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29 - Book of Mormon - Joseph Smith Jr · Philosophy and Faith

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Speaker 1: Chapter fourteen. And it came to pass after he had
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Speaker 1: made an end of speaking unto the people, many of
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Speaker 1: them did believe on his words and began to repent
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Speaker 1: and to search the scriptures. But the more part of
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Speaker 1: them were desirous that they might destroy Alma and Amulek,
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Speaker 1: for they were angry with Alma because of the plainness
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Speaker 1: of his words, and too Ziazram. And they also said
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Speaker 1: that Amulek had lied unto them and had reviled against
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Speaker 1: their law, and also against their lawyers and judges. And
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Speaker 1: they were also angry with Alma and Amulek. And because
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Speaker 1: they had testified so plainly against their wickedness, they sought
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Speaker 1: to put them away privily, But it came to pass
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Speaker 1: that they did not. But they took them and bound
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Speaker 1: them with strong accords, and took them before the chief
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Speaker 1: judge of the land. And the people went forth and
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Speaker 1: witnessed against them, testified that they had reviled against the
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Speaker 1: law and their lawyers and judges of the land, and
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Speaker 1: also of all the people that were in the land,
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Speaker 1: and also testified that there was but one God, and
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Speaker 1: that he should send his son among the people, but
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Speaker 1: he should not save them. And many such things did
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Speaker 1: the people testify against Almah and Amulek. Now this was
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Speaker 1: done before the chief judge of the land. And it
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Speaker 1: came to pass that Ziezram was astonished at the words
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Speaker 1: which had been spoken. And he also knew concerning the
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Speaker 1: blindness of the minds which he had caused among the
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Speaker 1: people by his lying words. And his soul began to
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Speaker 1: be harrowed up under a consciousness of his own guilt. Yea,
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Speaker 1: he began to be encircled about by the pains of hell.
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Speaker 1: And it came to pass that he began to cry
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Speaker 1: into the people, saying, behold, I am guilty, and these
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Speaker 1: men are spotless before God. And he began to plead
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Speaker 1: for them from that time forth. But they reviled him, saying,
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Speaker 1: art thou also possessed with the devil? And they spit
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Speaker 1: upon him and cast him out from among them. And
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Speaker 1: also all those who believed in the words which have
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Speaker 1: been spoken by Almah and Amulek. And they cast them
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Speaker 1: out and sent men to cast stones at them. And
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Speaker 1: they brought their wives and children together, and whose whoever
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Speaker 1: believed or had been taught to believe in the word
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Speaker 1: of God, they caused that they should be cast into
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Speaker 1: the fire. And they also brought forth their records, which
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Speaker 1: contained the holy scriptures, and cast them into the fire,
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Speaker 1: also that they might be burned and destroyed by fire.
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Speaker 1: And it came to pass that they took Alma and
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Speaker 1: Amulek and carried them forth to the place of martyrdom,
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Speaker 1: that they might witness the destruction of those who were
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Speaker 1: consumed by fire. And when Amulek saw the pains of
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Speaker 1: the women and children who were consuming in the fire,
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Speaker 1: he also pained, and he said, unto Almah, how can
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Speaker 1: we witness this awful scene? Therefore, let us stretch forth
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Speaker 1: our hands and exercise the power of God which is
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Speaker 1: in us, and save them from the flames. But Almah said,
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Speaker 1: unto him, the spirit constraineth me that I must not
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Speaker 1: stretch forth thine hand. For behold, the Lord receiveth them
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Speaker 1: up unto himself in glory. And He doth suffer that
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Speaker 1: they may do this thing, or that the people may
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Speaker 1: do this thing unto them, according to the hardness of
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Speaker 1: their hearts, that the judgments which He shall exercise upon
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Speaker 1: them in his wrath may be just, and the blood
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Speaker 1: of the innocent shall stand as a witness against them yea,
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Speaker 1: and cried mightily against them at the last day. Now,
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Speaker 1: Amulek said to Almah, behold, perhaps they will burn us also.
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Speaker 1: And Almah said, be it according to the will of
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Speaker 1: the Lord. But behold, our work is not finished. Therefore
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Speaker 1: they burn us not. Now it came to pass that
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Speaker 1: when the bodies of those who had been cast into
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Speaker 1: the fire were consumed, and also the records which were
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Speaker 1: cast in with them, the chief judge of the land
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Speaker 1: came and stood before Alma and Amulek as they were bound.
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Speaker 1: And he smote them with his hand upon their cheeks
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Speaker 1: and said, unto them, after what ye have seen, ye
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Speaker 1: will preach again and to this people that they shall
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Speaker 1: be cast into a flake of fire and brimstone. Behold,
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Speaker 1: ye see that she had not the power to save
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Speaker 1: those who had been cast into the fire. Neither has
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Speaker 1: God saved them, because they were of thy faith. And
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Speaker 1: the judge smote them again upon their cheeks and asked,
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Speaker 1: what say ye for yourselves? Now this judge was after
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Speaker 1: the order and fate of Nihor, who slew Gideon. And
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Speaker 1: it came to pass that Almah and Amulek answered him nothing,
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Speaker 1: And he smote them again, and delivered them to the
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Speaker 1: officers to be cast into prison. And when they had
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Speaker 1: been cast into prison three days, there came many lawyers
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Speaker 1: and judges, and priests and teachers who were of the
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Speaker 1: profession of Niehor. And they came into the prison to
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Speaker 1: see them, and they questioned them about many words, but
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Speaker 1: they answered them nothing. And it came to pass that
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Speaker 1: the judge stood before them and said, why do ye
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Speaker 1: not answer the words of this people? Know ye not
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Speaker 1: that I have power to deliver you up into the flames?
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Speaker 1: And he commanded them to speak, but they answered nothing,
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Speaker 1: And it came to pass that they departed and went
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Speaker 1: their ways, but came again on the morrow, and the
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Speaker 1: judge also smote them again on their cheeks. And many
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Speaker 1: came forth also and smote them, saying, will ye stand
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Speaker 1: again and judge this people and condemn our law? If
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Speaker 1: ye have such great power, why do ye not deliver yourselves?
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Speaker 1: And many such things did they say unto them, gnashing
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Speaker 1: their teeth upon them, and spitting upon them, and saying,
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Speaker 1: how shall we look when we are damned? And many
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Speaker 1: such things yea all manner of such things did they
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Speaker 1: say unto them, And thus did they mock them for
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Speaker 1: many days, and they did with whole food from them
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Speaker 1: that they might hunger, and water that they might thirst.
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Speaker 1: And they also did take from them their clothes, that
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Speaker 1: they were naked. And thus they were bound with strong
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Speaker 1: cords and confined in prison. And it came to pass
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Speaker 1: after they had suffered thus for many days. And it
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Speaker 1: was on the twelfth day in the tenth month, in
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Speaker 1: the tenth year of the reign of the Judges over
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Speaker 1: the people of Nephi, that the chief Judge over the
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Speaker 1: land of Amaniha, and many of their teachers and their
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Speaker 1: lawyers went into the prison where Almah and Amulek were
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Speaker 1: bound with cords. And the chief judge stood before them
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Speaker 1: and smoked them again and said unto them, if ye
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Speaker 1: have the power of God, deliver yourselves from these bands,
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Speaker 1: and then we will believe that the Lord will destroy
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Speaker 1: this people according to your words. And it came to
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Speaker 1: pass that they all went forth and smote them, saying
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Speaker 1: the same words even until the last. And when the
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Speaker 1: last had spoken unto them, the power of God was
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Speaker 1: upon Almah an Amulek, and they rose and stood upon
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Speaker 1: their feet, and Almah cried, saying, how long shall we
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Speaker 1: suffer these great afflictions, O Lord, O Lord, give us
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Speaker 1: strength according to our faith which is in Christ, even
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Speaker 1: unto deliverance. And they broke the cords with which they
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Speaker 1: were bound. And when the people saw this, they began
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Speaker 1: to flee, for the fear of destruction had come upon them.
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Speaker 1: And it came to pass that so great was their
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Speaker 1: fear that they fell to the earth and did not
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Speaker 1: obtain the outer door of the prison. And the earth
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Speaker 1: shook mightily, and the walls of the prison were in twain,
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Speaker 1: so that they fell to the earth. And the chief judge,
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Speaker 1: and the lawyers, and the priests and teachers who smote
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Speaker 1: upon Alma and Amulek were slain by the fall thereof.
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Speaker 1: And Alma and Amulek came forth out of the prison,
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Speaker 1: and they were not hurt, for the Lord had granted
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Speaker 1: unto them power according to their faith, which was in Christ.
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Speaker 1: And they straightway came forth out of the prison. And
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Speaker 1: they were loosed from their bands. And the prison had
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Speaker 1: fallen to the earth, and every soul within the walls
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Speaker 1: thereof save it were Almah and Amulek was slain. And
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Speaker 1: they straightway came forth into the city. Now the people,
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Speaker 1: having heard a great noise came running together by multitudes
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Speaker 1: to know the cause of it. And when they saw
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Speaker 1: Alma and Amulek coming forth out of the prison, and
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Speaker 1: all the walls thereof had fallen to the earth, they
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Speaker 1: were struck with great fear and fled from the presence
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Speaker 1: of Almah Amulek, even as a goat fleeth with her
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Speaker 1: young from two lions. And thus they did flee from
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Speaker 1: the presence of Alma and Amulek Chapter fifteen. And it
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Speaker 1: came to pass that Alma and Amulek were commanded to
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Speaker 1: depart out of the city. And they departed and came
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Speaker 1: out even into the land of Saidom. And behold there
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Speaker 1: they found all the people who had departed out of
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Speaker 1: the land of Amaniha, who had been cast out and
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Speaker 1: stoned because they believed in the words of Alma. And
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Speaker 1: they related unto them all that had happened, and to
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Speaker 1: their wives and children, and also concerning themselves and of
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Speaker 1: their power of deliverance. And also Ziazram lay sick at
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Speaker 1: Seidom with a burning fever, which was caused by the
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Speaker 1: great tribulations of his mind on account of his wickedness,
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Speaker 1: For he supposed that Alma and Amulek were no more,
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Speaker 1: and he supposed that they had been slain because of
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Speaker 1: his iniquity. And this great sin, and as many other sins,
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Speaker 1: did harrow upon his mind until it did become exceedingly sore,
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Speaker 1: having no deliverance. Therefore he began to be scorched with
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Speaker 1: a burning heat. Now, when he heard that Alma and
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Speaker 1: Amuleik were in the land of Sidom, his heart began
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Speaker 1: to take courage, and he sent a message immediately unto them,
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Speaker 1: desiring them to come unto him. And it came to
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Speaker 1: pass that they went immediately, obeying the message which he
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Speaker 1: had scented to them, And they went in under the
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Speaker 1: house of Zyazram, and they found him upon his bed sick,
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Speaker 1: being very low with a burning fever. And his mind
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Speaker 1: also was exceedingly sore because of his iniquities. And when
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Speaker 1: he saw them, he stretched forth his hand and besought
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Speaker 1: them that they would heal him. And it came to
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Speaker 1: pass that Alma said unto him, taking him by the hand,
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Speaker 1: believest thou in the power of Christ and to salvation.
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Speaker 1: And he answered and said, yea, I believe all the
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Speaker 1: words that thou hast taught. And Almah said if thou
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Speaker 1: believest in the redemption of Christ, thou canst be healed.
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Speaker 1: And he said, yea, I believe according to thy words.
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Speaker 1: And then Almah cried unto the Lord, saying, O, Lord,
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Speaker 1: our God, have mercy on this man, and heal him
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Speaker 1: according to his faith which is in Christ. And when
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Speaker 1: Almah had said these words, Zizram leaped upon his feet
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Speaker 1: and began to walk. And this was done to the
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Speaker 1: great astonishment of all the people. And the knowledge of
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Speaker 1: this went forth throughout all the land of Sidom. And
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Speaker 1: Almah baptized Zizram unto the Lord. And he began from
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Speaker 1: that time forth to preach unto the people. And Almah
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Speaker 1: established a church in the land of Saidom, and consecrated
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Speaker 1: priests and teachers in the land to baptize unto the Lord,
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Speaker 1: whosoever were desirous to be baptized, and came to pass
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Speaker 1: that there were many, for they did flock in from
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Speaker 1: all the region around about Saidom and were baptized. But
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Speaker 1: as to the people that were in the land of Ammaniha,
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Speaker 1: they yet remained a hard hearted and a stiff necked people,
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Speaker 1: and they repented not of their sins, ascribing all the
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Speaker 1: power of Alma an Amulek to the devil, for they
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Speaker 1: were of the profession of nihor and did not believe
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Speaker 1: in the repentance of their sins. And it came to
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Speaker 1: pass that Alma and Amulek, Amulek having forsaken all his
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Speaker 1: gold and silver and his precious things which were in
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Speaker 1: the land of Amaniha for the word of God, he
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Speaker 1: being rejected by those who were once his friends, and
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Speaker 1: also by his father and his kindred. Therefore, after Alma,
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Speaker 1: having established the church at saidom, seeing a great check Yea,
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Speaker 1: seeing that the people were checked as to the pride
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Speaker 1: of their hearts, and began to humble themselves before God,
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Speaker 1: and began to assemble themselves together at their sanctuaries to
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Speaker 1: worship God before the altar, watching and praying continually that
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Speaker 1: they might be delivered from satan and from death and
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Speaker 1: from destruction. Now, as I said, Alma, having seen all
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Speaker 1: these things, therefore he took Amulek and came over to
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Speaker 1: the land of Zarahemla, and took him to his own house,
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Speaker 1: and did administer to him in his tribulations and strengthened
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Speaker 1: him in the Lord. And thus ended the tenth year
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Speaker 1: of the Reign of the Judges over the People of Nephi,
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Speaker 1: Chapter sixteen. And it came to pass in the eleventh
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Speaker 1: year of the reign of the Judges over the People
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Speaker 1: of Nephi, on the fifth day of the second month,
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Speaker 1: there having been much peace in the land of Zarahemla,
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Speaker 1: there having been no wars or contentions for a certain
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Speaker 1: number of years, even until the fifth day the second
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Speaker 1: month in the eleventh year, there was a cry of
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Speaker 1: war heard throughout the land. For behold, the armies of
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Speaker 1: the Lamanites had come in upon the wilderness side, into
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Speaker 1: the borders of the land, even into the city of Amaniha,
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Speaker 1: and began to slay the people and destroy the cities.
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Speaker 1: And now it came to pass before the Nephites could
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Speaker 1: raise a sufficient army to drive them out of the land.
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Speaker 1: They had destroyed the people who were in the city
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Speaker 1: of Amaniha, and also some around the borders of Noah
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Speaker 1: had taken others captive into the wilderness. Now it came
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Speaker 1: to pass that the Nephites were desirous to obtain those
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Speaker 1: who had been carried away captive into the wilderness. Therefore,
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Speaker 1: he that had been appointed the chief captain over the
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Speaker 1: armies of the Nephites, and his name was Zorim, and
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Speaker 1: he had two sons, Lehi and Aha. Now Zorim and
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Speaker 1: his two sons, knowing that Alma was high priest over
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Speaker 1: the church, and having heard that he had the spirit
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Speaker 1: of prophecy, therefore they went unto him and desired of
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Speaker 1: him to know whither the Lord would that they should
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Speaker 1: go into the wilderness in search of their brethren who
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Speaker 1: had been taken captive by the Lamanites. And it came
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Speaker 1: to pass that Almah inquired of the Lord concerning the matter.
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Speaker 1: And Almah returned and said unto them, behold, the Lamanites
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Speaker 1: will cross the river Sidon in the south wilderness, away
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Speaker 1: up beyond the borders of the land of Manti, And
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Speaker 1: behold there ye shall meet them on the east of
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Speaker 1: the river Sidon, and there the Lord will deliver unto
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Speaker 1: thee thy brethren who have been taken captive by the Lamanites.
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Speaker 1: And it came to pass that Zorim and his sons
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Speaker 1: crossed over the river Sidon with their armies and marched
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Speaker 1: away beyond the borders of Mante into the south wilderness,
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Speaker 1: which was on the east side of the river Sidon,
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Speaker 1: and they came upon the armies of the Lamanites, and
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Speaker 1: the Lamanites were scattered and driven into the wilderness, and
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Speaker 1: they took their brethren who had been taken captive by
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Speaker 1: the Lamanites. And there was not a soul of them
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Speaker 1: had been lost that were taken captive, and they were
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Speaker 1: brought by their brethren to possess their own lands. And
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Speaker 1: thus ended the eleventh year of the Judges, the Lamanites
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Speaker 1: having been driven out of the land, and the people
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Speaker 1: of Ammoniha were destroyed. Yea, every living soul of the
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Speaker 1: Ammonihah heights was destroyed, and also their great city, which
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Speaker 1: they said God could not destroy because of its greatness.
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Speaker 1: But behold, in one day it was left desolate, and
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Speaker 1: the carcasses were mangled by dogs and wild beasts of
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Speaker 1: the wilderness. Nevertheless, after many days, their dead bodies were
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Speaker 1: heaped up upon the face of the earth, and they
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Speaker 1: were covered with a shallow covering. And now so great
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Speaker 1: was the scent thereof that the people did not go
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Speaker 1: in to possess the land of Ammoniha for many years,
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Speaker 1: and it was called desolation of Nihors, for they were
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Speaker 1: of the profession of Nihor who were slain, and their
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Speaker 1: lands remained desolate, And the Lamanites did not come again
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Speaker 1: to war against the Nephites until the fourteenth year of
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Speaker 1: the reign of the Judges over the people of Nephi.
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Speaker 1: And thus for three years did the people of Nephi
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Speaker 1: have continual peace in all the land. And Almah an
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Speaker 1: Amulek went forth preaching repentance to the people in their
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Speaker 1: temples and in their sanctuaries, and also in their synagogues,
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Speaker 1: which were built after the manner of the Jews, and
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Speaker 1: as many of them would hear their words unto them,
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Speaker 1: they did impart the word of God without any respect
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Speaker 1: of persons continually. And thus did Alma and Amulek go forth,
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Speaker 1: and also many more who had been chosen for the
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Speaker 1: work to preach the Word throughout the land, and the
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Speaker 1: establishment of the church became general throughout the land, in
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Speaker 1: all the region round about, among all the peoples of
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Speaker 1: the Nephites, and there was no iniquity among them. The
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Speaker 1: Lord did pour out his spirit on all the face
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Speaker 1: of the land to prepare the minds of the children
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Speaker 1: of men, or to prepare their hearts to receive the
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Speaker 1: word which should be taught among them at the time
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Speaker 1: of his coming, that they might not be hardened against
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Speaker 1: the word, that they might not be unbelieving and go
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Speaker 1: on to destruction, but that they might receive the word
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Speaker 1: with joy, and as a branch be grafted into the
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Speaker 1: true vine, that they might enter into the rest of
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Speaker 1: the Lord their God. Now, those priests who did go
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Speaker 1: forth among the people did preach against all lyings and deceivings,
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Speaker 1: and envyings, and strifes, and malice and revilings, and stealing, robbing, plundering, murdering,
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Speaker 1: committing adultery, and all manner of lessivie busness, crying that
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Speaker 1: these things ought not so to be holding forth things
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Speaker 1: which must shortly come, yea holding forth the coming of
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Speaker 1: the Son of God, his sufferings and death, and also
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Speaker 1: the resurrection of the dead. And many of the people
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Speaker 1: did inquire concerning the place where the Son of God
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Speaker 1: should come, and they were taught that he would appear
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Speaker 1: unto them after his resurrection. And this the people did
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Speaker 1: here with great joy and gladness. And now after the
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Speaker 1: Church had been established throughout all the land, having got
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Speaker 1: the victory over the devil, and the word of God
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Speaker 1: being preached in its purity in all the land, and
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Speaker 1: the Lord pouring out his blessings upon the people. Thus
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Speaker 1: ended the fourteenth year of the reign of the Judges
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Speaker 1: over the people of Nephi, Chapter seventeen. And now it
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Speaker 1: came to pass that as Alma was journeying from the
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Speaker 1: land of Gideon southward away to the the land of Mantai,
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Speaker 1: behold to his astonishment, he met with the sons of Mosiah,
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Speaker 1: journeying towards the land of Zarahemla. Now these sons of
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Speaker 1: Mosiah were with Alma at the time the Angel first
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Speaker 1: appeared unto him. Therefore Almah did rejoice exceedingly to see
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Speaker 1: his brethren. And what added more to his joy, they
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Speaker 1: were still his brethren in the Lord Yea. And they
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Speaker 1: had waxed strong in the knowledge of the truth. For
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Speaker 1: they were men of a sound understanding, and they had
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Speaker 1: searched the scriptures diligently that they might know the Word
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Speaker 1: of God. But this is not all. They had given
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Speaker 1: themselves to much prayer and fasting. Therefore they had the
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Speaker 1: spirit of prophecy and the spirit of revelation. And when
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Speaker 1: they taught, they taught with power and authority of God.
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Speaker 1: And they had been teaching the word of God for
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Speaker 1: the space of fourteen years among the Lamanites, having had
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Speaker 1: much success in bringing many to the knowledge of the
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Speaker 1: truth Yea, by the power of their words, many were
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Speaker 1: brought before the altar of God to call on his
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Speaker 1: name and confess their sins before him. Now these are
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Speaker 1: the circumstances which attended them in their journeyings, For they
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Speaker 1: had many afflictions. They did suffer much both in body
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Speaker 1: and in mind, such as hunger, thirst, and fatigue, and
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Speaker 1: also much labor in the spirit. Now these were their journeyings,
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Speaker 1: having taken leave of their father Mosiah in the first
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Speaker 1: year of the Judges, having refused the kingdom which their
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Speaker 1: father was desirous to confer upon them. And also this
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Speaker 1: was the minds of the people. Nevertheless, they departed out
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Speaker 1: of the land of Zarahemla and took their swords and
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Speaker 1: their spears, and their bows, and their arrows and their slings.
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Speaker 1: And this they did that they might provide food for
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Speaker 1: themselves while in the wilderness. And thus they departed into
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Speaker 1: the wilderness with their numbers which they had selected to
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Speaker 1: go up to the land of Nephi, to preach the
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Speaker 1: word of God unto the Lamanites. And it came to
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Speaker 1: pass that they journeyed many days in the wilderness, and
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Speaker 1: they fasted much and prayed much, that the Lord would
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Speaker 1: grant unto them a portion of his spirit to go
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Speaker 1: with them and abide with them, that they might be
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Speaker 1: an instrument in the hands of God to bring, if
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Speaker 1: it were possible, their brethren, the Lamanites, to the knowledge
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Speaker 1: of the truth, to the knowledge of the baseness of
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Speaker 1: the traditions of their fathers, which were not correct. And
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Speaker 1: it came to pass that the Lord did visit them
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Speaker 1: with his spirit and said unto them, be comforted. And
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Speaker 1: they were comforted, and the Lord said unto them, also
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Speaker 1: go forth among the Lamanites, thy brethren, and establish my word.
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Speaker 1: Yet ye shall be patient in long suffering and afflictions,
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Speaker 1: that ye may show forth good examples unto them in me,
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Speaker 1: and I will make an instrument of thee in my
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Speaker 1: hands unto the salvation of many souls. And it came
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Speaker 1: to pass at the hearts of the sons of Mosiah,
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Speaker 1: and also those who were with them took courage to
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Speaker 1: go forth under the Lamanites and declare into them the
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Speaker 1: word of God. And it came to pass what they
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Speaker 1: had arrived in the borders of the land of the Lamanites,
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Speaker 1: that they separated themselves and departed from one another, trusting
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Speaker 1: in the Lord, that they should meet again at the
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Speaker 1: close of their harvest. For they supposed that great was
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Speaker 1: the work which they had undertaken, and assuredly it was great.
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Speaker 1: For they had undertaken to preach the word of God
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Speaker 1: to a wild and a hardened and a ferocious people,
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Speaker 1: a people who delighted in murdering the Nephites and robbing
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Speaker 1: and plundering them. And their hearts were set upon riches,
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Speaker 1: upon gold and silver and precious stones. Yet they sought
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Speaker 1: to obtain these things by murdering and plunder, that they
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Speaker 1: might not labor for them with their own hands. Thus
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Speaker 1: they were a very indolent people, many of whom did
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Speaker 1: worship idols. And the curse of God had fallen upon
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Speaker 1: them because the traditions of their fathers, notwithstanding the promises
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Speaker 1: of the Lord, were extended unto them on the conditions
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Speaker 1: of repentance. Therefore, this was the cause for which the
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Speaker 1: sons of Mosiah had undertaken the work, that perhaps they
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Speaker 1: might bring them unto repentance, that perhaps they might bring
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Speaker 1: them to know the plan of redemption. Therefore they separated
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Speaker 1: themselves from one another and went forth among them every
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Speaker 1: man alone according to the word and power of God
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Speaker 1: which was given unto him, now Ammon being the chief
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Speaker 1: among them, or rather he did administer unto them, and
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Speaker 1: he departed from them after having blessed them according to
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Speaker 1: their several stations, having imparted the word of God unto them,
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Speaker 1: or administered unto them before his departure. And thus they
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Speaker 1: took their several journeys throughout the land. And Amon went
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Speaker 1: to the land of Ishmael, the land being called after
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Speaker 1: the sons of Ishmael, who also became Lamanites. And as
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Speaker 1: Ammon entered the land of Ishmael, the Lamanites took him
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Speaker 1: and bound him, as was their customed to bind all
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Speaker 1: the Nephites who fell into their hands, and carry them
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Speaker 1: before the king. And thus it was left to the
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Speaker 1: pleasure of the king to slay them, or to retain
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Speaker 1: them in captivity, or to cast them into prison, or
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Speaker 1: to cast them out of his land, according to his
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Speaker 1: will and pleasure. And thus Amon was carried before the
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Speaker 1: king who was over the land of Ishmael, and his
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Speaker 1: name was Lamoni, and he was a descendant of Ishmael.
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Speaker 1: And the king inquired of Ammon if it were his
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Speaker 1: desire to dwell in the land among the Lamanites or
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Speaker 1: among his people. And Amon said unto him, yea, I
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Speaker 1: desired to well among this people for a time yea,
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Speaker 1: and perhaps until the day I die. And it came
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Speaker 1: to pass that King Lamoni was much pleased with Amon,
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Speaker 1: and caused that his band should be loose to kneed wood,
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Speaker 1: that Ammon should take one of his daughters to wife.
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Speaker 1: But Amon said unto him, nay, but I will be
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Speaker 1: thy servant. Therefore Ammon became the servant to King Lamoni.
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Speaker 1: And it came to pass that he was set among
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Speaker 1: other servants to watch the flocks of Lamoni, according to
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Speaker 1: the custom of the Lamanites. And after he had been
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Speaker 1: in the service of the king three days, as he
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Speaker 1: was with the lamanitish servants going forth with their flocks
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Speaker 1: to the place of water, which was called the water
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Speaker 1: of Cebis. And all the Lamanites drive their flocks hither
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Speaker 1: that they may have water. Therefore, as Ammon and the
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Speaker 1: servants of the king were driving forth their flocks to
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Speaker 1: his place of water. Behold, a certain number of the Lamanites,
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Speaker 1: who had been with their flocks to water, stood and
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Speaker 1: scattered the flocks of Amon and the servants of the king.
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Speaker 1: And they scattered them insomuch that they fled many ways.
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Speaker 1: Now the servants of the king began to murmur, saying,
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Speaker 1: now the king will slay us, as he has our brethren,
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Speaker 1: because their flocks were scattered by the wickedness of these men.
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Speaker 1: And they began to weep exceedingly, saying, behold, our flocks
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Speaker 1: are scattered already. Now they wept because of the fear
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Speaker 1: being slain. Now, when Amon saw this, his heart was
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Speaker 1: swollen within him with joy, for said he, I will
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Speaker 1: show forth my power under these my fellow servants, or
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Speaker 1: the power which is in me, in restoring these flocks,
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Speaker 1: and to the King, that I may win the hearts
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Speaker 1: of these my fellow servants, that I may lead them
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Speaker 1: to believe in my words. And now these were the
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Speaker 1: thoughts of Amine when he saw the afflictions of those
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Speaker 1: whom he termed to be his brethren. And it came
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Speaker 1: to pass that he flattered them by his words, saying,
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Speaker 1: my brethren, be of good cheer. Let us go in
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Speaker 1: search of the flocks, and we will gather them together
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Speaker 1: and bring them back to the place of water. And
28:08
Speaker 1: thus we will preserve the flocks under the King, and
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Speaker 1: he will not slay us. And it came to pass
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Speaker 1: that they went in search of the flocks, and they
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Speaker 1: did follow Amon. And they rushed forth with much swiftness,
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Speaker 1: and did head the flocks of the king, and did
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Speaker 1: gather them together again to the place of water. Those
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Speaker 1: men again stood to scatter their flocks. But Ammon said,
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Speaker 1: unto his brethren, encircle the flocks round about, that they
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Speaker 1: flee not, and I go and contend with these men
28:37
Speaker 1: who do scatter our flocks. Therefore they did as Amon
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Speaker 1: commanded them, and he went forth and stood to contend
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Speaker 1: with those who stood by the waters of Cebis. And
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Speaker 1: they were in number not few. Therefore they did not
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Speaker 1: fear Ammon, for they supposed that one of their men
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Speaker 1: could slay him according to their pleasure. For they knew
28:58
Speaker 1: not that the Lord had promised Mazariah that he would
29:00
Speaker 1: deliver his sons out of their hands. Neither did they
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Speaker 1: know anything concerning the Lord Therefore they delighted in the
29:08
Speaker 1: destruction of their brethren, and for this cause they stood
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Speaker 1: to scatter the flocks of the king. But Ammon stood
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Speaker 1: forth and began to cast stones at them with his sling. Yea,
29:20
Speaker 1: with mighty power did he sling stones amongst them, And
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Speaker 1: thus he slew a certain number of them, insomuch that
29:26
Speaker 1: they began to be astonished at his power. Nevertheless, they
29:30
Speaker 1: were angry because of the slain of their brethren, and
29:33
Speaker 1: they were determined that he should fall. Therefore, seeing that
29:37
Speaker 1: they could not hit him with their stones, they came
29:39
Speaker 1: forth with their clubs to slay him. But behold, every
29:43
Speaker 1: man that lifted his club to spite Ammon, he smote
29:46
Speaker 1: off their arms with his sword. For he did with
29:49
Speaker 1: stand their blows by smiting their arms with the edge
29:52
Speaker 1: of his sword, insomuch that they began to be astonished
29:55
Speaker 1: and began to flee before him. Yea, and they were
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Speaker 1: not few in number, and he caused them to flee
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Speaker 1: by the strength of his arm. Now six of them
30:05
Speaker 1: had fallen by the sling, but he slew none save
30:08
Speaker 1: it were their leader, with his sword, and he smote
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Speaker 1: off as many of their arms as were lifted against him,
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Speaker 1: and they were not a few. And when he had
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Speaker 1: driven them afar off, he returned, and they watered their flocks,
30:21
Speaker 1: and returned them to the pasture of the king, and
30:24
Speaker 1: then went in unto the King, bearing the arms which
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Speaker 1: had been smitten off by the sword of Ammon of
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Speaker 1: those who sought to slay him. And they were carried
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Speaker 1: in unto the King for a testimony of the things
30:37
Speaker 1: which they had done. End of Alma, chapters fourteen through seventeen.