Scripture of the Day: “And I, Moroni, will not deny the Christ; wherefore, I wander whithersoever I can for the safety of mine own life.” — Moroni 1:3.
We don’t use the word “wherefore” very much in modern English, but it’s often important in the scriptures. It usually means “therefore” or “because of that.”
In Moroni’s statement, it’s simple cause and effect. He won’t deny the Christ; wherefore—thus; so; for that reason—he has to keep moving to preserve his life.
Moroni’s understanding of the situation is that the Lamanites would leave him alone if he were willing to deny his testimony of the Savior (see Moroni 1:2). That might save his life—but what good would it be to save your life but lose your soul (see Mark 8:36)?
Even if we never have to choose between our physical safety and our testimonies, we face miniature versions of that choice—deciding between our comfort and our covenants—every day. By making the right choice when the stakes are low, we prepare ourselves for when the serious challenges come.