Post by Ammon
Certainly it was in jest but, maybe not, knowing my brother Aaron, but once we were able to release him from bondage in Midian and I shared my experience in the land of Ishmael with King Lamoni and his people, practically his first question was, “had you seen the king’s daughter before you refused to marry her?”
“Actually I had,” I told him, “she was beautiful. All of God’s daughters are beautiful.” It didn’t satisfy him.
More about Aaron and the others later. We separated ourselves and each of us went individually into different parts of Lamanite country trusting in the power of God which was given to each of us.
I proceeded to the Land of Ishmael which of course was named after Ishmael who departed Jerusalem with Lehi’s family.
As was expected, I was quickly taken, bound, and dragged before King Lamoni. He asked my intentions, was impressed, or desperate, or cunning, but he offered me his daughter to marry. Politically, this could have been a shrewd move. The son of the Nephite king married to a daughter of a Lamanite king. Nonetheless, despite what Aaron teased about, we are called to preach to a ferocious people not marry them.
Satisfied with my intent, I became a flock herder with other of his servants. It only took three days before the Lord set His work into action.
We led Lamoni’s flocks to the water of Sebus, where all the flocks are watered. Surprise, surprise, even the Lamanites have within their people those who torment, disrupt, and injure. Remember, I know what that’s like. I was one of those bent on rebellion. In my first three days, I wasn’t about to fail. This group of troublemakers beat us to Sebus and chose to scatter our flocks. They did it masterfully. Our sheep scattered far and wide. To their joy, my fellow servants lost all hope for their very lives. “Now the king will slay us.” That was a bit harsh, I thought. But they said the king had killed other servants when his flocks were scattered at other times. I found it odd that the king wouldn’t just send out warriors to handle the trouble. Then I realized, he had. He sent me. That sounds a bit prideful, but maybe the king realized I had a bit of confidence, and he did permit me to keep my sword and sling. This Lamoni is not short of wisdom.
I didn’t rejoice in my fellow servants’ fear of being slain but my heart did swell within me, for this gave me an opportunity to do something good so that the Lord could do something great.
I thought that if I could help restore the flocks of the king, a few hearts would be softened. I told my brethren to go with me and gather up the sheep. We did. They were scattered far and wide. Once we gathered them up and approached the water of Sebus again. We faced the same trouble again. I organized our men to encircle our flock so they wouldn’t scatter again. Then I challenged the men at the place of water. There were not only a lot of them, but they delighted in the destruction of others. They looked at me and figured any one of them could slay me with pleasure. Two things they didn’t know. One, the Lord promised He’d protect us, delivering us from the hands of the Lamanites. Two, I’m not bad with a sling and sword. From the Brass Plates, we knew the story of David and Goliath. David had skills he’d honed caring for his father’s sheep, but he had the Lord guiding that stone. I let loose with the Lord’s stones.
Men began to fall. They were shocked at first. By the time the sixth man fell dead, they realized they couldn’t hit me with stones and they charged me with clubs. Every arm raised to club me fell to the earth. My sword was sharp and swift. Though I killed six with the sling, only their leader died by my sword.
Once the waters were cleared, we watered the king’s flocks. We returned to the pasture of the king. I didn’t help, but the servants of the king gathered the severed arms.
This was all on day three.
Book of Mormon – Alma 17
