This lesson focuses on the teachings of Ammon and the sons for Mosiah to the Lamanites. It covers Alma chapters 17 through 22.

1. THEY TAUGHT WITH THE POWER AND
AUTHORITY OF GOD
Book of Mormon Gospel Doctrine Lesson 25
Alma 17-22

2. INTRODUCTION
➤ Girls camp marble run game
➤ The girls really wanted to see
the end result
➤ They would risk not getting
the ball in the basket because
they would leave their post
➤ In the gospel we each have
certain roles to play.
➤ Ammon & the other sons of
Mosiah had specific roles to
play. Their missionary work
changed the course of
Lamanite history but they
didn’t get to see it all.

3. REVIEW
➤ Alma & Amulek teaching in Ammonihah
➤ Converts are killed and exiled
➤ Zeezrom is healed and converted
➤ They begin a strong branch in Sidom (Nephite)
➤ Ammonihah is destroyed in one day by the Lamanites
➤ Alma chapters 17 to 26 are about the teaching and suffering
of the Sons of Mosiah on their missions

4. THE SONS OF MOSIAH PREACH THE GOSPEL TO THE LAMANITES
➤ Alma 17:1-2
➤ They rejoiced in strength (true friendship)
➤ They didn’t rest on their testimony from the angel, they searched the
scriptures and “waxed” strong
➤ Alma 17:3
➤ If we don’t feel the spirit of revelation, what should we do?
➤ Give yourself! Pray, fast, study, testify, serve
➤ Alma 17:9-11
➤ They had been teaching for 14 years. What was their goal?
➤ Instrument of God (tool or music). What would the music of God sound like?
What would the architecture of God look like?
➤ ATOT: Helping with mormon.org campaign. I played a small role but watching it roll
out was incredible. I could never have envisioned it all.

5. AMMON TEACHES IN THE LAND OF ISHMAEL
➤ Alma 17:17-18
➤ Ammon blesses them and then they separate.
➤ Ammon goes to the land of Ishmael and is immediately captured and brought
before the king
➤ Alma 17:22-25
➤ Miss. tactic #1: Blend in, get to know the people
➤ He was the son of a king, how much experience did he have at herding
(sheep?)? Why did he accept?
➤ Alma 17:26-34 (summarize story)
➤ The various herds come to Sebus to water the flocks. Other herders stand and
scatter the flocks twice. Why?
➤ Alma 17:35 & 18:7, They were bullies, pirates
➤ Miss. tactic #2: Be engaged in a cause together (vs 29-31, “we”)

6. AMMON’S REACTION
➤ Why didn’t he use his sling the first
time?
➤ Alma 17:36-37
➤ Alma 17: 38-39, “not a few” :)
➤ Alma 18:1-9 (summarize)
➤ All the servants testify before the
king, he’s worried because he
killed so many others.
➤ Ammon is feeding the horses
➤ Alma 18:10-11, he’s conflicted
➤ Alma 18:16-17, what does he teach
first?
➤ Miss. Tactic #3: Humility
➤ Alma 18:22-23, Ammon’s bargain

7. THE TEACHING OF KING LAMONI
➤ Alma 18:24-28
➤ Miss. Tactic #4: Use what they know and build
➤ Bruce R. McConkie’s 3 Pillars of Eternity
➤ The Creation, The Fall, The Atonement
➤ Alma 18:29-34 (summ), The creation
➤ Alma 18:35-36 (summ), The fall
➤ Alma 18:39, The atonement
➤ Alma 18:40, This was entirely new doctrine yet he believed whole-
heartedly.
➤ What happens? He’s overwhelmed and collapses for 2 days.
Ammon had experience this in his youth.

8. LAMONI RESTS AND THE QUEEN WORRIES
➤ Lamoni is about to be buried but the queen intervenes. She goes to Ammon.
➤ Alma 19:4,8-10 She didn’t see any of the miracles, yet she believes
➤ D&C 46:13-14, given to believe on their words
➤ Alma 19:11, She watches and waits
➤ Alma 19:12-13, What are his first words to her?
➤ He must have learned of the creation and the critical role of marriage and family.
➤ Lamoni, the queen, Ammon and the servants all fall to the Earth. Abish remains.
Why?
➤ Alma 19:16-17, her role was to witness and testify.
➤ It doesn’t go well. Multitudes rush in and are angry
➤ Alma 19:22-23, Similar to Hannah’s promise with Samuel
➤ Amish touches the queen and she rises and then the King rises and teaches.
➤ Alma 19:35-36, Many convert and build a church

9. AMMON GOES TO MIDDONI
➤ Alma 20:1-2, Lamoni wants to teach his Dad. They are instructed to go to Middoni
instead to save his brothers.
➤ They meet with the King in vs 8, why couldn’t they go to the palace? Trust in God’s
plan. They needed his sword.
➤ Alma 20:3-16 (summ).
➤ They run into the King and Lamoni shares his testimony with him but the King
doesn’t get it.
➤ The king commands that Lamoni kill Ammon. The king tries to kill Lamoni (Ammon
warns about losing his soul)
➤ The king tries to kill Ammon. Ammon has a ‘Thor’ moment and disarms him (vs
20-21)
➤ Ammon makes another bargain (vs 24): What does he ask for?
➤ Lives of his brothers, freedom for Lamoni
➤ Alma 20:29-30, They find the brothers. They had power to shake the walls of the prison,
why didn’t the Lord do that? Jacob 5:21-22 (poor spot of ground)

10. AARON’S MINISTRY TO THE LAMANITES
➤ After the split, Aaron goes to Jerusalem (apostate city)
➤ Worst of the Lamanites (vs 3)
➤ Nephite apostates
➤ Decen. of priests of Noah
➤ Order of Nehor (all men saved in their sins)
➤ He contends with them in the synagogues over false doctrine
➤ Alma 21:9, He teaches from the scriptures
➤ He teaches in Ani-Anti, finds his brother and they go to Middoni and are cast into
prison.
➤ Alma 21:14-16, despite all that, they go forth!
➤ Their story is so different from Ammon’s.
➤ ATOT: Jason’s mission vs. Andy’s

11. AMMON AND LAMONI GO BACK TO THE LAND OF ISHMAEL
➤ Ammon and Lamoni go back and build churches
➤ Alma 21:21-22, Lamoni becomes a King Benjamin figure
➤ He offers freedom, a natural extension of faith
➤ Alma 21:23, Ammon teaches, they become zealous in the faith
➤ Alma 22:1-2, Aaron and his brethren go straight to the house of
the King
➤ Alma 22:3, They try Aaron’s tactic
➤ ATOT: Jason singing on doorsteps in the Canary Islands
➤ Alma 22:7-12 (summ), They teach the same pillars
➤ The creation (13), The fall (13), The atonement (14)

12. THE KING CONVERTS
➤ Alma 22:15-16, What is he offering?
➤ To give up his kingdom is to give up his line, the security of his
people, it is a huge offering
➤ Aaron’s steps to conversion:
➤ 1. be humble, 2. repent, 3. call on his name, 4. believe
➤ Alma 22:17-18, The king’s response
➤ He’s probably never knelt before anyone yet he does it without
hesitation
➤ Alma 22:19-25, He is overwhelmed by the Spirit
➤ Alma 22:26-35, He teaches and makes way for the missionaries to
teach by sending a proclamation to all the land.

13. CONCLUSION
➤ Our will is the only thing we can put on God’s altar
➤ Neal A. Maxwell
➤ “...Many of us are kept from eventual consecration because we mistakenly think
that, somehow, by letting our will be swallowed up in the will of God we lose our
individuality (see Mosiah 15:7). What we are really worried about, of course, is
giving up not self but selfish things-like our roles, our time, our preeminence, and
our possessions. No wonder we are instructed by the Savior to lose ourselves (see
Luke 9:24). He is only asking us to lose the old self in order to find the new self. It
is a question not of one’s losing identity but of finding one’s true identity.”
➤ “...The submission of one’s will is placing on God’s altar the only uniquely
personal thing one has to place there. The many other things we ‘give’ are actually
the things He has already given or loaned to us. However, when we finally submit
ourselves by letting our individual wills be swallowed up in God’s will, we will
really be giving something to Him! It is the only possession which is truly ours to
give. Consecration thus constitutes the only unconditional surrender which is also
a total victory.”