Today’s Reading: Alma 20:9-Alma 21:9
26 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—
27 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.
Do you know how much of an impact you can have on a person?
We live our lives doing what we think is right and not really expecting that how we behave impacts anyone else. But even though we don’t realize it, people are watching us everywhere we go.
Ammon’s example of kindness and love for Lamoni was so powerful and genuine that it stopped the king in his tracks and made him want to learn more about Ammon and the words he had spoken.
As we act with love, it can lead others to soften their hearts and seek to know the truth. And as sisters in particular, we need to follow Ammon’s example and act with love in everything we do and with everyone we meet.
Sister Mary Ellen W. Smoot has said,
Love must undergird everything we do. As sisters of the Relief Society, we love the Lord, we love our families, we love life and learning, and we love one another. Lamoni’s father, who was king of the Lamanites, softened his heart when he saw how sincerely Ammon loved his son. Eventually Ammon’s love led to the conversion of Lamoni’s family. Our greatest and first concern with regard to conversion, retention, and activation must be to our own family.
Think how much of an impact we could have on one person and even generations to come if we acted with love, showed concern, and provided service to everyone around us. We can start with our families, our neighbors, and our friends. Who knows what kind of an impact we might have.
I’m a wife to a doctor and mama to two toddlers. I love talking about pregnancy and the ups and downs of motherhood. I have a weakness for delicious food, and love anything pumpkin. I have no doubt that our Savior loves us and knows exactly how we’re feeling at all times, good and bad.