Post by Abish –
The reason I’m telling this story is because Ammon begged me to. He said that I was the only one who knew the whole story. Even he wasn’t eyewitness to the whole of it. And remember, it was many years ago this happened so forgive me if I don’t include some details I forgot. Ammon also asked me to introduce myself since you probably don’t know me.
My name is Abish. I have been a servant to the queen and king for many years. I am a Lamanite, but several years ago my father had a remarkable vision which caused me to become converted to the Lord. Nobody in the king’s court knew much of that, but I have tried to be a true follower of the Lord as best as I can, even living with the Lamanites who don’t believe.
When Ammon came to teach King Lamoni, it was really exciting because finally my prayers were getting answered and God was trying to convert more Lamanites. I wouldn’t be alone in my beliefs anymore. I tried to listen to everything Ammon was teaching.
At first it was exciting because after Ammon taught King Lamoni and the king prayed and begged God for forgiveness, he collapsed as if he were dead. His servants picked him up and took him into the queen and put him on his bed.
Ammon wasn’t worried about it. He said it was a good thing. I didn’t know what he was talking about. The king dead? Ammon told me he wasn’t dead but only sleeping. But I didn’t say anything.
But then two days passed, and things were getting really tense. The queen was getting pressure from the other servants. They said the king was dead and they should put him in a sepulcher. The queen heard about Ammon and what he did with the sheep and that when he taught her husband he fell down. So, the queen told the servants to go get Ammon.
When Ammon came in, I thought he should be a little scared because the queen was frantic about her maybe-dead husband. Ammon acted innocent and asked the queen what she wanted. I was sure Ammon knew exactly what the queen wanted, but he asked all innocently anyway. The queen told Ammon that the king’s servants claimed that Ammon was a prophet of a holy God and that he could do mighty works. She asked Ammon to go see if her husband the king was dead. For two days and two nights the king had laid motionless on his bed. She said some of the servants said he stinks, but she didn’t think so.
After it was over Ammon told me that’s just what he wanted. He knew King Lamoni was under the power of God and that the dark veil of unbelief was being cast away and that the light of God was at work. I knew what that light is like. When my father had his incredible vision, darkness was cast from my mind. Light filled my mind. I was filled with the light of the glory of God, which is a marvelous light of God’s goodness. That was happening to King Lamoni. The same light that infused joy into my soul and dispelled the cloud of darkness that we Lamanites are under, did that same thing to the king. When it happened to me and my family, we didn’t get carried away but it was beautiful.
So Ammon went in and although he knew the king wasn’t dead he told the queen that he was sleeping in God and that the next day he would rise again and so they shouldn’t bury him.
She said she believed him. Ammon complemented her faith and they waited until the next day for the king to rise. And he rose. He stretched out his hand to his queen, and said: “Blessed be the name of God, and blessed art thou. For as sure as you live, behold, I have seen my Redeemer; and he will come forth, and be born of a woman, and he shall redeem all mankind who believe on his name.”
It was interesting to me that after three days the first thing he does when he wakes up is to testify about his redeemer. But more interesting and what started all the real trouble was when his heart swelled up and he sunk again being overpowered by the spirit, but this time the queen sunk with him. Both of them laying on the ground.
Ammon loved that. He fell to his knees and poured out his soul to the Lord in thanksgiving. Then he fell over. That scared everybody so they all started praying to the Lord until they all passed out and fell to the ground. I knew it was the power of God. Then I had this idea that it might be an opportunity to teach everyone so I went around telling everyone what happened. I went house to house hoping it would cause everyone to believe. Well, everybody showed up and gathered around.
It didn’t look so good. Nobody but me understood what happened. All they saw was the king and the queen lying dead along with all their servants. I didn’t think that through very well. And what was worse, a Nephite, Ammon was laying there with them. The people started thinking and saying all sorts of things. It got contentious and they blamed Ammon. They blamed the King for keeping Ammon. The men who were at the Waters of Sebus who had some of their friends killed and arms chopped off saw an opportunity to finally get even and kill Ammon.
Then the brother of one of the ones Ammon killed with the sword pulled his sword and tried to kill Ammon. I just about fainted myself because I was the one that pulled this crowd together. But when the man was about to kill Ammon, he dropped dead.
Now everyone was in shock. So from accusing Ammon of being a monster, to him being the Great Spirit, everyone argued. I was heartbroken that I caused all the contention. I was in tears. I didn’t know what to do, so I took the queen by the hand that perhaps I might wake her up to stop the hostility. The queen stood up and cried with a loud voice, “O blessed Jesus, who has saved me from an awful hell! O blessed God, have mercy on this people!”
She said a lot of other things but then she took the king by the hand and he got up immediately. When he saw the contention, he immediately began to calm everyone down. I will let Ammon tell the rest. But I must say, I am so glad the queen woke up and I wasn’t in too much trouble for bringing everyone in to see the miracle. But more than that, I love that God converted King Lamoni’s whole court. I am no longer alone in my faith.
Alma 19:13-31. About 90 B.C.
