Samuel the Lamanite

The role reversal of the Nephites and Lamanites is on its greatest display with Samuel the Lamanite. During this time, the Lamanites repeatedly sent missionaries to the wayward Nephites. Samuel was one of them. Yet his prophecies have the singular distinction of being the only ones the Savior insisted on being added to the Nephite record. I’m certain this endorsement is why his words also made it into the Book of Mormon.

It makes me wonder why. One of the reasons why it’s there is a bitter pill, but I’m grateful for it just the same. Samuel tells the people the Lord loves the Nephites. Because of that love and their wickedness, He chastens them to get them back in line. I don’t know about you, but living so I don’t get chastened seems a lot smarter thing to do than living so I need it.

I hadn’t noticed until reading through this, but an observation on what the unbelievers were saying about Samuel’s prophecies shows unbelievers tactics haven’t changed. What they complained about then, they complain about today. To borrow from Ecclesiastes, “there’s nothing new under the sun.” What do I mean by this? Critics today dismiss the archeological bullseyes scored by the Book of Mormon. An example is their dismissal of Nahom, saying, “out of so many guesses, mere chance says he’d get one right. It’s still a work of fiction.” Mormon tells it this way: “Some things they may have guessed right, among so many; but behold, we know that these great and marvelous works cannot come to pass…”

One of the things which occurs to me as I read through this is virtually all the people, Nephite and Lamanite, are or were members of the church. Any who are not now are not by choice. Makes me think of something President Benson said in General Conference in April 1987 about the passage in the Book of Mormon leading up to 3 Nephi 11. He said, “The record of the Nephite history just prior to the Savior’s visit reveals many parallels to our own day as we anticipate the Savior’s second coming.” How true.

Alma 21-24 - A Tale of Two People, the Lamanites and the Nehors

This passage could be called the Tale of Two People. On the one hand, you have Lamanites who are pure descendants of Lehi’s and Ishmael’s sons. On the other, you have Nephites who rejected their religion to become Nehors and then became Lamanites. What these two groups do is a sobering warning to us: keep your testimonies fresh and alive!

The pure Lamanites are converted and never fall away. They would rather die than take up the sword against any man. Contrast this with the Lamanite Nehors who were once Nephites, virtually none of them are re-converted. They also play key roles in the slaughter of other Lamanites and Nephites. In the end, they and their descendants become a driven, hated, and scourged people.

As I lament their fate, Alma 5:7 rings in my mind. Another people fell away into great darkness but the Lord brought them back. It’s why we should take great hope from the words of the living prophets and apostles who say to never give up on those we love who for whatever reason leave the church. Live the Gospel to the best of your abililty. Keep the welcoming lamp light lit. You just never know when something will touch their lives. Elder Nielsen's talk from April 2015, "Waiting for the Prodigal," is all about this. It's a must read.