Brief biography
circa 90-77 B.C.
Ammon was one of the sons of King Mosiah. He, his brothers, and Alma had once been part of a faction that sought to destroy the Church of God. He and his brothers converted after the miraculous intervention of an angel (Mosiah 27:8-37). He spent the remainder of his life in the service of God. He led his brethren on a fourteen-year mission to the land of Nephi, resulting in the conversion of thousands of Lamanites (Alma 17:1-4). His example among that people was a model of faith, selfless service, and love, which had a lasting impact on the people of Nephi for generations.
Total recorded words -- 2,430
Insights into words and phrases
When these converts were in danger of genocide at the hands of other
Lamanites, he led them back to the land of Zarahemla, where they were
permitted to settle under Nephite protection (Alma 27:1-26). He continued to
live among them and served as a high priest (Alma 30:20-21). With the
prophet Alma and several of his brothers, he joined the mission to Antionum
to help reclaim a group of Zoramite dissenters (Alma 31:6).
Ammon's
favorite words include "brethren" (19), "my brethren" (9), "power" (8),
"things" (8), "flocks" (7), "joy" (7), "of God" (7), and "the Lord" (7). He
always mentions power as a gift from God, rather than worldly power over
others. His use of the word "brethren" seems to underscore the love he has
for the Lamanites and his fellow missionaries. Words for God, joy, love, and
blessings reflect the happiness of a humble and successful missionary.
Only Ammon uses the words "fellow servants" (2), "marvelings"
(2), "bounty" (1), "brim" (1), "comprehendeth" (1), "consign" (1),
"defended" (1), "dwells" (1), "garners" (1), "laughed" (1), "penetrate" (1),
"privation" (1), "sickle" (1), "sleepeth" (1), and "smallest" (1). The word
"reason" is 40 times more likely to be spoken by Ammon than by any other
Book of Mormon speaker. Half of the references to the phrase "joy is full"
in the Book of Mormon text are from Ammon. While other Book of Mormon
speakers refer to God's mercy, Ammon is the only one to refer to God as "a
merciful Being" (Alma 26:35).
Ammon's description of Lehi's
people as "a branch of the tree of Israel" that was "lost from its body in a
strange land" (Alma 26:36), seems to draw upon the Zenos Allegory about the
house of Israel as an olive tree, whose branches were scattered to different
places (Jacob 5:3, 14). Ammon also seems to make use of the earlier language
of King Benjamin, his grandfather, who taught that his people should believe
in God, and "believe that he has all wisdom, and all power, both in heaven
and in earth; believe that man doth not comprehend all the things which the
Lord can comprehend" (Mosiah 4:9). Ammon boasted of God, "for he has all
power, all wisdom, and all understanding; he comprehendeth all things" (Alma
26:35). Ammon is also the only Book of Mormon speaker, besides the angel in
Benjamin's speech (Mosiah 3:19), to use the term, "natural man" (Alma
26:21).
Ammon and the sons of Mosiah were with Alma at the time the angel appeared.
Ammon's words appear to be influenced by Alma's description of his
conversion. Alma said, "I was in the darkest abyss; but now I behold the marvelous light of God" (Mosiah 27:29). Ammon says, "Our brethren, the Lamanites, were in
darkness, yea, even in the darkest abyss, but behold, how many of them are brought to
behold the marvelous light of God!" (Alma 26:3).
Ammon is the only Nephite prophet, besides Alma,
to use the word "snatch." Alma marveled, "The Lord in mercy hath seen fit to
snatch me out of an everlasting burning" (Mosiah 27:28), and
"my soul was racked with eternal torment; but I am
snatched, and my soul is pained no more" (Mosiah 27:29). Ammon
asks his brethren, "Who could have supposed that our God would have been so
merciful as to have snatched us from our awful, sinful, and
polluted state?" (Alma 26:17).
Personal application
Ammon's words reflect the love and empathy he has for those he teaches. They also paint a picture of a man who recognizes God's miraculous mercy in his life, his brethren's, and his Lamanite converts'. His language conveys the impression that when he witnessed their conversion, he could not help but think of his own. When you read Ammon's words, you also can recognize how merciful God can be to those who repent and place their trust in Him.
Ammon and Agriculture
Ammon’s use of imagery of the harvest is particularly meaningful. He is the only Book of Mormon prophet to refer to God as "Lord of the harvest" (Alma 26:7). He is the only Lehite prophet to use the words "sheaves," "sickle," and "garner." The words "reap," "ripe," and "field" are used by other Book of Mormon speakers, but Ammon uses those words at a higher rate than anyone else in the Nephite record. The harvest theme is used by many prophets in scripture, but Ammon’s description of the Lord’s preservation of the sheaves sets him apart from others.
Behold, the field was ripe, and blessed are ye, for ye did thrust in the
sickle, and did reap with your might, yea, all the day long did ye labor;
and behold the number of your sheaves! And they shall be gathered into the
garners, that they are not wasted.
Yea, they shall not be
beaten down by the storm at the last day; yea, neither shall they be
harrowed up by the whirlwinds; but when the storm cometh they shall be
gathered together in their place, that the storm cannot penetrate to them;
yea, neither shall they be driven with fierce winds whithersoever the
enemy listeth to carry them.
But behold, they are in the hands
of the Lord of the harvest, and they are his; and he will raise them up at
the last day
(Alma 26:5-7).
Personal application
Ammon’s teachings show that the Lord of the harvest not only knows how to gather His people, but also how to protect, preserve, and seal them from the power of the enemy. When you read Ammon’s words, you might ponder how kind and merciful the Lord has been to you and those around you, as He guides us to places and experiences that can bless, strengthen, and save us.