2010–2019
All Must Take upon Them the Name Given of the Father
October 2018

Kpukpru owo Enyene Ndida Enyiŋ emi Ete ɔkɔnɔde nnɔ Idem Mmɔ

Elder Paul B. Pieper

Eke Seventy

Enying Andinyanga enyene akpan ye asanga-sanga odudu. Enye edi nkokure enying emi edidade inyanga owo.

Ke udua ifaŋ emi ekebede, ami mma ntiene mbuana ke baptism ediwak nditɔ isua itiaita. Mmɔ eke etɔŋɔ ndikpep gospel Jesus Christ nto ete ye eka mmɔ ye mme andikpep mmɔ. Mkpasip mbuɔtidem mmɔ ke Enye ama ɔtɔŋɔ ndikɔri. Ndien idahaemi mmɔ eyom nditiene Enye nduk mmɔŋ baptism man eduk Ufɔk Abasi Esie emi Enye ekefiakde emen edi. Nte nsede idara mmɔ, ami mma nkere mme mmɔ efiɔk akpan ŋkpo kiet ke ediomi baptism mmɔ: ubiere mmɔ ndida enyiŋ Jesus Christ nnɔ idem mmɔ.

Tɔŋɔ ke eritɔŋɔ, Abasi eting abanga ukara enyiŋ Jesus Christ ke uduak Esie ye nnyin. Angel kiet ama ekpep akpa ete nnyin, Adam ete, “Afo eyenam kpukpru ŋkpɔ emi afo anamde ke enyiŋ Eyen, ndien afo eyekabare esit onyuŋ okot Abasi ke enyiŋ Eyen ke nsinsi.”1

Prophet kiet ke ŋwed Mormon, edidem Benjamin, ama ekpep ikɔt esie ete, “Enyiŋ efen iduhe emi edinɔde mme usuŋ efen mme ufaŋ efen emi erinyaŋa editode.”2

Jehovah ama afiak etiŋ akpanikɔ emi ono Prophet Joseph Smith ete: Sese, Jesus Christ edi enyiŋ emi Ete ɔnɔde, ndien enyiŋ efen iduhe emi enɔde man enyaŋa owo.”3

Ke eyo nnyin, President Dallin H. Oaks ekpep nnyin ete “mbon emi enyenede mbuɔtidem ke Jesus Christ … enyuŋ eduk ediomi esie … enyuŋ enim ibet esie… eyenyene udeme ke uwa erisio-isop Jesus Christ.”4

Ete nnyin ke Heaven oyom nnyin itim ifiɔk ite ke enyiŋ Eyen Esie, Jesus Christ, idige enyiŋ kiet ke otu ediwak enyiŋ. Enyiŋ Andinyaŋa enyene akpan ye saŋa saŋa odudu. Edi nkukure enyiŋ emi erinyaŋa otode. Ke ndisɔŋɔ ntiŋ akpanikɔ emi ke eyo kiet kiet, edima Ete nnyin ɔdɔhɔ kpukpru nditɔ Esie ete ke usuŋ odu ndinyɔŋ mbine Enye. Edi usuŋ ndidu iwɔrɔke ete ke nyin iyenyɔŋ ibine Enye. Abasi ɔdɔhɔ nnyin ke eyom utom nnyin: “Ke ntre, kpukpru iren [ye iban] ana eda eno idem mmɔ enyiŋ emi Ete ɔnɔde.”5

Mna ibo odudu unyanga emi edide oto ke enyiŋ Christ kpot, ana nnyin “isuhore [idem nnyin] kisoAbasi … edi ye mbuŋɔ esit ye spirit mkpefiɔk… enyuŋ enyime ndida enyiŋ Jesus Christ nnɔ [idem nnyin]” ndien idot, ukem nte mme isua itiaita mkpri ufan mi oro, man “ina baptism iduk Ufok Abasi Esie.”6

Kpukpru mbon emi eduakde ke akpanikɔ ndida enyiŋ Andinyaŋa nnɔ idem mmɔ enyene ndidot enyuŋ ebɔ edinam baptism nte ntiense enɔ Abasi ke abaŋa mbumek mmɔ.7 Edi baptism edi ntɔŋɔ.

Ikɔ emi da idighe mfefere ikɔ. Edi ikɔ edinam onyuŋ ɔwɔrɔ nsio nsio ŋkpɔ.8 Ntre, ubiere nnyin ndida enyiŋ Jesus Christ nnɔ idem nnyin oyom edinam ke nsio nsio usuŋ.

Nte uwutŋkpɔ, ŋkpo kiet emi ikɔ emi da ɔwɔrɔde edi ndida mme ndibɔ nsin ke idem nnyin, nte ke ini nnyin idade se eŋwɔŋde. Ke ndida enyiŋ Christ nnɔ idem nnyin, nnyin iminyime ndida mme ukpep ŋkpɔ Esie, mme ido Esie, ndien ke akpatre ima Esie nsin ke esit idem nnyin man mmɔ ekabare edi se nnyin idide. Ntem ke ikut ufɔn ikoot emi President Nelson  M. Nelson okotde iwaad ete yak mmɔ “ebɔŋ akam enyuŋ etim [eyom] ndifiɔk se mme adaha ye enyiŋ [Andinyaŋa] ɔwɔrɔdekiet kiet ɔnɔ [mmɔ],”9 enyung etabi iko Christ ke mme ŋwed Abasi, akpan-akpan Ŋwed Mormon. 10

Ɔyɔhɔ ŋkpɔ iba se ikɔ emi da ɔwɔrɔde edi ndinyime nnɔ owo ke ubiɔŋ utom esie mme ndinyime akpanikɔ emi esinede ke ifiɔk mme ukpep ŋkpɔ. Ke ini nnyin idade enyiŋ Christ inɔ idem nnyin, nnyin iminyime Enye nte Andinyaŋa nnyin ndien nnyin ida ukpep ŋkpɔ ada usuŋ nnyin kpukpru ini ke uwem nnyin. Ke kpukpru ndumek emi nnyin imekde, nnyin imikeme ndi datgospel Esie nte akpan ikɔ inyuŋ idu enye ke uwem nnyin ye ofuri esit nnyin, ukeme, ekikere, ye odudu.

Ikɔ emi da ekeme ediwɔrɔ ndidian idem ye enyiŋ mme ŋkpɔ. Ediwak nnyin iminyene ufaŋ ndi da itie ke itie utom mme ndida nnɔŋkpɔ mme edinam. Ke ini nnyin idade enyiŋ Christ inɔ idem nnyin, nnyin ida ubiɔŋ utom ndidi nti mbet, nnyin itiŋ ibaŋa utom Esie, ndien nnyin “ida nte ntiense inɔ [Enye] kpukpru ini ye ke kpukpru ŋkpɔ, ye ke kpukpru ebiet emi [nnyin] idude.”11 President Nelson okot “kpukpru ŋkaiferi ye kpukpru mkparawa tɔŋɔ ke isua Duopeba kesim Efureta ke Ufok Abasi Jesus Christ eke Latter-day Saints ete eduk nka mkparawa Jehovah man eŋwam etaŋ Israel ebok kiet.”12 Ndien enem kpukpru nnyin esit ndiyere ikoot prophet emi ke ndikwɔrɔ enyiŋ mfaik-nda-ndi ufɔk Abasi Esie nte Andinyaŋa ke Idemesie ekeyarare nte: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.13

Ke idomode ndida enyiŋ Andinyaŋa nnɔ idem nnyin, ana ifiɔk ite ke usuŋ Christ ye ufɔk Abasi Esie edi kiet ye ukem-ukem. Mmɔ ikemeke ndidiaŋare. Ke ukem usuŋ oro, nte nnyin itienede Andinyaŋa ye nte nnyin isinde idem inam ŋkpɔ ke ufɔk Abasi Esie edi ukem-ukem. Edieke nnyin iduede ke kiet, nnyin iyemem idem ke enye oko, emi edi akpanikɔ ukem ukem nte okoneyo etienede usiere.

Usuk owo imaha ndinyime enyiŋ Jesus Christ ye usuŋ Esie koro mmɔ ekere ke afafaha, itarake, inyuŋ iniɔŋke. Akpanikɔ edi, ndida enyiŋ Christ nnɔ idem nnyin atat owo ayak onyuŋ ɔfɔn. Edemere mme udɔŋ emi nnyin ikinyenede ke ini ikenyimede uduak Abasi ito mbuɔtidem ke Andinyaŋa. Ye udɔŋ emi ke esit nnyin, nnyin iyekut akpan ntak edisana enɔ nnyin, ikop ima Esie, ndien udɔŋ nnyin ndinam ŋkpɔ nnɔ mbon efen ɔkɔri. Nte nnyin idade enyiŋ Andinyaŋa inɔ idem nnyin, nnyin ikan inam nti ŋkpɔ inyuŋ ikabare itie nte Enye.14

Ɔfɔn nditi nte ke ndida enyiŋ Andinyaŋa nnɔ idem nnyin edi ndinam ediomi - ɔtɔŋɔde ke ediomi emi nnyin ikenamde ke baptism. President Nelson ekpep ete ke, “uduak nnyin nditiene Andinyaŋa ke ndinam ediomi ye Enye inyuŋ ikpono mme ediomi oro eyeberede usuŋ edidiɔŋ spirit ɔnɔ nnyin.”15 Kiet ke ufɔn emi okponde akan ke ndida enyiŋ Andinyaŋa nnɔ idem nnyin ke baptism edi ufaŋ emi enye ɔnɔde nnyin ndinam mme edinam efen ke usuŋ ediomi, ndori-ubɔk nnyin. Ke ini nkebupde mme ufan mi isua itiaita se ndida enyiŋ Christ nnɔ idem eke ɔwɔrɔde ɔnɔ enye, enye ɔbɔrɔ ete, “ɔwɔrɔ ke ami mmekeme ndinyene Edisana Spirit.” Enye ama enen.

Ebɔ enɔ Edisana Spirit ke ndidori ubɔk ke ini nnyin ima ikebo edinam baptism. Enɔ emi edi unen ye ufaŋ ndinyene Edisana Spirit nte ada nsaŋa nnyin. Edieke nnyin ikpaŋde utɔŋ inɔ inyuŋ ikop ekpri ye suŋ-suŋ uyo Esie, Enye eyenim nnyin ke usuŋ ediomi emi nnyin ikidukde ito baptism, akpan nnyin ke ini nnyin iwɔrɔde ikpɔŋ usuŋ, onyuŋ aŋwam nnyin ikabare esit inyuŋ isaŋa nte ɔfɔnde. Ekikere nnyin ke ini inade baptism ikure edi ndinyene Edisana Spirit kpukpru ini ye nnyin man nnyin ika iso ikɔri ke usuŋ ediomi. Edisana Spirit eyedu ye nnyin edieke nnyin inimde uwem nnyin asana inyuŋ ikpɔŋde idiɔk ŋkpɔ.

Ke ntak emi, Jehovah ɔnɔ usuŋ nnyin ndidemere edisana ufɔn baptism emi nto edinam efen—udia-Obong. Kwa udua nnyin “itie ntiense ke [nnyin] iminyime ndida enyiŋ Eyen fo nnɔ idem [nnyin].”16 ndien ke ndinyan ubɔk nyuŋmmenmme idiɔŋɔ ikpɔk idem ye iyip Jehovah ke ubɔk nnyin— uyo ye mmɔŋ—ndien ndi da mmɔ nsin ke ata ukpɔŋ nnyin. Ndien, Andinyaŋa anam ediomi Esie ke ndifiak nyet nnyin isana nyuŋ nnam nnyin idot ndinyene Edisana Spirit. Ndi emi iwutke ima emi ekutde ke enyiŋ Jesus Christ? Kpa nte nnyin idade enyiŋ Esie inɔ idem nnyin, Enyeataŋ mme idiɔk ŋkpɔ nnyin ye mme ukut nnyin ɔnɔ idemEsie, ndien edi ubɔk Esie “aka iso anyanare”17 ndikanare nnyin nkuk ke ubɔk ima Esie.18

Udia-Obong eti nnyin ke urua ke urua ete ke ndidaenyiŋ Jesus Christ nnɔ idem nnyin edi ŋkpɔ emi minyeneke utit, idighe ŋkpɔ usen kiet emi etibede ke usen baptism nnyin ikpɔŋ. 19 Nnyin ika iso inyene ofuri ofuri ini “edisana enɔ oro, emi owo mifiɔkke, ndifen mme idiɔk ŋkpɔ nnyin nyuŋ nda ikpɔk idem ye iyip esie.”20 Idighe ŋkpɔ mkpaidem ndien ete ke ini nditɔ Abasi efiɔkde odudu, ye enɔ spirit emi otode ke ndida enyiŋ Christ nnɔ idem mmɔ, ekikere mmɔ edi eke idaresit kpukpru ini ndien udɔŋ mmɔ kpukpru ini edi ndiduk ediomi ye Abasi mmɔ.21

Nte nnyin isaŋade ke edisana usuŋ ediomi emi, utom nnyin ye edinam nnyin ndida enyiŋ Jesus Christ nnɔ idem nnyin eye ɔnɔ nnyin ukeme “ndinyene enyiŋ [Esie] emi ewetde ke esit [nnyin] kpukpru ini.”22 Nnyin iyema Abasi ye mbɔhiduŋ nnyin inyuŋ inyene udɔŋ ndinwam mmɔ. Nnyin iyenim mbet Esie inyuŋ iyom ndisik mkpere Enye ke ndinam ediomi efen ye Enye. Ke ini idem ememde nnyin ndien nnyin ikanke inam mme uduak nnyin, nnyin iyebeŋe odudu emi otode enyiŋ Esie ndien Enye eyeŋwam nnyin. Nte nnyin iyɔde ke mbuɔtidem, usen eyedi emi nnyin idikutde Enye inyuŋ idu ye Enye, ndien nnyin iyekut ite ke nnyin imikabare itie nte Enye, ke ntre idot ndinyɔŋ nka iso Ete.

Koro eŋwɔŋɔ Andinyaŋa edi akpanikɔ ete: mbon emi ebuɔtde idem ke enyiŋ Jesus Christ, enyuŋ ekponode Ete ke enyiŋ Esie, enyuŋ eyɔ ke mbuɔtidem ke enyiŋ Esie tutu esim utit”23 eyenyaŋa mmɔ ke obio ubɔŋ Abasi. Ye mbufo, ami mmenem esit nte ke ediwak edidiong odu oto ke ndida enyiŋ Jesus Christ nnɔ idem nnyin, ke emi ye ke enyiŋ oro ke ami ntiŋ ikɔ ntiense mbanga, amen.

Notes

  1. Moses 5:8.

  2. Mosiah 3:17.

  3. Doctrine and Covenants 18:23.

  4. Dallin H. Oaks, “Taking upon Us the Name of Jesus Christ,” Ensign, May 1985, 82.

  5. Doctrine and Covenants 18:24; emphasis added.

  6. Doctrine and Covenants 20:37; emphasis added.

  7. President Dallin H. Oaks has taught: “We take upon us our Savior’s name when we become members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. … As true believers in Christ, as Christians, we have gladly taken his name upon us” (“Taking upon Us the Name of Jesus Christ,” 80).

  8. The Merriam-Webster online dictionary lists 20 meanings of the transitive form of the verb take, which is the form in which the verb is used in the phrase “take upon us the name of Jesus Christ” (see merriam-webster.com/dictionary/take).

  9. Russell M. Nelson, “Prophets, Leadership, and Divine Law” (worldwide devotional for young adults, Jan. 8, 2017), broadcasts.lds.org.

  10. See Russell M. Nelson, “The Book of Mormon: What Would Your Life Be Like without It?” Liahona, Nov. 2017, 60–63.

  11. Mosiah 18:9.

  12. Russell M. Nelson, “Hope of Israel” (worldwide youth devotional, June 3, 2018), HopeofIsrael.lds.org.

  13. “The Lord has impressed upon my mind the importance of the name He has revealed for His Church, even The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. We have work before us to bring ourselves in harmony with His will” (Russell M. Nelson, in “The Name of the Church” [official statement, Aug. 16, 2018], mormonnewsroom.org).

  14. See Moroni 7:19.

  15. Russell M. Nelson, “As We Go Forward Together,” Liahona, Apr. 2018, 7.

  16. Doctrine and Covenants 20:77; emphasis added.

  17. 3 Nephi 9:14; see also Alma 5:33–34.

  18. See 2 Nephi 1:15.

  19. “When we witness our willingness to take upon us the name of Jesus Christ, we are signifying our commitment to do all that we can to achieve eternal life in the kingdom of our Father. We are expressing our candidacy—our determination to strive for—exaltation in the celestial kingdom. …

    “… What we witness is not that we take upon us his name but that we are willing to do so. In this sense, our witness relates to some future event or status whose attainment is not self-assumed, but depends on the authority or initiative of the Savior himself” (Dallin H. Oaks, “Taking upon Us the Name of Jesus Christ,” 82, 83).

  20. “O God, the Eternal Father,” Hymns, no. 175.

  21. See Mosiah 5; 6; 18; 3 Nephi 19.

  22. Mosiah 5:12.

  23. Doctrine and Covenants 20:29.