Remember—or Be Taken Captive

A surprising amount of time is covered in this Ether 9. What stands out to me is how closely the people’s blessings are tied to their ability to remember—and then act on—the blessings of the past.

Another word that caught my attention is work. At the end of the chapter, they are described as working in all manner of ore and fine workmanship, even creating beautiful linens. As they worked, they prospered in the land.

I remember a class where someone taught that to “prosper” doesn’t just mean material success—it means the Lord is present in your life. That idea has stayed with me. One of the places we see this clearly is in 2 Nephi 1:20:

“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.”

Prospering and having the Lord’s presence are the same thing.

So why is work such an important part of remembering and prospering? I wonder if it’s because work is where we actually live what we’ve been taught. It’s in the doing that lessons take root. As we work, we remember those who taught us—our parents, our leaders, our examples. At least, we do if we choose to remember. Some insist on charting their own course, and in doing so, they often drift into forgetfulness.

As I look around at the world, it’s hard not to notice how much has been forgotten. Whether people were never taught or simply let things slip away, the result feels the same. I saw a “man-on-the-street” interview recently where people were asked what Christmas is about. Very few could answer. Some said Jesus was a great prophet, but many didn’t know even the basic story. It made me wonder what happens when sacred things are no longer remembered—or passed on.

The Book of Mormon gives a sobering answer: those who forget are brought into captivity.

But what does captivity really look like? In the scriptures, people in captivity still married, had families, and went about daily life. So it must be more than physical chains. Is it a loss of freedom? A loss of truth? A slow surrender of things that once mattered?

That question feels worth asking in our day.

So what do I take from this chapter this morning?

Above all, to remember.

I remember my own times of captivity—and the tender mercies that came when I reached out for help. Those mercies are real, and they are available to anyone. Through the Atonement of Jesus Christ, we are given the chance to repent, to change, and to come back.

If I remember that—truly remember it—I will stay anchored. And if I don’t, I risk drifting into a kind of captivity of my own.