desirest thou of me? But the king answered him not.
Alma 18:16
16 And it came to pass that Ammon, being filled with the Spirit
of God, therefore he perceived the thoughts of the king. And he
said unto him: Is it because thou hast heard that I defended thy
servants and thy flocks, and slew seven of their brethren with
the sling and with the sword, and smote off the arms of others,
in order to defend thy flocks and thy servants; behold, is it
this that causeth thy marvelings?
Alma 18:17
17 I say unto you, what is it, that thy marvelings are so great?
Behold, I am a man, and am thy servant; therefore, whatsoever
thou desirest which is right, that will I do.
Alma 18:18
18 Now when the king had heard these words, he marveled again,
for he beheld that Ammon could discern his thoughts; but
notwithstanding this, king Lamoni did open his mouth, and said
unto him: Who art thou? Art thou that Great Spirit, who knows
all things?
Alma 18:19
19 Ammon answered and said unto him: I am not.
Alma 18:20
20 And the king said: How knowest thou the thoughts of my heart?
Thou mayest speak boldly, and tell me concerning these things;
and also tell me by what power ye slew and smote off the arms of
my brethren that scattered my flocks—
Alma 18:21
21 And now, if thou wilt tell me concerning these things,
whatsoever thou desirest I will give unto thee; and if it were
needed, I would guard thee with my armies; but I know that thou
art more powerful than all they; nevertheless, whatsoever thou
desirest of me I will grant it unto thee.
Alma 18:22
22 Now Ammon being wise, yet harmless, he said unto Lamoni: Wilt
thou hearken unto my words, if I tell thee by what power I do
these things? And this is the thing that I desire of thee.
Alma 18:23
23 And the king answered him, and said: Yea, I will believe all
thy words. And thus he was caught with guile.
Alma 18:24
24 And Ammon began to speak unto him with boldness, and said
unto him: Believest thou that there is a God?
Alma 18:25
25 And he answered, and said unto him: I do not know what that
meaneth.
Alma 18:26
26 And then Ammon said: Believest thou that there is a Great
Spirit?
Alma 18:27
27 And he said, Yea.
Alma 18:28
28 And Ammon said: This is God. And Ammon said unto him again:
Believest thou that this Great Spirit, who is God, created all
things which are in heaven and in the earth?
Alma 18:29
29 And he said: Yea, I believe that he created all things which
are in the earth; but I do not know the heavens.
Alma 18:30
30 And Ammon said unto him: The heavens is a place where God
dwells and all his holy angels.
Alma 18:31
31 And king Lamoni said: Is it above the earth?
Alma 18:32
32 And Ammon said: Yea, and he looketh down upon all the
children of men; and he knows all the thoughts and intents of the
heart; for by his hand were they all created from the beginning.
Alma 18:33
33 And king Lamoni said: I believe all these things which thou
hast spoken. Art thou sent from God?
Alma 18:34
34 Ammon said unto him: I am a man; and man in the beginning was
created after the image of God, and I am called by his Holy
Spirit to teach these things unto this people, that they may be
brought to a knowledge of that which is just and true;
Alma 18:35
35 And a portion of that Spirit dwelleth in me, which giveth me
knowledge, and also power according to my faith and desires which
are in God.
Alma 18:36
36 Now when Ammon had said these words, he began at the creation
of the world, and also the creation of Adam, and told him all the
things concerning the fall of man, and rehearsed and laid before
him the records and the holy scriptures of the people, which had
been spoken by the prophets, even down to the time that their
father, Lehi, left Jerusalem.
Alma 18:37
37 And he also rehearsed unto them (for it was unto the king and
to his servants) all the journeyings of their fathers in the
wilderness, and all their sufferings with hunger and thirst, and
their travail, and so forth.
Alma 18:38
38 And he also rehearsed unto them concerning the rebellions of
Laman and Lemuel, and the sons of Ishmael, yea, all their
rebellions did he relate unto them; and he expounded unto them
all the records and scriptures from the time that Lehi left
Jerusalem down to the present time.
Alma 18:39
39 But this is not all; for he expounded unto them the plan of
redemption, which was prepared from the foundation of the world;
and he also made known unto them concerning the coming of Christ,
and all the works of the Lord did he make known unto them.
Alma 18:40
40 And it came to pass that after he had said all these things,
and expounded them to the king, that the king believed all his
words.
Alma 18:41
41 And he began to cry unto the Lord, saying: O Lord, have
mercy; according to thy abundant mercy which thou hast had upon
the people of Nephi, have upon me, and my people.
Alma 18:42
42 And now, when he had said this, he fell unto the earth, as if
he were dead.