It was said of Abba Ammoes that when he went to church, he did not allow his disciple to walk close beside him, but only at a distance. If the disciple came to ask him about his thoughts, as soon as Ammoes had answered him he immediately sent him away, saying, ‘Lest, while we are speaking about what is beneficial, some unrelated conversation slip in; for this reason I do not allow you to stay close to me.’
At first Abba Ammoes said to Abba Isaiah, ‘How do you see me now?’ He said to him, ‘Like an angel, Father.’ Later he said to him, ‘How do you see me now?’ Isaiah said, ‘Like Satan. Even if you speak a good word to me, it is like a sword to me.’
It was said of Abba Ammoes that he was ill and bedridden for many years, and he never allowed his thoughts to turn toward the inner part of his cell to see what he had there. Many things were brought to him because of his illness. Whenever his disciple John came in or went out, Ammoes closed his eyes so that he would not see what John was doing. For he knew that he was a faithful monk.
Abba Poemen said that a brother came to Abba Ammoes asking him for a word. Though he stayed with him for seven days, the elder did not answer him. But as he sent him away, he said, ‘Go, watch yourself. As for me, up to now my sins have stood as a dark wall between me and God.’
It was said of Abba Ammoes that once he prepared fifty artabas of wheat for a need and put them in the sun. Before they were thoroughly dried, he noticed something in that place that was not beneficial to him, and he said to his servants, ‘Let us leave here.’ They were deeply saddened. Seeing them grieved, he said, ‘Are you sad because of the bread? Truly, I have seen some people flee, leaving behind whitewashed doors together with parchment books. They did not even shut the doors, but went away leaving them open.’