Amaleki

Where did Amaleki come from? His father, grandfather, great-uncle and other predecessors had all adopted a minimalist approach to record-keeping: tell the reader you will be brief, make general references to war and peace and possibly to God’s blessings, and then announce that you’re passing the plates along to the next author.

Nephi had originally intended for his own children to follow in his footsteps, keeping a spiritual record on his small plates. (See 1 Nephi 6:6, 2 Nephi 25:21.) For some reason, he delivered the plates instead to his brother Jacob, asking him to continue the tradition. (See Jacob 1:1-3.)

Jacob’s descendants fulfilled Nephi’s charge, writing on the plates and dutifully passing them along to the next generation. However, the spiritual content began to wane after a generation or two, until Abinadom (Amaleki’s father) wrote, “I know of no revelation save that which has been written, neither prophecy; wherefore, that which is sufficient is written” (Omni 1:11).

In contrast, Amaleki enthusiastically writes about King Mosiah being led to the land of Zarahemla by “the voice of the Lord” (Omni 1:12), uniting with the people of Zarahemla and teaching them about their spiritual heritage (Omni 1:14-18), and then translating a Jaredite record “by the gift and power of God” (Omni 1:20-22). He then extends to us one of the most impactful invitations in the entire Book of Mormon:

Come unto Christ, who is the Holy One of Israel, and partake of his salvation, and the power of his redemption. Yea, come unto him, and offer your whole souls as an offering unto him, and continue in fasting and praying, and endure to the end; and as the Lord liveth ye will be saved.

Omni 1:26

I don’t know where Amaleki’s conversion came from, but I’m grateful for it. What a fitting way to finish the small plates of Nephi! And finish them he did: “I am about to lie down in my grave,” he wrote, “and these plates are full” (Omni 1:30).

Amaleki couldn’t pass the plates along to his children, because he had no children. (See Omni 1:25.) He couldn’t pass them to his brother, because his brother had immigrated with a small group of people back to the land of Nephi. (See Omni 1:30.) With no posterity and apparently no immediate family nearby, he chose to entrust the plates to King Benjamin, knowing him to be “a just man before the Lord” (Omni 1:25).

As I’ve thought about Amaleki’s story today, one thought has stood out above all others: People can make remarkable contributions regardless of their backgrounds and circumstances. Did Amaleki want to be childless? Probably not. Was he married? Unclear, but unlikely. Did he have other siblings besides the brother who was far away? He doesn’t mention them. Yet in spite of his family situation, he felt a connection to his community, and he developed a deep testimony of the Savior, which he shared eloquently with future generations.

Elder Gerrit W. Gong taught:

Our standing before the Lord and in His Church is not a matter of our marital status but of our becoming faithful and valiant disciples of Jesus Christ. Adults want to be seen as adults and to be responsible and contribute as adults. Disciples of Jesus Christ come from everywhere, in every shape, size, hue, and age, each with talents, righteous desires, and immense capacities to bless and serve.

“Room at the Inn,” General Conference, April 2021

Today, I will be grateful for the contributions of all disciples of Christ, regardless of their circumstances. I will remember that the Savior invites all to come unto Him and participate in the work of salvation.