Alma 17

I love this story! I was able to tell it in my CTR 5 Primary class 2 weeks ago... and got the 2 boys in my class all fired up about it! It was so fun!

Then reading it yesterday, it just all made perfect sense to me how important service is, and how directly it is linked to the gospel of Jesus Christ! I'm getting ahead of myself...  that's in the next few chapters... :D

We don't hear about the Sons of Mosiah until Alma runs into them on his way to Manti, and they are on their way to Zarahemla.

I found it interesting that "they had been teaching the word of God for the space of fourteen years among the Lamanites" v.4. Fourteen Years! It makes me wonder if they left behind sweethearts in Zarahemla before they left or possibly among the Lamanites...? Do you think any of them started families? I bet they did.  Fourteen years is a long time.

My favorite quote in this chapter is in verse 11, the last part. "... I will make an instrument of thee in my hands unto the salvation of many souls." I want to be an instrument!!!

When the Sons of Mosiah reach the borders of the land of the Lamanites, they go their separate ways "...trusting in the Lord that they should meet again at the close of the harvest..." (v13).

I could go on and on about the faith they must have had! I'd like to think that their mom had something to do with that faith... ;)

Let's move onto Ammon's story...

Read it HERE. Verses 18-39. To summarize,

Ammon goes to the land of Ishmael. He is bound and taken to the king of the land - King Lamoni. King Lamoni asks Ammon if he wants to stay in Ishmael or return to the Nephites, and Ammon tells him that his desire is to dwell among the Lamanites perhaps until the day he dies. This (for some reason) makes King Lamoni so happy that he offers Ammon one of his daughters as a wife.  Ammon responds, "Nay, but I will be thy servant." 

This says a lot about Ammon, instead of taking a princess for a wife he would rather be a servant. Like is earlier decision to not become the Nephite king, he would rather be a missionary. He knew what was most important on an eternal scale.

Ammon works with other servants, watching the kings sheep. While they are "watering" their sheep, other Lamanites scatter the kings sheep. The servants Ammon is working with murmur and even cry because they feared being slain by the king like previous servants had been when the flocks were scattered. Ammon takes this opportunity to show what he is capable of. He tells them not to worry and they gather the sheep together and preserve the flocks so the king wont slay them. The "bad" Lamanites try to scatter the flock again, but the servants encircle them while Ammon goes to contend with these men...

It is written that "they were in number not a few. "

35 "Therefore, they did not fear Ammon, for they supposed that one of their men could slay him according to their pleasure, for they knew not that the Lord had promised Mosiah that He would deliver his sons out of their hands..."

36 But ^aAmmon stood forth and began to cast stones at them with his sling; yea, with mighty power he did sling stones amongst them; and thus he slew a ^bcertain number of them insomuch that they began to be astonished at his power; nevertheless they were angry because of the slain of their brethren, and they were determined that he should fall; therefore, seeing that they ^ccould not hit him with their stones, they came forth with clubs to slay him.

  37 But behold, every man that lifted his club to smite Ammon, he smote off their arms with his sword; for he did withstand their blows by smiting their arms with the edge of his sword, insomuch that they began to be astonished, and began to flee before him; yea, and they were not few in number; and he caused them to flee by the strength of his arm.

  38 Now six of them had fallen by the sling, but he ^aslew none save it were their leader with his sword; and he smote off as many of their arms as were lifted against him, and they were not a few.

  39 And when he had driven them afar off, he returned and they watered their flocks and returned them to the pasture of the king, and then went in unto the king, bearing the arms which had been smitten off by the sword of Ammon, of those who sought to slay him; and they were carried in unto the king for a testimony of the things which they had done.

Come back for the rest of the story!!!