The Great Give Away! Sale, Sale, Sale, all items must go! Act now! Milton Friedman’s book tells us, “There is no such thing as a free lunch.” Yet, advertisers have been using gimmicks such as these for as long as products have been for sale. Having a great sale to give away products can be a poor business strategy. Eventually, the costs of those giveaways become too expensive to absorb. Although convincing customers that they are getting a great deal, is good marketing.
There is a powerful story of a different type of give away in the Book of Mormon. Ammon, Aaron, Omner and Himni, the sons of king Mosiah, forsook their opportunity to rule the kingdom of the Nephites. They desired to go and preach the gospel to their enemies, the Lamanites. Ammon, after preaching to Lamoni; the son of the king of all the Lamanites, was led by the Spirit to travel to Middoni where his brethren had been captured and imprisoned.
While traveling with Lamoni, Ammon had a chance encounter with Lamoni’s father, the king of the Lamanites. This meeting did not start out well, as the king of the Lamanites tried to kill Ammon. Ammon was a strong young man and very well trained with a sword. He disarmed the king and could have easily slayed him. As a man of God, Ammon had no desire to slay the king. His motive was to have his brethren released from prison in Middoni. Ammon also wanted the king to grant Lamoni the freedom to retain his kingdom and rule as he pleased.
Great Love
In Alma 20:26-27 we read “And when he saw that Ammon had no desire to destroy him, and when he also saw the great love he had for his son Lamoni, he was astonished exceedingly, and said: Because this is all that thou hast desired, that I would release thy brethren, and suffer that my son Lamoni should retain his kingdom, behold, I will grant unto you that my son may retain his kingdom from this time and forever; and I will govern him no more—
“And I will also grant unto thee that thy brethren may be cast out of prison, and thou and thy brethren may come unto me, in my kingdom; for I shall greatly desire to see thee. For the king was greatly astonished at the words which he had spoken, and also at the words which had been spoken by his son Lamoni, therefore he was desirous to learn them.”
Upon being freed, Aaron, Ammon’s brother, travels to preach to the king of all the Lamanites. Aaron teaches him the gospel and opens the scriptures unto the king in such a way that the king asks: “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 his Spirit, that I may be filled with joy, that I may not be cast off at the last day?” Aaron instructed him to repent of all his sins and bow down before God. Aaron said to call on His name in faith and believe that he would receive the hope he desired.
Great Change
The conversion of the king is in full swing now, and in Alma 22:18, the king prays. “O God, Aaron hath told me that there is a God; and if there is a God, and if thou art God, wilt thou make thyself known unto me, and I will give away all my sins to know thee, and that I may be raised from the dead, and be saved at the last day. And now when the king had said these words, he was struck as if he were dead.” Aaron then put forth his hand and raised the king from the earth and said “Stand”. The king stood, and his heart was changed. He was a new man, and began to minister to his household insomuch that his whole household were converted unto the Lord.
This is a beautiful story that inspires me in so many ways to be a better servant of God. Many times, I have prayed like the king “What shall I do that I may be born of God. How may I be filled with such joy? Please help me to not be cast off at the last day!”
Today, let us give away all our sins to know God and His son, Jesus Christ. Let our hearts be changed! Let us minister to others and bring them to Christ and receive that promised joy.
