The Essential Works of Joseph Smith. Joseph Smith Jr.
from the
land of Middoni to the land of Ishmael, which was the land of
their inheritance.
Alma 21:19
19 And king Lamoni would not suffer that Ammon should serve him,
or be his servant.
Alma 21:20
20 But he caused that there should be synagogues built in the
land of Ishmael; and he caused that his people, or the people who
were under his reign, should assemble themselves together.
Alma 21:21
21 And he did rejoice over them, and he did teach them many
things. And he did also declare unto them that they were a
people who were under him, and that they were a free people, that
they were free from the oppressions of the king, his father; for
that his father had granted unto him that he might reign over the
people who were in the land of Ishmael, and in all the land round
about.
Alma 21:22
22 And he also declared unto them that they might have the
liberty of worshiping the Lord their God according to their
desires, in whatsoever place they were in, if it were in the land
which was under the reign of king Lamoni.
Alma 21:23
23 And Ammon did preach unto the people of king Lamoni; and it
came to pass that he did teach them all things concerning things
pertaining to righteousness. And he did exhort them daily, with
all diligence; and they gave heed unto his word, and they were
zealous for keeping the commandments of God.
Alma 22 Chapter 22
Alma 22:1
1 Now, as Ammon was thus teaching the people of Lamoni
continually, we will return to the account of Aaron and his
brethren; for after he departed from the land of Middoni he was
led by the Spirit to the land of Nephi, even to the house of the
king which was over all the land save it were the land of
Ishmael; and he was the father of Lamoni.
Alma 22:2
2 And it came to pass that he went in unto him into the king's
palace, with his brethren, and bowed himself before the king, and
said unto him: Behold, O king, we are the brethren of Ammon, whom
thou hast delivered out of prison.
Alma 22:3
3 And now, O king, if thou wilt spare our lives, we will be thy
servants. And the king said unto them: Arise, for I will grant
unto you your lives, and I will not suffer that ye shall be my
servants; but I will insist that ye shall administer unto me; for
I have been somewhat troubled in mind because of the generosity
and the greatness of the words of thy brother Ammon; and I desire
to know the cause why he has not come up out of Middoni with
thee.
Alma 22:4
4 And Aaron said unto the king: Behold, the Spirit of the Lord
has called him another way; he has gone to the land of Ishmael,
to teach the people of Lamoni.
Alma 22:5
5 Now the king said unto them: What is this that ye have said
concerning the Spirit of the Lord? Behold, this is the thing
which doth trouble me.
Alma 22:6
6 And also, what is this that Ammon said—If ye will repent ye
shall be saved, and if ye will not repent, ye shall be cast off
at the last day?
Alma 22:7
7 And Aaron answered him and said unto him: Believest thou that
there is a God? And the king said: I know that the Amalekites
say that there is a God, and I have granted unto them that they
should build sanctuaries, that they may assemble themselves
together to worship him. And if now thou sayest there is a God,
behold I will believe.
Alma 22:8
8 And now when Aaron heard this, his heart began to rejoice, and
he said: Behold, assuredly as thou livest, O king, there is a
God.
Alma 22:9
9 And the king said: Is God that Great Spirit that brought our
fathers out of the land of Jerusalem?
Alma 22:10
10 And Aaron said unto him: Yea, he is that Great Spirit, and he
created all things both in heaven and in earth. Believest thou
this?
Alma 22:11
11 And he said: Yea, I believe that the Great Spirit created all
things, and I desire that ye should tell me concerning all these
things, and I will believe thy words.
Alma 22:12
12 And it came to pass that when Aaron saw that the king would
believe his words, he began from the creation of Adam, reading
the scriptures unto the king—how God created man after his own
image, and that God gave him commandments, and that because of
transgression, man had fallen.
Alma 22:13
13 And Aaron did expound unto him the scriptures from the
creation of Adam, laying the fall of man before him, and their
carnal state and also the plan of redemption, which was prepared
from the foundation of the world, through Christ, for all
whosoever would believe on his name.
Alma 22:14
14 And since man had fallen he could not merit anything of
himself; but the sufferings and death of Christ atone for their
sins, through faith and repentance, and so forth; and that he
breaketh the bands of death, that the grave shall have no
victory, and that the sting of death should be swallowed up in
the hopes of glory; and Aaron did expound all these things unto
the king.
Alma 22:15
15 And it came to pass that after Aaron had expounded these
things unto him, the king said: What shall I do that I may have
this eternal life of which thou hast spoken? Yea, what shall I
do that I may be born of God, having this wicked spirit rooted
out of my breast, and receive his Spirit, that I may be filled