Why did the king give his son a new name?

Thomas R. Valletta

“When Ammon successfully converted Lamoni and his people, it was necessary for them, and the Lamanites converted by the other sons of Mosiah, to make significant changes in their lives. The first step for the converted Lamanites was to call themselves Anti-Nephi-Lehies, a name chosen after Lamoni’s father, the king over all the land, consulted with ‘Aaron and many of their priests’ regarding a name whereby ‘they might be distinguished from their brethren’ (see Alma 23:16–17). To strengthen this separation further, on his deathbed Lamoni’s father conferred the kingdom upon his other son and changed that son’s name to Anti-Nephi-Lehi (see Alma 24:2–3, 5)” (Coutts, “From a Convert’s Viewpoint,” 427–28).

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