Post by Ammon –
This blog, as has been prophesied by prophets since the days of Nephi, is meant for a people in a future time. We who are posting here talk about what we do, see and say. But right now I want to talk more deeply about the experience of King Lamoni, specifically about the veil of darkness.
I believe the veil of darkness is as real as the light of our Savior Jesus Christ. They cannot both dwell in a person. King Lamoni and his people feared me when they realized I had great power. It wasn’t my power. When they recognized my power was not simply mortal skills, they struggled with what kind of supernatural forces I possessed or what supernatural person I was.
So before I ever taught them, they had a belief there was something more. At one point they thought I might be the Great Spirit sent to punish them for killing one another. How could that fear be real if they didn’t recognize killing was wrong somehow. My point is that in all their lack of the knowledge of God, there was some seed of the understanding of right and wrong. Where did that come from?
However, that seed of understanding right and wrong was smothered by what I am calling a veil of darkness. That seed is buried so deep. What I believe happened is that when the Lord supported my effort, and the Lord loves effort, to help those caring for the king’s sheep, He was simply opening a tiny hole where a tiny sliver of light could penetrate through the veil of darkness and wake the seed of understanding.
As the king admitted he would believe what I taught, in essence, he said he would protect that shaft of light reaching the seed while he listened. As he did, and I taught; beginning with the creation of the world and the fall of Adam and the potential of a Savior, that shaft grew into a beam. The seed began to grow. It eventually overcame the darkness. Blinded by the light, King Lamoni lost consciousness and entered a spiritual state where angels took over the teaching, ministering, and nourishing the seed. As he bore witness, he even saw our Savior, and saw how Christ would be born of Mary, and would atone for our sins. The veil of darkness was completely thrown off.
During his short intermission between his two episodes where his physical body was unconscious, he bore such a strong testimony, that he, his wife the queen, me and many of his servants joined him in a spiritual condition where we were taught directly by angels and the Holy Spirit.
It was during this time when the veil of darkness was being lifted by the light, that our wonderful Abish seized the opportunity to gather others to witness the great miracle of her fellow Lamanites receiving the light and shedding the veil of darkness.
Being overcome by the spirit and falling into unconsciousness is certainly not the only way to become converted and have the veil of darkness lifted. Many of the Lamanites believed in our testimonies. The king, his queen and many of the servants testified of their experiences, and from their testimonies, we gathered many Lamanites of faith. With the grace of a loving and forgiving Father in Heaven, we now have a church of Jesus Christ established among the Lamanites.
Book of Mormon – Alma 19
