Samuel the Lamanite

Reading: Helaman 13-16

Samuel the Lamanite is one of the great and unexpected prophets of The Book of Mormon.  Great because he doesn't hesitate to tell the people what the Lord wants them to hear and what they need to hear in order to change their ways.  He prophesied "unto the people whatsoever things should come into his heart."  Unexpected because he was a Lamanite.  For much of The Book of Mormon, the Lamanites are the unrighteous people.  But during the "war chapters" in Alma, a group of Lamanites were converted to Christ and swore to never take up weapons again.  From this group of Lamanites, or from their children, came Samuel.  Perhaps the fact that he was Lamanite made the truth even more hard to swallow for the wicked Nephites (though, they had plenty of other issues).

Samuel does what most prophets do to help people understand they must repent.  They teach people about the plan of salvation the Lord set for them.  It is especially poignant because Samuel prophecies that the birth of Christ will happen in five years.  Here is what he teaches about the plan of salvation (I've italicized the main points of doctrine):

Helaman 14:11-19

11 And ye shall hear my words, for, for this intent have I come up upon the walls of this city, that ye might hear and know of the judgments of God which do await you because of your iniquities, and also that ye might know the conditions of repentance;
 12 And also that ye might know of the coming of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Father of heaven and of earth, the Creator of all things from the beginning; and that ye might know of the signs of his coming, to the intent that ye might believe on his name.
 13 And if ye believe on his name ye will repent of all your sins, that thereby ye may have a remission of them through his merits.
 14 And behold, again, another sign I give unto you, yea, a sign of his death.
 15 For behold, he surely must die that salvation may come; yea, it behooveth him and becometh expedient that he dieth, to bring to pass the resurrection of the dead, that thereby men may be brought into the presence of the Lord.
 16 Yea, behold, this death bringeth to pass the resurrection, and redeemeth all mankind from the first death—that spiritual death; for all mankind, by the fall of Adam being cut off from the presence of the Lord, are considered as dead, both as to things temporal and to things spiritual.
 17 But behold, the resurrection of Christ redeemeth mankind, yea, even all mankind, and bringeth them back into the presence of the Lord.
 18 Yea, and it bringeth to pass the condition of repentance, that whosoever repenteth the same is not hewn down and cast into the fire; but whosoever repenteth not is hewn down and cast into the fire; and there cometh upon them again a spiritual death, yea, a second death, for they are cut off again as to things pertaining to righteousness.
 19 Therefore repent ye, repent ye, lest by knowing these things and not doing them ye shall suffer yourselves to come under condemnation, and ye are brought down unto this second death.

Also v 30-31:

30 And now remember, remember, my brethren, that whosoever perisheth, perisheth unto himself; and whosoever doeth iniquity, doeth it unto himself; for behold, ye are free; ye are permitted to act for yourselves; for behold, God hath given unto you a knowledge and he hath made you free.
 31 He hath given unto you that ye might know good from evil, and he hath given unto you that ye might choose life or death; and ye can do good and be restored unto that which is good, or have that which is good restored unto you; or ye can do evil, and have that which is evil restored unto you.

It seems so simple and complicated at the same time.  But we have been given to know good and evil AND we have been given the author of good to help us along the way. If we will apply to Him for help we will be restored to good, or good will be restored to us. I believe this to be true.