Alma 22:1-11

Chapter 22

Aaron teaches Lamoni's father about the creation, the fall of Adam, and the plan of redemption through Christ—The king and all his household are converted—How the land was divided between the Nephites and the Lamanites. About 90–77 B.C.

1 NOW, as Ammon was thus teaching the people of Lamoni continually, we will return to the account of Aaron and his brethren; for after he departed from the land of Middoni he was led by the Spirit to the land of Nephi, even to the house of the king which was over all the land save it were the land of Ishmael; and he was the father of Lamoni.

2 And it came to pass that he went in unto him into the king's palace, with his brethren, and bowed himself before the king, and said unto him: Behold, O king, we are the brethren of Ammon, whom thou hast delivered out of prison.

3 And now, O king, if thou wilt spare our lives, we will be thy servants.  And the king said unto them: Arise, for I will grant unto you your lives, and I will not suffer that ye shall be my servants; but I will insist that ye shall administer unto me; for I have been somewhat troubled in mind because of the generosity and the greatness of the words of thy brother Ammon; and I desire to know the cause why he has not come up out of Middoni with thee.

4 And Aaron said unto the king: Behold, the Spirit of the Lord has called him another way; he has gone to the land of Ishmael, to teach the people of Lamoni.

5 Now the king said unto them: What is this that ye have said concerning the Spirit of the Lord?  Behold, this is the thing which doth trouble me.

6 And also, what is this that Ammon said—If ye will repent ye shall be saved, and if ye will not repent, ye shall be cast off at the last day?

7 And Aaron answered him and said unto him: Believest thou that there is a God?  And the king said: I know that the Amalekites say that there is a God, and I have granted unto them that they should build sanctuaries, that they may assemble themselves together to worship him.  And if now thou sayest there is a God, behold I will believe.

8 And now when Aaron heard this, his heart began to rejoice, and he said: Behold, assuredly as thou livest, O king, there is a God.

9 And the king said: Is God that Great Spirit that brought our fathers out of the land of Jerusalem?

10 And Aaron said unto him: Yea, he is that Great Spirit, and he created all things both in heaven and in earth.  Believest thou this?

11 And he said: Yea, I believe that the Great Spirit created all things, and I desire that ye should tell me concerning all these things, and I will believe thy words.

Alma 22:1-11

Ammon, having released his brethren from prison, continued teaching the people of Lamoni.  Mormon now focuses on the work of Aaron and his brethren.

They left the land of Middoni, being led by the spirit, to the land of Nephi.  This is a hallmark of the missionary work of the sons of Mosiah.  As they preached the gospel, they followed the Spirit. 

I was watching a discussion of Alma 20-24 recently.  The group pointed out following the Spirit did not always guarantee success.  While Ammon had success, Aaron and his brethren initially met with failure.  In fact, they were physically abused and cast into prison.  As we will see, their sufferings will lead them to success in their missionary efforts.[1]

They were guided to the land of Ishmael to meet where Lamoni’s father lived and ruled.[2] After Ammon spared the life of the king, he asked Aaron and his brethren come before him and teach him God’s word.[3]

The Spirit led Aaron and his brethren went to the palace of the king.  They bowed before him and introduced themselves as Ammon’s brethren he had released from prison.

Like brother Ammon, Aaron and his party offered to serve the king as servants if he would spare their lives.  The king would have none of that.  He wanted them to teach him.[4]

He had been troubled by Ammon’s words and loyalty to his son.  He wondered why Ammon had not come along with them.

When another set of missionaries offered to serve Lamoni's father, he remembered this love and wanted to listen. Ammon's generosity, as well as his words, troubled the king, and he was ready to hear more (Alma 22:3). The willing service and acts of generosity and love, so contrary to the Lamanite stereotypes of the Nephites, got through the armor and touched the hearts of the two kings.^[5]

Aaron explained the Spirit called him to teach the people of Lamoni.[6]  His father asked began questioning Aaron. 

•     What is the Spirit of the Lord?  He was troubled by this concept.
•     What did Ammon mean when he said if I repent I will be saved and if I don’t repent, I will be cast off at the last day?[7]

Aaron asked if he believed there is a God.  Unlike his son, he was familiar with the concept of a God.  He responded the Amalekites say there is a God.  He had allowed them to build sanctuaries where they would worship.  Then, in a show of faith, he responds if Aaron says there is a God, he will believe.^[8]

There are critics of the Book of Mormon who claim it is racist because of the curse on the Lamanites.  They ignore passages like we are studying.  The mission of the sons of Mosiah to the Lamanites show us a people who were following the traditions of their fathers. The Nephites were the hated enemy.  Yet, when the sons of Mosiah and their group preached the gospel to the Lamanites, many accepted their teachings and became followers of Christ.  We see the power of their faith in Lamanites like Lamoni and his father. 

We also group of people who are faithful once they accept the gospel.  Unlike the Nephites, the Lamanites do not have a “roller coaster” history of faithfulness and sin.  Some of the most faithful people in the Book of Mormon are Lamanite converts.  Once they are converted, they stay faithful.  Examples set by faithful Lamanites are examples we would do well to follow today.  The only thing critics who call the Book of Mormon racist are showing is either their anti-Book of Mormon bias or a woeful understanding of the Book of Mormon.

Aaron rejoiced at his response.  “Behold, assuredly as thou livest, or king, there is a God” (Alma 22:8). 

The king then asked if God was the Great Spirit that brought their fathers from Jerusalem.

Israel followed the custom of retelling the Exodus experience to remind them of their dependence on God. The transplanted Israelites in the New World continued the same kind of memory, but with a twist. They not only remembered the acts of God among the Israelites fleeing Egypt, they also retold the story of the journey of Lehi and his family through the desert and to the new promised land. Eight times in the Book of Mormon, the Exodus was recalled. Lehi's journey from Jerusalem is referred to at least ten times. Even the Lamanites may have followed this custom to an extent (see Alma 22:9).[9]

Aaron responded God is that Great Spirit.  He created all things in heaven and earth.  Does he believe this?  Lamoni’s father accepted his words and would believe all his words.

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[1] “And they went forth whithersoever they were led by the Spirit of the Lord, preaching the word of God in every synagogue of the Amalekites, or in every assembly of the Lamanites where they could be admitted. And it came to pass that the Lord began to bless them, insomuch that they brought many to the knowledge of the truth; yea, they did convince many of their sins, and of the traditions of their fathers, which were not correct” (Alma 21:16-17).

[2] “And it came to pass that as Ammon and Lamoni were journeying thither, they met the father of Lamoni, who was king over all the land” (Alma 20:8).

[3] “And I will also grant unto thee that thy brethren may be cast out of prison, and thou and thy brethren may come unto me, in my kingdom; for I shall greatly desire to see thee.  For the king was greatly astonished at the words which he had spoken, and also at the words which had been spoken by his son Lamoni, therefore he was desirous to learn them” (Alma 20:27).

[4] “And when he saw that Ammon had no desire to destroy him, and when he also saw the great love he had for his son Lamoni, he was astonished exceedingly, and said: Because this is all that thou hast desired, that I would release thy brethren, and suffer that my son Lamoni should retain his kingdom, behold, I will grant unto you that my son may retain his kingdom from this time and forever; and I will govern him no more—” (Alma 20:26).

[5] The Lamanite View of Book of Mormon History, Richard L. Bushman, Maxwell Institute, accessed June 9, 2015.

[6] “And it came to pass that Ammon and Lamoni returned from the land of Middoni to the land of Ishmael, which was the land of their inheritance” (Alma 21:18).

[7] “But Ammon stood forth and said unto him: Behold, thou shalt not slay thy son; nevertheless, it 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).

[8] “To some it is given by the Holy Ghost to know that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, and that he was crucified for the sins of the world. To others it is given to believe on their words, that they also might have eternal life if they continue faithful” (D&C 46:13-14).

[9] Nephi and the Exodus, Terrence L. Szink, Maxwell Institute, accessed June 9, 2015.