It is evident to me that Alma thought it was very important that we not forget the "captivity of our fathers". In particular, Alma Chapter 36, which easily qualifies as one of the best chapters in all the Book of Mormon (according to me). I don't have time to go into great depth of thought in this regard, but think about your own history. Are there stories or incidents that help and guide your life and create lasting lessons that you wish to pass on to your own children?
What is your legacy?
Further, before discovering Christ, what type of captivity did you personally experience?
This morning, watching teenagers drag themselves to Seminary, it got me to thinking about how these young men and women have yet to experience true captivity--whether it be a physical loss of freedom, or a spiritual one. Then where will they turn?
It is interesting to see Alma's course of action, when he realized his own captivity, when he was about to be "cast off". Desperate for self-destruction he remembered Christ and experiencing the deepest and most miraculous healing, it changed him forever. He had no other arm to lean upon, so he trusted in God's...
It is a reminder I need, when I am discouraged due to personal weakness.
--Ray
PS> The idea that we can learn from our ancestors, and pass on a legacy is one of the great functions of personal revelation mixed with scripture. Were scripture solely confined to one book, this very process would be thwarted, yet, thanks to the Book of Mormon we know that the legacy of prophets continues even to the present day. It is a great thing!
PPS> If you search (scriptures.lds.org) in the Book of Mormon, you'll find that Alma is the prophet who uses the expression "Captivity of (my/our/their) Fathers" more than any other prophet in scripture. This was very important to him, perhaps because of how he had rejected his own father's story for a while and fought against the church... who knows... here are some references... Alma 5:6, Alma 29:11-12, and Alma 36 (both beginning and end of the chiasmus) .