Obo Unan

Iko otode Elder Neil L. Andersen

Eke Eboho mme Apostle Duopeba

Ke ufot mfiomo idomo uwem-isong, eka iso ke ime, ndien odudu edikok eke Andinyanga eyeno mbufo unwana, ifiok, emem, ye idorenyin.

Ke March 22, 2016, mbemiso osim nkanika Itiaita usenubok, otombe eke ndioi mbon-ekong iba obomo ke anwa mbehe ubom-ofim eke Brussels. Elder Richard Norby, Elder Mason Wells, ye Elder Joseph Empey ekemen Sister Fanny Clain eka do man okoduk ubom-ofim aka mission esie ke Cleveland, Ohio. Owo Edip-ye-duopeba ekekpa, ndien kpukpru missionaries ema edat unan.

Missionary emi akadade unan akan ekedi Elder Richard Norby, emi edide isua Ata-ye-itiokiet, emi odude ke mission ye nnwan esie, Sister Pam Norby.

Elder Richard Norby afiak eketi idaha ini oro ete:

“Ata idahaoro ami mmofiok se iketibede.

“Ami ndomo ndifehe nyom uboho, edi ke ndo-ndo oro ami nduo. … Nkut ke ukot ufien mi ama enehede enyene unan. [Nkut] ndiwen nkpo, ebietde mkpang-utue, mburi-ubiom emi adiangare ke ubok mi mbiba. Sung-sung ami nduri oro, edi ndifiok ke idige mburi-ubiom, kedi ikpa-idem mi emi ama akata ikang. Afia ofongidem mi akabare eyibe oto unan emi okodude mi ke edem.

“Nte ndifiokde se iketibede oyohode ekikere mi, [nnyene] eti ekikere: … ke Andinyanga ofiok ebiet eke ami ndude, se iketibede, ye [se] ikesimde mi ke ndaha ini oro.”¹

Nte Richard Norby odudeke mkpeng

Okposong ini ama odu kiso ono Richard Norby ye nnwan esie, Pam. Enam enye edi mkpeng, tiene ye usiak-idem, udongo, ye unana idorenyin.

Richard Norby ama odu uwem, edi uwem esie ididige ukem-ukem aba. Ke isua iba ye ubak ebede, unan esie osuk obobo ukok, mkpaha-ukwak odu ke nde emi akabiarade ke ukot esie; ikpat-isang kiet okpuho tongo ke ini oro ke anwa ubom-ofim eke Brussels.

Richard ye Pam Norby

Nsidi ntak emi nkpo emi ekeptibede ono Richard ye Pam Norby?² Mmo enam akpaniko ke ediomo mmo. Mbemiso mmo edi mission, mmo ekeka mission ke Ivory Coast enyung ema eti ufokemana kiet. Owo ekeme nditing ete, “Emi ifonke! Emi itimke inen! Mmo ekeyak uwem mmo eno iko Abasi Jesus Christ; didie ke emi editibe?”

Emi edi Uwem-isong

Okposuk nte mbuk edinyenede ukpuhore, mme unomo, oyo-yo idomo ye mfina, eke ikpokidem ye ukpong, eyesim nnyin kiet-kiet koro emi edi uwem-isong.

Nte ami nkereke usenubok emi mbanga mme eting-iko ke ikpehe mbono emi, ami ndifiok ke owo iba ema enana ndito ndien ke owo ita ema enyene ndito-ndito emi ema ekekpa. Iduhe eke minyeneke udongo ye mfuho, ndien nte etingde ke ata udua emi, ediye owo emi ofuri nnyin imade, Sister Barbara Ballard, ama ebe efeb. President Ballard, nnyin idifreke iko ntiense fo eke usenubok emi.

Nnyin iyom inemesit. Iyom emem. Iyom ima. Ndien Jehovah awanga ediwak utibe edidiong ono nnyin. Edi ke ufot idara ye inemesit mbufo, nkpo kiet eyetibe: ndaha, ini, mme usen, ke ubakini mme isua emi ukpong mbufo,edinyenede unan eyedu.

Nwed Abasi ekpeb ete ke nnyin iyetabi ininge ye idot³ ndien ana nte “mfanga odu ke kpukpru nkpo.”⁴ Jesus ete koro, “[Ete mbufo] anamde utin Esie asiaha ono mme idiok owo ye nti owo, onyung anamde edim edep ono ndinen owo ye mme anam ukwang-ido.”⁵

Unan eke ukpong itibeke ino mbon edu uwem, idut, mme emana kiet kpot. Itibeke ito inyene mme ubuene. Etibe ono kpukpru owo. Edi ubak ukpeb emi nnyin ibode ke uwem isong emi.

Ndinen-owo Iditreke ndikut Idomo

Etop mi mfin abanga mbon emi enimde mbet Abasi, enamde enwongo mmo eno Abasi, ndien, nte, mme Norbys ye irenowo efen, iban, ye ndito-owong ke eboho otuowo emi, ekutde idomo ye afanikong emi edide iwiwa ye ubiak.

Mme unan nnyin ekeme ndi-to ndiokiso obot mme iyokho unomo. Mmo ekeme ndi-to idiok ebe mme nnwan, edibiat uwem edinen ebe ye nnwan ye ndito. Unan oro ekeme ndi-to ekim ye mfuho ndobo, edi-wat udongo, ndutuho mme ediwat mkpa owo emi nnyin imade, mfuho otode owo ufokemana kiet ndikang mbuotidem esie, ndobo-ikpong kini ndaha mifiake ida nsinsi nsanga idi, mme otode ata ediwak oyomo-nsia, ubiak “[mme mfuho] eke enyin mikwe.⁶

Nnyin kiet-kiet imefiok ete ke nsongo-nkpo edi ubak nkpo eke uwem, edi ke ini mmo etibede eno nnyin, ekeme ndida nnyin uwem. Ke ntot miduhe, ana nnyin ibenge idem. Apostle Peter ete, “Ekuyik ikang-ikang idomo eke odude ke otu mbufo, eke etienede mbufo man edomo mbufo efiok, nte ededi utibe nkpo oworo ono mbufo.”⁷ Diana ye uduot uyama eke inemesit, ye idara, nti uduak eke Ete akan ikpo udim idomo ye nkpo-ndik. Mme mfina emi, okposuk nte osongde, esiwak ndino nnyin akwa ukpebnkpo.⁸

Ini emi etingde utibe mbuk eke mkpri mbon-ekong Tosin-iba ye-ata eke Helaman, nnyin ima itie Nwed Abasi emi: “Nte ekemde ye mfon Abasi, ye ke mkpaidem nnyin, ndien nko ke idara ofuri mbon-ekong nnyin, iduhe ukpong kiet emi akatakde.”

Edi iko oro aka iso ete: “Ndien iduhe ukpong kiet kotu mmo emi mikenyeneke ediwak unan.”⁹Iduhe kiet kotu mkparawa 2,060 emi akakpade, edi ofuri mmo 2,060 oro ema enyene ediwak unan.

Jesus Christ Edi Eti-owo Samaria Nnyin

Ekukpa mba—nte unan ukpong mbufo ekpededi, se ikpedi ntongo mmo, ke ebiet ye ke ini eke mmo etibede, ye ke ibio mme anyan ini emi mmo ebighide, inaha nte spirit mbufo atak. Ana nte spirit mbufo oboho enyung ekori ke mbuotidem mbufo ndien enim Abasi ke akpaniko.

Abasi ikobotke spirit nnyin ete oworo okpong Enye. Obong ye Andiyanga nnyin, Jesus Christ, otode ke akwa eno Erisio-isop Esie, ikenyangake nnyin isio ke mkpa nnyung nno nnyin, oto ke editua-mkpofiok, erifen ke idioknkpo nnyin kpot, edi Enye adada ebet ndinyanga nnyin nsio ke mfuho ye ubiak unan eke ukpong nnyin.¹⁰

Eti-owo Samaria

Andinyanga edi Eti-owo Samaria eke ofuri ubonowo.¹¹ Enye ofiori ete ke ekeno Enye “man edinyanga mbon esit obungode.”¹² Nte eti owo Samaria, Enye edi etiene nnyin ke ini mbon efen esangade ebe nnyin. Enye okut unan nnyin onyung enyene mbom ono nnyin. Enye odori aran erikok Esie ke unan nnyin onyung obop mmo. Enye emen nnyin akama. Enye ekpeme nnyin. Enye okot nnyin ete, “Etiene Mi … ndien ami nyekok udongo [mbufo].”¹³

“Ndien [Jesus] eyebo ofuri oruk… [ndutuho] ubiak ye ufen ye idomo; … man … enye [ekpekeme] ndiyo ubiak ye udongo ikot Esie … ndimen ukut [nnyin mbiom ke Idemesie, sia] oyohode ye mbom.”¹⁴

Edi mbon emi esit etimede, ke nte mmemidem mbufo ekpedide;

Edi ke ebiet mbom, etongo edong,

Eda unan esit mbufo edi; eting eseme mbufo mi.

Ererimbot inyeneke mfuho emi heaven mikpekokke.¹⁵

Ke ini okposong ini ukut kiet, Abasi odoho Prophet Joseph ete, “Kpukpru nkpo emi eyeno fi ukpeb, onyung edi ke ufon fo.”¹⁶ Didie ke ubiak unan edidi ke ufon nnyin? Ke mfiomo idomo eke uwem, eka iso ke ime, odudu ukok Andinyanga eyeda unwana, ifiok, emem ye idorenyin edi. ¹⁷

Ekukpa Mba

Ebong akam ke ofuri esit mbufo. Esongo mbuotidem ke Jesus Christ, ke akpaniko Esie, ke mfon Esie. Eyire ke iko Esie: “Mfon mi ke ekekem fi; koro enamde odudu Mi ofon ama ke mmem-idem.”¹⁸

Ti ete, editua-mkpofiok edi ibok spirit emi enyenede odudu.¹⁹ Enam mbet enyung edot ndibo Idongesit, eti ete ke Andinyanga onwongo ete, “Ndikpongke mbufo nte ndito-akpa; mfafiak ntiene mbufo.”²⁰

Emem eke temple edi aran mfut ono ukpong emi enyenede unan. Eda afanikong ye mme enying ufokemana mbufo efiak eka temple ke nte ekemede. Temple emen esisit ini nnyin ke uwem isong owut nte ini nsinsi editiede.²¹

Efiak ese ini edem, eti ke mbufo emewut ndaha ufon mbufo eke uwem premortal mbufo. Afo edi enyene-odudu eyen Abasi, dian ye unwam Esie, afo eyekan ke ediwak ekong eke idiok ererimbot emi. Afo ama ebemiso anam oro akpa, ndien eyekeme ndifiak nam oro.

Ese iso. Mbufo eyekut afanikong ye mfuho, edi mmo idibighike ke nsinsi.²² Ekim okoneyo mbufo eyebe, koro “Eyen … [ama edemede] ye ukok ke mba Esie.”²³

Mme Norbys edoho mi ete, “Edikpu eyedu ke esisit ini edi inaha nte eyak enye edidu-dung.” ²⁴ Apostle Paul ete, “Nnyin ikop mfihe … edi iduhe ke mbaba; efina nnyin ekikere; edi itiehe ke nkim-enyin; esin nnyin enyin, edi Abasi ikpongke nnyin; eyibi nnyin eduok ke isong, edi ibiatke nnyin uwem.”²⁵ Mbufo emekeme ekaha, edi ekukpa mba. ²⁶

Kpa ye ubiak unan mbufo, mbufo eyenehede enwam mbon efen, enim ke enwongo Andinyanga ete: “Owo ekededi ekediduokde uwem esie ke ntak Mi eyefiak enyene.”²⁷ Mbon ukut emi eyode mbaba mbon efen edi mme angel Abasi mi ke isong.

Ke esisit ini, nnyin iyekpang-utong ino edima prophet nnyin, President Russell M. Nelson, akwa erenowo mbuotidem ke Jeusu Christ, erenowo emem ye idorenyin, emi Abasi amade edi ke enyenyene unan eke ukpong.

Ke isua1995 eyen-anwan esie Emily, kini okoyomode, ama enyene cancer. Idorenyin ye inemesit ama odu kini ediye nsekeyen esie amanade. Edi udongo ama afiak etibe, ndien edima Emily mmo ama akpa ke okurede 37^th birthday esie, okpong edima ebe ye mkpri ndito esie ition.

President Nelson etingde-iko ke 1995

Ke akwa mbono, emi akadade itie esisit ini ke enye ama akakpa, Elder Nelson eting ete: “Mfuho mmongeyet mi ofioro asanga ye uduak eke ami mkpeduakde ndinam ofon nno eyen-anwan nnyin.  … Edieke ami mkpenyeneke odudu ediset, ami mkpeduk ke idomo ke ndinam [enye] eset. … [Edi] Jesus Christ akama mme ukpohode oro ndien eyeda mmo anam utom ono Emily … ye kpukpru owo ke edikem ini Abasi.”²⁸

President Nelson ke Puerto Rico

Ke ofiong emi ebede, kini nkesede ikot Abasi ke Puerto Rico, ndien nti idiok-ndubiara Hurricane Maria emi eketibede ke isua andikibe, President Nelson eting iko ke ima ye esitmbom ete:

“[Emi] edi ubak nkpo eke uwem. Oro edi ntak eke nnyin idude mi. Nnyin idu mi man inyene ikpokidem inyung ikut idomo man edomo nnyin. Ubak idomo oro edi eke ikpokidem; ubak edi eke spirit, ndien mme idomo mbufo esidi eke ikpokidem ye eke spirit.”²⁹

“Mbufo ikpaha mba. Nnyin [imetim] inemesit ye mbufo. Ediwak nkpo atak mbufo nte nti ikot Abasi, edi ke esit oro, mbufo esuk enyenyene mbuotidem ke Obong Jesus Christ.”³⁰

“Ke ndinim mbet Abasi, nnyin imekeme ndikut idara kpa ke ufot ini ukut nnyin.”³¹

Eyekwohode Kpukpru Mmongeyet Efep

Ndito-eka mi iren ye iban, ami nnwongo nno mbufo nte ke ndiwuk ata mbuotidem mbufo ke Obong Jesus Christ eyeda osongo ye akwa idorenyin osok mbufo. Eke mbufo, mme edinen owo, Andikok ukpong nnyin, ke ini Esie ye ke usung Esie, eyekok ofuri unan mbufo.³² Ufik-ikpe, ukobo, idomo, mfuho, ndutuho, unan ididuhe—nte ekpetungode, akpanwangade, akpabiakde eketre—eyekure oto ke idongesit, emem, ye idorenyin eke Enye emi ubok Esie atarade ana ye ukok ndidara nda nnyin mfiak nduk iso Esie. Ke usen oro, Apostle John eting ete, mme ndinen owo “emi [eketode] ke akwa ukut ewongo”³³ eyeda “esine mfia ofongidem … kiso ebekpo Abasi.” Eyenerong “eyedu kotu [nnyin] … ndien Abasi eyekwohode kpukpru mmongeyet ke enyin [mbufo] efeb.”³⁴ Usen oro eyedi. Ami ndi ntiense k’emi ke enying Jesus Christ, amen.

Notes

1. Personal conversation, Jan. 26, 2018.

2. In a conversation earlier this year, Richard Norby said to me, “We answer to what has been given us.” He shared this from his journal: “The tests and trials that come to each of us give the opportunity and privilege to better know the Savior and understand in deeper detail his atoning sacrifice. It is he we lean on. It is he we seek out. It is he we depend on. It is he we have confidence in. It is he that we love with all our heart, without any reservations. The Savior has covered all the physical and emotional pains that are part of mortality. He takes the pain from us. He absorbs our sorrows.”

3. See Doctrine and Covenants 29:39.

4. 2 Nephi 2:11.

5. Matthew 5:45.

6. “Lord, I Would Follow Thee,” Hymns, no. 220.

7. 1 Peter 4:12.

8. “We will prove them herewith, to see if they will do all things whatsoever the Lord their God shall command them” (Abraham 3:25; see also Doctrine and Covenants 101:4–5).

9. Alma 57:25.

10. A friend wrote to me: “A nearly five-year battle with emotional ‘darkness and gloom’ in varying degrees takes you to the very edge of your capacities, resolve, faith, and patience. After days of ‘suffering,’ you are tired. After weeks of ‘suffering,’ you are exhausted. After months of ‘suffering,’ you begin to lose your ground. After years of ‘suffering,’ you submit to the possibility that you’ll never get better again. Hope becomes the most precious, and elusive, of gifts. In short, I’m not sure I know how I got through this trial, save it was [the Savior]. It’s the only explanation. I can’t explain how I know this, except that I do. Because of Him, I got through this.”

11. See Luke 10:30–35.

12. Luke 4:18; see also Isaiah 61:1.

13. 3 Nephi 18:32.

14. Alma 7:11–12. “He descended below all things, in that he comprehended all things” (Doctrine and Covenants 88:6).

15. “Come, Ye Disconsolate,” Hymns, no. 115.

16. Doctrine and Covenants 122:7.

17. “Thou knowest the greatness of God; and he shall consecrate thine afflictions for thy gain” (2 Nephi 2:2). “I do know that whosoever shall put their trust in God shall be supported in their trials, and their troubles, and their afflictions, and shall be lifted up at the last day” (Alma 36:3).

18. 2 Corinthians 12:9.

19. See Neil L. Andersen, “The Joy of Becoming Clean,” Ensign, Apr. 1995, 50–53.

20. John 14:18.

21. “If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable” (1 Corinthians 15:19).

22. In the first verse of the Book of Mormon, Nephi explained that he had “seen many afflictions in the course of [his] days” (1 Nephi 1:1). Later, Nephi said, “Nevertheless, I did look unto my God, and I did praise him all the day long; and I did not murmur against the Lord because of mine afflictions” (1 Nephi 18:16).

23. 3 Nephi 25:2.

24. Personal conversation, Jan. 26, 2018.

25. 2 Corinthians 4:8–9.

26. President Hugh B. Brown, while visiting Israel, was asked why Abraham was commanded to sacrifice his son. He responded, “Abraham needed to learn something about Abraham” (in Truman G. Madsen, Joseph Smith the Prophet [1989], 93).

27. Matthew 16:25.

28. Russell M. Nelson, “Children of the Covenant,” Ensign, May 1995, 32.

29. Russell M. Nelson, in Jason Swensen, “Better Days Are Ahead for the People of Puerto Rico,” Church News, Sept. 9, 2018, 4.

30. Russell M. Nelson, in Swensen, “Better Days Are Ahead,” 3.

31. Russell M. Nelson, in Swensen, “Better Days Are Ahead,” 4.

32. See Russell M. Nelson, “Jesus Christ—the Master Healer,” Liahona, Nov. 2005, 85–88.

33. Revelation 7:14.

34. See Revelation 7:13, 15, 17.