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TitleThe Faithfulness of Ammon
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2014
AuthorsBowen, Matthew L.
JournalReligious Educator: Perspectives on the Restored Gospel
Volume15
Issue2
Pagination64-89
KeywordsAmmon (Son of King Mosiah); Faith; Intertextuality; King David; King Lamoni; Missionary Work; Name; Old Testament
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.

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