Alma 18

The Servants Tell What They Saw

King Lamoni told his servants to tell everyone what they had seen. After they told about everything they saw, the king learned about Ammon’s faithfulness in protecting his flocks. He also learned about Ammon’s great power when he fought against those who tried to kill him. The king was amazed and said, 'This must be more than a man. Is this the Great Spirit who punishes our people because of their murders?' They answered the king, 'We don’t know if he is the Great Spirit or a man. But we do know that the king’s enemies cannot kill him. They also cannot scatter the king’s flocks when he is with us. This is because of his skill and great strength. So we know that he is a friend to the king. We don’t believe that a man has such great power. We know that he cannot be killed.'

When the king heard these words, he said to them, 'I know that it is the Great Spirit. He has come down at this time to keep you alive. That way I won’t kill you like I did your brothers. This is the Great Spirit that our fathers talked about.'

King Lamoni Becomes Afraid

Lamoni had learned from his father that there was a Great Spirit. Even though they believed in a Great Spirit, they thought that whatever they did was right. But Lamoni began to be very scared. He was afraid that he had done wrong in killing his servants. He had killed many of them because their brothers had scattered their flocks at the place of water. When their flocks had been scattered, they were killed. The Lamanites had a practice of standing by the waters of Sebus to scatter the people’s flocks. That way they could steal many that were scattered and drive them away to their own land. Stealing was a practice among them.

Ammon’s Faithfulness

King Lamoni asked his servants, 'Where is this man who has such great power?'

They said to him, 'He is feeding your horses.' Before the time of watering their flocks, the king had told his servants to get his horses and chariots ready. He wanted them to take him to the land of Nephi. Lamoni’s father was king over all the land. He had planned a great feast in the land of Nephi.

When king Lamoni heard that Ammon was getting his horses and his chariots ready, he was amazed because of the faithfulness of Ammon. He said, 'There has not been any servant among all my servants who has been so faithful as this man. He remembers all my commands and does them.' 'I know that this is the Great Spirit. I want him to come in to me. But I am afraid.'

Ammon Meets With the King

When Ammon had the horses and the chariots ready for the king and his servants, he went in to the king. He saw that the king’s face had changed. So he was about to leave. One of the king’s servants said to him, 'Rabbanah, the king wants you to stay.' Rabbanah means powerful or great king. They thought their kings were powerful.

So Ammon turned to the king and said to him, 'What do you want me to do for you, O king?' The king did not answer him for the space of an hour, according to their time. He did not know what he should say to him. Ammon said to him again, 'What do you want from me?' But the king did not answer him.

Ammon was filled with the Spirit of God. So he knew the thoughts of the king. He said to him, 'Is it because you have heard that I protected your servants and your flocks? Is it because I killed seven of their brothers with the sling and with the sword? Is it because I cut off the arms of others in order to protect your flocks and your servants? Is this what causes your amazement?' 'I say to you, What is it that amazes you so much? I am a man. I am your servant. So whatever you want that is right, I will do it.'

When the king heard these words, he was amazed again. He saw that Ammon could know his thoughts. But king Lamoni opened his mouth and said to him, 'Who are you? Are you that Great Spirit who knows all things?'

Ammon answered and said to him, 'I am not.'

The king said, 'How do you know the thoughts of my heart? You can speak boldly and tell me about these things. Also tell me by what power you killed and cut off the arms of my brothers who scattered my flocks.' 'If you tell me about these things, I will give you whatever you want. If it were needed, I would guard you with my armies. But I know that you are more powerful than all of them. But whatever you want from me, I will give it to you.'

Ammon was wise. He said to Lamoni, 'Will you listen to my words if I tell you by what power I do these things? This is the thing that I want from you.' The king answered him and said, 'Yes, I will believe all your words.' This is how he was caught with guile.

Ammon Teaches About God

Ammon spoke to him with boldness and said to him, 'Do you believe that there is a God?'

He answered and said to him, 'I do not know what that means.'

Then Ammon said, 'Do you believe that there is a Great Spirit?'

He said, 'Yes.'

Ammon said, 'This is God.' Ammon said to him again, 'Do you believe that this Great Spirit, who is God, created all things that are in Heaven and in the Earth?'

He said, 'Yes, I believe that he created all things that are in the earth. But I do not know the Heavens.'

Ammon said to him, 'The Heavens is a place where God lives. All his holy angels live there too.'

King Lamoni said, 'Is it above the earth?'

Ammon said, 'Yes. He looks down on all people. He knows all the thoughts and purposes of the heart. His hand created them all from the beginning.'

King Lamoni said, 'I believe all these things that you have said. Are you sent from God?'

Ammon said to him, 'I am a man. Man was created in the image of God at the beginning. I am called by his Holy Spirit to teach these things to this people. That way they can learn what is right and true.' 'Part of that Spirit lives in me. It gives me knowledge and also power. This is according to my faith and desires that are in God.'

Ammon Teaches About Jesus

When Ammon had said these words, he started at the creation of the world. He also talked about the creation of Adam. He told him all the things about the fall of man. He went over the records and the Holy Scriptures of the people. He told about what had been said by the prophets down to the time that their father Lehi left Jerusalem. He also told them (it was to the king and to his servants) all the travels of their fathers in the wilderness. He told about all their hard times with hunger and thirst and their travel. He also told them about the rebellions of Laman and Lemuel and the sons of Ishmael. He told them about all their rebellions. He explained to them all the records and Scriptures from the time that Lehi left Jerusalem down to the present time. But this is not all. He explained to them the plan of redemption. This plan was prepared from the foundation of the world. He also told them about the coming of Christ. He told them about all the works of the Lord.

The King Believes and Falls Down

After he had said all these things and explained them to the king, the king believed all his words. He started to cry to the Lord. He said, 'O Lord, have mercy. You had great mercy on the people of Nephi. Please have mercy on me and my people.'

When he had said this, he fell to the earth. It looked like he was dead.

His servants took him and carried him in to his wife. They laid him on a bed. He lay there like he was dead for the space of two days and two nights. His wife, his sons, and his daughters cried over him. In the manner of the Lamanites, they were very sad about his loss.