The condition of repentance was listed second of the four reasons Samuel gave for coming upon the wall, but was given last in his prophesy. The first condition is that those who believe (and repent) might be saved. Their were two classes of people who survived the destruction after his death: those who received the prophets ( celestial type beings), and those who did not shed the blood of the saints ( terrestrial type beings). Many telestial type beings were killed, drowned, burned, or buried (3 Nephi 10:12; 8:10–15).
The second condition was a righteous judgment would come. Therefore, those who were condemned were responsible for their own actions. The people were free to choose; they had their agency. They had been taught to know good from evil, and they chose life or death. They could choose to repent and not be destroyed, or to do evil and have evil restored to them (Helaman 14:30–31). Alma taught the same doctrine to his son Corianton. The justice of God requires a judgment and a restoration to good through repentance or a restoration unto evil (see Alma 41:2–4). Other conditions follow.
Helaman 15:1–3 Except You Repent Your Houses Will Be Left Desolate
1 And now, my beloved brethren, behold, I declare unto you that except ye shall repent your houses shall be left unto you desolate.
2 Yea, except ye repent, your women shall have great cause to mourn in the day that they shall give suck; for ye shall attempt to flee and there shall be no place for refuge; yea, and wo unto them which are with child, for they shall be heavy and cannot flee; therefore, they shall be trodden down and shall be left to perish.
3 Yea, wo unto this people who are called the people of Nephi except they shall repent, when they shall see all these signs and wonders which shall be showed unto them; for behold, they have been a chosen people of the Lord; yea, the people of Nephi hath he loved, and also hath he chastened them; yea, in the days of their iniquities hath he chastened them because he loveth them.
The third condition of repentance was to repent and be prepared when catastrophe comes. The Lord always warns his people in advance. If they are prepared, those who are pregnant or have small children will be able to gather elsewhere early (v. 2). The Savior gave a similar warning to Judea regarding the Romans destruction of the temple in 70 A.D. “And wo unto them that are with child, and unto them that give suck in those days; Therefore, pray ye the Lord that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the Sabbath day;” (JS–Matthew 1:16–17, see also Matthew 24:19–20).
The fourth condition of repentance was to listen to the Lord’s chastening and keep his commandments. Those chastened were a chosen and covenant people and the Lord loved them, but they had to repent when he chastened them (Helaman 15:3). “Unto whom much is given much is required” (D&C 82:3, see also Luke 12:48).