Lamoni's Courage & Aaron's Patience

Our last glimpse of the story revealed King Lamoni's father, demanding that Lamoni kill his beloved friend Ammon.  What would Lamoni do?  Would he have the courage to stand up to his father?  Or would he buckle to the pressure and kill Ammon as his father demanded?
        
I love Lamoni's surprising response back to his Dad. "I will not slay Ammon, neither will I return to the land of Ishmael, but I go to the land of Middoni that I may release the brethren of Ammon, for I know that they are just men and hold prophets of the true God. Alma 20:15

That took some major guts to say those words! He was bearing his testimony to THE King of the Lamanites! The old King didn't say, "Ok great do whatever you want". He was of course very angry with his son. I'm sure he didn't want to be disrespected in this manner, having his son defy him, especially in front of a Nephite! In fact, he was so angry that "he drew his sword that he might smite him to the earth"Alma 20:16

Image from: www.lds.org

Ammon stood forward and said "Behold, thou shalt not slay thy son; nevertheless, if were better that he should fall than thee, for behold, he has repented of his sins; but if thou shouldst fall at this time, in thine anger, thy soul could not be saved. And again, it is expedient that thou shouldst forbear; for if thou shouldst slay thy son, he being an innocent man, his blood would cry from the ground to the Lord his God, for vengeance to come upon thee; and perhaps thou wouldst lose thy soul." Alma 20:17-18

Lamoni's Dad admitted that if he killed his own son, he would be shedding innocent blood. He turned to Ammon and told him that it was he who had tried to destroy his son! Lamoni's Dad then tried to kill Ammon. "Ammon withstood the blows, and smote his [the King's] arm that he could not use it." Alma 20:20 (Remember once again, that awesome promise to Ammon's father, Mosiah, that his sons would be spared in the land of Lamanites! The promise continues!)



Image from: Book of Mormon Seminary Student Guide

When the King realized that Ammon could overpower him, he started pleading for his life. What Ammon did next was brilliant.   He raised up his sword and said to the old King that he would smite him unless he promised that his brothers would be let out of prison. The king was so relieved with this request that he said "If thou wilt spare me, I will grant unto thee whatsoever thou wilt ask, even to half of the kingdom"! Alma 20:23

Ammon had him right where he wanted! Ammon requested the following:
1. That the king would allow Ammon's brethren out of prison.
2. That Lamoni would be able to keep his kingdom.
3. That the King would not be angry with his son.
4. That the King would allow his son to do whatever he wanted.

If the King would agree to these terms, Ammon would spare his life, and if not, he'd be toast!

The old King rejoiced because his life was spared and he realized that Ammon didn't want to destroy him at all. He also saw the brotherly love that Ammon had for Lamoni. The King agreed to all of Ammon's conditions. The king was so overcome that he even requested that once the brethren were released from prison that Ammon and they might come to see him. He desired to learn more about what Ammon had been teaching!  He wanted to hear more about the Gospel of Jesus Christ!!  What a missionary moment for Ammon.  Can you imagine the joy he must have felt!?

After all that scary drama, Lamoni and Ammon were back on the road again heading toward Middoni to gain freedom for Aaron and his companions. Lamoni found favor with his friend, King Antiomno of Middoni and just like that, Aaron and his friends were released from prison.

Can you imagine the joyous reunion Ammon and Aaron enjoyed.  However, when Ammon laid eyes on his brother and their friends he was 'exceedingly sorrowful'. They were "naked, and their skins were worn exceedingly because of being bound with strong cords. And they also had suffered hunger, thirst, and all kinds of afflictions; nevertheless they were patient in all their sufferings."   

Major Principle Alert: These guys had been thrown in prison, bound, been deprived of food and drink and who knows what else...AND then after ALL that, they were still patient in their sufferings? 

As we each contemplate our own lives are we patient in our sufferings? I most definitely am not!  Are we patient in situations that do not seem fair in our lives? Are we patient in situations that are out of our control? Patience is something that is a difficult virtue to master, but one that I believe requires our constant attention.

"And as it happened, it was their lot to have fallen into the hands of a more hardened and a more stiff-necked people; therefore they would not hearken unto their words, and they had cast them out, and had smitten them, and had driven them from house to house, and from place to place, even until they had arrived in the land of Middoni; and there they were taken and cast into prison, and bound with strong cords, and kept in prison for many days..." Alma 20:30

I have often thought about these two sons of Mosiah, Ammon and Aaron. Why did Ammon end up in the land of Ishmael with King Lamoni who basically at the first meeting offered him his daughter to marry? And why did Aaron, his brother, end up naked and bound in prison in Middoni?  It doesn't seem fair does it? As we research a little more of Alma 20:30, the words stand out to me...It was their LOT to have fallen into the hands of.....

It goes back to the age old questions, why do bad things happen to good people? Why did Ammon seem to get a much easier path than Aaron, when both are righteous boys trying to do what is right? I think that we each have certain trials, problems, obstacles and temptations to discover and overcome in each of our own lives. Some may seem to have an easier 'lot' while others don't.  We really truly never know another's 'lot' in life though, do we?   All we can do is focus on our own.  As I look over my own life, I see that my greatest trials have in fact, become the things that have made me grow, develop and strengthen the very most.

Ammon and Aaron, both righteous people who each had a different LOT or path in life to fulfill.  Each becoming stronger because of their own trials, problems, obstacles and temptations.

At this point, was the Lamanite mission over for Ammon and his brethren?  Could they finally now return to their home, having accomplished everything they set out to do?  Would Lamoni's Father end up accepting  the gospel?  What would happen to all the new Lamanite converts to the gospel?  SO many questions....and thankfully so many answers are yet to come!

 

PRINCIPLE POWER:

What principles did you discover in this section of the Book of Mormon?  Here's a few of my personal thoughts:

1.  Am I willing to stand up for righteousness, even when I feel pressure to do otherwise, like Lamoni did when he stood up to his father?  Do I 'go with the crowd' and just keep quiet?  Do I continue to watch the TV show or listen to the song on the radio or look at something on the Internet, when I know the content is not appropriate for me?

2.  Do I have courage like Ammon did when he stood up to the old King?  Do I have righteous courage to stand in holy places to stand up for what I believe and share my beliefs with others and not be afraid?

3. Do I unwisely compare my problems with other people's problems? Or do I consider that my personal problems can be viewed as a refining fire and a learning experience for me rather than a stumbling block?

4.  Do I complain at the slightest inconveniences in my own life?  Do I have patience and draw nearer to my Heavenly Father and Savior during the most difficult times or do I pull away from them because I am so angry with my own set of personal trials, tribulations, temptations or circumstances?  

5.  I can be patient in ALL my sufferings!