Description

Agency at Ammonihah

The time is 82 B.C., at a place somewhere in the Americas called Ammonihah. As part of a great national tour to cry repentance and bring his people to God, Alma the Prophet entered the city of Ammonihah and began to preach, but the people would not listen. They rejected all his words, “reviled and spit upon him and caused that he should be cast out of their city.” (Alma 8:13).

Alma went away sorrowing, until an angel of the Lord appeared unto him and commanded him to “return to the city of Ammonihah and preach again unto the people of the city” (Alma 8:16) 

Alma obeyed and in returning to the city he met Amulek, a wealthy and prominent citizen of Ammonihah who had been prepared by an angel to meet Alma. Why did the Lord send his beloved prophet back into such dangerous circumstances, and what is the significance of Amulek to this greater story?

After a lengthy time of preparation, Alma went forth again to preach repentance, accompanied by Amulek. As before, his preaching enraged the populace and they sought to arrest Alma, but Amulek stood forth and with even more blunt force he called them to repentance. “And now when Amulek had spoken these words the people began to be astonished, seeing there was more than one witness who testified of the things whereof they were accused” (Alma 10:12)

But when it was done, they were even more angry with Amulek. They took both men and imprisoned them. The leaders wanted to take them and secretly kill them, but instead they brought them forth for a trial before the chief judge. “The people went forth and witnessed against them” (Alma 14:5). 

Those who had believed in the words of Alma and Amulek—the righteous– were cast out of the land and men were sent to cast stones at them. “And they brought their wives and children together, and whomsoever believed or had been taught to believe in the word of God they caused that they should be cast into the fire” (Alma 14:8). 

Alma and Amulek were brought out of the prison and forced to watch the executions. It was too much for Amulek. He cried to Alma, “How can we witness this awful scene? Therefore, let us stretch forth our hands and exercise the power of God which is in us and save them from the flames. But Alma said unto him: The Spirit constraineth me that I must not stretch forth mine hand; for behold the Lord receiveth them up unto himself in glory” (Alma 14:11). 

Why?!? Why wouldn’t the Lord let them stop this travesty? They could have prevented the torture and death of innocent women and children. Why, in the purposes of God, did this have to happen? Alma said, “He [God] doth suffer that they may do this thing unto them according to the hardness of their hearts, that the judgments which he shall exercise upon them in his wrath may be just; and the blood of the innocent shall stand as a witness against them, yea, and cry mightily against them at the last day” (Alma 14:11). 

But why? The Lord already knew what was in the hearts of the people of Ammonihah. Why was that not enough for a just judgment? 

Agency! Agency is much more than just the privilege to choose. It is the God-given guarantee that we will have the right to choose and act out those choices. The plan of happiness requires that we prove by our words, thoughts, and actions what we believe and who we will love and serve. Intentions—both good and ill—are not enough. 

Agency is so precious that God allowed a third of the Heavenly Family to rebel and the precious women and children of the priesthood men of Ammonihah to die. He went to every extreme to witness and warn them, but in the end, He let them go. 

It is a good thing when we use our agency to do good, but it is also a good thing when people are allowed to use their agency to do evil—even unto holocausts and massacres ancient and modern.  Just because we can’t see the good in terrible events doesn’t mean that it isn’t there.