What's in a (Cat's) Name?
Almost ten years ago, we acquired four cats. Their names were Ishmael, Abish, Lamoni and Moroni. We didn't name them; my sister April did. This morning I was thinking about their names and the people in the Book of Mormon they were named after, as well as the connections between them.
Ishmael was named after a man who lived in Jerusalem around 600 B.C. He had a wife, five daughters and a couple of sons. When four young men came visiting him one day, asking him and his family to join them in the wilderness so they could marry his daughters, his heart was softened and he brought his family into the desert, abandoning his home and probably most of his property besides tents and what supplies they could carry with them. He saw his daughters married, and not long after, he died there in the wilderness.
Lamoni was a descendant of Ishmael and a king of the Lamanites in the land of Ishmael. One day a young Nephite named Ammon showed up in his lands and was brought to him. This young man turned down an invitation to marry his daughter but told him he would be his servant instead. When the young man performed a miraculous feat in defense of Lamoni's flocks, Lamoni was frightened, but he later listened to Ammon's words about God and was converted to the gospel. Years later, those Lamanites who had not converted to the gospel went to battle against Lamoni and the other Lamanites who had been converted, but Lamoni and his people changed their names to Anti-Nephi-Lehis and buried their weapons of war as a covenant that they would no longer shed others' blood. Over a thousand righteous people were killed in that battle, and Lamoni is not mentioned again. I don't know if he died in that massacre or if he lived to leave his lands to go live in the land of the Nephites with the other Anti-Nephi-Lehis so they could be protected.
Abish was a servant in Lamoni's house. She had been converted to the Lord many years previous to Ammon's arrival because of a vision her father had received, but she had never told anyone about it. When the royal household had all fallen to the earth overpowered by their conversion to the Lord, she thought if she spread the news to the people, they would also come to believe in the power of God. The people weren't quite as impressed as she had hoped they would be, but she was able to raise the queen, who raised Lamoni, who was able to get the crowd back under control. Abish also has the distinction of being one of the four women in the Book of Mormon who is mentioned by name.
Moroni was only 25 years old when he was appointed chief captain over the Nephite armies. When the Anti-Nephi-Lehis came to live with the Nephites, Moroni was the one who led the Nephite armies to defend them against the Lamanites. Moroni is one of the great heroes of the Book of Mormon. He followed the prophet by asking for his guidance when he needed it. He rallied the Nephites when they rebelled with his standard of liberty, reminding them of why they were fighting. He strengthened their cites, gave his soldiers armor, and did all in his power to protect and preserve them.
These were four incredible people who loved the Lord and strove to serve him in spite of the challenges they faced and the sacrifices they had to make.
Ishmael was named after a man who lived in Jerusalem around 600 B.C. He had a wife, five daughters and a couple of sons. When four young men came visiting him one day, asking him and his family to join them in the wilderness so they could marry his daughters, his heart was softened and he brought his family into the desert, abandoning his home and probably most of his property besides tents and what supplies they could carry with them. He saw his daughters married, and not long after, he died there in the wilderness.
Lamoni was a descendant of Ishmael and a king of the Lamanites in the land of Ishmael. One day a young Nephite named Ammon showed up in his lands and was brought to him. This young man turned down an invitation to marry his daughter but told him he would be his servant instead. When the young man performed a miraculous feat in defense of Lamoni's flocks, Lamoni was frightened, but he later listened to Ammon's words about God and was converted to the gospel. Years later, those Lamanites who had not converted to the gospel went to battle against Lamoni and the other Lamanites who had been converted, but Lamoni and his people changed their names to Anti-Nephi-Lehis and buried their weapons of war as a covenant that they would no longer shed others' blood. Over a thousand righteous people were killed in that battle, and Lamoni is not mentioned again. I don't know if he died in that massacre or if he lived to leave his lands to go live in the land of the Nephites with the other Anti-Nephi-Lehis so they could be protected.
Abish was a servant in Lamoni's house. She had been converted to the Lord many years previous to Ammon's arrival because of a vision her father had received, but she had never told anyone about it. When the royal household had all fallen to the earth overpowered by their conversion to the Lord, she thought if she spread the news to the people, they would also come to believe in the power of God. The people weren't quite as impressed as she had hoped they would be, but she was able to raise the queen, who raised Lamoni, who was able to get the crowd back under control. Abish also has the distinction of being one of the four women in the Book of Mormon who is mentioned by name.
Moroni was only 25 years old when he was appointed chief captain over the Nephite armies. When the Anti-Nephi-Lehis came to live with the Nephites, Moroni was the one who led the Nephite armies to defend them against the Lamanites. Moroni is one of the great heroes of the Book of Mormon. He followed the prophet by asking for his guidance when he needed it. He rallied the Nephites when they rebelled with his standard of liberty, reminding them of why they were fighting. He strengthened their cites, gave his soldiers armor, and did all in his power to protect and preserve them.
These were four incredible people who loved the Lord and strove to serve him in spite of the challenges they faced and the sacrifices they had to make.
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