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Alma — Chapter 23

¹ The king sent word to all the people in his land not to hurt Ammon, or Aaron, or Omner, or Himni, or any of their brothers who were going to preach the gospel, no matter what part of the land they went to.

² Yes, he made a law that his people should not tie them up, nor put them in jail, nor spit on them, nor hit them, nor throw them out of their temples, nor whip them, nor throw stones at them. They could go where they wanted — into homes, temples, and holy places.

³ They could go where they wanted and teach the gospel because the king had been converted to the Lord, along with all his family and servants. He sent this law to his people in all the land, so the gospel could be taught in all the land. This way his people would learn about the wicked teachings of their ancestors, and know that they were all brothers and sisters, and that they should not kill, nor steal, nor commit adultery, nor do any kind of wickedness.

⁴ After the king sent out this law, Aaron and his brothers went from city to city, from one temple to another, building up churches, and calling priests and teachers in all the land who would teach God’s word among the Lamanites; and they began to have great success.

⁵ Thousands came to know the Lord, and to believe in the Nephites’ teachings. They were taught the records and prophecies which had been handed down to that time.

⁶ And as the Lord lives, those who came to know the truth through the preaching of Ammon and his brothers (who had the power of God to prophesy and do miracles) — I tell you, those Lamanites never went back to their wicked ways.

⁷ They became a righteous people. They put down their weapons and stopped fighting against God and against their brothers and sisters.

⁸ These are the people who came to know the Lord:

⁹ The Lamanites in the land of Ishmael;

¹⁰ The Lamanites in the land of Middoni;

¹¹ The Lamanites in the city of Nephi;

¹² And the Lamanites in the lands of Shilom and Shemlon, and in the cities of Lemuel and Shimnilom.

¹³ These are the places where the Lamanites lived who were converted to the Lord, and who put down all their weapons. They were all Lamanites.

¹⁴ But only one of the Amalekites was converted, and none of the Amulonites. They hardened their hearts and hardened the hearts of the Lamanites who lived in the towns and cities in those parts of the land.

¹⁵ (This is why we named all the lands and cities where the Lamanites repented, and came to know the truth, and were converted.)

¹⁶ Then the king and those who were converted wanted to be called by a different name than their brothers and sisters who were not converted. So they talked with Aaron and many of their priests about what name they should be called.

¹⁷ They called themselves Anti-Nephi-Lehies, and stopped being called Lamanites.

¹⁸ They began to work hard. They became friends with the Nephites, and began to trade with them, and they were no longer under God’s curse.