Remember and Work, Work, Work!

A chunk of time is included in this short chapter.  It is interesting to me to note that they were blessed in accordance to their ability to remember the blessings of the past and act accordingly.

Another interesting word is "work".  Notice at the end of the chapter how they worked in all manner of ore and workmanship.  They also made beautiful linens.  As they did so, they prospered in the land.

I remember a class I took once where the word prosper really means that the Lord was present in their lives.  I did a search for a reference.  This is one of 11 times in the Book of Mormon it says,

2 Nephi 1:20
20 .  .  .  Inasmuch as ye shall keep my commandments ye shall prosper in the land; but inasmuch as ye will not keep my commandments ye shall be cut off from my presence.

Why is work so important in remembering and prospering in the land - as well as having the Lord in your life (which is the same thing)?  Is it not in working that we apply the lessons we are taught in our youth.  In so doing, do we remember our parents and those who taught us?  We remember if we're smart.  There are those who insist on charting their own course and in so doing become lazy and forget.

As we watch the affairs of the world - and especially our nation - unfold, we can see that a vast majority of people have forgotten a whole lot.  Maybe they were never taught.  I was disgusted at a "man-on-the-street" survey I saw last night on television.  The question was "What is Christmas about?"  Very few people knew why this is a holiday.  Fewer knew the key players in the first Christmas.  Some said Jesus was a great prophet.  It was obvious to me they had not been taught by their parents, and certainly they are not passing the knowledge of this sacred event onto their children and grandchildren.  So what becomes of a nation thus inflicted?  I believe the answer to that question is found in the Book of Mormon.  Those who forget are taken captive - raised in captivity.

What does it look like to be raised in captivity?  Obviously they were marrying and having children in the Book of Mormon whilst living in captivity.  Does captivity mean their freedoms to worship as they choose were gone?  Does it mean the money they worked for was taken away from them to support a wicked king?  Is this a captivity we can see our nation spiraling toward?  My answer to that is "YES"!  We are fast losing freedoms.  There are those who would take away our freedom to bear arms to protect ourselves and our families.  There are those who would make it illegal to pray in public.  It is already illegal to pray in public schools.  There are those who would make some drugs available without being arrested.  This is a first step to captivity of an individual.  It is a slippery slope.  There are those who have forced our nation to pay for health care for all.  That's not the bad part.  The bad part is that limiting births is part of that health care.  And the list goes on. . . .

So, what do I gain from reading this morning?  Of most critical importance is to remember.  I remember my own captivity and the tender mercies afforded me as I reached out for help.  I know those tender mercies are there for anyone who reaches out for help.  It is through the Atonement of our Savior, Jesus Christ, that we are given this opportunity to repent and turn our lives around and over to our Savior.  If we don't remember these things, we too are doomed to be raised in captivity.