I like to play computer games. When you play computer games, and other games like chess, you have to look ahead and think in your mind what the consequences will be to all the choices you make as you play the game. The further ahead you can think, the more successfully you can play the game.

When Alma was preaching to the people of Zarahemla, he said that they should think ahead to their future lives after this mortal life. He said we should “look forward with an eye of faith, and view this mortal body raised in immortality and this corruption raised in incorruption, to stand before God to be judged according to the deeds which have been done in the mortal body.” (Alma 5:15) If we look ahead and visualize the future, we can make better choices and help ourselves as well as help and teach others.

Our current general authorities say the same thing. Many of the last conference talks were on long-range life planning: becoming a real man by being strong enough to withstand the wiles of Satan and humble enough to submit to the redemptive powers of the Savior. They saw us youth as part of a great chain that will hold only as long as we stay close to the Lord, so they keep telling us to stay close to the Lord.

There was a leader of the Nephites in the Book of Mormon who was good at thinking ahead. He prepared his people physically, mentally, and spiritually to be able to have the opportunity to worship God as they knew was right. He made himself strong, then even thought ahead to anticipate his enemy’s moves, to prevent any advantages he might gain. His name was Captain Moroni, and his adversary was named Amalickiah.

Amalickiah was was a wicked man who wanted to be a king, so he plotted to overthrow the judges of the Nephites. He used flattering words and promises to convince many rich and power-hungry people to help him. Even many Church members were deceived into following Amalickiah.

When Moroni, the chief commander of the Nephite armies, heard of this, he was angry with Amalickiah. He tore a piece from his coat to make a flag, and wrote on it: “In memory of our God, our religion, and freedom, and our peace, our wives, and our children.” He fastened the banner on the end of a pole and called it the title of liberty. Dressed in his battle armor, Captain Moroni prayed to God that his people might be able to keep the freedom they now had.

When Moroni finished praying, he went among the people waving the title of liberty in the air. He cried our, “Behold, whosoever will maintain this title upon the land, let them come forth in the strength of the Lord, and enter into a covenant that they will maintain their rights, and their religion, that the Lord God may bless them.

The people came running with their armor, tearing their cloaks as a symbol of the covenant they were making to obey the Lord. They gathered around Moroni to defend their freedom.

When Amalickiah saw that Moroni’s army was larger than his, he was afraid and took his men and started toward the land of the Lamanites.

Moroni did not want Amalickiah to stir up the Lamanites to battle, so he and his army marched into the wilderness to stop Amalickiah. Amalickiah and a few of his men escaped, but Captain Moroni captured the others and took them back to Zarahemla.

Most of Amalickiah’s followers were willing to covenant with Captain Moroni’s people to defend freedom, and they were allowed to go free. Moroni raised the title of liberty upon every tower in the land of the Nephites, and they began to have peace in the land.

Moroni was righteous and thought ahead. He fought smart to keep his people free. He was a real man, and his link in the chain definitely held strong to help not only himself but all his people and their children and grandchildren after them.

I hope we can all think ahead and stay close to the Lord so our links can also hold strong. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.