Brief Biography
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.
Insights into the Words and Phrases
Ammon Son of Mosiah
Did you know that the Lamanites’ dramatic conversion reminded Ammon of his own?
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).
Key Insights
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 we read Ammon's words, we also can recognize how merciful God can be to those who repent and place their trust in Him.
Ammon and Agriculture
Did you know that Ammon son of Mosiah II uses words associated with agriculture to describe the Lord’s tender care of His people?
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).
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 we read Ammon’s words, we should ponder how kind and merciful the Lord is to us and those around us, as He guides us to places and experiences that can bless, strengthen, and save us.