When we teach one, we teach many. Ammon’s initial outreach is to King Lamoni. Aaron’s initial outreach is to the father of King Lamoni. But there is enormous potential in their missionary activity, because these two royal students of the gospel open the floodgates of opportunity to reach thousands of others.
Missionary work can be a wonderful leveraging enterprise: when we bless the life of one person by bringing him or her into the fold of the Savior, that person, in turn, might bring many more into the fold over time. Thus our efforts can be magnified and multiplied in an endless process of enlarging the circles of spiritual influence, like the proverbial pebble in the pond causing increasing and ever-expanding ripples.
Within these passages of the Book of Mormon we see manifested the joy of helping people come unto Christ. Surely the sons of Mosiah and Alma experience the uplifting feelings described in the Doctrine and Covenants:
Remember the worth of souls is great in the sight of God; …
Wherefore, you are called to cry repentance unto this people.
And if it so be that you should labor all your days in crying repentance unto this people, and bring, save it be one soul unto me, how great shall be your joy with him in the kingdom of my Father!
And now, if your joy will be great with one soul that you have brought unto me into the kingdom of my Father, how great will be your joy if you should bring many souls unto me! (18:10,14–16)
The sons of Mosiah give their all to the Lord. They exemplify the valor and commitment called for by President Ezra Taft Benson: “In a word, we dedicate our all to the work of the Lord—the establishment and growth of his kingdom and the spread of righteousness. This is a major responsibility. We accept gratefully the challenge and pray ever for the Lord’s sustaining power as we go forward. This great work is divine—directed by the Lord Jesus Christ through his church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints” (God, Family, Country: Our Three Great Loyalties [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1974], 50).