THE SECOND BOOK OF SAMUEL (THE LAMANITE)

Samuel, the Lamanite wrote about his return to the Land Northward from his mission to Zarahemla and about his reception in Mentina. He returned to the city of Corianton and was called to fill the seat of his father as High Priest. He wrote about the visit of the risen Christ to the Nem of Corianton. He sang the tragic song of Corianton and Isabel. He wrote his final farewell and prophecy to his descendants. About 7-6 B.C.

3Now behold, I do continue to make my record. But now I am old and, whereas my first record I did write with the spirit of youth and having all my life ahead of me, this record I do make when I am old and coming to the end of my life. Yea, my first record I did dedicate to some of the works of my forefathers, that my children might remember them more as I did. This work I write so that my descendents might have record of my doings. For, I shall soon go the way of all the earth.

1Behold, I am Samuel, whom the Nephites call Samuel, the Lamanite, and I have written somewhat about some of my people. For, I would not that my descendents forget the history of their fathers, and I would assure the memory of these happenings.

2And I did write concerning my grandparents when I was but a youth. For it seemed to me that not much was remembered about Shi-Tugo and Hemen. And I desired that some record be contained of them in the histories that my own posterity might someday read. Wherefore, the first of my writings I did record many years ago.

4Now, Alma who was the prophet of God in Zarahemla took Zoreth, of the House of Mosiah, to wife, and they bore sons and daughters. And Corianton was the son of Alma and Zoreth, and he took to wife Isabel, who was said by all to be an harlot. But behold, she repented and was made holy by her faith in the living God. And Corianton and Isabel bore but one son and one daughter. And they called their son Alma, and their daughter they called Pa-Samentim. And this Alma took Pa-Cumenca, the daughter of Shi-Tugo and Hemen, of whom I have written, to wife and they had one son and one daughter. And I am the son of that Alma and that Pa-Cumenca.

5Wherefore, I do claim the lineage of my fathers, even of Nephi and Lehi of old, and also of Mulek and of Levi. And it was this same lineage whereby my forefathers of old were called to be priests and prophets unto the people. Therefore, when my God does command me to speak, I do open my mouth. And behold, when my God does command me to write, I do take up my stylus and I do write the things He commands me. And I make no excuse for the things that I write unto the generations of my own posterity, unto whom I know this record will come.

6Now behold, I will write somewhat about my own work and the small work with which the Lord did see fit to burden me during the days of my life.

7Behold, while I was laboring in the Way, the Lord did call out to me and did take me by the hand. And He did command me in a vision and a revelation to go down even unto the Land Southward and to testify against the Nephites, more principally against the inhabitants of the city of Zarahemla. And behold, I did not refuse my God, but I did take my journey into the Land Southward to do as He commanded me.

8And I am a Lamanite in appearance. For my mother descended from those Lamanites who covenanted with Moroni never to take up the sword again against the Nephites. And they became numbered among the Anti-Nephi-Lehies, who are now called the Ammonites. And my father is the son of Isabel who listened to the voice of the Savior when Alma, the prophet, did send his sons unto the Lamanites to preach the gospel of peace unto them.

9Wherefore, my skin is dark, as is my hair. And behold, I do appear in all ways as the Lamanites do appear, except in that my eyes are gray instead of brown. And when I went unto the people of Zarahemla, I was young and of goodly stature. Wherefore, the people hardly listened to my words because I was not aged and because I was a Lamanite.

10But, notwithstanding these difficulties, I did go down to the Land Southward as the Lord did command me and I did preach and prophesy against them even according to His word to me upon the Way. And the words of my prophesying are had in another book and in another place.

11It is enough for me to say that, when I had completed the work which the Lord had commanded me to do in Zarahemla, I did speedily return unto my own country and my own people. For, the Lord had also shown me in a dream what would befall the people of Zarahemla should they reject my words. And behold, except for a very few who were righteously awaiting the coming of the Lord, the people did reject my words, and they did become gross in their iniquity.

12And behold, when I had again returned into the Land Northward, I did stop for a time in the city of Mentina and I did preach all that the Lord had shown me to the people there, my brethren. And behold, the Nem believed my words and they did exercise much faith in God. And they did rejoice in the knowledge of the signs that would betoken His birth into the world.

13But I would have you know how beautiful it is to speak the words which the Lord has given unto they who believe in Him, and who wait upon Him. And how precious does the word become, and how it expands in the heart when taught to His little ones.

14And the Nem did cause that I should sit in the temple and teach the children all the things the Lord had spoken unto me. And they did sit at my feet and loved to hear the promises of the coming of the Christ.

15How different were my days in Mentina from my sojourn in Zarahemla. For in the Land Southward the people were puffed up with pride and they sought not the Christ nor did they await the day of His coming. And my words did stir them up to violence, and they did seek to take away my life.

16But behold, in Mentina the people did rejoice to hear of the coming of their Savior. Yea, instead of arrows and swords, my words were met with songs of joy and thanksgiving. And thus we see the difference between the Nem and the people of Zarahemla.

17How the words of peace do elevate a people! But when the people are puffed in their pride, they cannot hear the words nor feel the peace of the gospel. I would that all my posterity know of the pride of the Nephites and how that pride led to their destruction. For, Zarahemla was destroyed! But Mentina was elevated.

18Wherefore, all my descendents, read the history of your own relations and learn from them. Let not your hearts become puffed up. Be not filled with pride. Judge not in the manner of the Nephites, but let your judgment be guided by the Holy Ghost. For, they had much revelation and surely the Lord did teach them through His servants the prophets. But they would not listen, nor would they be instructed.

19And when a young man, and a Lamanite, I came to them with words of peace and of warning, the Nephites shot arrows and sought my life. But behold, the Nem upheld me. They, who were puffed up in the pride of their hearts, and whose hearts were set upon the things of the world, shot darts and arrows at me when I stood upon the wall of the city. But they whose hearts were set upon pleasing God and His Christ, did sit with me in the temple. Be you like unto the Nem. For if you become as the Nephites, your fate shall also be as theirs. You cannot please the world and also please God. You cannot think to heap up to yourselves the treasures of the world, for God cannot be bought with money.

20The Nephites cast stones at me and sought to destroy the work of God. But, I ask you, did their efforts prevent the birth of the Christ? Did their gold and their silver buy them one more day? I say unto you, It did not buy them anything. Wherefore, you who read this book, ponder these things in your hearts. For if you live your life measuring time by the heaping up of your gold and your silver, you shall not buy one day more than the Nephites did with all their riches.