According to Thy Faith

When Ammon, King Lamoni, and the queen all fell to the earth in their rejoicing over the Lord, the people gathered and debated about what had happened. One of those who assembled was the brother of one slain while Ammon defended the flocks of the king. Mormon recorded that he “drew his sword and went forth that he might let it fall upon Ammon, to slay him; and as he lifted the sword to smite him, behold, he fell dead.” Mormon then gave this reason for why the Lord had protected Ammon in that moment: “Now we see that Ammon could not be slain, for the Lord had said unto Mosiah, his father: I will spare him, and it shall be unto him according to thy faith—therefore, Mosiah trusted him unto the Lord” (Alma 19:22-23). Ammon could not be slain because of the promise the Lord made unto his father which was made efficacious because of the faith of Mosiah. So Ammon’s life was preserved because his father, a long distance away and perhaps not even alive by then, had faith in the Lord and His promises. As I have pondered this I was struck by the need for myself to have faith in the Lord on my children’s behalf. I must have faith that my prayers can bless them; faith that the Lord will strengthen them as I help them study the scriptures; faith that as I teach them to pray it will be a protection for them against the powers of the evil one. I need to have faith in my own ability to help guide their lives back to the Savior no matter what challenges we face together. Mosiah held on to the life of his son through his faith in the promises of the Lord, and all of us parents need that kind of faith to bless the lives of our children.  

                Another statement in the story of the sons of Mosiah also struck me as one with an important message for my interaction with my children. After Ammon helped deliver his brethren out of bondage in Middoni, he returned with Lamoni and continued to preach to the people there. We read this of Lamoni: “But he caused that there should be synagogues built in the land of Ishmael; and he caused that his people, or the people who were under his reign, should assemble themselves together. And he did rejoice over them, and he did teach them many things. And he did also declare unto them that they were a people who were under him, and that they were a free people” (Alma 21:20-21). Lamoni clearly had a great love for his people and wanted to do everything he could to help them accept the teachings of Ammon and come unto the Lord. So great was his joy in his people that “he did rejoice over them.” I love that idea—he rejoiced to be with his people and to give them their freedom to choose while at the same time teaching them the truths of the gospel he had just learned. Surely that is an example for parents; we should rejoice over our children, teaching them the gospel with joy and inviting them to come unto the Savior. We need more rejoicing and less remonstrating with our children so that they can find the joy of family and in living the gospel. In all our homes we need more “thanksgiving to God” with words expressing “Blessed be the name of God” like Lamoni instead of the bickering and name calling that often dominates (Alma 19:12,14). We could all follow the example of Ammon who “did preach unto the people of king Lamoni; and it came to pass that he did teach them all things concerning things pertaining to righteousness. And he did exhort them daily, with all diligence; and they gave heed unto his word, and they were zealous for keeping the commandments of God” (Alma 21:23). As we exhort our families daily with diligence we can all find the joy in the “light of the glory of God” like this Lamanite king who turned his life over to the Lord (Alma 19:6).