The Story of Ammon has always been one of those over-popularized in LDS circles, and yet the story itself is so great that I find that often the best points of the story are missed. It has been told in summary so many times, that it used to annoy me, until I really began to study it in detail. It is in the details that one really comes to appreciate the subtleties of Ammon as a man, and the type of servant of God he was, and how God works with his missionaries, and how merciful God is to us. I have a few thoughts on the story which I find to be interesting.

The following are a few thoughts:


• The Daughter of King Lamoni



It is a common interpretation to assume that the reason Ammon didn't marry the King's daughter was because she was ugly. Once in rendering little action figure cutouts for a lesson, I was drawing the figures of the Book of Mormon, and being a huge fan of comicbooks, I drew a big busty, voluptuous woman as the daughter of King Lamoni. Then I thought on this. I like this interpretation better. What if King Lamoni's daughter was a hotty? (Or as the Book of Mormon might phrase it: "exceedingly fair".) This would actually make the story more interesting. Here's Ammon turning down every man's desire in womankind because he knows that if he marries the girl he isn't going to be a good influence on anyone, and he's gonna have no desire to serve the Lord because he's gonna be awfully distracted by this beautiful girl. It is a fitting possibility for young Elders heading out on their missions, to, as I think it was Spencer W. Kimball suggested, "Lock your heart." Also, the girl was not a member of the church nor a believer at the time Ammon met her, and to marry her could've caused serious stress in their relationship. Ammon must have known that for he knew that God had deliberately seperated his people and the Lamanites that they might not mix due to the curse that comes upon people who intermarry people with lesser moral standards. Finally once Lamoni and his household is converted, and Ammon has done his work among the Lamanites, who is to say that he didn't marry King Lamoni's daughter? There's no indication that he didn't. I actually find it quite plausible, because it does note that when Korihor comes into the land, much later in the story, after the people of Ammon have seperated themselves from the Lamanites and have sought refuge among the Nephites in the land of Jershon, that Ammon was the high priest among them, still living with that people. He never left them, and it seems reasonable to believe that he ended up marrying among them, once they became believers. I think it would be romantic, and probably make for a great fictional story to suppose that the daughter of King Lamoni who was at first spurned or turned down (all completely subjective based upon her perspective)_didn't do her best to catch Ammon and woo him... and who's to say Ammon wasn't attracted to her but exerted self discipline for the sake of a higher mission, in the first place?



• Ammon at the waters of Sebus

It is interesting to note that Ammon's intent upon slaying the men who attacked him and the fellow servants of the King, was to show forth his power in the Lord to the servants. He didn't expect to convert the King. I think this is interesting because sometimes I think missionaries think, in order to be successful, they have to convert a king, or president, some one of great importance, or the next branch president. This type of thinking is so foreign to Christ. He spoke to all people, and shared his message with every person, including lepers, children and women (all of whom were considered lesser in the society in which he lived, not that I think they are...). Ammon looked on these servants of the king, who were probably not exactly the sharpest tools in the shed, just because the job they were given was notorious for getting oneself killed, but Ammon looked upon them with love and considered them his brethren. Sometimes we get distracted by the "manliness" of Ammon, imagining Rambo, and we forget that he was a loving person, who didn't delight in destruction or death, but he delighted in Christ. He would not have slain the robbers that came to destroy him, were they not intent upon destroying him and his friends. Ammon knew first hand that God had the power to destroy him, for he was nearly destroyed by an angel of God. He also knew of God's great mercy and love for him, the vilest of sinners given a second chance. Why else would he go preach the Gospel to the Lamanites in the first place?



• The Great Spirit

I think it is fascinating that King Lamoni believed in a Great Spirit. I find the description of the Lamanite beliefs about the Great Spirit to be very very interesting. It is one of those areas that really underlines the great depth of this story. It very succinctly details human worship. I love how the King believed in a Great Spirit, but believed he could do anything he wanted. How the people knew that there was a Great Spirit and that it often favored the Nephites. I love how this Great Spirit is characterized has being capricious, cursing them and punishing them, because they knew right from wrong. Also I like how Ammon built upon the belief in a Great Spirit. Rather than tearing down Lamoni's beliefs he started in a place where they could both relate. Christ's spirit is a Great Spirit. It was the Spirit which formed the earth and the heavens, and this was Ammon's teachings. God comes in many forms and names, but God is God. Ammon knew this, and so did the people, and Ammon was a great teacher because he could draw together the beliefs though they may have come from other sources. Sometimes I think LDS want to denounce every idea as apostate when in truth much of what others believe are founded in truth and inspired of God. I try to be very sensitive to these beliefs because anything that comes of the Holy Ghost is sacred, and who am I to condemn another man's experience with God and tell them it is not divine? I have not the power nor the authority to judge such a thing. Nor would I like to face my Creator having been responsible for crushing the faith of another because I planted seeds of doubt rather than faith in the life of one of his children.



• Faith of Lamoni and King Laman

I find it heartening to read of the faith of King Lamoni and later of King Lamoni's father King Laman. (Btw, I think that King Laman renamed his son probably because his name was Laman, and he wanted to give his son an honorable name, because he was ashamed of that name, due to Laman's rebellion against God. The Book of Mormon doesn't tell us what Anti-Nephi-Lehi's name was prior to King Laman giving his son a new name. But it does say that the Lamanites who converted to the Lord didn't desire to be known as Lamanites after they had come to be converted to the Lord. They wanted a new name, so they took upon the name Anti-Nephi-Lehi, or became known among the Nephites as the people of Ammon.) I like how King Laman puts it when he hears of the word of the Lord from Aaron, that he will "give up all my sins" to know God. This always causes me much reflection. I love the faith of Lamoni and his wife. The part about Abish is a great example of how well-meaning folk can cause great problems, because of the flawed perspectives of us all.



• Lay down your life for the Word

I am always amazed by the collective faith of the people of Ammon when they decide rather than to defend their lives, because they were the vilest of sinners rejoicing in murder and plunder, rather than risking to lose their souls and return to that murderous way, they would lay down their lives and die before their angered brethren. What an amazing tale!? I cannot help but wonder what the world would be like if the vast majority of us just refused to fight with our neighbors. Willing to take abuse for abuse, and truly turn the other cheek to them. Would God save us, allow us all to be destroyed, or would He send his Angels to protect us and deliver us from evil? I think it would depend upon our faith, but certainly there would be great loss of innocent life--not that they would be lost unto God. I also think it is a very powerful example of how we should approach our own personal weaknesses. When we come to repent and turn away from our sins, we should rather lay down our lives than return to the situations that might tempt us into those traps again. We should forego the "needs" and suffer the consequences rather than risk being drawn back into iniquity.



• Imprisoned in the Land of Midoni

I always think of my mission when I read the story of Aaron, Muloki and others who were fated to preach to the harder Lamanites, those who were tainted by the bitterness and cynicism of the Nephite dissenters, the Amulonites and Amlicites (sp?). Some missionaries have great success in the lands they are called to preach while others must suffer through very tough missions. The Book of Mormon states that it was their "lot" to face the more hardened people. I served a rather tough mission in Rome, Italy. I look back and am so glad I went. I consider myself lucky to have been chosen to go, but while I was there, I must confess that things were pretty tough when it came to missionary work. It was easy to get frustrated, and distracted, because the people were content to remain godless, for the most part, believing in their traditions mostly as a cultural flavor, rather than being genuinely converted to the Lord. The saints there were strong, and very devoted, but they were sparse. We worked hard as missionaries to try to get to know people, and meet people, but it was not like the stories we heard of other areas of the world where men and women would join the church in hordes. Perhaps we had unreasonable expectation, or perhaps it was simply our "lot" to serve in a more hardened part of the world. I suppose that's up to God to judge. And yet Ammon and Aaron both listened and lived by the Spirit of the Lord. When confronted with the contentious ways of the Amlicites, Aaron and his brethren moved on. Also Ammon didn't seek to convert King Lamoni's father, but instead allowed Aaron to go there, he followed the Spirit and served in his own area. Sometimes LDS missionaries compete for numbers, or converts. Such a spirit is incompatible with that of a true missionary of God, as is amply clear by Ammon's example. Ammon didn't tour the King circuit, he was content to stay within his own zone of influence, and teach where he was called, trusting in his brethren to teach by the Spirit elsewhere.



• They knew how to work

Perhaps it is just something I need, but Ammon was a very hard worker. He was dilligent among the flocks, with the horses (or whatever animal these folks applied to mean "horse") and chariots. The people of Ammon worked hard too. Aaron and the other brothers worked hard, and suffered great hardships. They seemed to expect it. The Ammonites were willing to submit themselves to slavery, if it was the will of God. I guess when I complain about my lot in life, it often revolves around this issue. Ammon was a good example to me, because he did what he had to. He accomplished the will of the Lord through hard work. I suppose I can go that extra mile too...

There are so many fascinating parts of the story of Ammon and his fellow missionaries and the remarkable people he brings to know of their need to repent and change. I don't have time to comment on it all here, but I love this story and enjoy hearing it often. It's one of those stories that really engages my heart and mind. I don't fully understand why, nor has it always been the case, but I do know that it has made my life better and I am stronger in my faith because of it. It is by this evidence that I know it to be true.

Best regards, --Ray