When Moroni finished the abridgement of the Book of Ether, he probably did not expect to survive to be able to write more. With his faith still powerfully strong amid the death of his people, he stated, “I, Moroni, will not deny the Christ; wherefore, I wander whithersoever I can for the safety of mine own life” (1:3). Some Nephites had deserted and denied Christ to be spared (Moroni 9:24), and Moroni wanted his position to be clear to posterity.
We can learn a great deal from his courage and faith. Moroni knew what the Savior had taught at the temple in Bountiful. He understood the covenants he had made, and he knew what taking the name of Christ upon yourself meant. By his declaration, he tells his readers how he would handle being captured. He was not going to deny Christ, even at the expense of his own life.
As we partake of the sacrament and renew our baptismal covenants, we take upon ourselves the name of Christ and promise to remember him always. Remembering infers that we will not deny—in other words, forgetting or pretending that we cannot remember what we once knew. There is a covenantal dimension to Moroni’s statement. He wants us to remember that life will be difficult. There will be real challenges. We need to be prepared to stand with Christ no matter what. This is typical of Moroni’s masterful style of understatement, where you have to stop and consider each of his words.