Latest / Scripture Central / Alma 17–22 | July 1-7 | John W. Welch and Lynne Hilton Wilson | Come Follow Me Book of Mormon

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Alma 17–22 | July 1-7 | John W. Welch and Lynne Hilton Wilson | Come Follow Me Book of Mormon · Scripture Central

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Hello, Welcome back to Scripture Central.
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I'm Lynn Hilton Wilson. And I'm Jack Welch.
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And we're thrilled to be able to talk about Alma's chapter 17 to
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22. We get the 1st 5 chapters of the
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Sons of Mosiah's mission to the Lamanites.
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And this is filled with storylines as well as fabulous
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information on characteristics of a good missionary, the
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sacrifices that are required to build the Kingdom, and some
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phenomenal ancient historical facts.
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But most of all, you know, you're not going to be presented
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here with lots of difficult, lengthy covenant speeches or
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doctrinal discussions in these chapters.
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We're just hearing the facts of what these four sons of Mosiah
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did. Chapter 17, Verse one Now it
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came to pass that as Alma was journeying from the land of
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Gideon southward away to the land of Manti, behold to his
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astonishment he met with the sons of Mosiah journeying toward
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the land of Jerusalem. I don't know about your life,
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but when God puts people in my life in the same path I'm going
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if I run into someone that I'm not expecting, I just feel like
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sometimes the Lord has put us in the same place at the same time
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because he hasn't seen these sons of Mosiah since back in in
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Mosiah chapter. You know, at the very end of the
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book of Mosiah chapter 28 verses one through 9, we talked about
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this. And sometimes the Lord is
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putting people in our path for good reasons.
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Well, this was absolutely miraculous and they had both
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gone through so much in these 14 years and now we get a flashback
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to read more about what the sons of Mosiah had been doing.
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Chapter 17, verse two reads. Now the sons of Mosiah were with
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Alma at the time that the Angel first appeared unto him.
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Now I think this is significance because we're going to hear in
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their stories more angelic administration.
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So the Lord has put things in their path also so that they
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could be better missionaries. We can use what's in our lives
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in order to spread the gospel. As we begin chapter 17, it lists
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the characteristics of good missionaries.
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At least that's how I've sort of summarized these first few
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verses. Read these verses, especially
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verses 2:00 to 11:00, but also 17, and see how many
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characteristics of these good missionaries you can find.
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There's there's nothing really hard about any of these, but
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when you put it all together, you realize that whoever is
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writing this knows what it's like to be a missionary.
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Starting in verse 2 and three, they were strong in the
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knowledge of the truth. Continuing on, they searched the
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scriptures. They knew the word of God.
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I love this one from verse three.
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Much prayer and fasting. And from that they had the
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Spirit of Prophecy. And revelation, they're guided
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by the Lord and they act according to those promptings.
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You know, they were taught by the power and authority of God
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that I also like. They provided for themselves.
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And so they needed their slings and their swords.
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And you know, they had to be self-sufficient because they
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were going to an area that would not be friendly.
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They endured afflictions and suffering.
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That's not easy, and there are all kinds of different
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sufferings and afflictions, you know.
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Emotional, Physical, spiritual. And as missionaries, we
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experience these things. As people, as humans, every day
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of our life, we experience them. Yeah, it's.
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A little different though, as a missionary, because you're there
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saying maybe I could just go home and everything would be
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right. Well, you go home and you're
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going to find there's problems that face you there too.
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However, missionaries are serving for a special reason.
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They're serving the Lord and not putting themselves 1st, and
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these four missionaries were great examples of that.
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I love the way it stated here. They were instruments in the
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hand of God and also during those hard times it says the
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Spirit comforted them. I think this is a huge
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characteristic of when we're in the service of God.
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Whether we're full time missionaries or every member of
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missionary, the Lord can comfort us.
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And I'm sure every missionary has thought about that word
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instrument a little bit. What does it mean to be an
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instrument? You do have to be in tune, don't
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you? Yes, and we have to work
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together. I feel like it's a beautiful,
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harmonious imagery of being an instrument.
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Does it, but it doesn't say a musical instrument.
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No, it could be a tool. He finishes up this beautiful
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first section when before they depart, with Ammon giving
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blessings to his brothers. Did you catch that?
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It said that because of those blessings, the Spirit comforted
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them. And we do talk about the
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comforter, the Holy Ghost and the Comforter.
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It does give you comfort. Fortification is a word that
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also comes from Fort. So it's, it's not just comfort
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of the Lord is not just being now entertained or casual, but I
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think comfort means more the strength and the well-being and
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the recognition of the Lord's hand in what we're doing.
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Well, that's when they hear the voice of the Lord.
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Than they're patient and long-suffering.
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Yeah, yes, definitely. They're patient and
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long-suffering. Well into missionaries have to
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be patient. Yeah, and it's not just their
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characteristic. God is commanding them.
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Look at verse 11 here. The Lord said unto them, Go
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forth among the Lamanites, thy brethren, and establish my word.
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Yet ye shall be patient in long-suffering and afflictions,
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that ye may show forth a good example unto them in me, and I
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will make an instrument of the in my hands.
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So this is significant, that they're not just automatically
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patient so they can go on a mission.
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No, the Lord is giving them a command because they can work on
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it too. And they preach my gospel.
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These are characteristics that, of course, every missionary
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should be studying and knowing. And you go to the MTC and these
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are the characteristics. This is the handbook of
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instruction for being a good missionary, and it's used
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throughout the world. Let's remember every member is a
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missionary. This is an instruction for every
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baptized member of the church. The picture of the four sons
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going off into their various fields of Labor.
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It is displayed very prominently in a large painting in the Robo
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MTC that very few people see. It's a very powerful text.
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Well, starting in verse 14, well actually I guess it's 131415.
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It talks about the people that they were going to go teach, and
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it used some stereotypical ideas.
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I'm sure not all the Lamanites were this way, but I think as a
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historian, it's interesting to see this is how the Nephites
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viewed them at this time. Verse 14, A wild and hardened
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and a ferocious people, the people who delighted in
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murdering the Nephites and robbering and plundering them.
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And their hearts were set upon riches and gold and silvery.
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You know, I don't think every Lamanite fit into this category.
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Now Lynn, how can you break this stereotype?
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Well, it's the next verse, OK, in verse 15, if you realize that
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the promises of the Lord were extended unto even them on the
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conditions of repentance. No matter how you feel about
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other people, if you can see them as the Lord sees them as
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people who can repent, and if they will, all of these
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blessings will make everyone happy, will make everyone
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compatible and and destroy these stereotypes that so often get
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into the way in our culture, in our life.
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Of creating a Zion society, of creating a church that allows
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many, many cultures. And I love the fact that right
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the next verse, he again recites the word plan of salvation.
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Now, last week we had seen that many times in chapter 12.
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And here again, he's talking about this beautiful thing that
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is so unique to Alma. You know, this is one of those
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819 times that it's mentioned in the Book of Mormon.
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But then we turn straight into the experience of Ammon and what
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a story, couple verses here on how he serves the king.
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He doesn't come in and say, you know, I am the son of King
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Mosiah. But he can't really claim that
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anymore because obviously he knows he's not He I've
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voluntarily stepped down, but he doesn't even say that.
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He never introduces his genealogy.
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He just says I came to serve. This is the most fascinating
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approach, isn't it? I came to be your servant.
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And I think all missionaries you put aside whatever it was that
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you thought was so important, whatever your achievements were
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in high school or early years in college or wherever.
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Well, this is what Christ came to do.
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I came to serve and not to be served.
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I feel like if we want to walk where Jesus walked, we've got to
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do what Ammon did. I came to serve you.
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And I feel like as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ, my
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responsibility and membership is to serve each other.
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You know, I go to my meetings to find those to serve, not to be
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served. And he goes right up to Lemoni.
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Yeah, and Lemoni is smart enough to recognize that this is a man
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who seems to have no more than just ordinary capabilities, and
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he puts him in charge of taking care of all of his flocks.
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But that is really, when you think of it in the ancient
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world, kind of the ultimate compliment that I'm a I'm a king
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and I recognize you're you're you're from another land or
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culture, but I would like you to be a part of my family.
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And and that's how a lot of ancient diplomacy and
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relationships were created. Peace between the countries.
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We always have marriages within the countries.
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So that happens. Again, very consistent, but.
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Ammon says verse 25. Nope.
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I'll be thy servant. And he becomes a shepherd.
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A Good Shepherd. Yeah.
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Yeah, I love it. Doesn't take very long before
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some trouble arises. These robbers who come when he
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stands up against them, he's they come and raid the the sheep
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of the king. He's protected, but he he also
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stands forth and he is not going to back down.
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He'll put his own life on the line if necessary.
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So the three day it's it's kind of a little hello sign that says
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something's going to happen here.
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We also see his phenomenal positive attitude.
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I I've mentioned before that I've gone through all the
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Scriptures looking at the phrase be of good cheer, and in verse
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31, we read it here. It came to pass that he
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flattered them with his words, saying, my brethren, be of good
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cheer, let us go and search the flocks and we'll gather them
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together. Be of good cheer is always given
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in times of disaster. It is never given when life is
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going well. You know, I feel like the Lord
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wants us to take control of our thoughts and to trust him, and
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that's Ammon is trusting God. We can find a way out of this
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situation and he has to try harder than he initially
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anticipated, I think. But notice that somebody decides
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that this killing in verses 37 to 38 should be told in a
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chiastic way now. So why on earth would this story
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merit a chiastic treatment? Well, let's read it first and
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then think what's going on? It begins.
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But behold every man that lifted his club to smite Ammon.
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And then that continues on in verse 38, the same parallel as
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were lifted up against him, and they were not a few.
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And back to the top, he smote off their arms with his sword
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and did withstand their blows by smiting their arms.
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And that's repeated again at the end of 38.
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And he smote off as many of their arms.
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And he continues on the last part there.
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And of course, we have the mention of the edge of his
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sword. And that's repeated.
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But he slew none save it were their leader with his sword.
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So he he slayed many with their with his sling, it says.
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That's right. That's coming up in so much that
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they began to be astonished. And then the repeat of that by
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the strength of his arm. That's what was astonishing.
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Yeah, and well, it also goes on and says it was astonishing that
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six of them fell by the sling. You know, he's, he's really
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being strengthened by divine power, I think.
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Well, and he's like David. Yes, the Lord is directing that
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rock. He knows how to use a sling.
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Oh, Jack, it's also interesting they are attacking him.
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That's right, it's in self-defense, right?
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But let's finish the chiasmus. What's the center?
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Well, and they began to be astonished, and they began to
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flee before him. Yay.
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And they were not a few in number, and he caused them to
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flee. So what's going on here?
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Well, I, I think a chiasm makes a a good way to tell a story
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that has a turning point. And sometimes you can think of
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it as climbing a mountain and you go to the top of the
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mountain and then you come back down.
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But here you've got people who are coming and attacking and
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they are turned away and they go the other direction.
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So verbally you get that same feel of reversal that happened
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here. Yeah, this is translated and
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written so beautifully. So then what happens at the end
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of Chapter 17 says that he has cut off the arms of of the one
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man who attacked him with the sword, but he also cuts off the
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arms of others that he had killed with a sling.
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And what does he do with those arms he he's cutting off?
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We don't know whether it's the full arm, Probably not, probably
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just at the wrist. Well, I know in in the ancient
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world, sometimes you had to show evidence to the leader that you
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weren't exaggerating your story. So are they?
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Are they using these as evidence it sounds like?
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And and more than that, soldiers in all ancient armies were paid
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or rewarded for what they did. And so before a battle, everyone
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knew that if they could bring a body part of someone that they
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had killed, that would be worthy of reward.
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It is but you. But they didn't.
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They didn't say bring fingers because you know, you could kill
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one man and get 8 fingers. And so a right arm would be
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something that only there's only one right arm on each person.
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And we actually see in the ancient world depictions of this
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practice. Even hands.
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I've seen it in in. Particularly, and so if people
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want to go to know why #125 you can actually see some of these
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ancient monuments that show this very thing happening.
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So there's a reason why Ammon would have brought these, I
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think not just for his self aggrandizement, but he wants the
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king to know what has been happening out in the field to
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his sheep. And it may be that these
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marauders had been a problem for a while.
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And maybe King Lamoni sends Ammon out saying, well, I've got
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a real problem here, why don't you deal with it?
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Because these guys seem to show up.
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Well, it's the other servants that bring the arms.
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Ammon goes out and helps get the horses ready for his next
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assignment, which is amazing. That's chapter 18 though.
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At the end of this chapter in verse 39, it says when he had
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driven them far off, he returned and watered their flocks and
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returned them to the pasture of their king, and then went into
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the king bearing the arms which had been smitten off by the
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sword of Ammon. All of the servants know that
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this had happened. And that he is being protected
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by God because they tried to kill him and nobody could kill
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Ammon. Well, that's chapter 17.
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What happens in chapter 18? I really appreciate the fact
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that when the other servants are going before the king and saying
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you won't believe this guy. You just hired this Nephite
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who's with us. I love the fact that he says in
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verse three, we know that he is a friend to the king of all the
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things they could have said. And well, they do say a lot more
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than that. But this to me is, is so dear.
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What a compliment to be said to your new master.
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True, and you would only be friendly with someone who was
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really loyal. That's needed because everyone
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starts assuming immediately that he's the Great Spirit.
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So they need to know he's not to be frightened because it says in
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verse five that the king is a little uncomfortable here.
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You know, he began to fear exceedingly with fearless that
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he had done wrong in slaying his servants.
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So previously Limoni had had disciplined very harshly with
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the death penalty for such a small little thing.
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And it goes on to the problem that they had in the past.
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But then he says, where is this guy?
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And that's where he would learn in verse nine that Ammon didn't
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even come in to talk to Limoni. He's out getting the horses
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ready and the chariot so that it he can go visit his dad at a
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dinner party. All right, so Ammon is received
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as a person who has an extraordinary spirit and really
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kind of supernatural powers. And like King David killing
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Goliath, this was a sign that David was indeed a a chosen
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person. And I think Ammon steps into
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that role, but he does so with great humility.
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And Jack liking this under our our prophet today, do you
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remember when President Nelson said you will see greater power
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and manifestations of God's work in the future than has ever been
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seen in the world? So Ammon's example is one that I
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think will be repeated, that we, we, we can be protected.
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We can be instruments in the Lord's hand to do many mighty
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miracles, just as you said David did in the past.
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When Al Ammon then begins at the creation of the world and the
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creation of Adam, and tells him all the things concerning the
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fall of man and the prophets, and he rehearses also all the
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journeyings of their fathers, and then he tells them about
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Lehmann and Lameo. Yeah, he, he brings it all the
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way down. So he starts with defining God
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because that's the great spirit issues, the biblical history and
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now our own history right here as the last 500 years.
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Well. Now this is a Nephite.
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Yeah, selling the Lamanites, which is of course the real
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problem in their animosity, is their history, their their
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definition of history. And he does go on to say, yes,
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there were rebellions of Laman and Lemuel and rebellions he
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relates to him. So in a way he's putting blame,
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of course, on the tradition of the Lamanites.
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But more than that, in verse 39 he then expounds to them the
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plan. Of redemption again.
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Which was prepared from the foundation of the world and he
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makes known the coming of Christ.
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So yes, we have developed these social and political differences
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and problems and they go back to human problems.
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But God is has a plan where we can all get back together and
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that's what we need to focus on and.
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I am so impressed by King Limoni.
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This is probably not the king of Germany or the Austrian Empire
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or something, you know. It's a small little village or
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small town or city or whatever, you know, it's more like a mayor
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or something. I don't know.
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But he believed and he, he cries unto the Lord, have mercy
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according to thy abundant mercy, which thou hast had upon the
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people of Nephi, have upon me and my people.
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I think he's a good leader. He wants to bless his people.
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He's not just concerned about his own well-being.
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I I really admire everything we learn about Limoni and his
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choice of wife because we learn about the wife in the next verse
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and she's a good one. And when he had said this, he
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didn't know what was coming. Oh, he felt.
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In the. Earth, but he falls to the Earth
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as if he were dead. So these miracles won't just
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stop that. He then feels this so
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profoundly. And what kind of a trance or.
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The Spirit is taking him to another place, Yeah, but he is
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taught by the Spirit. And in verse 43, notice that the
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servants carry him to his wife, and he's dead, for he lies there
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for the space of two or three nights, and when his wife and
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sons and daughters mourn over him.
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And that's the same as what happened to Alma the Younger.
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His father watched over him then.
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For two nights, two days and two nights, the family mourns and
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prays for that. And Ammon was a part of that
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morning for Alma the Younger. Oh, of course, those.
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Four sons of Mosiah, they were there.
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So this part of the story, is this something Ammon would want
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to tell? And I think he also would
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recognize it as the hand of the Lord.
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And he does. I love chapter 19.
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After these two days and two nights, they're about to take
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the body and lay it in the sepulchre, and the queen hears
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about the fame of Ammon. Obviously I don't think he was
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too hard to miss at this point. She said to him, The servants of
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my husband have made it known unto me that thou art a profit
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of a holy God. See, she doesn't even know who
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God is yet. You know, this is very well
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rooted and that thou hast power to do many, many things.
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And that's when she says, you know, Do you think he's dead?
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I've been here for two days and then I love the end of verse
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five. To me, he does not stink.
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This is the way he usually smells, yeah.
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Yeah, yeah. The verse six though this is
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exactly what Ammon desired, for he knew that King Limone was
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under the power of God, and that this dark veil of unbelief was
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being castaway from his mind, and that the light which did
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light upon his mind, which was the light and the glory of God.
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And that is the turning point of this little episode.
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Of another chiasmus. Recounting what has just
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happened. And now we hear which was a
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marvelous light of his goodness, and that this light had infused
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such joy into his soul. And the cloud of darkness or the
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dark veil that had previously been mentioned was dispelled,
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and the light of everlasting life was lit up in his soul, and
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it overcome his natural frame. And therefore that was what the
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Queen desired of him. Chapter 19, Verse 7.
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Just six and seven. Just a short thing, but
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powerfully tied together. And and to to help.
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Again, there's usually a reason. Why?
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He puts it into this, Yeah. He wants us to know that what
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did this was the light of the glory of God.
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Of course, in this experience, they are realizing that there
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was some bright light and it was marvelous, meaning miraculous,
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and it is so bright. And Alma also talks about the
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great light that came when the Angel of the Lord appeared to
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him. So this putting light in the
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middle of this episode, I think helps us to to focus like with a
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laser beam maybe on something that can really be powerful and
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the light and we usually think of light in fairly low wattages,
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but in but in high doses, light is very powerful and very
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energizing and so. I think he is giving us another
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type of Christ because she said I've been waiting for two days
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and two nights. And then in chapter 19, verse
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eight, Ammon tells the queen, he is not dead, but he sleepeth in
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God. And on the Morrow he shall rise
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again. Therefore bury him.
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Not, you know, none of us can say on the 3rd morning he will
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rise again without seeing a type of Christ here and he will save
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his people. And I don't want to say that
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we're exaggerating this because we were told that everything
25:22
that is good is to lead us to Christ.
25:24
And so the Lord gave us all these types and shadows.
25:28
I mean, it's it's King Benjamin, it's Nephi, it's Lehi, they all
25:31
say the law of Moses. These things are to lead us to
25:34
Christ. I think this is what this is
25:35
happening here. And of course, if they believed
25:38
that he was dead and was still kind of comatose, they would
25:43
have had provisions and practices where they would have
25:46
buried him fairly soon. Of course you don't let someone.
25:49
Yeah, yeah. And so they're saying no, don't
25:53
go forward to the burial quite yet.
25:56
And the amazing thing is the Queen believes that quickly.
25:59
I love the Queen's face. Faith Verse 10 Ammon said unto
26:04
her, Blessed art thou Because of thy exceeding faith, I say unto
26:08
thee, woman, There has not been such great faith among all the
26:12
people of the Nephites. She waits for another day, and
26:16
her husband rises. Verse 12 He rose, and he
26:19
stretched forth his hand unto the woman, and said, Blessed be
26:23
the name of God, and blessed art thou.
26:27
You know we learned earlier in Jacob that the Lamanites loved
26:30
their wives, and their wives loved their husbands.
26:33
And here we are, hundreds of years later, having this
26:36
wonderful example of a king and queen who wait on each other,
26:40
who believe each other, and who share their testimonies.
26:43
I I just love this verse. It is wonderful and that they
26:47
would have as Ammon had back in verse 10, the word blessed right
26:52
on the tip of his tongue. He says to the queen, blessed
26:56
art thou and then when Livonia rises, he says his first words
27:00
are blessed is the name of God. This idea of having ready
27:06
blessings to to not just say thank you but bless you, I think
27:13
is a very important cultural practice that was common in the
27:19
ancient world, the word blessed. We think of that as the
27:22
beginning of the Beatitudes. Well, there's two meanings for
27:25
Blessed, right? Well, the word can mean not only
27:29
happy or fortunate, fortunate in this life, but it can also mean
27:36
exalted. A.
27:37
Blessed. State in in a higher realm than
27:40
where we are. But they were thinking here
27:44
about blessing in a spiritual sense.
27:47
Well, I'm fascinated that he got to see the Lord.
27:50
This is phenomenal. In verse 13, I have seen my
27:55
Redeemer and that's when he we even know that he he got to see
27:59
that he's born through Mary. This is a phenomenal conversion
28:04
experience. And when this happened, the
28:06
Queen also sunk down, being overpowered by the spirit.
28:10
And then Ammon joins them as a complete trio, and as they are
28:15
all in the state of a visionary state of some sort with the
28:20
Lord, we are introduced to another missionary.
28:23
And I personally think that verses 16 to 29, as we learn
28:28
about a Bush, this servant of the queen are filled with
28:34
information on not only how what a phenomenal missionary she was,
28:37
but I think her impact is going to change her own people's
28:41
nation and the Nephite nation. And she's a servant of the
28:44
queen. But to be a servant of the
28:46
queen, you probably got to be a pretty good servant.
28:48
You know, you got to be responsible.
28:49
You got to be on time and prompt and, and, and clear.
28:53
We can just assume that she had a lot of characteristics.
28:56
But she has been converted, it says, through a vision of her
28:59
father. She believed her dad's vision
29:02
enough, but it says she didn't share her testimony and so other
29:07
people didn't know and I presume that was partially self
29:09
preservation but I don't know. But we can't be clear on this.
29:14
These Lamanites, however, certainly had some of the
29:17
traditions of their fathers carried down.
29:20
Continuing on in verse 17, when she saw that the servants of
29:25
Limoni had fallen to the earth and her mistress, the queen and
29:28
the king and Ammon lay prostate, she knew that it was the power
29:33
of God. And that's when she starts
29:35
acting and her testimony comes forth.
29:38
I also feel like we learned that this woman is sensitive to the
29:42
promptings of the Spirit because she takes advantage of this
29:45
opportunity to use it as a missionary tool.
29:49
And of course it, it doesn't look like it's turning out well.
29:52
She goes around to all the neighbors.
29:53
She knocks on the door. She brings everybody into the
29:55
palace. She shows them the situation,
29:57
and she doesn't realize they won't get it.
29:59
It touches me that it says she was so frustrated by their
30:02
contention, and they're arguing. What's this Nephite doing here?
30:06
How did this happen? You know that she starts to cry.
30:09
And yet the spirit of the Lord directs her to take the hand of
30:13
the queen. And by lifting the queen, she
30:17
lifts the history of the lame light and the Nephite nations.
30:23
Yeah, she's acting as a servant of God as she lifts this queen
30:27
in verse 29, it reads. And it came to pass that she
30:30
went and took the queen by the hand, that perhaps she might
30:33
raise her from the ground. And as soon as she touched her
30:37
hand, she arose and stood upon her feet and cried with a loud
30:41
voice saying, Oh, blessed Jesus, who have saved me from an awful
30:46
hell. Oh blessed God, have mercy on
30:51
this people. So, like her husband, she is
30:54
concerned about the welfare of her people and it was catalyzed
30:58
by a servant girl. Let me recommend that people go
31:03
back to the archive and let me mention three know whys that we
31:07
have that I think would be very useful for people here.
31:11
Know why #127 asks why was Abish mentioned by name and what does
31:17
her name signify? No why #374 talks about how
31:25
Abish spreads the word and her member missionary work.
31:29
And then No, why #449 talks about Abish and the
31:35
understanding of resurrection and women in ancient Mesoamerica
31:42
and how people have been raised who appeared to be dead.
31:48
And Jack, it's not just a Bashir.
31:49
We learned so much about the queen.
31:51
Look at verse 30. When she had said this, she
31:53
clasped her hands filled with joy, speaking many words which
31:57
were not understood. And when she had done this, she
31:59
took the king Lemoni by the hand.
32:01
She raised him. But I think she's speaking in
32:03
tongues. What do you think that means?
32:05
She is certainly speaking under the influence of the Spirit.
32:07
Yes, yes. And again, Joseph Smith and we
32:11
learn many things from the Book of Mormon and here in this
32:15
chapter, in this concentrated episode, we really learn a lot
32:19
about the importance of women and their receptivity of
32:23
spirituality, their following righteous instincts and serving
32:29
in very important ways. And this all led to a wonderful
32:33
outcome in verse 33, that as Ammon arose, he administered to
32:38
them and to all the servants of Limoni.
32:40
So these servants had also experienced this, and what
32:44
happens there, their hearts have been changed that they had no
32:48
more desire to do evil. And that's another evidence of a
32:53
conversion. As we're looking at this as a
32:54
missionary text, I see this beautiful hope.
32:58
When I have no more desire to do evil, I know the Spirit is
33:01
working with me. And so in verse 35, it's not
33:04
just enough to have these experiences.
33:07
They entered into a covenant and they were baptized and became a
33:11
righteous people and did establish a church among them.
33:14
And thus the work of the Lord did commence.
33:17
This is our pioneers of the Lamanites.
33:20
Here in in chapter 19. Chapter 20 is this wonderful
33:30
story of turning a crisis into something positive, and Ammon is
33:38
in a really difficult situation with King Limoni's dad.
33:42
We do find here an interesting situation where we do have a
33:45
person, a king Limoni and his father is also a king.
33:50
Now how can you have two kings in a land?
33:53
We we have a lot of terms and they aren't self defining, but
33:57
the word king can be used to just mean a ruler and can be
34:01
over a small area or a large area or multiple kings.
34:05
So there is another know why, which is a know why 128 which
34:12
talks about Alma chapter 20 verse eight that talks about
34:17
being a king over the land and having tributary lower kings who
34:23
then, you know, pay tribute who helped to administer the local
34:28
regions for the overlord. So Limb High and Ammon are
34:34
traveling to go release his brother in the land of Madonai,
34:37
when not as a coincidence, they're able to meet Lemonis
34:42
dad, the king of all the land. And this is where this encounter
34:44
takes place in Chapter 20. And the father is angry.
34:48
First of all, he's with a Nephite, and he has a lot of
34:52
animosity. He missed a very important
34:55
dinner party of sorts. And, and it sounds like he's
35:00
furious until he realizes that his life is going to, you know,
35:04
that his son is not going to follow him.
35:05
And his son stands up for the Nephite.
35:07
And then, as he tries to kill his son, Ammon steps in.
35:11
And we have to remember that a generation earlier, the
35:14
Lamanites had been fighting King Noah and others in this same
35:18
region. They're in the land of Nephi.
35:20
And so for a Nephite now to come and apparently has won over his
35:27
son. Is scary.
35:29
The first thing that the the Overlord father needs to do, in
35:34
his mind, is eliminate the son who is no longer loyal to him.
35:40
And so Ammon, however, steps right between the two of them.
35:45
Protects his both of them. He protects the older king from
35:50
committing murder while he's angry and the younger King's
35:52
life. And they work it out.
35:55
And because of this, the father of Lamoni will release Lamoni to
36:02
be able to worship and to live and to have this church that
36:06
they have formed that is kind of an independent Dutchie, still
36:11
within the land, but he can be autonomous within his local
36:15
rule, so. And this was so important they
36:18
wrote it into a chiasmus. And how does that sound?
36:21
Verse 26 And when he saw that Ammon had no desire to destroy
36:27
him. And at the end therefore, he was
36:30
desirous to learn them. He continues on and when he saw
36:34
also the great love that he had for his son Lemoni.
36:37
And at the end also at the words which had been spoken by his son
36:42
Limoni. And he was astonished
36:44
exceedingly, and said. And see it below, for the king
36:48
was greatly astonished at the words which he had spoken.
36:52
And then the fourth point in letter D, because this is all
36:57
that thou has desired, that I would release thy brethren.
37:01
And then we turn again in D prime to the brethren.
37:05
I will then also grant that thy brethren may be cast out of
37:09
prison. And then the very center, verse
37:12
26, the very last part of 26 and suffer that my son Limoni should
37:17
retain his Kingdom. And therefore, behold, I will
37:20
grant unto you that my Son may retain his Kingdom from this
37:24
time and forever. And I will govern him no more.
37:28
This is powerful. Yeah, to make that a double
37:31
grant of power is a perfect turning point there in the
37:36
middle of the prologue and the epilogue of that important
37:40
event. And it's recorded for many
37:42
reasons, spiritual and also political.
37:46
It becomes this is their Declaration of Independence.
37:50
And so they they realized that this is where this has come
37:53
from. But it also begins the
37:55
conversion of the Father, and it turns into not only a political
38:01
important point for his Kingdom, but it also turns into a very
38:04
important spiritual part. But before we get to that
38:07
spiritual part, we have to get to the prison to release Ammon
38:10
and the rest of the sons of Mosiah and maybe some of their
38:13
travelling companions who were there.
38:20
OK, so in chapter 21 we now shift locations and also time
38:26
frames because now we have another flashback.
38:29
So let's look at a chart. As you say, luckily, Jack has
38:32
made a chart. This comes from charting the
38:34
Book of Mormon, and we see how all of these little flashbacks
38:38
work in. And this is chart 30, which will
38:41
help you to keep straight what's going on.
38:43
We remember that back in the first year of the reign of
38:47
Judges, that's Alma chapter one. That's what we would call 91 BC,
38:52
and that's where Alma chapters 1 to 16 start, and you run through
38:57
that until the attack of Ammonihah.
39:01
Now we go then on the second text, which is Alma chapter 17
39:05
to 20 Ammon, and we go back to 91 BC and we learn what Ammon
39:10
did with Lemoni and it goes to the land of Ishmael.
39:14
And in the middle of that we have another flashback where we
39:17
are now taken back to 91 BC or the first year of the reign of
39:21
Judges. And now this is in Alma chapter
39:23
21. And that will take us down
39:26
through chapter 27. And first of all, we will have
39:29
the converts of Ammon that will be brought into the land of anti
39:34
Nephi Lehi. We'll see these next time, but
39:36
to see the flashbacks, I think it helps to see all of these
39:40
chapters together. And now we're going to hear
39:43
Aaron's story. And so we know he was a popular
39:46
person. He was well known.
39:47
He obviously had a lot of skills and leadership.
39:50
So he doesn't get in this messy situation because he's doing a
39:53
bad job. He gets in a messy situation
39:55
because he falls amongst people who are more hardened.
39:58
It says in verse 1-2 and three in chapter 21.
40:04
And they were hardened in part because it's not just Lamanite
40:07
blood. Do you remember that these
40:09
people that he's preaching here had been intermarrying with the
40:12
wicked priests of Noah? And they have a lot of hard
40:15
feelings against the religion of the Nephites.
40:19
We learned that Aaron and the two other brothers have found
40:25
their way to a city called Jerusalem and in verse four,
40:30
look what we learn there that as they begin to preach to another
40:36
group called the Amalekites and they have synagogues which they
40:42
have built the synagogue doesn't mean a Jewish synagogue here,
40:46
but it it just means gathering place and a sin Agogay is a
40:51
place where you are brought together as an assembly place
40:55
and they're obviously not reading the Torah they're.
40:58
No, they use it for other. Things, but they bring it
41:00
together and they build these after the Order of Nahors.
41:04
So in the city of Jerusalem, we're now having one more thread
41:07
of these Nahorites. From Alma chapter one, the
41:10
people who said there's no sin, the people who said I get to be
41:13
paid for preaching, the people who have caused all these
41:15
problems for Alma as well. And they will be in Amaniah, and
41:20
they are now also here in Jerusalem.
41:23
Well, the adversary is still using this same tactic today.
41:28
I can see why it spreads so there, because it's spreading in
41:30
our world now. And here we also learn that the
41:34
Amylinites, these are the priests of Noah, they're also
41:37
here. And so these will become one of
41:42
the great threats against the Nephi world.
41:44
But Aaron is there. And I think just as Ammon was
41:48
perfectly suited for the job that he did as a missionary in
41:53
converting King Lamoni, Aaron was suitable as a king.
41:58
He must have known somewhat how to deal with difficult political
42:02
situations because, as you mentioned, everybody in the land
42:07
of Zarahema thought he would make a good king.
42:10
Well, now he finds himself in a very diverse situation with all
42:14
these different people. And what's he going to do about
42:18
it? So how does that work out next?
42:20
Well, Aaron first ask if they believe in the Son of God.
42:24
That's verse seven. I love the fact that he opens up
42:26
the Scriptures to them. In verse nine, he began to open
42:29
the Scriptures unto them concerning the coming of Christ
42:32
and also concerning the resurrection of the dead and
42:35
that there could be no redemption for mankind save it
42:38
were through the death and suffering of Christ and the
42:41
atonement of His blood. This message is so consistent
42:44
throughout the book of Alma and it's so important to not only
42:48
His Father, but to His redemption and to all of our
42:51
redemptions. But I'm touched with the fact
42:54
that they were actually reading the Scriptures.
42:55
They had some text written down. They brought something with
42:58
them. I don't know what they wrote it
43:00
on. I don't know what they brought,
43:01
but they had texts with them that they thought were
43:04
important. So in their missionary work,
43:06
there's using the Word of God. So when they come to the next
43:10
place that they can flee to, it's Madonna.
43:13
They're all put in custody. Yep, it says in verse 13.
43:16
They're put in prison and the remainder of them fled out of
43:19
the land of Madonna into the region's roundabout.
43:22
So there were others with them at that point.
43:24
And then Ammon is now in a position where he can help to
43:27
get them out. Yes.
43:29
Verse 13 and 14 tie back to chapter 20, when King Limoni and
43:35
Ammon are able to release them from prison.
43:38
But once they're released, they begin immediately doing
43:40
missionary work again, and it sounds like they're very
43:43
successful. Verse 15 They went forth again
43:46
to declare the word, and skipping down a little bit, they
43:50
went forth whithersoever they were led by the Spirit preaching
43:54
I I feel so strongly that each of us can do a better job of of
44:01
asking the Lord every morning who can I share the gospel with?
44:04
Please lead me to invite someone.
44:07
And the Lord did bless them. In verse 17, it says insomuch
44:11
that they brought many to the knowledge of the truth.
44:13
Yeah, they did convince many of their sins and their traditions
44:17
of their fathers which were not correct.
44:20
I love the fact in chapter 21, verse 21 that as the gospel is
44:26
being preached, not only are they a free people politically
44:31
it says that they were free from the oppressions of the king, his
44:34
father, for his father had granted unto him that they might
44:36
reign over this people. That's a nice repeat.
44:39
But then in verse 22 it also says they have the liberty of
44:42
worshipping. And the last time we had people
44:45
coming down to the land of Nephi, they were zealous to
44:48
overtake the land and return to the land of their inheritance.
44:50
But here we have the missionaries coming back in
44:52
verse 23, and they are zealous for keeping the commandments of
44:57
God. Much better reason to be
44:59
zealous. Some of these are hard to follow
45:01
because we're actually following three different stories and
45:03
chronologically you can't just read them sequentially, you have
45:07
to kind of line them up and think what's happening in other
45:10
chapters in the same time period.
45:12
So we have here 3 narrative threads and they all finally
45:17
come together at the end. And chapter 22 is Aaron's
45:21
thread. You had just talked about Aaron
45:28
being perfectly prepared for this calling.
45:31
I I love the fact that the king of all the Lamanites is pretty
45:37
upset that it's Aaron, not Ammon, who shows up.
45:39
He doesn't know any qualifications about Aaron, and
45:41
he's sort of grumpy about this. I'm also touched by the fact
45:45
that now when Aaron comes to the father, he uses the same tactic
45:49
that his Big Brother did, and he says, we will be thy servants.
45:53
That's chapter 22, verse three. But the king responds, Arise, I
45:58
will grant unto thee thy lies, and I will not suffer that ye
46:01
shall be servants, but I will insist that ye shall administer
46:04
unto me. For I have somewhat been
46:06
troubled in mind because of the generosity and the greatness of
46:09
the words of thy brother Ammon, and I desire to know the cause
46:13
of why he has not come up to Madonna with thee.
46:15
You know, so he said. I'm not necessarily too happy
46:18
about being stuck here with Aaron.
46:19
I want Ammon. But the nice thing here is that
46:22
this king is willing to ask some questions.
46:24
Yes, he does. Other times we see people
46:28
rejecting the gospel or here in this, these stories, being
46:32
adamant about their position. And the problem is they won't
46:36
ask questions. They don't realize that they
46:38
don't have all the answers. Well, and he didn't ask
46:42
questions initially. Do you remember King Limoni's
46:43
father initially assumed I'm not going to listen to this.
46:46
He's he's just a, a child of a Nephi.
46:49
I'm not, I don't want anything about this, but he and so when
46:52
King Limoni's father asks, what is it that you have said
46:56
concerning the spirit of the Lord?
46:58
That's verse 5. So he's willing to ask.
47:00
And you know, sometimes I like to say that a good question is
47:05
half the answer, and maybe a good question is 3/4 of the
47:09
answer. Because if people don't ask
47:12
questions, it's hard for us as teachers or missionaries or
47:17
friends to really address what they're interested in and where
47:21
their needs are. And that's why verse six is so
47:24
powerful is we can tell exactly where his interest is because he
47:27
says, I'm confused about what your brother said.
47:29
He said if ye will repent, he shall be saved and if he shall
47:33
not repent, he shall be cast off of the last day.
47:35
And Aaron answered him, this is verse seven.
47:38
Believe is thou that there is a God?
47:41
So now he begins asking the questions and the king says,
47:44
well, I'm not quite sure. I know of a few, you know, are
47:47
you talking about this one or that one?
47:49
And in this second-half of verse 7, the old king says, If now
47:53
thou sayest there is a God, behold, I will believe.
47:58
And I think we can believe that He has allowed His people to
48:02
build these places of worship and to worship as they wish.
48:07
I think he's aware that there is some divine force that people
48:11
can access. He's not quite sure how that
48:14
works out. Well, he's had a few days to
48:16
humble himself. Yeah, I think he's really a good
48:19
contact, even though he didn't start out as a golden contact.
48:24
The verse eight is powerful. When Aaron heard this, his heart
48:27
began to rejoice. And he said, Behold assuredly as
48:31
thou livest, O king, there is a God.
48:36
And then the king says, is God that great spirit that brought
48:39
our fathers out of the land of Jerusalem?
48:41
Aaron is willing to accept the terminology.
48:44
He doesn't say, well, you know, God isn't a spirit.
48:48
He says. I'll take that.
48:49
But he goes on and says he created all things.
48:52
He just he, he. Let's build on that.
48:54
He exactly, he builds on where his investigator is.
48:57
Yeah, that's great. But that's when the King,
49:00
because he feels so safe there in verse 11, says, I will
49:04
believe thy words. What faith?
49:07
He's just met him. So well, he feels the spirit and
49:10
he says teach me. I I want to know.
49:13
Yeah, so here comes the Nephite discussion, and they begin by
49:15
reading the scriptures again in verse 12 that he's got a copy,
49:18
They're literate and they're reading the scriptures.
49:21
In verse 14, we now see the explanation of the plan of
49:27
redemption. The same phrase is has just been
49:30
mentioned. He's talking about the fall, and
49:33
because of the fall, man cannot merit anything of himself, but
49:39
the sufferings and death of Christ atone for their sins
49:42
through faith and repentance and so forth.
49:47
And he also says that in the end the grave shall have no victory,
49:54
and that the sting of death should be swallowed up in the
49:59
hopes of glory. He's.
50:01
Quoting a little bit of Isaiah. This phrase in Isaiah, it can be
50:07
translated in different ways that death will be swallowed up
50:10
in in Hebrew netzak and it can be in victory or in the victor,
50:20
which should be Christ, and it also can be swallowed up.
50:25
The meaning can also be that it will be swallowed up in hopes of
50:29
glory. And so we have all three of
50:32
these different and right here it's, but it's used
50:36
appropriately in each one of these different settings.
50:38
But the part that is so beautiful about this missionary
50:41
discussion with the older king is, you know, initially when his
50:47
life's being threatened, he'll he'll say, I'll give you
50:49
whatever you want. And then he goes on to the next
50:51
step and says, I'll give you half my Kingdom.
50:54
And then he goes on to the next step.
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And here in verse 18, he's praying and he says, oh God,
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Aaron has told me that there is a God.
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And if there is a God, and if thou art God, will thou make
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thyself known unto me, and I will give away all my sins to
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know thee. This is repentance.
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If there is a God, I want to feel the spirit, I want to feel
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the cleansing power, and I will repent.
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I will change. I want to follow you.
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This is one of my favorite verses in this week's reading.
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I think so, and it's a perfect example of the kind of prayer we
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all should ask, especially when we are in a time of doubt and
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you know, it's OK to say if you're there.
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God I I need to hear now or I'd love to hear now or what can I
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do? And the answer is, you have to
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get away your sins in order to feel His spirit.
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I mean, you're not going to hear it unless you repent.
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And that's what he brings to the table is if you will do this, I
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will give away all my sins to know thee.
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Now that's a big offer. And as this happens, he of
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course and will then have another one of these fainting
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experiences and the Queen will come and wonder, So what has
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happened? Well, and she does not have the
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faith of her daughter-in-law, the Queen of Limoni.
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And she's afraid exceedingly well, then, Aaron.
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And so he takes the initiative and takes the hand of the king,
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and raises the king from the earth, and says, stand.
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And he stood upon his feet and received strength.
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And this was done then in the presence of the Queen and many
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servants and all these other people, and as a result of that.
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The king can minister. King begins to minister unto
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them, and he ministered unto them, insomuch that his whole
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household were converted unto the Lord.
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Which I hope included the Queen. Yeah, I think so.
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This word servant, you know he's well, we all serve.
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But for a king to be a servant, he has humbled himself, and he
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is now acting, as you know, whoever is greatest among you.
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To minister unto them, yes, oh, I love it.
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And not only are people who are very hardened able to be changed
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and converted, I believe that each of us can fall on our knees
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every night and seek to feel the hand of the Lord in our lives
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and be converted again so that the countenance, our
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countenances can be changed so that we can too feel the no more
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desire to do evil. I believe that that is what the
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redeeming power of God is all about.
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It's not a once in a lifetime experience.
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It's a daily experience that we can minister not only to those
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around us, but minister to our God.
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And that is our desire to in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.