The famous Ammon is the second Ammon is the Book of Mormon. The first was the expedition leader from Zarahemla who found King Limhi and his people. He was a good man, but he refused to do baptisms, considering himself unworthy. Still, King Mosiah named one of his sons after him. Or else in Nephite culture as in many ancient cultures, people changed their names from time to time–and “Ammon” was either his repentance name after rejoining the Church, or it was his missionary name that he picked specifically because he was heading out into the wilderness to the Lamanites like the original Ammon.

The prophecies in 1/2 Nephi chip away at my testimony a little bit. The stuff about Columbus and the Revolution and all are just a bit too on the nose. But Mosiah and Alma build it back up a bit. The things that happen seem like sound history but the writer is unaware of it.

Ammon, the first one. Him taking on the expedition is a way of giving the original Zarahemlaites authority and recognition but in a way that doesn’t threaten the Nephite rule. In fact, because he is off to find some lost old-school Nephites in the original Nephite land, it ties him in to the Nephite narrative.

The Nephites seem to have obvious superior material and organizational culture. It would explain how the Zeniffites defeat the Lamanites so easily (And, later, Alma et al.) and why Nephites and Nephite dissenters get welcomed so readily.

The Lamanite king’s will with the Zeniffites gets frustrated by his own people. He seems to go to war eventually because his people are going to anyway, so he has to insert himself at the front of the movement.

The Zeniffites have asabiya/frontier vigor. Until they succeed to well. ‘Hard men make good times, good times make soft men, soft men make hard times. Hard times make hard men.’

The Nephite polity/culture has a bunch of changes that all happen a generation or two after the Nephite/Zarahemlite blend takes place. Which would be exactly the time for it.

Alma the elder’s natural concern for religions freedom, he having been persecuted himself.

The way Mosiah reacts to the horrifying changes wrought by King Noah. Which, to be fair, the narrative notes. And the horrifying succession failure between Zeniff and Noah. Which isn’t noted in the text, though the King does talk about his concerns for his sons.

The strengthening of the Lamanite state after exposure to the Zeniffites.

The natural way separation of Church and State happened because Alma was a dissenter and had to organize his church separately from the state authorities. And then arrived in a kingdom where there was already a king. And then the very natural way that people reverted to their old pattern, electing Alma the chief judge. Only reverting to separation because Alma decided he needed to focus on the church.

The way the Nephite church was revitalized with hybrid vigor by bringing in the Zeniffites (it sounds a lot like an olive branch being grafted back in).

The way the Zeniffites being lost allowed them to live out a microcosm of the Nephite experience in isolation. And, being lost, allowed them to find the Jaredite records.

The way the wicked priests of King Noah prepared the way for Ammon’s mission to King Lamoni. Because there are hints they brought huge prosperity to the Lamanite rulers (remember the superior organizational and literary culture?). Which explains why King Lamoni was willing for Ammon (the second) to marry into his family right off, and was so willing to listen to Ammon.