The Book Of Alma (Chap. 17)

Alma 17:1
And now it came to pass that as Alma was journeying from the
land of Gideon southward, away to the land of Manti, behold, to
his astonishment, he met with the sons of Mosiah journeying
towards the land of Zarahemla.

Alma 17:2
Now these sons of Mosiah were with Alma at the time the angel
first appeared unto him; therefore Alma did rejoice exceedingly
to see his brethren; and what added more to his joy, they were
still his brethren in the Lord; yea, and they had waxed strong in
the knowledge of the truth; for they were men of a sound
understanding and they had searched the scriptures diligently,
that they might know the word of God.

Alma 17:3
But this is not all; they had given themselves to much prayer,
and fasting; therefore they had the spirit of prophecy, and the
spirit of revelation, and when they taught, they taught with
power and authority of God.

Alma 17:4
And they had been teaching the word of God for the space of
fourteen years among the Lamanites, having had much success in
bringing many to the knowledge of the truth; yea, by the power of
their words many were brought before the altar of God, to call on
his name and confess their sins before him.

Alma 17:5
Now these are the circumstances which attended them in their
journeyings, for they had many afflictions; they did suffer much,
both in body and in mind, such as hunger, thirst and fatigue, and
also much labor in the spirit.

Alma 17:6
Now these were their journeyings: Having taken leave of their
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
And Ammon went to the land of Ishmael, the land being called
after the sons of Ishmael, who also became Lamanites.

Alma 17:20
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
Therefore, as Ammon and the servants of the king were driving
forth their flocks to this place of water, behold, a certain
number of the Lamanites, who had been with their flocks to water,
stood and scattered the flocks of Ammon and the servants of the
king, and they scattered them insomuch that they fled many ways.

Alma 17:28
Now the servants of the king began to murmur, saying: Now the
king will slay us, as he has our brethren because their flocks
were scattered by the wickedness of these men. And they began to
weep exceedingly, saying: Behold, our flocks are scattered
already.

Alma 17:29
Now they wept because of the fear of being slain. Now when
Ammon saw this his heart was swollen within him with joy; for,
said he, I will show forth my power unto these my
fellow-servants, or the power which is in me, in restoring these
flocks unto the king, that I may win the hearts of these my
fellow-servants, that I may lead them to believe in my words.

Alma 17:30
And now, these were the thoughts of Ammon, when he saw the
afflictions of those whom he termed to be his brethren.

Alma 17:31
And it came to pass that he flattered them by his words,
saying: My brethren, be of good cheer and let us go in search of
the flocks, and we will gather them together and bring them back
unto the place of water; and thus we will preserve the flocks
unto the king and he will not slay us.

Alma 17:32
And it came to pass that they went in search of the flocks,
and they did follow Ammon, and they rushed forth with much
swiftness and did head the flocks of the king, and did gather
them together again to the place of water.

Alma 17:33
And those men again stood to scatter their flocks; but Ammon
said unto his brethren: Encircle the flocks round about that they
flee not; and I go and contend with these men who do scatter our
flocks.

Alma 17:34
Therefore, they did as Ammon commanded them, and he went
forth and stood to contend with those who stood by the waters of
Sebus; and they were in number not a few.

Alma 17:35
Therefore they did not fear Ammon, for they supposed that one
of their men could slay him according to their pleasure, for they
knew not that the Lord had promised Mosiah that he would deliver
his sons out of their hands; neither did they know anything
concerning the Lord; therefore they delighted in the destruction
of their brethren; and for this cause they stood to scatter the
flocks of the king.

Alma 17:36
But Ammon stood forth and began to cast stones at them with
his sling; yea, with mighty power he did sling stones amongst
them; and thus he slew a certain number of them insomuch that
they began to be astonished at his power; nevertheless they were
angry because of the slain of their brethren, and they were
determined that he should fall; therefore, seeing that they could
not hit him with their stones, they came forth with clubs to slay
him.

Alma 17:37
But behold, every man that lifted his club to smite Ammon, he
smote off their arms with his sword; for he did withstand their
blows by smiting their arms with the edge of his sword, insomuch
that they began to be astonished, and began to flee before him;
yea, and they were not few in number; and he caused them to flee
by the strength of his arm.

Alma 17:38
Now six of them had fallen by the sling, but he slew none
save it were their leader with his sword; and he smote off as
many of their arms as were lifted against him, and they were not
a few.

Alma 17:39
And when he had driven them afar off, he returned and they
watered their flocks and returned them to the pasture of the
king, and then went in unto the king, bearing the arms which had
been smitten off by the sword of Ammon, of those who sought to
slay him; and they were carried in unto the king for a testimony
of the things which they had done.