The Queen Believes Ammon

After two days and nights, the king’s servants were about to put him into a tomb. The queen had heard of Ammon’s fame, so she sent for him. Ammon went to the queen and asked her what she wanted him to do. She said, “My husband’s servants told me that you are a prophet of a holy God, and that you have power to do many mighty works in His name. If this is true, I want you to go to my husband, for he has been on his bed for two days and nights. Some say he is not dead, but others say he is, and they want to take him away. As for me, I do not think he is dead.”

This is what Ammon wanted to hear, for he knew king Lamoni was under the power of God. He knew the marvelous light of God’s glory, the light of everlasting life, had brought Lamoni such joy that it had overcome his natural body. The cloud of darkness had left Lamoni and he had been carried away in God.

So Ammon went with the queen to see the king. He told the queen, “He is not dead, but he sleeps in God. Tomorrow he will rise, so do not bury him. Do you believe me?” The queen answered, “I have only your word and the word of our servants, but I do believe my husband will rise as you said.” Ammon replied, “You are blessed because of your great faith; a faith never known among all the Nephites.” The queen sat by her husband all night. In the morning the king awoke, and holding out his hand to the queen he said, “Blessed is the name of God, and you are blessed too, for as surely as you live, I have seen my Redeemer. He will be born of a mortal woman and will redeem all who will believe in Him.” Lamoni’s heart was so full of joy that he was overcome again. The queen was also overpowered by the Spirit, and she, too, collapsed.

Seeing the Lord’s Spirit being poured out according to his prayers, Ammon fell upon his knees and began to pour out his soul in thanksgiving to God for what He had done for his brethren. Ammon was also overpowered with joy, and he collapsed near the king and queen. When the servants who had witnessed Ammon’s great power saw him on the ground, they began to pray to God, fearing His power. As each servant prayed to God with his might, he fell unconscious.

Soon they had all fallen, except one woman named Abish. She had been converted to the Lord many years earlier because of a remarkable vision her father had received. Abish had never told anyone about her conversion to the Lord. When she saw all the servants, the queen, the king, and Ammon fallen, she knew it was by God’s power. Abish felt this was her opportunity to help many souls believe in God’s power, so she ran from house to house, telling the people to come and see what the Lord’s power had done.

A crowd came to the king’s house, and to their astonishment, they saw the king, the queen, and their servants lying on the ground as if they were dead. They also saw Ammon, a Nephite. Some said a great evil had come upon the king and his house for letting a Nephite stay in the land. Others argued, “The king has brought this evil upon his own house by having his servants killed, whose flocks were scattered at the waters of Sebus.”

The men who had scattered the flocks had also gathered with the crowd. They argued with those who said evil had come upon the king for killing his servants. They were angry with Ammon because he had killed seven of their brethren. The brother of their leader, whom Ammon had killed with his sword, was very angry with Ammon. He drew his sword and rushed to where Ammon lay, and as he lifted his sword to kill him, he fell dead.

Ammon could not be killed, for the Lord had said to Mosiah, his father, “I will spare him according to your faith.” Because of this, Mosiah trusted his son’s safety to the Lord.

After the crowd saw the man fall dead while trying to kill Ammon, they became afraid. They dared not touch Ammon or anyone else who had fallen. They again wondered what could be the cause of this great power and what these things meant. Many of them said Ammon was the Great Spirit, while others said he was sent by the Great Spirit. Others argued he was a monster who had been sent from the Nephites to torment them. Still others said Ammon was sent by the Great Spirit to afflict them because of their sins, that it was the Great Spirit who had always protected the Nephites by destroying many of their Lamanite brethren.

As the people argued sharply with one another, Abish became sad and began to cry. She then took the queen by the hand with the hope of raising her from the ground. As soon as Abish touched her hand, the queen sat up, stood on her feet and cried out, “Oh blessed Jesus, who has saved me from an awful hell! Oh blessed God, have mercy on this people!” Filled with joy, the queen clasped her hands and said many things to the crowd that they did not understand. Then she took Lamoni’s hand, and he sat up and stood on his feet. Seeing his people arguing, Lamoni quickly went among them to rebuke and teach them Ammon’s words. Those who listened to the king believed him and were converted to the Lord, but many would not listen and went away.

Then Ammon and Lamoni’s servants stood and spoke to the people. They all declared the same thing; that their hearts had been changed, that they had no more desire to do evil. Many of the servants told the people that they had spoken with angels, who had told them of God and His righteousness. Many people believed the servants and were baptized. They became a righteous people and established a church among themselves.

This is how the Lord’s work began among the Lamanites, and how He began to pour out His Spirit upon them. From this we learn that the Lord will extend His arm to all who will repent and believe in Him.