Samuel, known as “Samuel the Lamanite,” emerged as a pivotal figure during a time of spiritual apostasy among the Nephites. He arrived in the land of Zarahemla around 6 B.C., at a period when the Nephite society was indulging in pride and wickedness, being “ripe for destruction” (Helaman 13:14). Despite the righteousness of the prophet Nephi, the son of Helaman, the Nephites had largely turned away from their faith, embracing the darkness of iniquity and the troubling influence of the Gadianton robbers (Helaman 11:37; 13:18).
Following an initial rejection by the Nephite people, wherein he was cast out and attempted to leave for his homeland, Samuel was commanded by the voice of the Lord to return and prophesy to them the divine revelations imprinted upon his heart (Helaman 13:2-4). Thwarted from reentering Zarahemla, he mounted the city wall undaunted, becoming an iconic symbol of fearless testimony as he preached an urgent message of repentance and prophesied of the imminent birth and eventual death of the Savior, Jesus Christ (Helaman 13:4; 14:1-31).
His impassioned prophecies extended from the desolation that would befall a non-repentant people, with riches becoming “slippery” and heavy destruction awaiting them (Helaman 13:17-36), to the wondrous signs that would accompany Christ’s birth and death, including a day without night at His advent and three days of darkness following His demise (Helaman 14:1-27). These were meant to instill faith and encourage repentance, as Samuel conveyed the eternal importance of the Atonement of Jesus Christ and the essentiality of repentance from sin (Helaman 14:13-18).
Samuel’s teachings resonated with some. Many who believed sought out Nephi to be baptized, desiring to be folded into the covenant path laid out by the Lord Jesus Christ (Helaman 16:1-3). Still, others steeped in their disbelief rejected him vehemently, casting stones and shooting arrows, yet miraculously failing to harm him as the Spirit of the Lord protected Samuel (Helaman 16:2).
Ultimately, Samuel eluded the grasp of his pursuers, fleeing back to his own country, and his subsequent fate among the Nephites became shrouded in mystery as he was never heard from again within their lands (Helaman 16:7-8). However, his prophecies and their remarkable fulfillment stood as a testament to his divine commission, for as was foretold, the signs at Christ’s birth occurred to the precise detail, augmenting Nephi’s faith in the Lord’s promises (3 Nephi 1:13-21). Samuel’s influence had reverberations that outlasted his presence, marking him as a harbinger of Christ and a steadfast proclaimer of repentance and faith to the people of Zarahemla.