Samuel the Lamanite is still preaching to the Nephites from the city wall. He explained to them some of the signs that they would experience when Jesus is born in Jerusalem. There were people who listened and were converted. They all went to Nephi to get baptized.
But most people didn't believe, to the point of deciding that Samuel had to die.
I'll never understand that mentality. So many times in the scriptures people want to kill the righteous person or people because they called them to repentance or something.
In this case, a little good came of it because as they tried to kill Samuel with their slings and arrows, he was protected and couldn't be hit, and this actually converted some more people.
"But the more part of them did not believe in the words of Samuel; therefore when they saw that they could not hit him with their stones and their arrows, they cried unto their captains, saying: Take this fellow and bind him, for behold he hath a devil; and because of the power of the devil which is in him we cannot hit him with our stones and our arrows; therefore take him and bind him, and away with him." (Helaman 16:6)
To be so against God, as evidenced by the call to repentance, but so against the devil, as evidenced by the claim that Samuel must be using the power of the devil to protect himself, is just kinda crazy.
Samuel got away and went back to the Nephites, and we don't hear anything more about him. (Side note: Wouldn't it be fascinating to hear his side of the story?) But after Samuel left, there was a small group of believers. Mostly the people got more and more wicked and hard-hearted.
"And notwithstanding the signs and the wonders which were wrought among the people of the Lord, and the many miracles which they did, Satan did get great hold upon the hearts of the people upon all the face of the land." (Helaman 16:23)
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