Alma 27
1 Now it came to pass that when those Lamanites who had gone to war
against the Nephites had found, after their many struggles to destroy them,
that it was in vain to seek their destruction, they returned again to the land of
Nephi.
2 And it came to pass that the Amalekites, because of their loss, were
exceedingly angry. And when they saw that they could not seek revenge
from the Nephites, they began to stir up the people in anger against their
brethren, the people of Anti-Nephi-Lehi; therefore they began again to
destroy them.
3 Now this people again refused to take their arms, and they suffered
themselves to be slain according to the desires of their enemies.
4 Now when Ammon and his brethren saw this work of destruction among
those whom they so dearly beloved, and among those who had so dearly
beloved them — for they were treated as though they were angels sent from
God to save them from everlasting destruction — therefore, when Ammon
and his brethren saw this great work of destruction, they were moved with
compassion, and they said unto the king:
5 Let us gather together this people of the Lord, and let us go down to the
land of Zarahemla to our brethren the Nephites, and flee out of the hands of
our enemies, that we be not destroyed.
6 But the king said unto them: Behold, the Nephites will destroy us, because
of the many murders and sins we have committed against them.
7 And Ammon said: I will go and inquire of the Lord, and if he say unto us,
go down unto our brethren, will ye go?
8 And the king said unto him: Yea, if the Lord saith unto us go, we will go
down unto our brethren, and we will be their slaves until we repair unto them
the many murders and sins which we have committed against them.
9 But Ammon said unto him: It is against the law of our brethren, which was
established by my father, that there should be any slaves among them;
therefore let us go down and rely upon the mercies of our brethren.
10 But the king said unto him: Inquire of the Lord, and if he saith unto us
go, we will go; otherwise we will perish in the land.
11 And it came to pass that Ammon went and inquired of the Lord, and the
Lord said unto him:
12 Get this people out of this land, that they perish not; for Satan has great
hold on the hearts of the Amalekites, who do stir up the Lamanites to anger
against their brethren to slay them; therefore get thee out of this land; and
blessed are this people in this generation, for I will preserve them.
13 And now it came to pass that Ammon went and told the king all the
words which the Lord had said unto him.
14 And they gathered together all their people, yea, all the people of the
Lord, and did gather together all their flocks and herds, and departed out of
the land, and came into the wilderness which divided the land of Nephi from
the land of Zarahemla, and came over near the borders of the land.
15 And it came to pass that Ammon said unto them: Behold, I and my
brethren will go forth into the land of Zarahemla, and ye shall remain here
until we return; and we will try the hearts of our brethren, whether they will
that ye shall come into their land.
16 And it came to pass that as Ammon was going forth into the land, that he
and his brethren met Alma, over in the place of which has been spoken; and
behold, this was a joyful meeting.
17 Now the joy of Ammon was so great even that he was full; yea, he was
swallowed up in the joy of his God, even to the exhausting of his strength;
and he fell again to the earth.
18 Now was not this exceeding joy? Behold, this is joy which none
receiveth save it be the truly penitent and humble seeker of happiness.
19 Now the joy of Alma in meeting his brethren was truly great, and also the
joy of Aaron, of Omner, and Himni; but behold their joy was not that to
exceed their strength.
20 And now it came to pass that Alma conducted his brethren back to the
land of Zarahemla; even to his own house. And they went and told the chief
judge all the things that had happened unto them in the land of Nephi, among
their brethren, the Lamanites.
21 And it came to pass that the chief judge sent a proclamation throughout
all the land, desiring the voice of the people concerning the admitting their
brethren, who were the people of Anti-Nephi-Lehi.
22 And it came to pass that the voice of the people came, saying: Behold,
we will give up the land of Jershon, which is on the east by the sea, which
joins the land Bountiful, which is on the south of the land Bountiful; and this
land Jershon is the land which we will give unto our brethren for an
inheritance.
23 And behold, we will set our armies between the land Jershon and the land
Nephi, that we may protect our brethren in the land Jershon; and this we do
for our brethren, on account of their fear to take up arms against their
brethren lest they should commit sin; and this their great fear came because
of their sore repentance which they had, on account of their many murders
and their awful wickedness.
24 And now behold, this will we do unto our brethren, that they may inherit
the land Jershon; and we will guard them from their enemies with our armies,
on condition that they will give us a portion of their substance to assist us
that we may maintain our armies.
25 Now, it came to pass that when Ammon had heard this, he returned to
the people of Anti-Nephi-Lehi, and also Alma with him, into the wilderness,
where they had pitched their tents, and made known unto them all these
things. And Alma also related unto them his conversion, with Ammon and
Aaron, and his brethren.
26 And it came to pass that it did cause great joy among them. $ And they
went down into the land of Jershon, and took possession of the land of
Jershon; and they were called by the Nephites the people of Ammon;
therefore they were distinguished by that name ever after.
27 And they were among the people of Nephi, and also numbered among
the people who were of the church of God. And they were also
distinguished for their zeal towards God, and also towards men; for they
were perfectly honest and upright in all things; and they were firm in the faith
of Christ, even unto the end.
28 And they did look upon shedding the blood of their brethren with the
greatest abhorrence; and they never could be prevailed upon to take up arms
against their brethren; and they never did look upon death with any degree of
terror, for their hope and views of Christ and the resurrection; therefore,
death was swallowed up to them by the victory of Christ over it.
29 Therefore, they would suffer death in the most aggravating and
distressing manner which could be inflicted by their brethren, before they
would take the sword or cimeter to smite them.
30 And thus they were a zealous and beloved people, a highly favored
people of the Lord.