Samuel, who was a prophet, did not take it upon himself to decide what to preach to the Nephites. We read in Helaman 13:3 that he taught “whatsoever things should come into his heart.” Concerning this revelatory process, President Boyd K. Packer, President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, described how the voice of the Lord often comes:
“Revelation comes as words we feel more than hear. Nephi told his wayward brothers, who were visited by an angel, ‘Ye were past feeling, that ye could not feel his words’ [1 Nephi 17:45; italics added].
“The scriptures are full of such expressions as ‘The veil was taken from our minds, and the eyes of our understanding were opened’ [D&C 110:1], or ‘I will tell you in your mind and in your heart’ [D&C 8:2], or ‘I did enlighten thy mind’ [D&C 6:15], or ‘Speak the thoughts that I shall put into your hearts’ [D&C 100:5]. There are hundreds of verses which teach of revelation” (in Conference Report, Oct. 1994, 77; or Ensign, Nov. 1994, 60).