King Lamoni Desires Ammon to Meet His Father

George Reynolds, Janne M. Sjodahl

When the Church was satisfactorily established in the Land of Ishmael, Lamoni arranged to pay a visit to his father, the great king in the Land of Nephi, to whom he was desirous of introducing Ammon.

However, the voice of the Lord came to Ammon and warned His servant not to go because the king there would seek his life. But instead thereof, the voice commanded him to proceed to the Land of Middoni, where "thy brother Aaron, and also Muloki and Ammah are in prison."

Ammon immediately began preparations to go to the rescue of his brethren, and when Lamoni heard of his plans he decided to accompany him there.

Lamoni was not deceived by Ammon's resolute decision. The king, who with the queen and his whole household had been converted unto the Lord, was not slow in perceiving the strength of Ammon's divine summons. To be of some help in the purposes of the Lord was Lamoni's greatest desire. The king of Middoni was a friend of his, and was likely, as a favor to Lamoni, to do anything that the king of the Land of Ishmael should ask of him. Yet Lamoni was backward in making his intention known to Ammon.

The king was fully aware, how, only recently, the great power that sustained Ammon was manifested in his own behalf, and that Ammon, himself, had courageously fended off blows that were intended for others. No one, Lamoni knew, could equal Ammon's bravery and skill with the sword and scimitar. Especially was this true when he was in the service of the Great Spirit, whose strength was Ammon's strength, and with it Ammon could do all things. With this thought in his mind, Lamoni, almost apologetically, said to Ammon, "I will go with thee to the Land of Middoni," and then he added, "that I may flatter the king of that land, and he will cast thy brethren out of prison."

However, there was one question in the king's head that bothered him considerably. There had been no one from Middoni in Lamoni's realm who might have divulged to Ammon the secret that Ammon's brethren were imprisoned there. For several days, Ammon had been the king's almost constant companion, and furthermore, any news of the incarceration of Ammon's brethren would have come first to the king. Whence came this knowledge? The king could withhold the query no longer! "Who told thee that thy brethren were in prison? he besought Ammon.

Commentary on the Book of Mormon, Vol. 3

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