The Lamanite Kings, Father & Son

Our Scripture journey has led us to Ammon having had major success in converting King Lamoni's people to the Gospel of Jesus Christ.   A church had been established there.

With all the drama behind them, King Lamoni asked Ammon to go with him to the land of Nephi, to meet his father, who was King over all of Lamanite land. 

The Lord's voice came to Ammon and said "Thou shalt not go up to the land of Nephi, for behold, the king will seek thy life; but thou shalt go to the land of Middoni; for behold, thy brother Aaron, and also Muloki and Ammah are in prison." Alma 19:2

When these things were revealed to Ammon he said to Lamoni, "Behold, my brother and brethren are in prison at Middoni, and I go that I may deliver them." Alma 19:3  

I LOVE what King Lamoni said next to Ammon,  "I know, in the strength of the Lord thou canst do all things." Alma 20:4   Lamoni recognized that with the Lord's strength and help Ammon could do anything, but he wanted to help his friend as well.  The King of Middoni, Antiomno was a friend to Lamoni.  Lamoni felt that he could flatter Antiomno and that surely he would let Ammon's people out of prison.  Can't you just feel that King Lamoni's kindness and testimony were growing by leaps and bounds!

Lamoni's next question to Ammon is fantastic.  He just realized something important!  "Who told thee that thy brethren were in prison?  Alma 19:4  

Image from: www.lds.org

Of course, Ammon told him that no one had told him except God.  When Lamoni heard this he really stepped up their travel plans.   Isn't it interesting how quickly things changed!?  King Lamoni was the one who would have killed Nephites previously without even giving it a second thought!  Now he was going to rescue them!


King Lamoni's Father
Image from: Book of Mormon Seminary Student Study Guide

As Ammon and Lamoni were traveling to Middoni, they met Lamoni's Father along the way.  Lamoni's Dad was the head honcho of all the Lamanites in the area.  The old King had two questions for his son: 

First, "Why didn't you come to the feast that I prepared for all my sons and for my people?" 
Second, "Where are you going with this Nephite, who is the child of a liar?"  

Lamoni explained to his Dad where he was going and why he had not been able to attend the feast.  There had been a LOT going on in Lamoni's Kingdom lately....

 

 Lamoni's father was VERY angry.   He said the following:"Lamoni, thou art going to deliver these Nephites, who are sons of a liar.  Behold, he robbed our fathers; and now his children are also come amongst us that they may, by their cunning and their lyings, deceive us, that they again may rob us of our property" Alma 20:13

(Side note: The hatred that the Lamanites had for the Nephites dated back to the days of Lehi, Nephi, Laman & Lemuel in the early pages of the Book of Mormon.   Laman & Lemuel felt that Nephi had robbed them of the brass plates.   In addition, they did not like that Nephi had assumed a 'leadership' role over them.  They were the 'older' brothers and felt that they should have been the leaders, not their kid brother. This anger and feud lasted for hundreds of years and was passed down from generation to generation.)

Lamoni's father had intense hatred toward the Nephite people because of the traditions of his fathers.  He COMMANDED his son to kill Ammon with the sword.  He also commanded him that he should not go to the land of Middoni but should return to his own kingdom. 


Just think how devastating this must have been to Lamoni.  He had grown to love Ammon and yet he was still under the governing rule of his father who had now told him he had to kill his new friend. 

What would Lamoni say to his Father? 

Would he buckle under the pressure? 
 
Would he actually kill Ammon?

Would he be able to speak up for what he knew was right?

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PRINCIPLE POWER



What principles can you pull from these verses?  The beauty of the Scriptures is that as we listen to the promptings of the Holy Ghost, we each will be drawn to different verses or passages that we can liken to our own individual lives.  My principles may be different than the ones you come up with....and that's just how it should be!

 

1.  Do I listen to the spirit as carefully as Ammon did when the Spirit whispered to him not to go to the Land of Nephi?  Or do I dismiss those whisperings as coincidence?  Am I so 'busy' that sometimes I don't even hear the Spirit's whisperings at all?

 

2.  What can I do to magnify and clarify the voice of the Spirit in my life? 

 

3.  When I hear the promptings of the Spirit, do I act upon them or disregard?

 

3.   Lamoni was quick to say he would go to help Ammon get his brethren out of prison.  Am I as quick when asked to serve others in any capacity, whether large or small?  Am I willing to help my fellow man even when I'm not asked to?

 

4.   The hatred, prejudice and anger that the Lamanites had for the Nephites lasted for hundreds of years.  Do I hold feelings of hatred, prejudice or anger toward my fellow man?  If I do feel prejudice, do I desire to make a change and rid myself of it, or do I perpetuate it and carry on the prejudice to the next generation?  Do I stand up for the right if others speak prejudice?

 

5.  My favorite principle in this section:  With the strength of the Lord, I can do ALL things!