Focus teaching on core principles, faith and repentance

Alma was heavily influenced by Abinadi's teachings as we can tell from what he taught the people to focus on. For instance, the priests of Noah said that they taught the law of Moses and the 10 commandments. Abinadi's closing statement was this (Mosiah 16:13-15):

13 And now, ought ye not to tremble and repent of your sins, and remember that only in and through Christ ye can be saved?

 14 Therefore, if ye teach the ^alaw of Moses, also teach that it is a^bshadow of those things which are to come—

 15 Teach them that redemption cometh through Christ the Lord, who is the very ^aEternal Father. Amen.

Notice he says "if" ye teach the law of Moses, make sure to teach that it is only there to point to Christ and help people follow Him. It's critical to repent, and remember Christ and that only through him is salvation possible. Basically, he's saying to teach faith in Christ and his redemption and repent of sins. 

In Mosiah 18 we learn what Alma told the priests to teach the people:

 20 Yea, even he commanded them that they should ^apreachnothing save it were repentance and faith on the Lord, who had redeemed his people.

In order to preach repentance you must teach people the commandments so that they know what to repent of. It's after faith in Christ that a desire to repent and follow Him occurs, so teaching the commandments becomes something the student wants.

I appreciate the emphasis on these ideas in the book of Mormon, the focus on the basic principles of following Christ.