reminders of where his true loyalties should naturally lie, the father instructs Lamoni to kill Ammon and come with him (verse 14).

This is where the drama really heats up. The son’s conviction is being tested, and we know it is much deeper than his father thinks. Lamoni says, “Dad, I’m not coming with you, and I’m not turning against Ammon” (verse 15).

The father’s rage is kindled against his son, and it looks like he might even try to kill him with his sword. But Ammon steps between them and uses his prodigious strength, undoubtedly with heavenly help, to wound Lamoni’s father. Ammon also warns him that because Lamoni is now right with God, it is he (the father) who is actually in greater danger spiritually, because if he dies without repenting, and especially if he kills his innocent son, he would be tormented forever (verses 16-20).

A combination of fear and wonder grips Lamoni’s father. Having no real choice but to submit to Ammon, he is amazed further by the Nephite’s mercy and modest demands toward him. Instead of seeking to pressure the father into surrendering part of his kingdom, Ammon merely wants freedom for his companions held in prison in Middoni, and for Lamoni to be able to think and act for himself and his own kingdom. Ammon’s selflessness so surprises Lamoni’s father, and challenges his preconceptions about the “evil” Nephites, that he not only meets all of Ammon’s demands, but goes beyond that to ask Ammon and his companions to visit him in his capital so that he learn more about what makes them so powerful and so moral at the same time (verses 21-27).

Lamoni and Ammon proceed from there to Middoni, and they are able to secure the release of Ammon’s companions from captivity. These missionaries had been ill-treated from the start, and after being mocked and beaten in various places, had been bound, imprisoned, and subject to hunger, thirst and many other privations (verses 28-30).

Men and Women Using Joy in Christ to Rise to the Occasion - Book of Alma, Chapter Nineteen (Alma 19)

You can read the entire chapter here: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/bofm/alma/19?lang=eng.

Also check out these two videos: https://youtu.be/iWnNhTFTzvk and https://youtu.be/RRVj682zN_c.

This is a remarkable chapter because we witness heroism and amazing strength and depth of character from so many people, but in each in a different way. There are four people who stand out: two men (Ammon and King Lamoni) and two women (Lamoni’s wife and her servant Abish). 

What is most striking is that each of these men and women are able to be stay so dialed in to the Lord and His way of doing things despite getting surprised left and right with unexpected challenges. Like the rest of us, they are imperfect and probably had their share of good and bad days. But in these moments, they are able to keep their focus on the bigger picture. And so, as events swirl around them, they make courageous choices that leave them vulnerable to physical death, but entitle them to spiritual protection that also allows them to deflate the rising tensions that have broken out into chaos and near-insurrection.

The chapter begins on a somber note. Lamoni’s family and royal attendants don’t know what his unconsciousness means. Apparently, they haven’t seen something like this before with him. After two days and nights and no change in his condition, they assume he is dead (verse 1). 

In this situation, Lamoni’s wife turns to Ammon. This is a big decision. It is her husband and her people’s king. We don’t know the specific rules of succession in the land of Ishmael where Lamoni reigns, but there could be some major implications. Plus, his wife loves him. And she seems to want as much verification as possible for taking such an irreversible step as putting her husband in a sepulchre and potentially burying him alive (verses 2-4). 

Ammon knows that this kind of catatonic state is not death, but some kind of deep spiritual coma where the person is undergoing a major transformation. When he and his brothers were confronted by the angel in Mosiah 27, Alma went through almost the exact same experience, down to the same duration of time (two days and nights).  

The queen seems to be torn between her duty to do the right thing for her people and her desire to give her husband every chance to revive. The people around her seem to be divided about whether King Lamoni’s body has started to smell of decomposition, but she tells Ammon that “to me he doth not stink” (verse 5). Her turning to Ammon for verification seems to be like when we ask a trusted friend to give us a sanity check about something we observe or believe that seems oddly unpopular: “Tell me, am I crazy, or does this make sense?”

We learn that Ammon perceives the “dark veil of unbelief” being lifted from Lamoni’s mind, replaced by the “light of the glory of God.” We know that light dispels, or chases away, the “cloud of darkness,” and Ammon recognizes that it is infusing great joy into Lamoni’s soul. Fundamentally, then, Lamoni’s body literally has been overcome by joy. What we’ll learn next is that this joy can be infectious in the best way possible (verse 6-7).

Ammon tells the queen that Lamoni is only sleeping, not dead, and that he will wake the next day. She completely trusts Ammon, and her faith greatly impresses him. She keeps vigil at Lamoni’s bedside until the appointed time when Lamoni arises (verses 8-11).

When he does, he reaches out to his wife praising God and pronouncing blessings on her. We sense that whatever his past faults, he has been a good and loving husband. Then he simply states that he has seen his Redeemer (Christ), and He will be born into this world and redeem all who believe on Him. This simple, powerful truth once again overtakes the king’s physical strength, and he sinks once more into an unconscious state. His wife must have been greatly moved by the spirit attending his words, for she is also “overpowered by the Spirit” unto deep sleep (verses 12-13). 

This miraculous manifestation of God’s power moves Ammon to indescribable feelings of joy and gratitude. He is struck with amazement at how the Lord has answered his prayers and used him to help the Lamanites come to Christ despite the many centuries of their false and wicked traditions and actions. Thus, he too is overcome with joy in the moment and falls motionless to the earth (verse 14).

Words on a page clearly fail at conveying the intense power that must have come over all who witnessed these things. The king’s poor servants have doubtless never encountered anything like this. In their dumbstruck and confused state, they turn in humility to calling on the Lord. Ammon’s example and the things they have witnessed lead them to prayer almost as reflexively as our leg kicks out when our knee is struck with a rubber hammer. And with the Spirit so palpably present, the servants don’t stand a chance. They also fall to the ground, overpowered as are the king, the queen, and Ammon (verses 15-16).

With all of our main characters out of commission, our attention turns now to how the people of the land of Ishmael will respond to this very strange and miraculous cascade of events. When the authority figures are totally helpless and vulnerable, what will the masses do? 

Truth definitely seems stranger than fiction in this case. There is one servant who has not fallen unconscious. It is a Lamanite woman named Abish who serves the queen. We learn that Abish has already been a secret follower of the Lord and His truth for years because her father received and shared a “remarkable vision” (verse 16).

This is one of our first signs that amid whatever chaos may ensue, the Lord is very aware of the situation and all of the people involved. When the vision came to Abish’s father those many years ago, doubtless much of the reason was that God was looking ahead to this day, when his daughter would have such an important part in what comes next.

Abish knows that the power of God has overcome the king, the queen, Ammon, and the other servants. She acts without hesitation—the people must see this because it will cause them to also believe in God and His power. What an example of faith and fearlessness this good woman is to us! She goes house to house, like a female Paul Revere, only instead of a warning about impending danger from an enemy, Abish is inviting them all to come and see for themselves what has happened (verse 17).

In the next verses, some of us may be tempted to think, “Abish, how naive and foolish you are. You should have known that inviting the whole town to this scene would lead to panic, chaos, and mob rule. People are their own worst enemy.” And indeed, the first signs are not encouraging. Yes, the people are amazed at what they see, but instead of recognizing what has happened to the king and his retinue as a blessing, they view it as a curse. What terrible thing have these people done to be rendered completely inert? “Serves King Lamoni right for letting that terrible Nephite (Ammon) live among us.” Or “It’s bad karma for being so cruel to the servants who couldn’t stop the flocks from being scattered.” Rumors fly among the assembled crowd (verses 18-21). 

Not surprisingly, the thieves who Ammon battled in saving the king’s flocks see an opportunity for revenge. One (whose brother died at Ammon’s hand) raises his sword to kill the motionless Nephite prophet and servant, and—instantly falls dead (verses 22-23). 

This dismays the gathered people even more. What is going on here? Who’s next? Who or what is this Ammon person, that such otherworldly things are happening after his arrival in our land? Is he the Great Spirit or a messenger? Is he a monster meant to torture us (verses 24-27)? 

Abish hasn’t expected this, and I expect it pains her to think that the people are getting the wrong message from her effort to show them something wonderful. Our narrator (as usual in the Book of Mormon, it is the great record-keeper named Mormon) tells us that Abish is “exceedingly sorrowful, even unto tears.” But instead of helplessly gnashing her teeth and watching the people take things in the wrong direction, she acts. Approaching the queen, Abish grasps her hand, hoping to revive her. Immediately the queen regains her strength and jumps to her feet (verses 28-29). 

The queen is clearly quite a leader in her own right. These next, extremely important moments, with the situation so tense among the people, are hers. Her first exclamation is to praise Jesus and how He has personally saved her from sin. Her second statement is prayerful: she calls on God to have mercy on the gathered people. She cannot contain the joy she feels, and bursts with words that are clearly meaningful to her but probably beyond the understanding of those assembled, who have not yet had a personal encounter with God. Knowing she needs help, the queen revives King Lamoni by taking his hand (verses 29-30). 

The effect is immediate. Lamoni also jumps to his feet. We read that he teaches and rebukes his people at the same time. When we are corrected, it is important that we feel like it is for our growth and greater knowledge, so that we can learn from mistakes and help others do the same (verses 30-31). 

And so it is that Lamoni becomes the foremost witness of Jesus Christ and His gospel among his own people. Ammon and the king’s servants soon awake and add their testimonies to that of the king and queen. Some of these include accounts of being visited by angels. The people who are willing to hear believe and are converted to the Lord—their hearts are turned away from evil to good desires. They begin making covenants to follow the Lord and form a church through baptism. Just as the Jewish followers of Jesus were to take the gospel to the Gentiles in another 125 years, the Nephites through Ammon show that even their long-estranged Lamanite brothers and sisters can repent and find salvation (verses 32-36).

Ammon and King Lamoni: Nephite-Lamanite Reconciliation Begins - Book of Alma, Chapter Eighteen (Alma 18)

You can read the entire chapter here: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/bofm/alma/18?lang=eng.  

Also check out this video from 8:12 to 16:00: https://youtu.be/znleUXF1nW4  

If we are to pinpoint one moment where the tide is turned, and the centuries of hatred, distrust, and misunderstanding between the Nephites and Lamanites begins to reverse—at least among those who are open to reason—it is this chapter.

Ammon leverages his powerful and righteous example from serving King Lamoni and performing miraculous deeds in defense of his flocks and other servants by making the king curious about the source of his power. The king wonders, “How can Ammon do those amazing things he does?”

As the reports of Ammon’s heroic courage and strength roll in to the king from his other servants, two thoughts occupy and disturb his mind. First, he begins to think that Ammon must be the Great Spirit—the all-powerful being the Lamanites talk about. Second, he worries that Ammon has come to punish him for cruelly putting his servants to death for being unable to protect the flocks against thieves (verses 1-6). When conscience starts to tug at us, we open ourselves up to making changes to pacify those unsettled feelings.

As thunderstruck as King Lamoni is when hearing about Ammon’s exploits in defending the flocks at the watering hole, his amazement goes to another level when he asks where Ammon is and is told that he is preparing the horses and chariots for the king’s upcoming trip. Lamoni is just blown away by Ammon’s unassuming focus on service despite the awesome power he’s capable of. He also marvels at Ammon because of the exactness of his obedience (verses 8-10). Ammon is diligently seeking to understand every detail of Lamoni’s desires so that he can bring them to pass. It seems to unsettle him that someone so powerful is willing to so happily abase himself. At some level, Lamoni may be wondering, “When will this fearful man begin to demand something from me?”

There’s this uncomfortable tension in the king’s presence because there’s a sense that true majesty and power may be in someone other than the person calling himself a monarch. We feel this when Ammon finally finishes his work and makes his way to the king’s room. He sees something very strange about the king’s countenance, and initially thinks it might be better for him to leave him alone. But one of the servants explains that the king wants him to stay. These servants have totally changed their attitude toward Ammon—having suspected and doubted him as an inexperienced outsider and enemy to their people, they now regard him with something approaching reverence and address him as “Rabbanah,” or great and powerful king (verses 12-13).

So Ammon stays. He is respectful to the king, but doesn’t feel like he needs to be overly ceremonious in his conversation or conduct. He just asks the king directly, “What do you want from me?” The king probably has never been in this situation before with a servant or a subject that he believes to be his equal or superior. He is unsure of what to do, so he freezes up and doesn’t do anything. After an hour, Ammon asks again, “What can I do for you?” Still, nothing (verses 14-15).

Ammon, assisted by the Holy Spirit, perceives King Lamoni’s thoughts, and breaks the silence. He asks the king if his paralysis is from hearing about the amazing deeds Ammon pulled off to defend the flocks and servants, and basically says, “Why are you so awestruck? I’m just a man like anyone else. If you want me to do something that is morally right, I’ll do it” (verses 16-17).

Finally, Lamoni speaks. He asks if Ammon is the Great Spirit, and after Ammon says no, wants to understand how he had the power to do what he did and, later, read his mind (verses 18-20).

It is Ammon’s single-minded focus on serving his master that produces curiosity within Lamoni. He wonders, “What manner of man is this? Even though I am the king, maybe I can learn something from him.”

Ammon’s efforts provide a textbook example of how we can build up credibility with other people. If he had walked into the land of Ishmael and in his first audience with King Lamoni told him that he had come to correct his false and deficient understandings about eternal truth and the root of the Nephite-Lamanite dispute, he would have either been killed on the spot or laughed out of the king’s tent.

Instead, his willingness to serve Lamoni with attention to detail gets Lamoni’s attention and makes him receptive to what Ammon has to share. When Ammon comes before Lamoni after demonstrating his power to defend his flocks and servants, Lamoni is in fact desperate to understand more—to the point where he specifically charges Ammon to speak boldly and not hold back, and tells him that he will give Ammon anything he wants so long as he’ll share the secrets behind his success (verse 21).

At this point, Ammon can’t lose. He is now a trusted friend and confidant, and not only has King Lamoni’s attention, but also the opportunity to take plenty of time to explain how and why things are the way they are. The first thing he needs to explain is how he is able to do things that seem miraculous to those who witness them. Lamoni’s first guess is that Ammon is the Great Spirit, but Ammon tells him no, there is a God who works through a different way. He uses messengers and representatives like Ammon to teach people about truth and righteousness and how to live in accordance with them. God makes this possible by allowing a portion of his Holy Spirit to be with people like Ammon and others so that they can have the knowledge and power they need to properly represent Him (verses 22-35).

It certainly raises some other questions about the nature of the Holy Spirit. What is it and its relationship to God and to people? Does it have a life of its own, or is it an extension of God? But there may be opportunities to fully explain this later.

What Ammon feels compelled to explain are the fundamental truths about God, His relationship to us, and His plan that can bring all of us happiness and redemption. So Ammon shares some basic points with Lamoni (verses 28-39)

• God is our Creator and is ever-mindful of us and what we do.

• All people from Adam have had the opportunity to learn about and follow God from prophets and their teachings.

• Lehi’s family was instructed to leave Jerusalem and come to the Americas (where Ammon and Lamoni find themselves now along with all of Lehi’s other descendants), and Laman, Lemuel and the sons of Ishmael rebelled against the Lord’s will.

• Despite whatever happened in the past, Jesus Christ will come to earth (as part of God’s plan from before the Creation) and can redeem us from our fallen state.

So because Ammon has spent time building up credibility with King Lamoni, and is able to teach him things from the beginning, Lamoni is presented with an account of his ancestors’ wickedness in the larger context of God’s plan and love for all His children. It’s much more likely that he will accept this teaching than if Ammon blurted, “Laman and Lemuel were wrong!” the first time they met (even though it is totally true). Also, Ammon emphasizes that he and Lamoni’s people have a common heritage through Lehi, rather than focusing on the divisions between Nephi and his brothers.

King Lamoni believes everything Ammon tells him, and cries to the Lord, seeking mercy for his people in the same way the Lord has blessed the Nephites. And then he falls to the earth, so great is his mind and spirit caught up in what he has learned from Ammon, and perhaps drained from the effort of listening and understanding to this very new and strange doctrine. This is similar to the effect that the angel had on Ammon, his brothers, and Alma when they were confronted with the truth of their wickedness and need to change in the face of what is good and right (verses 40-42).

Lamoni’s servants initially assume that he has died, and take him to his family, where they mourn him for two days and nights, with the story to be continued (verse 43).

Alma and the Sons of Mosiah: Reunion and Flashback - Book of Alma, Chapter Seventeen (Alma 17)

You can read the entire chapter here: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/bofm/alma/17?lang=eng

Also check out the first 8:12 of this video.  

There is a very distinct feeling of time travel when we reunite with old friends. It doesn’t involve driving DeLoreans at 88 mph, just opening our minds and hearts to be transported in memory and spirit to moments of connection made richer by reconnection.

We have such a moment as this chapter begins. Alma is journeying south in the land, probably to check in on the spiritual well-being of the Nephites living in those areas. And to his astonishment, he sees—coming from the other direction—Ammon, Aaron, Omner and Himni (the sons of King Mosiah) (verse 1). If you remember, these are Alma’s dear old friends, and they experienced a powerful conversion to God’s truth together, about 23 years before (see Mosiah 27). We read that Alma is astonished to encounter his friends, which is the same way our narrator (Mormon) described the feelings the five of them had when the angel of the Lord rebuked their previous wicked ways and called on them to repent.

Alma is overcome with joy, and even more so because the sons of Mosiah are “still his brethren in the Lord.” What comes with the passage of time can be very hard to predict. We know that Alma has gone through many experiences and trials, and used those to build his faith in God even further. Mormon foreshadows that the sons of Mosiah have had some similar opportunities to grow their knowledge of the truth (or testimony) by spending 14 years on their chosen mission to the Lamanites searching the scriptures, praying and fasting, and teaching the Lamanites with “much success,” and with God’s authority and the spirit of prophecy and revelation (verses 2-4).

Now begin 11 chapters of a flashback where Mormon relates the amazing story of the four brothers’ missionary efforts, which come with many afflictions. We gain a sense of how stark and lonely their task is. There is no welcoming committee or trail blazed for them. They have to figure it out themselves. They wander into the wilderness, with the knowledge that there have been generations of Lamanites stewing on the stories their grandparents told them about treacherous Nephites (verses 5-7). The Lamanites’ negative feelings became worse because of the interactions they had with Zeniff’s earlier expedition of Nephites to these lands, and especially the priests of Noah, who have continued to spew vitriol to the Lamanites about the Nephites and their intentions.

As the brothers embark on this journey with some others they bring as their companions, they fast and pray much to be instruments in the hands of God to bring as many Lamanites to the knowledge of the truth as possible. There is this great moment when the Lord answers their pleadings with the simple admonition: “Be comforted.” And they are comforted. They need that reassurance straight from the Lord to be able to plunge into work. They seem to understand that they’ll face difficulties beyond what they’ve had before (verses 8-12).

And they’ll be doing it separate from one another. Each of the brothers takes his own path to go to a different Lamanite settlement. They resolve to reunite after finding success in bringing Lamanite souls to Christ through repentance and the plan of redemption (verses 13-17).

Ammon is the “chief among them” (presumably the oldest brother), and blesses them before they go their separate ways (verse 18). We then follow his miraculous trail.

He heads to the land of Ishmael, which is named after the sons of Ishmael who stayed with Laman and Lemuel and rejected Nephi’s teachings. Immediately he is taken captive by the suspicious people of the land (verses 19-20). What an enormous amount of faith Ammon has to place himself at the mercy of a Lamanite king who has no regard for God’s ways.

Ammon initially wins over the king, whose name is Lamoni, by showing that he is interested in living among the Lamanites permanently. Perhaps more out of curiosity than anything, Lamoni is struck by the novelty of a Nephite actually wanting to be with his sworn enemies. Lamoni is willing to give one of his daughters to Ammon as a wife, but Ammon insists instead on being Lamoni’s servant, which probably endears him even more to Lamoni and reduces any sense of threat he may have initially felt (verses 21-25). 

After only a few days, Ammon was with his fellow servants, taking the king’s flocks to get water. The gathering place, Sebus, is where many Lamanites take their flocks. Other men who are also there with their flocks decide to scatter the king’s flocks (verses 26-27). Why? No reason is given, leaving us to speculate on whether they are just mean-spirited or are looking to steal the sheep.

What we do learn from Ammon’s fellow servants is that the king is not lenient with his servants if they lose any of his sheep. They grieve desperately because they are convinced the king will put them to death for negligent inability to protect the flocks (verse 28).

Instead of feeling the fear and resignation of the other servants, Ammon rejoices. He sees this as a golden opportunity to exercise faith, restore the king’s flocks, and win the hearts of his fellow servants to God (verses 29-30). There’s this interesting connection between literally regathering the flock and figuratively gathering the people who watch over the flock. 

His first action is to instill confidence in his colleagues that the task of regathering is something within their power. “Don’t worry. We can do this. Let’s just get after it.” This seems to work like a tonic at motivating the servants, and they are able to bring the flocks together again (verses 31-32). 

When the troublemaking men come back to try to scatter the flocks a second time, Ammon has a simple instruction for the others. He has them surround the flocks so that they can’t run off, and then says he will handle the troublemakers (verses 33-34). 

These opponents have Ammon well outnumbered and seem sure that they’ll make quick work of him, but there’s a delicious anticipation as we know something they don’t—Ammon has the Lord with Him and you can just feel his deep faith jumping off the page. Our narrator (Mormon) reminds us that the Lord had promised Mosiah that He would protect Ammon and his other sons (verse 35).

What ensues is one of the most well-known and graphic action scenes in the Book of Mormon, beloved by children despite (because of?) the gory detail. First, Ammon starts picking off the rustlers one by one, using them as target practice with his sling and some stones. All of a sudden, these men realize that their playful misconduct has real consequences—they are being killed! Unable to match Ammon’s skill with a sling, they come after him with clubs after losing six of their men. But Ammon is ready for this as well, and with his sword he severs every man’s arm lifted against him (verses 36-38).

It’s a scene that seems like it’s straight out of a Western movie, where the hero seems to be invincible—a giant among men—and then acts like it is just another day of work. Without making any big deal about his great feat of strength and courage, Ammon joins the other servants to finish the job of watering the flocks. Then the servants return to the king, and—clearly astonished by what they just witnessed—show the king all the arms of their adversaries that Ammon had severed (verse 39). The mental picture of the scene is somewhat gruesome and disturbing, with an element of dark humor, but the main point is, “See how devoted this Nephite is to you, O King.” And we as faithful readers recognize that the Lord is validating Ammon’s incredible faith by showing how its fruits are being noticed by the Lamanites he has chosen to live among. 

Desolation for Some, Rescue for Others - Book of Alma, Chapter Sixteen (Alma 16)

You can read the entire chapter at https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/bofm/alma/16?lang=eng.

Desolation can come upon us when we least expect it. The people of Ammonihah discover this. After scornfully attacking Alma and Amulek, running the believers in Christ out of the city, and brutally killing their wives and children, they reap the pain and misery they have sowed. An army of Lamanites suddenly appears and destroys the city and its people within a single day (verses 1-3). Ironically, these were the same people that mocked Alma and Amulek mercilessly for warning them of the danger brought on by their own wickedness (Alma 9:4). Ammonihah becomes known as a place, like Sodom and Gomorrah or Babylon, that becomes totally desolate, largely because of the terrible sights and smells of the bodies left in moldering heaps from the sudden destruction (verses 9-11).

There’s a back story explaining why the Lamanites showed up where and when they did. Several chapters later in the account of Alma (abridged by Mormon), we learn that some Lamanites accepted the truth of the gospel and were attacked by their fellow Lamanites who were enraged at what they saw as a betrayal (Alma 25). They were even more enraged because the believing Lamanites would not fight, and they felt very guilty after killing more than a thousand of them. So they went searching for Nephites on whom to take out their anger.

The rest of the chapter has a theme of search and rescue. First, in a physical sense, and then in a more spiritual way that has more eternal benefits.

When the Lamanites tear through Ammonihah and the surrounding lands, they take an unspecified number of Nephites captive. The Nephite commander Zoram is determined to get them back to safety. Having heard that Alma is a prophet, Zoram and his two sons approach Alma in an appeal to know where they might find their brethren (verses 3-5).

There’s an enormous amount of faith involved in the search and rescue effort—first with Zoram and his sons trusting the Lord’s servant, and then with that servant (Alma) approaching the Lord on their behalf. Alma is able to share a pretty exact location with Zoram and his sons. And they follow through in their exercise of faith by acting on the information they receive (verses 6-7).

I wonder if we can even begin to appreciate what this passage can mean in our lives. It seems as though the Lord, by sharing this story with us through his prophet-historians, is telling us that we can seek His guidance to anticipate challenges and overcome them in our lives. The application is limitless. Maybe we won’t get immediate answers that allow us to head off difficulties in the way that we’d always like, but we can always gain greater perspective about how to bear up with those trials until we’re able to find a way (with God’s help) to address or move past them.

You won’t be surprised to learn that because Zoram and the Nephites know where the Lamanites are taking their captive brethren, they successfully confront the Lamanites and put them to flight (verse 8). Perhaps the Lamanites retreated because they were so astonished to have the Nephites anticipate their moves—we don’t know for sure.

What Mormon (our narrator) does tell us is that the Nephites have three years of peace until the next war (verse 12). That may not seem like a lot, but it gives Alma and Amulek time to strengthen the people spiritually. This second search and rescue mission is to help the Nephites repent. Mormon says that Alma, Amulek and the priests they called to work with them went anywhere they could get an audience because their message is so important. They preach against sin in any form and talk of the coming mortal life, sufferings, death and Resurrection of the Son of God, who can save the people from sin and will bring to pass the resurrection of everyone (verses 13-15).

As a result, the Lord pours out His Spirit on the people of the land to prepare their minds and hearts to receive the word taught at Christ’s coming with joy, that they “might not be unbelieving, and go on to destruction,” but “that they might enter into the rest of the Lord their God.” The people learn from their priests that Christ will appear to the Nephites at some point after His Resurrection (verses 16-20).

We might not have hordes of armed invaders storm our neighborhoods tomorrow and take our neighbors prisoner, but this chapter reminds us that other unwelcome surprises—cruel treatment or deception in life, or some other misfortune or tragedy—may come upon us unawares. How do we respond? How do we claw for and reclaim what is ours or the well-being of others? Zoram’s response of going to a source of unimpeachable truth (the prophet Alma) and exercising faith in its guidance is a shining example and welcome contrast to the unwillingness of the people of Ammonihah to hearken unto that very same source. Their complete desolation provides us with a strong cautionary tale.

Sidom: A Haven for Healing - Book of Alma, Chapter Fifteen (Alma 15)

You can read the entire chapter at the following link: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/bofm/alma/15?lang=eng.

Life in the world involves some measure of pain and suffering. There’s just no getting around it. We always hope that we can avoid or delay it, but it comes in some form. We have health problems because our bodies break down and will not last forever. Same for our loved ones. Death creates separation between family and dear friends. Unwelcome surprises come in the form of accidents or others’ unfeeling deeds.

The Lord wants us to be part of the solution, which is to never give up amid the trials of life, and to inspire others to keep going as well. Somehow He gives us the strength not only to survive and endure, but to feel joy and peace as we do so. It’s our choice, plain and simple.

So when this huge trauma gets dealt to Alma, Amulek, and the people in Ammonihah who believe their words, they need a place where they can come together and regroup. That place turns out to be the land of Sidom. 

Not only have the people been run out of Ammonihah by the unbelieving majority, but Alma and Amulek—whom the Lord commands to go to Sidom after miraculously delivering them from prison—have the hard task of informing them that their wives and children have been burned alive (verses 1-2). They have truly sacrificed for the truth they have embraced. It seems difficult to consider what Alma and Amulek could possibly do to comfort these people aside from telling them the truth, showing they care, and letting time do the rest. 

Zeezrom, the lawyer who had first done all he could to entrap Alma and Amulek, before having a complete change of heart and honestly embracing the truth they teach, seems to be literally burning to death from a guilty conscience (verse 3). Nowhere else in scripture do we see such a direct link that someone’s sin may have with their physical health. Jesus makes reference to some kind of link when he asks his detractors (in Luke 5) whether it is easier to forgive sins or tell someone to rise up and walk. But here we see it uniquely on display, and it is a perfect opportunity to show how the Lord’s mercy can heal all the effects of sin—be they spiritual, emotional, or physical. 

Apparently Zeezrom thinks Alma and Amulek had perished because of his initial efforts to rouse the rabble against them. This is at the core of his anxiety and the fever that is scorching him. When he hears that Alma and Amulek have survived and made it to Sidom, his “heart begins to take courage,” and he urgently sends for them to come to his side, which they do (verses 4-5). 

He asks them to heal him. Alma explains that it can be done if Zeezrom has faith in the power of Christ unto salvation (verses 5-9). So just as the affliction melded the physical and spiritual, we witness the same is true for the cure. In order to be relieved of the fever, Zeezrom needs to understand that Christ’s merciful power, as mighty as it is in banishing disease and affliction from our bodies, extends well beyond that to provide the momentum we need to overcome sin and other weaknesses and find our way to eternal salvation. 

Zeezrom is healed instantly and dramatically, literally leaping to his feet (verses 10-11). The account spreads quickly among the people in Sidom. Once Zeezrom is baptized, he becomes a teacher of the gospel. Presumably he draws upon his own story to help him convince others that God’s power is real and sufficient in their lives. Alma finds many others willing to engage in the work of gathering disciples of Christ and establishes a church among the refugees from Ammonihah in Sidom (verses 12-13). 

Our narrator Mormon then describes the developing spiritual situation among the people in this area. It is basically divided among two groups. The people in Sidom, as well as others who “flock in from all the region round about,” accept that they need the gospel of Jesus Christ (verse 14). If they humbly repent, and watch and pray continually, they can be “delivered from Satan, and from death, and from destruction.” Mormon says that Alma can see that these people are “checked as to the pride of the hearts” (verse 17). What an important thing, to check ourselves in this way! 

The second group, though, the people in Ammonihah are not willing to check the pride of their hearts in the same way. In their stubbornness, they continue to reject the need for repentance that Alma and Amulek had preached to them (verse 15). For inspiration, they look to the false prophet Nehor (whom Alma had executed for murder in Alma 1), even though Nehor himself admitted that what he taught was against the word of God. Pride both blinds and paralyzes. 

The chapter ends on an emotionally wrenching and touching note. Amulek has now been cast out of his hometown (Ammonihah). Mormon tells us that his relatives and friends, including his own father, have rejected him for his embrace of God’s truth. We know he has left his worldly possessions behind (verse 16). It is possible (though we don’t know for sure) that his wife and children were victims of a fiery death. He, very much like Job, has been left bereft of everything he once had other than his integrity and his faith. 

Alma then gets the chance to return the favor that Amulek once offered him by taking him in when he had no one else to turn to in Ammonihah. It had been Amulek and his family whose kindness and care nursed Alma back to full strength so that they could boldly proclaim God’s message together (Alma 8). Now Amulek is the one in need. Alma takes him back to his home in Zarahemla, “and did administer unto him in his tribulations, and strengthened him in the Lord” (verse 18) This episode reminds us that sometimes we need helping, and sometimes we are in a position to give help. Hopefully we can be ready to both give and receive at the right time. 

Also see this clip for an account of Zeezrom’s healing and baptism.