The Collected Works. Joseph Smith Jr.
father, Mosiah, in the first year of the judges; having refused
the kingdom which their father was desirous to confer upon them,
and also this was the minds of the people;
Alma 17:7
7 Nevertheless they departed out of the land of Zarahemla, and
took their swords, and their spears, and their bows, and their
arrows, and their slings; and this they did that they might
provide food for themselves while in the wilderness.
Alma 17:8
8 And thus they departed into the wilderness with their numbers
which they had selected, to go up to the land of Nephi, to preach
the word of God unto the Lamanites.
Alma 17:9
9 And it came to pass that they journeyed many days in the
wilderness, and they fasted much and prayed much that the Lord
would grant unto them a portion of his Spirit to go with them,
and abide with them, that they might be an instrument in the
hands of God to bring, if it were possible, their brethren, the
Lamanites, to the knowledge of the truth, to the knowledge of the
baseness of the traditions of their fathers, which were not
correct.
Alma 17:10
10 And it came to pass that the Lord did visit them with his
Spirit, and said unto them: Be comforted. And they were
comforted.
Alma 17:11
11 And the Lord said unto them also: Go forth among the
Lamanites, thy brethren, and establish my word; yet ye shall be
patient in long-suffering and afflictions, that ye may show forth
good examples unto them in me, and I will make an instrument of
thee in my hands unto the salvation of many souls.
Alma 17:12
12 And it came to pass that the hearts of the sons of Mosiah,
and also those who were with them, took courage to go forth unto
the Lamanites to declare unto them the word of God.
Alma 17:13
13 And it came to pass when they had arrived in the borders of
the land of the Lamanites, that they separated themselves and
departed one from another, trusting in the Lord that they should
meet again at the close of their harvest; for they supposed that
great was the work which they had undertaken.
Alma 17:14
14 And assuredly it was great, for they had undertaken to preach
the word of God to a wild and a hardened and a ferocious people;
a people who delighted in murdering the Nephites, and robbing and
plundering them; and their hearts were set upon riches, or upon
gold and silver, and precious stones; yet they sought to obtain
these things by murdering and plundering, that they might not
labor for them with their own hands.
Alma 17:15
15 Thus they were a very indolent people, many of whom did
worship idols, and the curse of God had fallen upon them because
of the traditions of their fathers; notwithstanding the promises
of the Lord were extended unto them on the conditions of
repentance.
Alma 17:16
16 Therefore, this was the cause for which the sons of Mosiah
had undertaken the work, that perhaps they might bring them unto
repentance; that perhaps they might bring them to know of the
plan of redemption.
Alma 17:17
17 Therefore they separated themselves one from another, and
went forth among them, every man alone, according to the word and
power of God which was given unto him.
Alma 17:18
18 Now Ammon being the chief among them, or rather he did
administer unto them, and he departed from them, after having
blessed them according to their several stations, having imparted
the word of God unto them, or administered unto them before his
departure; and thus they took their several journeys throughout
the land.
Alma 17:19
19 And Ammon went to the land of Ishmael, the land being called
after the sons of Ishmael, who also became Lamanites.
Alma 17:20
20 And as Ammon entered the land of Ishmael, the Lamanites took
him and bound him, as was their custom to bind all the Nephites
who fell into their hands, and carry them before the king; and
thus it was left to the pleasure of the king to slay them, or to
retain them in captivity, or to cast them into prison, or to cast
them out of his land, according to his will and pleasure.
Alma 17:21
21 And thus Ammon was carried before the king who was over the
land of Ishmael; and his name was Lamoni; and he was a descendant
of Ishmael.
Alma 17:22
22 And the king inquired of Ammon if it were his desire to dwell
in the land among the Lamanites, or among his people.
Alma 17:23
23 And Ammon said unto him: Yea, I desire to dwell among this
people for a time; yea, and perhaps until the day I die.
Alma 17:24
24 And it came to pass that king Lamoni was much pleased with
Ammon, and caused that his bands should be loosed; and he would
that Ammon should take one of his daughters to wife.
Alma 17:25
25 But Ammon said unto him: Nay, but I will be thy servant.
Therefore Ammon became a servant to king Lamoni. And it came to
pass that he was set among other servants to watch the flocks of
Lamoni, according to the custom of the Lamanites.
Alma 17:26
26 And after he had been in the service of the king three days,
as he was with the Lamanitish servants going forth with their
flocks to the place of water, which was called the water of
Sebus, and all the Lamanites drive their flocks hither, that they
may have water—
Alma 17:27
27 Therefore, as Ammon and the servants of the king were driving
forth their flocks to this