They Taught with Power and Authority of God

They Taught with Power and Authority of God
Alma 17-22


Up to this point, we have been reading about Alma the Younger’s missionary experiences. Remember, the 4 sons of Mosiah were also converted at the same time Alma was. When Mosiah was ready to confer the kingdom upon the rightful heir, all his sons refused the throne. They, instead, asked their father’s blessing and permission to preach the gospel among the Lamanites. After much consideration, prayer and fasting, Mosiah granted them their desires. They departed on their missions together, along with other brethren, prior to Alma leaving on his.

Alma and Amulek had much success as missionaries and rejoiced in bringing many of their Nephite brethren back to the gospel. As Alma was journeying from the land of Gideon southward, toward Manti, much to his great surprise, he met the sons of Mosiah, who were journeying towards Zarahemla, Returning after a 14yr mission among the Lamanites.

What a joyous reunion this must have been. Considering all that these men had experienced both together and apart. Alma was especially glad to see that the brothers had been faithful in the gospel. In the first few verses of Chapter 17, we get an overview of the brothers and their experiences. Beginning in verse 6, we get to hear their story. Remember, the brothers began their mission in the first year of the reign of the judges. Alma began his in the ninth year.

First year of the reign of the judges, the brothers leave Zarahemla with nothing but their hunting weapons so that they might provide food for themselves In the wilderness. Although they were anxious to teach the people, they were well aware that this was a dangerous undertaking. They “prayed much that the Lord would grant unto them a portion of his spirit to go with them, and abide with them, that they might be an instrument in the hands of God to bring, if it were possible, their brethren, the Lamanite, to the knowledge of the truth.” ( Alma 17:9) The Lord heard their prayers and visited them with his Spirit and told them to be comforted, and they were.

In the wilderness, the brothers decided to separate. Ammon, the eldest and leader, blessed each of his brethren and they took their journeys throughout the land

We first read of Ammon’s experience . He went to the land of Ishmael- named after the sons of Ishmael who sided with Laman and Lemuel when Nephi separated the original group. As was custom, when Ammon entered into the land, he was taken and bound and carried before the king. It was the king’s decision what to do with him. The king’s name was Lamoni, who was a descendant of Ishmael.

The King asked Ammon if we wanted to live among his people. Ammon answered yes, for a time, perhaps until I die. Ammon made a great first impression on King Lamoni. The king had Ammon loosed from his bands and, offered him one of his daughters to wife. Ammon politely declined and offered to be the king’s servant instead. His assignment was to, along with other servants, watch the King’s flocks.

After three days, the servants take the flocks down to the watering place, the waters of Sebus, when a very interesting thing happens. In pop some of their fellow Lamanites and purposely scatter the flocks. They did a pretty good job of it. The flocks went many ways. The servants were really distraught.
Clearly this was not the first time this had ever happened. As a matter of fact, it happened a lot. Immediately the servants are panicky because they know that the consequence of losing the King’s flock is death, and they don’t want to die.

You have to ask yourself at this point: What kind of sick game are they playing here. It isn’t as if the king doesn’t have enough servants to adequately guard his flock. Why keep sending them into this sure death situation? And what of the Lamanites that are doing the scattering? IT’s like a form of sick entertainment to these guys. They just hang around the watering hole waiting..scatter the sheep and then get the pleasure of knowing that they are the cause of the servant’s death. The King on the other hand has no problem having the servants killed, either.. just another item on the agenda for the day. Kind of gives you a glimpse into what the people of Ishmael were like.

Well, Ammon isn’t frightened at all. As a matter of fact, his heart was swollen within him with joy. Finally, here is his opportunity to show forth his power unto his fellow servants. So, he gives these guys a pep talk. Don’t worry he says. We will gather the sheep and get them all back together. The king wont slay us.

And that is what they do- with much swiftness, they follow Ammon in gathering the scattered flocks. They take them back to the waters of Sebus. Then Ammon has the servants surround the sheep to keep them together and he goes after the guys that did the scattering. Now, he was greatly outnumbered. They saw Ammon coming and probably laughed. They figured they could take him out whenever they wanted. What they didn’t know was that he had the Lord on his side. The Lord had promised Mosiah that he would deliver his sons out of the Lamanites hands- and the Lord always keeps his promises.

So, Ammon takes out his sling and starts slinging stones at them, with mighty power. Before they know what has hit them, Ammon has already killed several of them. They are caught completely by surprise. This is not a part of the game they are used to playing! Now they are really ticked off. That’s it! You are ours now! And they go after him to kill him. Only, these guys are only armed with clubs. They charge after him with full force- clubs probably raised over their heads with both arms in order to deliver the most powerful blow and what does Ammon do? He takes his sword out and cuts off the arms of every man that lifted his club to smite him. Think about how strong Ammon must have been to accomplish this!

By this time, the scattering Lamanites have got to be asking themselves, “ Who is this guy?” They are astonished, and they began to flee before him. By this time, Ammon has killed 6 men with his sling, sliced off a lot of arms and slain the leader with his sword. When he had driven them all away, he returns to the servants, they water the flock and return them to the king’s pasture. Well, the servants were pretty impressed with Ammon – they carried the severed arms into the king and related the whole experience to him. The king is absolutely incredulous.

“ 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?” ( Alma 18:2) Well, we don’t know if he is the great spirit, say the servants, but we do know this guy cannot be killed by your enemies, and they cant scatter your flocks while he is with us. Aha! someone who has finally won the game in behalf of the king.

yup, he is the great spirit alright! says the king. He is here so I will not kill you like I have killed all the other servants who lost the flocks. Now even though Lamoni believed in a Great Spirit, they thought that they were doing the right thing. All of a sudden, however, it occurs to Lamoni that that might not be the case. He starts to fear exceedingly, that he might have done the wrong thing by killing the servants. This whole game has been going on quite some time. He has killed a lot of servants.

Where is He? The king wants to know. Well, it just so happened that it was the time of year that the King was preparing to attend the great Feast ( something similar to the Feast of Tabernacles that the Nephites observed) in the land of his father, who was king over all the Lamanites. So, Ammon was out preparing his horses and chariot for the journey. Naturally, this impresses the king, “ 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. “

The King sends for Ammon. When Ammon enters, he notices that something is very different. He turns and goes to leave when one of the servants says, “ Rabbanah, which is being interpreted, powerful or great king, .. the king desireth thee to stay.”
So, Ammon stays and asks what he can do for the king. And the king says nothing. Silence , for an hour! And Ammon asks again, “ What desirest thou of me?” and the king still doesn’t answer him.

Then, Ammon gets a huge help from the Holy Ghost. He is able to perceive the thoughts of the king and says, “ Is it because thou hast heard that I defended thy servants and thy flocks, and slew seven of their brethren with the sling and with the sword, and smote off the arms of others, in order to defend they flocks and thy servants; behold, is it this that causeth thy marvelings?” ( Alma 18:16)

Don’t be so surprised. I am only a man, your servant. I will do anything, which is right, that you ask me to do.

This must be an unusual thing because the king is still in awe. “ Who are you?” “ Art though that Great Spirit, who knows all things?”

No No NO- Ammon says. Well then, how do you know what I am thinking? asks the King. And by what power did you defend my flocks? Tell me, and I will grant you anything you wish.

“ Now Ammon being wise, 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. “ ( Alma 18:22)

Yes, I will believe you! Says the king.

So, Ammon begins to speak with boldness and asks him: Believest thou that there is a God?

I don’t know what you mean, says the king.

Ok, Do you believe there is a great spirit?

Ah! Yes.

This is God.

Do you believe that this Great Spirit, who is God, created all things in heaven and earth?

Yes, I believe he created everything on earth, but, I don not know what heaven is.

Ammon tells him of heaven and king Lamoni says, “ I believe all these things which thou hast spoken. Did God send you?

Ammon says again, Im only a man. But in the beginning, man was created after the image of God nad I am called by his Holy Spirit to teach these things unto this people that they may be brought to a knowledge of that which is just and true. And a portion of that Spirit dwelleth in me, which giveth me knowledge, and also power according to my faith and desires which are in God. “ ( Alma 18:34-35)

Ammon then pulls out his scriptures and begins to instruct the King. He starts at the creation of the world, the creation of Adam and teaches him about the Fall. He recounts all the history of the prophets from the time of Adam until their present time, including the journeyings of their fathers in the wilderness, the rebellion of Laman and Lemuel, and the sons of Ishmael. Then, he teaches them about the plan of redemtion “ 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. “ ( Alma 18:39)

After he had finished, the king believed all his words and began to cry unto the Lord: “ Oh Lord, have mercy; according to thy abundant mercy which thou hast had upon the people of Nephi, have upon me, and my: -people. And now, when he had said this, he fell unto the earth, as if he were dead.” ( Alma 18: 41-42)

Here is where things get even more interesting. Lamoni’s servants carry him to his bed where he remained, as dead, for 2 days and 2 nights. His wife and children mourn over him, greatly lamenting his loss.

After the 2 days, the servants want to bury the King but, his wife wont let them. She sends for Ammon and asks him, as a prophet of God, to administer to her husband. This was exactly what Ammon wanted. He knew that this was a part of the conversion process for the king, that it was a good thing.

He tells the queen that Lamoni is not dead, but sleepeth in God and will arise the next day.
Do you believe me?

Yes.

“Blessed art thou because of they exceeding faith; I say unto thee, woman, there has not been such great faith among all the people of the Nephites.” (Alma 19:10)

So, the queen sat by her husband’s bedside and on the morrow, he arose, according to the words of Ammon. As he arose, he immediately begins to testify of Christ. He , and the queen, were so overwhelmed with joy that they sunk down to the earth again. Seeing that his prayers have been answered, Ammon falls to his knees and pours his whole soul out in prayer and thanksgiving to God. He too, becomes overwhelmed with joy and sinks to the earth. This prompts the servants of the king to begin to cry unto God , and they too sunk to the earth.

This is a very interesting phenomenon. Our bodies are not capable of containing our spirits on occasion- usually in times of great duress or joy.

The only servant that did not fall to the earth was Abish, a Lamanite woman who had been converted years earlier on account of a vision of her father. She understands exactly what is going on here and realizes what a great opportunity this is. If she can let others know what is happening, and they come to see, perhaps they also will believe in the power of God.

So, the multitude gathers and are surprised to find everyone in this state, and among them, Ammon, a Nephite.

“Clearly, this is a great evil come unto the king’s house because he allowed a Nephite to remain in the land.” some said

Nope, “The king is responsible- He killed all those servants who had his flocks scattered at the waters of Sebus.” others said.

Interestingly enough, here come the survivors of the waters of Sebus episode, including the brother of the leader, who had been slain by Ammon’s sword. They are still all riled up over the whole episode. So, the leaders brother takes this prime opportunity to go after the seemingly incapacitated Ammon with his sword, to slay him. He lifts his sword to smite him, and falls down dead.

Remember that promise the Lord made to Mosiah?

The people are all scared- more discussion ensues. Contentions begin to be exceedingly sharp. Abish sees what is happening. This isn’t going how she wanted it to. She went and took the hand of the queen and the queen arises, testifying of Jesus and speaking many words which were not understood ( speaking in tongues? testifying in the pure Adamic language?). she then takes the King by the hand and he arises, sees the contention among the people and rebukes them. Then, teaches and testifies of all he has heard and seen.
“ And as many as heard his words believed, and were converted unto the Lord. and as many as did believe were baptized; and they became a righteous people, and they did establish a church among them. And thus the work of the Lord did commence among the Lamanites; thus the Lord did begin to pour our his Spirit upon them; and we see that his arm is extended to all people who will repent and believe on his name.” ( Alma 19:35-36)

What lessons can we learn from Ammon’s experience?
The lesson to be learned from Ammon is that regardless of our circumstances, we can be an example to others. We can lift them, we can inspire them to seek righteousness, and we can bear testimony, with power and authority, to all of the power of Jesus Christ.

What did Ammon and his brethren pray for prior to separating? ( Alma17: 9)
that they might be an binstrument in the hands of God to bring, if it were possible, their brethren, the Lamanites, to the knowledge of the truth, to the knowledge of the baseness of the ctraditions of their fathers, which were not correct.

Isn’t that what we want as members of the Latter day church?
Sister Mary Ellen Smoot, former Relief Society General President, said, “ Truly, we may each be an instrument in the hands of God. Happily, we need not all be the same kind of instrument. Just as the instruments in an orchestra differ in size, shape, and sound, we too are different from one another. We have different talents and inclinations, but just as the French horn cannot duplicate the sound of the piccolo, neither is it necessary for us to all serve the Lord in the same way.” (Mary Ellen Smoot, “We Are Instruments in the Hands of God,” Liahona, Jan 2001, 104–7).
President Spencer W. Kimball added, “ In the world before we came here, faithful men and women were given certain assignments..While we do not now remember the particulars, this does not alter the glorious reality of what we once agreed to. [We] are accountable for those things which long ago were expected of [us]. ( “The Role of Righteous Women,” Ensign, Nov. 1979, 102).
So, if this is what we are to learn, and what we are to do, How do we do it? How do we, amid the pressures of life, become the most effective instruments we can be in the hands of the Lord?
#1 Our own conversion must come first
Ammon could not have accomplished what he did for Lamoni’s people had he not heeded the words of the angel that appeared to Alma the Younger, Ammon and his brothers. Once that conversion came, Ammon and his brothers labored withoug ceasing to share the gospel with others “for they could not bear that any human soul should perish” (Mosiah 28:3). Only when we are converted to the Lord Jesus Christ are we in a position to strengthen others. And only then do we begin to understand that our lives truly do have meaning, purpose, and direction, and that as sisters united in our devotion to Jesus Christ our calling is to be a light to the world.
#2 Like the sons of Mosiah, we must also wax strong in the knowledge of the truth
These brothers continually studied the gospel. Through fasting and prayer and immersing themselves in the scriptures, they came to know that Jesus is the Christ, and they learned to hear His voice. Likewise, as members of the church, we should strive to increase our testimonies of Jesus Christ through prayer and scripture study and to seek spiritual strength by following the promptings of the Holy Ghost.
It is almost impossible to be an effective instrument within our own families, with our neighbors, or even from the pulpit unless we can discern the whisperings of the Holy Ghost. Ammon was able to perceive the thoughts of the Lamanite king because he was living close to the Lord (see Alma 18:16).
Our ability to hear the voice of the Spirit is dependent upon our willingness to keep the commandments, for “when we obtain any blessing from God, it is by obedience to that law upon which it is predicated” (D&C 130:21). If we want to experience the inexpressible joy of gospel living and feel of Christ’s atoning mercies, obedience to all, and not just a select few, of God’s commandments is the only way.
Have we received the immeasurable blessings of holding weekly family home evening and daily scripture study and prayer? Do we understand the far-reaching blessings of keeping our covenants and filling our minds with only that which is “virtuous, lovely, or of good report”? (A of F 1:13). When obedience becomes a quest, it is no longer an irritation.



#3 Service is key in being an effective instrument
Ammon chose to serve the Lamanites rather than assume leadership of the Nephites. His service softened the heart of King Lamoni and prepared him to be receptive to the gospel. When Lamoni’s servants were busy recounting Ammon’s exploits in fending off marauders, Ammon himself was in the stable feeding the horses and serving the king (see Alma 18:9–10).
As members of the church, We, too, should delight in service and good works. Service softens and opens hearts, for it is truly the gospel in action. It allows us to walk the walk not just talk the talk. Our membership in the latter day church affords us countless opportunities to develop and exercise the pure love of Christ in all aspects of our lives.
#4 Love must be the motivating factor for all we do
As members of the church, we love the Lord, we love our families, we love life and learning, and we love one another.
After Ammon established the chuch among Lamoni’s people, He was led by the spirit to deliver his brethren from prison in a neighboring city. King Lamoni offered to accompany Ammon and plead his case before the king of that city, whom he was well acquainted. On the way to Middoni, Ammon and Lamoni met Lamoni’s father, who was king of the Lamanites. Lamoni’s father wanted to know why Lamoni did not attend the annual feast. When Lamoni recounted to his father the experience of his conversion, Lamoni’s father was angry and told Lamoni to kill Ammon and return to the land of Ishmael. Lamoni refused, he testified that Ammon and his brothers were holy prophets of the true God. This made Lamoni’s father very angry and he drew his sword to kill Lamoni. But Ammon stood in front of Lamoni and defended him with the sword. This experience ultimately softened the old King’s heart when he saw how sincerely Ammon loved his son. Eventually Ammon’s love led to the conversion of Lamoni’s family (see Alma 20:26–27).
Our family just returned from a family reunion in Pennsylvania. On our drive home, we were able to visit Palmyra, NY; Kirtland , OH and Independence, MO. Visiting each of these sites was a powerful experience for our family. One common thread I noticed between the history of all3 sites was the effectiveness as instruments in the Lord’s hands of particular members of the early church and how they were so clearly prepared from early in their lives to fulfill the callings they were foreordained to do.
Joseph Smith sr, Lucy Mack Smith and Joseph Smith Jr.
Newell K. and Elizabeth Ann Whitney- blessed with business success and material wealth in order to help build up the kingdom in Kirtland, Missouri and ultimately Utah.
The members of the church who were hand picked, according to their talents and abilities to build Zion in Independence.
Just as Ammon was prepared, just as the early saints were prepared, we, as righteous members of the latter day church have also been prepared to accomplish a great work. Our parts are all different, unique to our own original gifts, yet all contribute to the beautiful symphony of our Father’s plan in gathering Zion in the latter days.

Sister Smoot said, “For each of us, our righteous examples may seem small, but by influence they are great. To all within your sphere of influence, “be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity” (1 Tim. 4:12). Let others feel the peace and joy that gospel living brings you. Invite your friends not of our faith or less-active members over for family home evening. Bring them to church and set an example of reverence for them. Let them see that you avoid movies or television shows or Internet sites that would drive the Spirit away and thus make us less-effective instruments
When you return home this night, will you take a moment to write down impressions that come to your heart this evening? Will you think of specific ways you can be an instrument in the hands of God? Will you contemplate the blessings that await your obedience in this life and throughout eternity? And will you insert your name in the verse of this scripture and know with all of your soul that God loves you? “Continue in preaching for Zion, in the spirit of meekness, confessing me before the world; and I will bear [you] up as on eagles’ wings; and [you] shall beget glory and honor to [yourself] and unto my name” (D&C 124:18).”
I add my testimony to those of Ammon, Lamoni, Abish, and many others who have come before me: I know that the gospel is true. I know that this work is of the Lord. I know that Jesus is the Christ and we have a true prophet on the earth today.
Sweet is HIS work. Of this I humbly bear witness, in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, amen