The Faithfulness of Ammon

Title

Publication Type

Journal Article

Year of Publication

2014

Authors

Bowen, Matthew L. (Primary)

Journal

Religious Educator

Pagination

64-89

Volume

15 Issue

2 URL

https://rsc.byu.edu/vol-15-no-2-2014/faithfulness-ammon

Terms of use

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Bibliographic Citation

Abstract

The Lamanite mission became a phenomenal success because of the singleness of Ammon's vision as leader of the mission—his faithfulness to the Lord, his love for Lamoni and the Lamanites, and his total self-abnegation. In this paper I will show how the account of the Lamanite conversions in Alma 17-27 evidences intriguing parallels and contrasts between Ammon's and David's biographies. One of the most striking of these is Lamoni s words regarding Ammon's “faithfulness” in Alma 18:10, which recall Abimelech’s words regarding David’s faithfulness in 1 Samuel 22:14 almost verbatim. I will further suggest that the description of Ammon's “faithfulness” in Alma 18:10 constitutes a wordplay on Ammon's name, emphasizing that his missionary approach was the perfect remedy for Lamanite unbelief.

Journal

Religious Educator 15/2 (2014)

Old Testament

Missionary Work

Faith

Name

Intertextuality

King Lamoni

King David

Ammon (Son of King Mosiah)

The Faithfulness of Ammon

Title