Tuesday, May 20, 2014

Lamanite Women Are Amazing

After Lamoni fell into what looked like death, he laid still for three days.  Some people wanted to bury him, but his wife came to Ammon privately and confided that she believed Lamoni was still alive.  She begged Ammon to tell her if her husband was ever going to wake up (btw, can I just insert that I absolutely adore Lamoni's wife?  She has such a tender love for her husband, which is something you just don't see often in royal couples.  I think their relationship is just beautiful!).  Ammon, astonished at the amount of faith she put in him, told her Lamoni would wake the very next day, and so she continued to wait for him.
True to Ammon's word, Lamoni woke and started exclaiming about the mercy and love and glory of Christ, and immediately began to preach to the inhabitants of the room, including his wife, their servants, and Ammon.  Eventually, everyone, including Ammon and Lamoni themselves, were so overcome by the Spirit that they fell into a coma.  Again.
Except for one of the queen's handmaids, a girl named Abish.  Abish had actually been a believer thanks to a vision her father had, but because the Lamanites hated the Nephites she'd had to keep her religion secret.  Now she finally saw a golden opportunity to share her beliefs, and she grabbed it with both hands.  She ran from house to house telling people to go and see what had happened to the king and his household.  Unfortunately, the effects were... less than she had expected.  People certainly went to see, but when they got there, they couldn't agree on what had happened.  Some said the king was cursed because he'd let a Nephite into his household, some said that he was being punished for killing the servants who'd had their flocks scattered, and some (ie, the robbers who'd survived Ammon's defense), claimed Ammon was a monster.  One of them was angry enough with Ammon (who'd killed his brother, who I think was the leader of the robbers) that he actually tried to kill Ammon.
Except, you know, Mosiah, Ammon's father, had obtained a promise from God that his sons would be protected while they were in the wilderness.  When the robber lifted his sword to kill Ammon, lying helpless on the ground, he was struck dead.  Instantly.
This of course sent the rest of the people into an uproar, and no one would touch anyone who had fallen until Abish came back.  She, heartbroken at what she had hoped was the perfect missionary opportunity, took the queen's hand, hoping to do something.  And actually, it worked.  The queen woke up, praising God.  She took Lamoni's hand and he woke up, praising God, and he turned to start teaching those who had gathered.

Fare thee well, friend!
Mira

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