King Lamoni's Father

I was reading the Book of Mormon and thinking about how history is always told from the vantage of the author. Historians unintentionally write their own bias and culture into their work and I imagine the same is true of the many scripture authors. Carter and I have just finished the miraculous story of how Ammon and his brothers convert a nation of Lamanites to the gospel of Jesus Christ. The Lamanites are then called the people of Ammon before they dub themselves the Anti-Nephi-Lehi's (meaning 'for' or 'in support' of Nephi and Lehi). Alma was probably used to Lamanites being the 'bad guys' his whole life. After Ammon reported his success, it maybe didn't strike Alma to ask King Lamoni for his account. And so you read the story and can't help but feel that Ammon was the hero of the story. Not to say that Ammon wasn't heroic, but reading it through this time I realized more and more what true heroes King Lamoni and his father were. King Lamoni and his father must have known that they could be considered traitors for their new beliefs. When they took on the name Anti-Nephi-Lehi, they were renouncing 600 years of cultural Nephite-hatred. They perhaps expected to lose their thrones and their lives. In fact, many of the converted Lamanites did die because of heir belief. And yet, their unfailing faith led many of their people to Christ. They were amazing men of faith.

There is one particularly great moment when King Lamoni's father commands Lamoni to slay Ammon because Ammon is the descendant of Nephi, "a liar." Lamoni refuses, and Lamoni's father, in anger, tries to slay Lamoni. Ammon prevents Lamoni's death by holding Lamoni's father by the sword. King Lamoni's father then says

If thou wilt spare me I will grant unto thee whatsoever thou wilt ask, even to half of my kingdom.

Carter always laughs over that scripture, "So if Ammon had asked for 3/4 of his kingdom he would have said, 'Uh, no. Just slay me then.'?" But fast forward two chapters. Ammon teaches King Lamoni's father about the plan of salvation and King Lamoni's father says

What shall I do that I may have this eternal life of which thou hast spoken? Yea, what shall I do that I may be born of God, having this wicked spirit rooted out of my breast, and receive the Spirit, that I may be filled with joy, that I may not be cast off at the last day? Behold, said he, I will give up all that I possess, yea, I will forsake my kingdom, that I may receive this great joy.

 Isn't that beautiful? King Lamoni's father is only willing to give up half of his kingdom for his life but his whole kingdom to be born again. He realizes that eternal life is more precious than anything in this world, even his life. Not only did he realize that, but he lived it! What a hero.