A continuation of Ammon's mission to King Lamoni and his people. In this chapter we are introduced to King Lamoni's wife, who Ammon says has greater faith than all the people of the Nephites. I like that distinction -- one that is worth striving for.
Vs. 1-3 -- Ammon waits until the queen summons him. Why?
Vs. 9-10 -- What does this teach us about the power of personal testimony and of bearing testimony?
Vs. 16 - Wouldn't you love a record of that vision?
What does Abish teach us?
Vs. 22-23 -- Another reminder to us as parents, right? What do we learn here?
Vs. 24-36 -- What are your thoughts? How can our missionary efforts improve?
3 comments:
Sorry my head is mush today. I read but did not glean much.
vs. 33 And they did all declare unto the people the self same thing - that their hearts had been changed; that they had no more desire to do evil.
A true conversion yields this result every time. It is my hope that at one time in my life I will have the same reaction as the people did to King Benjamin's address, that I will feel those words so powerfully that I too will have no more disposition to do evil.
Also I just don't get how King Lamoni can be killing his servants over some lost sheep and be totally converted the next week. I just don't see how that wasn't murder. Possibly it was legal for him to do so in their society, but just because something is legal doesn't make it right. I guess this is an indicator of the mighty change Lamoni went through while under the influence of the spirit. He seemed fairly hardened before.
This also goes back to Nephi slaying Laban. Why did Nephi have to kill Laban? Couldn't the Lord have just caused him to have a heart attack or a stroke? The guy who lifted a sword against Ammon died on the spot, why not Laban?
I have some thoughts on this, but what are all of yours?
I would't mind a three day "crash course" taught by angels myself -like Lamoni and his household.
I think Ammon waits for the queen to summons him because he is smart. There are lots of people who are still unbelieving of the message that Ammon is bringing. They don't trust him. It's possible if he approached her and said he wanted to come into the room to see Lamoni, that they would speculate that he'd put a curse on him to take his wife. He is avoiding the very appearance of evil.
Personal testimony has great power. But in order to have that power in testimony, there has to be the second witness of the Holy Ghost. Right?
I would love to have record of the vision of Abish's father. I am imagining that she must have been so happy to be able to share something that she's been converted to for a long time, without fear of retribution. It makes me smile to think of her joy as she is spreading the great news of the power of God. That is a great example of how to be a missionary. With joy and gladness and outright excitement. Doesn't it seem like she is excited going to every house?
Vs. 23;Wow, what great faith Mosiah had. He knew if his son was doing God's work, he would be cared for.
I think when missionary work is based upon true testimony and the desire to share the blessings of the gospel, and not on the 'duty' aspect of it, we cannot help but share. And those who go with the attitude of, I may not know (exactly) how but I know why I teach can be the humble instruments the Lord needs to carry out his work.
Ok, sorry my comment was a lot like the person in Gospel Doctrine who takes everything way off topic.
I spoke with my husband about Lamoni and his servants. He had some practical examples of that in the not so distant past where similar methods were used to combat disloyalty and cowardice in the revolutionary war.
As far as Nephi (which was of course completely off topic) I think he was having an Abrahamic test. The ones which prove to God that you are willing to do all things whatsoever he asks. That Nephi was asked to do this in his teens is astonishing.
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