Alma 18

King Lamoni called his servants forward to tell him everything they'd witnessed. After they all testified about what they'd seen, the king learned how faithfully Ammon had protected the flocks and how powerfully he'd fought off the attackers. He was completely amazed. "This is more than just a man," he said. "Could this be the Great Spirit? The one who punishes our people for their murders?" His servants answered: "Whether he's the Great Spirit or just a man, we don't know. But we do know this—the king's enemies can't kill him. They can't scatter the king's flocks when he's around. He's too skilled, too strong. He's clearly a friend to the king. And honestly, we don't think any ordinary man could have that kind of power. He can't be killed." When the king heard this, he said: "Now I know it's the Great Spirit! He's come to save your lives—so I won't kill you like I killed your fellow servants. This is the Great Spirit our ancestors told us about." This was the tradition Lamoni had learned from his father: that there was a Great Spirit. Though they believed in this Spirit, they also thought that whatever they did was fine. But now Lamoni was starting to panic. What if he'd been wrong to kill his servants? He'd killed many of them just because raiders had scattered the flocks at the watering place. That's how it worked—if the flocks got scattered, servants died. This was a common Lamanite tactic: hang around the waters of Sebus, scatter people's flocks, then drive the scattered animals back to their own territory. It was basically organized theft. King Lamoni asked his servants: "Where is this man with such incredible power?" They told him: "He's feeding your horses." (The king had ordered his servants to prepare his horses and chariot before they'd gone to water the flocks. He was supposed to travel to the land of Nephi for a big feast hosted by his father, who ruled over all the land.) When King Lamoni heard that Ammon was preparing his horses and chariot, he was even more stunned. "This man is so faithful!" he said. "I've never had a servant who remembered all my instructions and actually carried them out like this! I'm certain now—this is the Great Spirit. I want him to come see me, but I don't dare ask." When Ammon finished getting the horses and chariots ready, he went to see the king. But he noticed the king's face had changed—he looked troubled. Ammon started to leave. One of the king's servants stopped him: "Rabbanah"—which means "powerful one" or "great king," since they considered their kings very powerful—"Rabbanah wants you to stay." So Ammon turned back to the king and asked: "What can I do for you, Your Majesty?" The king didn't answer. He stood there silent for a full hour. He had no idea what to say. Ammon asked again: "What do you want from me?" Still the king said nothing. Then Ammon, filled with God's Spirit, perceived what the king was thinking. He said: "Is it because you heard how I defended your servants and your flocks? How I killed seven raiders with my sling and sword and cut off the arms of others? Is that what amazes you? What is it that amazes you so much? Look, I'm just a man. I'm your servant. Whatever you need that's right, I'll do it." The king was amazed all over again—Ammon could read his thoughts! But he finally spoke up: "Who are you? Are you the Great Spirit who knows everything?" Ammon answered: "I'm not. Then how do you know what I'm thinking?" the king asked. "Speak freely. Tell me about all this. And tell me what power you used to kill those raiders and cut off their arms when they scattered my flocks. If you tell me these things, I'll give you whatever you want. If you need it, I'll send my armies to protect you—though I know you're more powerful than all of them. Still, whatever you want, I'll give it to you." Ammon, who was wise but not manipulative, said to Lamoni: "Will you listen carefully if I tell you where my power comes from? That's all I'm asking." The king answered: "Yes, I'll believe everything you say." And with that, he was hooked. Ammon spoke boldly: "Do you believe there's a God?" The king answered: "I don't know what that means." So Ammon asked: "Do you believe there's a Great Spirit? Yes," the king said. That Great Spirit is God," Ammon said. Then he asked again: "Do you believe this Great Spirit—this God—created everything in heaven and on earth? Yes, I believe he created everything on earth," the king answered. "But I don't know about the heavens. Heaven is where God lives, along with all his holy angels," Ammon explained. Is it above the earth?" King Lamoni asked. Yes," Ammon said. "And he looks down on everyone. He knows every thought and intention of every heart. He made us all from the very beginning." King Lamoni said: "I believe everything you've said. Did God send you? I'm a man," Ammon answered. "In the beginning, people were created in God's image. I've been called by his Holy Spirit to teach these things to your people, so they can learn what's true and right. Part of that Spirit lives in me. It gives me knowledge and power—according to my faith and what I want in God." After saying this, Ammon started at the beginning—the creation of the world, the creation of Adam. He explained humanity's fall from grace. He went through the records and holy scriptures, recounting everything the prophets had said, right up to when their ancestor Lehi left Jerusalem. He told them all about their ancestors' journey through the wilderness—the hunger, the thirst, all the hardships of travel. He told them about the rebellions of Laman and Lemuel and Ishmael's sons—all their rebellions. He explained the records and scriptures from the time Lehi left Jerusalem right up to the present day. But that wasn't all. He explained God's plan of redemption, prepared from the foundation of the world. He told them about Christ's coming. He shared all the works of God. After Ammon had said all this and explained it to the king, Lamoni believed every word. He started crying out to God: "O Lord, have mercy! Show the same abundant mercy to me and my people that you've shown to the Nephites!" As soon as he said this, he collapsed to the ground as if dead. His servants carried him to his wife and laid him on a bed. He lay there as if dead for two full days and nights. His wife, his sons, and his daughters mourned over him in the Lamanite way, crying deeply over his loss.