Samuel to the Nephites: No, really. You need to repent.

Heleman 15

Again, with the repentance.  Or your houses will be desolate.  And your women shall mourn. And you'll flee but there will be no where to go.  (vs. 1-2)  That is what Samuel the Lamanite has to say to the Nephites in Zarahemla.

He points out the Lamanites, when they hear the word of God, repent and are "firm and steadfast in the faith"  (vs. 8) and "they have been made free."   

He references the People of Ammon, (vs. 9) and reminds the Nephites that they were so serious about no longer being a war-like people that they covenanted with God not to fight and buried all their weapons.

I have heard many talks about asking ourselves what "weapons" or sins we need to bury in our lives to be more righteous, the latest one being yesterday in our stake conference.

Samuel talks of how the Lamanites will be blessed at a later time because their hearts are not as hard as the Nephites, and they sin because of the traditions of their fathers, not as the Nephites who sin because they know what is right and choose to sin anyway.

And in the last poignant verse, Samuel bears witness that the Lord will utterly destroy the Nephites if they will not repent, not withstanding the many mighty works which they have seen the Lord do among them.

This verse makes me wonder if Samuel had  seen the vision that so many prophets had seen that showed that very thing happening.  Did his heart break for the Nephites like Eno's heart broke for the Lamanites?  Was it much worse because he knew the Lamanites would ultimately be saved but the Nephites would not?

Not only did the Nephites have their own history filled with the "might works" of God, but they had the records brought from Jerusalem as a witness for and against them.  It reminds me of covenant people who live in this day and the many modern witnesses of God's mighty works in our own lives and in the records of the Bible and the Book of Mormon.

Moroni 10:27  reminds me I am also responsible for the light and knowledge I've been given and I will have to account for how I have used it.  Or if I lose it.

And that is why it is again with the repentance.

I can personally make it through my own little pride cycle three times before lunch.

And that is why I love repentance and the Savior who gave it to me.

Just like President Urchdorf said in a recent talk about the Savior, He will place you on his shoulders and carry you home.  

But first, you have to want to go home.