Abish was a Lamanite woman, a servant in the household of King Lamoni, who had been converted to the Lord many years earlier on account of a remarkable vision of her father, but had never made her conversion known (Alma 19:16-17). When Ammon’s preaching caused Lamoni, his queen, and his servants to fall to the earth, overcome by the power of God, Abish alone among the women did not fall (Alma 19:16-17).
Recognizing the power of God in the scene, she ran from house to house to gather the people, expecting that the sight would lead them to believe (Alma 19:17). The multitude assembled at the king’s house and found the king, the queen, and the servants lying as though dead, with the Nephite Ammon among them. They began to argue over the cause: some called it an evil that had come because Lamoni allowed a Nephite to stay, others blamed the killings at the waters of Sebus, some said Ammon was the Great Spirit, and others that he was a monster sent to torment them. The contention grew sharp (Alma 19:28).
Seeing the dispute, Abish wept, then took the queen by the hand to raise her. Her act set off a chain the text traces explicitly: the queen arose and cried out, “O blessed Jesus, who has saved me from an awful hell! O blessed God, have mercy on this people!”; the queen then took Lamoni by the hand and he arose; he rebuked the people and taught them what he had heard from Ammon; and many who heard were converted, though others would not listen and departed (Alma 19:29-31). When Ammon and the servants of Lamoni arose, they too testified to the people that their hearts had been changed (Alma 19:29-33).