Alma 20:26-27

Brant Gardner

Whether it was part of what Ammon had hoped for or not, certainly the Lord used the occasion to set up the meeting between Aaron and the overking that would lead to perhaps an even greater conversion of Lamanites than what Ammon had achieved. Lamoni’s father is impressed when Ammon asks for much less than he could have, and that the requests had nothing to do with his personal success. Of course, the overking would have assumed that Ammon’s definition of personal success would have been wealth and power, where this true motivation was bringing souls to God.

Lamoni’s father confirms that he had had control over his son, even though his son was a king. He frees him to reign on his own, and then declares that the brothers would be freed. Witnessing the Spirit’s hand in this process, he also requests that someone come to him in his own land to teach him about the things that had so remarkably changed his son, Lamoni. Although unstated, it is possible that Lamoni’s father might have some wonder if Ammon were not “more than a man,” just as his son had originally feared.

Book of Mormon Minute

References