“Samuel the Lamanite Prophesies of Christ,” Friend, Aug. 2012, 14–15
Stories of Jesus
Samuel the Lamanite Prophesies of Christ
Discouraged, Samuel the Lamanite started walking home. He had been preaching repentance to the Nephites in Zarahemla, but they would not listen. Instead, they chased him out of the city. As Samuel traveled back to his own land, the voice of the Lord stopped him.
The Lord told Samuel to go back to Zarahemla and teach the words the Lord would put in his heart. The Nephites had become wicked and full of pride, and they needed to hear a prophet.
Samuel returned to Zarahemla, but the people would not let him in the city. But Samuel was determined to find a way. He had been sent by the Lord to preach, and that’s what he would do! He climbed to the top of the city wall, stretched out his hand, and started to teach.
In a loud voice Samuel called down to the Nephites. He warned them that the city of Zarahemla would be destroyed because they loved riches and wickedness and never thanked God for their blessings. He told them that they could not be happy by doing bad things.
The spirit of prophesy filled Samuel. He told the people that in five more years the Son of God would be born on the earth. There would be one day and a night and another day, and it would all appear to be one long day with no darkness at all. The sun would go down, but it would not get dark; and a bright new star would appear in the sky. This special night would be the night before the Savior was born.
Samuel said that God gave them knowledge and made them free to choose for themselves if they wanted to do good or evil. Good choices would bring blessings, but choosing evil would bring sorrow.
Some of the Nephites were angry with Samuel. They threw stones and shot arrows at him as he stood on the wall. But the Spirit of the Lord was with Samuel, and the stones and arrows could not hit him. As men climbed up to grab him, he jumped down from the wall and ran safely away to his own country.
Even though some of the Nephites did not listen to Samuel, many believed his words, especially when they saw that arrows could not hit him. Those people went to Nephi, the Church leader, and asked to be baptized.
He Did Bring Glad Tidings To My Soul by Walter Rane, courtesy Church History Musuem; Samuel Prophecies by Walter Rane