Today I read Alma 20, which comprises mostly of Ammon, and Lamoni going to the land of Middoni to free his brother Aaron and their friends from prison and meeting Lamoni's father. I have always found a couple of things in this chapter very interesting. For starters, it's really odd and a little intriguing to me that the Lamanites would hold on to such hatred for the Nephites for over 500 years over something that happened to Laman and Lemuel! That's a serious grudge if I ever heard one.
Lamoni's father wanted Lamoni to kill Ammon because he was a Nephite, and for no other reason than he was a child of a liar. To me that's crazy, I cannot even fathom growing up hating an entire people because of something that happened over 500 years ago. You would think that someone in all those years would find it a little odd that they are just doing what their fathers did and not really thinking for themselves, but I guess not.
The meat of this chapter of course is when Lamoni's father attacks Lamoni and Ammon stops him. It does not specifically state it, however I have to wonder if Lamoni refused to raise a sword against his father and that is why Ammon stepped in to protect him? Was this a foreshadow of events to come, of the people of Ammon refusing to ever again shed the blood of man? Truthfully we don't know. We do know however though that Ammon stops the king from shedding innocent blood and that Ammon is still not a blood thirsty man. All he does is stop the king from using his sword arm.
I can't help but wonder if Ammon was guided by the Spirit in what to say in this next part of if that was truly his own idea to ask for Lamoni to retain his kingdom without supervision from that time forward? Because of all the things he could have said to the king I think this is the one thing that would have pricked him in the heart and caused him to start repenting of his sins and desire to hear the gospel for himself.
Perhaps not even Ammon knew at the time, although I'm pretty sure that he can tell the difference between his own thoughts and those supplied him by the Spirit. I always could as a missionary. The one thing I seemed to have the most trouble with as a missionary was recognizing promptings during the moment. I would always do them, but I would never recognize them as a prompting of the Spirit until after the fact. I think I've gotten at least a little better about it over the years.
Whether Ammon truly wanted this on his own or it was the Spirit, this is the one thing he could have asked for that would touch the king, of that I am sure. His heart is touched by the obvious love Ammon has for his son, Lamoni. He sees that Ammon was willing to die for Lamoni if need be to protect him, even though Ammon was never in any real danger, but the king did not know that. The Savior taught that greater love hath no man than he giveth his life for his friend. Ammon exemplified this trait, as did all of his brethren who went to preach to the Lamanites. We have dwelt on this subject already in my blog, but it is interesting that it keeps coming up. Truly love is a great motivator to learn more about the gospel. For the gospel truly breeds love of mankind. When you feel the Spirit you can't help but love your fellow man.
May we all cultivate the Spirit in our lives and let the love that fills us as a result shine forth unto all the world. Until tomorrow.
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