Lamoni appears to be dead. He is being mourned by his wife and children. Ammon, however, knows better. He knows Lamoni is having a powerful experience.
Chapter 19
Lamoni receives the light of everlasting life and sees the Redeemer—His household fall into a trance, and some see angels—Ammon is preserved miraculously—He baptizes many and establishes a church among them. About 90 B.C.
1 AND it came to pass that after two days and two nights they were about to take his body and lay it in a sepulchre, which they had made for the purpose of burying their dead.
2 Now the queen having heard of the fame of Ammon, therefore she sent and desired that he should come in unto her.
3 And it came to pass that Ammon did as he was commanded, and went in unto the queen, and desired to know what she would that he should do.
Alma 19:1-3 (Emphasis mine)
Preparations were being made for the burial of the King. The queen finally hears about Ammon and wanted to see him. Ammon is still the faithful servant. He goes to the queen and asks what she wants of him. He is still ready to serve.
4 And she said unto him: The servants of my husband have made it known unto me that thou art a prophet of a holy God, and that thou hast power to do many mighty works in his name;
5 Therefore, if this is the case, I would that ye should go in and see my husband, for he has been laid upon his bed for the space of two days and two nights; and some say that he is not dead, but others say that he is dead and that he stinketh, and that he ought to be placed in the sepulchre; but as for myself, to me he doth not stink.
6 Now, this was what Ammon desired, for he knew that king Lamoni was under the power of God; he knew that the dark veil of unbelief was being cast away from his mind, and the light which did light up his mind, which was the light of the glory of God, which was a marvelous light of his goodness—yea, this light had infused such joy into his soul, the cloud of darkness having been dispelled, and that the light of everlasting life was lit up in his soul, yea, he knew that this had overcome his natural frame, and he was carried away in God—
7 Therefore, what the queen desired of him was his only desire. Therefore, he went in to see the king according as the queen had desired him; and he saw the king, and he knew that he was not dead.
Alma 19:4-7 (Emphasis mine)
The queen heard that Ammon was a prophet of a “holy God” (verse 4) and that he was able to do great and powerful things. She asked that he go and look at Lamoni. There were those who believed he was not dead. There were those that not only believed he was dead, but that he “stinketh.” (verse 5). (If you’ve ever been around something that had died and was left lying where it died, you understand what is being said. Decaying things stink. This smell keeps us away from something that could be a serious threat to our health. So, it is not surprising the lack of an odor of decay would be used as evidence Lamoni was not dead.)
Ammon informed the queen that he was having the dark veil of unbelief lifted and that the light and glory of God was lighting up his mind. He was carried away in God. (verse 6)
The concept of light lifting unbelief is an important one. Throughout the scriptures, light is constantly used as a sign of God.
“Notice the imagery that's used here and how often the word light is used: ". . . and the light which did light up his mind, which was the light of the glory of God, which was a marvelous light of his goodness—yea, this light had infused such joy into his soul, the cloud of darkness having been dispelled, and that the light of everlasting life was lit up in his soul." There are six lights in this sentence.” [i] (Bold/italics emphasis mine; rest in original)
“Both physically and figuratively, light and whiteness are associated with truth, purity, and divine guidance, just as darkness is associated with unbelief and error (for example, see Alma 40:14). To move from darkness to light gives concrete meaning to the process of redemption. This is apparent in Lamoni's experience when he entered unconsciousness into a dark condition but arose from it enlightened—the ‘dark veil of unbelief was being cast away from his mind, and the light . . . of everlasting life was lit up in his soul’ (Alma 19:6).” [ii] (Emphasis mine)
“On believing the words of Ammon, Lamoni falls to the earth as though dead. After two days and two nights, Ammon tells Lamoni's queen that her husband ‘sleepeth in God, and on the morrow he shall rise again’ (Alma 19:8). His rising is like a resurrection and redemption. Indeed, according to Moroni, the resurrection brings ‘a redemption from an endless sleep, from which sleep all men shall be awakened by the power of God when the trump shall sound’ (Mormon 9:13).” [iii] (Emphasis mine)
8 And he said unto the queen: He is not dead, but he sleepeth in God, and on the morrow he shall rise again; therefore bury him not.
9 And Ammon said unto her: Believest thou this? And she said unto him: I have had no witness save thy word, and the word of our servants; nevertheless I believe that it shall be according as thou hast said.
10 And Ammon said unto her: Blessed art thou because of thy exceeding faith; I say unto thee, woman, there has not been such great faith among all the people of the Nephites.
11 And it came to pass that she watched over the bed of her husband, from that time even until that time on the morrow which Ammon had appointed that he should rise.
Alma 19:8-11 (Emphasis mine)
Ammon returned and told the queen he would rise again tomorrow. Don’t bury him. Then Ammon asked a very important question – “Do you believe this?”
There was no reason for the queen to trust him. It looks as if this is the first time there has been any interaction between the queen and Ammon. Yet, Ammon wants to know if she has faith.
In a profound and great example of true faith, she says “I nothing but your word and the word of the servants. nevertheless I believe that it shall be according as thou hast said.” (verse 10)
Ammon is moved by her faith. “I say unto thee, woman, there has not been such great faith among all the people of the Nephites.” (verse 10).
The queen gives us a powerful example of a person with true faith. Having no reason to believe in his words, she nevertheless believes in his word. This is a faith for which we should strive; that we could recognize the word of the Lord so readily
Camille Williams writes about the queen and her faith.
“It appears that Lamoni's queen used her own powers of observation (‘as for myself, to me he doth not stink’), investigation (‘The servants of my husband have made it known unto me that . . .’) and judgment to know that Lamoni was not dead before calling Ammon to confirm her evaluation (see Alma 19:4–5). By believing Ammon, a witness for the Lord's hand in the matter, she demonstrated a faith greater than any Ammon had witnessed among the Nephites (see Alma 19:10). She was quite obviously teachable and amenable to the Spirit, despite her elevated social status and Ammon's servant/alien status. While we do not have extended narratives of named women in the Book of Mormon, we do have interesting glimpses that point to ways in which women participated in family, religious, and social life.” [iv] (Emphasis mine)
The queen the left to be with her husband, waiting for the time when her husband would arise.
[i] Lecture 52: Alma 19-22, Hugh W. Nibley, Maxwell Institute, accessed September 8, 2011.
[ii] Book of Mormon Imagery, Richard Dilworth Rust, Maxwell Institute, accessed September 8, 2011.
[iii] "Not Cast Off Forever" – Imagery, Richard Dilworth Rust, Maxwell Institute, accessed September 8, 2011.
[iv] Women in the Book of Mormon, Camille Williams, Maxwell Institute, accessed September 8, 2011.
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