The account of how Ammon and Aaron established the Church among the Lamanites, beginning with the ruling royal families, illustrates the effective partnership between valiant missionaries and the Spirit of our Father in Heaven. When the Lord sends us to deliver the truth, we must do it in faith, boldly, fearing nothing. As Paul confirmed: “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach, except they be sent?” (Romans 10:13–15).
In our latter days there is ample opportunity to exhibit boldness on behalf of the kingdom of God. On December 1, 1831, in Hiram, Ohio, Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon received what is now Doctrine and Covenants Section 71, a commandment to set aside for a season their translation of the Bible and instead preach the gospel in the communities round about. The purpose for this new campaign was to use the truth to counteract the negative publicity being engendered at the time by anti-Mormon articles being published by defector Ezra Booth (see HC 1:215–217, 238–239): “Wherefore, confound your enemies; call upon them to meet you both in public and in private; and inasmuch as ye are faithful their shame shall be made manifest. Wherefore, let them bring forth their strong reasons against the Lord. Verily, thus saith the Lord unto you—there is no weapon that is formed against you shall prosper” (D&C 71:7–9). Joseph and Sidney were required to tap deeply into their spiritual faith to trust in the Lord for victory. And victory they obtained. For the next five or six weeks they labored diligently, “setting forth the truth, vindicating the cause of our Redeemer; showing that the day of vengeance was coming upon this generation like a thief in the night” (HC 1:241). Thus we see that the truth, delivered in the boldness of the Spirit, establishes the Lord’s kingdom. Truth is an irrepressible weapon against folly, lies, bigotry, and darkness.
I recall from my experiences as a missionary in Germany many years ago an incident that happened in the city of Kassel. One of our missionaries serving in that city became aware of a series of anti-Mormon lectures being given by the minister of one of the large local congregations. This missionary and his companion therefore decided to attend the next lecture. For a time they listened silently from a bench in the rear of the large cathedral as the minister blasphemed the Church from his elevated pulpit before a receptive congregation of over a thousand. After a while, the young elder became more and more restless at the waves of lies and falsehoods emanating from the pulpit. As he later described it, he felt as though he were being lifted to his feet by an unseen force and propelled down the center aisle of the church to a position directly below the pulpit. He proceeded immediately to proclaim the words given to him by the Spirit of the Lord, as he described it, in order to refute every falsehood being proclaimed in the name of truth. He then bore fervent witness of the truth of the restored gospel, after which he and his companion distributed hundreds of tracts to the astounded parishioners leaving the building afterwards. This incident of courage and humble guidance by the Spirit opened many doors in that city to missionary work. (Richard J. Allen)