These are my thoughts as I read from Alma 20 this morning — I’ve always been fascinated by King Lamoni’s conversion. At first, it was about saving his physical life—to keep Ammon from killing him. He was willing to give up half his kingdom. That was no small thing. Later, he would be willing to give up everything to have the peace of the gospel in his life.
What scriptures did Aaron have? The ones Nephi was commanded by the Lord to retrieve from Laban? Of course. The brass plates stayed with the prophets. I can’t imagine Aaron casually carrying them into hostile territory and risking their safety. The words Aaron read were part of the same sacred stream that began in Jerusalem, crossed the ocean with Nephi, and continued—alive and powerful—in his own voice. They were likely transcribed so Aaron could carry them as he preached. That makes sense to me.
And I love that thought. Scripture wasn’t locked away. It traveled. It was read. It was shared. It did its work. That’s an example to me. We should be doing the same. We are so blessed to carry scripture with us at all times (hello, smartphones). We need to learn to navigate it, ponder deeply, and share what we learn.
King Lamoni tells his people that as long as they live in his kingdom, they are free as it pertained to righteousness. That’s an interesting idea. Do we have the same freedom today? Of course. But if we break laws that encroach on someone else’s freedoms, we’re punished. In that regard, not much has changed. They were taught daily to be diligent in their efforts to be righteous. This line stands out to me: “…they were zealous for keeping the commandments of God.” I’ve seen this zeal in loved ones who returned to righteous living, renewed covenants, and became straight as an arrow. I’ve also seen it fade, which is heartbreaking. We really do need to be diligent—daily. Scripture study and prayer can’t be occasional. It’s a constant, daily battle.
Chapter 22, and we’re back with Lamoni’s father. This man is fascinating. Aaron had once been imprisoned and later released through the efforts of Ammon and Lamoni. Now Aaron enters the king’s quarters (Lamoni’s father) and asks if he can be his servant. That took courage.
The king doesn’t want him as a servant—he wants him to administer to him. Score. That request feels like a crack in his heart, allowing the gospel—the Spirit—to enter his soul. He’s curious about the Spirit of the Lord and repentance, and he’s willing to believe what Aaron teaches him.
Notice where Aaron begins: with the knowledge that there is a God. That’s instructive. It’s where teaching must start when someone is willing to listen. From there, Aaron moves into the same story we hear in the temple—the story of life itself. That’s why hearing it repeatedly matters. We learn how to tell the story.
So how does the king respond? Once, he was willing to give up half his kingdom to save his life. Now he says, “I will give up all that I possess, yea, I will forsake my kingdom, that I may receive this great joy.” He’s speaking of being born of God. That’s a profound leap.
Aaron’s answer is simple: faith, belief, and repentance. The same answer we give to anyone sincerely seeking truth. I love that.
Then the king prays—a powerful prayer in verse 18—offering to give away all his sins. He wants to be saved and resurrected. I relate deeply to this moment. It reminds me of bearing my testimony in a fast and testimony meeting in Washington Terrace. It was ordinary and humble. When I declared that what I had been taught was true, I was overcome by the Spirit. My testimony was simple and short, and I was overcome by the Spirit. I had to sit down, and I cried—hard. I was filled with joy.
And that’s how it works. One person at a time. One testimony at a time. It’s a beautiful thing.
“Now this was the faith of Lamoni… that he was willing to give up all things which he possessed… that he might gain eternal life.” (Alma 22:18)
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