At the time of the Savior’s crucifixion and death, the earth suffered physical cataclysms. He had shown various prophets hundreds and even thousands of years in advance what physical catastrophes would transpire at his mortal death. For example, he had said to Enoch, “Look, and he looked and beheld the Son of Man lifted up on the cross, after the manner of men; and he heard a loud voice; and the heavens were veiled; and all the creations of God mourned; and the earth groaned; and the rocks were rent” (Moses 7:55–56; see also 1 Nephi 19:12).
Samuel prophesied the very thing that Matthew would record a few decades later: that many graves of the righteous dead would open up immediately after Jesus’ resurrection, and they, too, would be resurrected and appear and minister unto many people (Matthew 27:52–53).
Notice that Samuel said he received his information as an independent revelation from an angel. Could that messenger have been Gabriel, who also announced the Savior’s ministry to other mortals?