Akwa Mboho
Ukpep-nkpɔ Edidu
Akwa Mbono eke October 2022


Ukpep-nkpɔ Edidu

Ukpep-nkpɔ edidu edisim emi ɔnɔ nnyin owo kiet-kiet: Ami ndi kiet ye Christ ke ediomi ikɔ Abasi.

Ami nyema nditing iko mbanga se ami nkot ukpep-nkpo eke edidu ke Ufok Abasi Jesus Christ Mme Ndisana Owo Ekpere Edem Usen. Ukpep-nkpɔ emi enyene ndaha ita: (Akpa) utom eke edidu ke ndibok mbon ɔŋediomo Abasi, (Udiana) ufɔn utom-unwam ye nwaidem ke edidu, ye (Oyoho Ita) akpan utom Jesus Christ ke edidu.

Ufɔk Abasi Jesus Christ Mme Ndisana Owo Ekpere Edem Usen ke akpa ntongo esie okoyoho ediwak ye mfia-owo North America ye ikot Abasi eke edere-edere Europe dian esisit ibat ata Mbon America, African Americans, ye Mbon-isuɔ eke Pacific Idahaemi, isua itiaita mbemiso edisim usoro isua Ikie-iba eke ntongo esie, Ufɔk Abasi ama enehede okori ke ibat ye isio-isio usung ke Edere America ye nko ke ofuri ebiet ke ererimbot.

Nte prophecy ekpere-dem usen editang mbon ediomo Abasi mbook emi eketingde ke anyan-ini oworode osu, ke akpanikɔ Ufɔk Abasi eyesine mme owo etode ofuri idut, oruk, edeme, ye mme owo. 1 Emi idihe isio-isio mme akpakpak ibat edi edi ata nkpo adade-itie emi nnyin iyomde, idifiok ete ke iyiri iko Abasi atang mbonowo oto ofuri idut ye ofuri otuowo.

Se nte nnyin ibode edidiong ndikut usen oro ekesiakde Zion ke ukem ini ke ofuri akamba-idut ye ke mme mbohoidung eke nnyin. Nte Prophet Joseph Smith etingde ete, ikot Abasi ke ofuri emana ema ekese ini-iso ye oyoho-idara idorenyin esim usen mfin, ndien “nnyin idi mbon mfoniso emi Abasi ekemekde ndida ubong Ekpere-edem usen ndi.”2

Ke ema ekeno nnyin eti-ifet emi, nnyin ikemeke ndiyak odusat, utuk oruk mme ubahare ekededi odu ke ekpere-edem usen Ufok Abasi Christ. Jesus eteme nnyin ete: “Edi kiet; edieke mbufo midige kiet mbufo idige okim.”3 Nnyin inyene nditiŋ-enyin ke ndibin utuk ye odusat nsio ke Ufɔk Abasi, ke ufɔkiduŋ nnyin, ndien, akpan-akpan, ke mme esit nnyin. Nte ibat mbon Ufok Abasi nnyin ekoride ewak ke nsio-nsio ebiet, ana idara-ekom nnyin okori awak onyung enem. Nnyin imiyom kiet eken.4

Ke Akpa Ŋwed esie ewetde ɔnɔ Mbon Corinth, Paul odoho ete ke kpukpru mbon emi ekenade baptism eduk Ufok Abasi edi kiet ke idem Christ:

“Koro kpa nte ikpokidem edide kiet, onyung enyenede ediwak ndido, ndien kpukpru ndido ikpokidem, eke ewakde, edide ikpokidem kiet; kpasuk ntre ke edi ye Christ.

“Koro ke Spirit kiet ke ema enim kpukpru nnyin baptism esin ke ikpɔhidem kiet, ye idide Jew inyuŋ idide Gentile, idide ifin inyuŋ idide nditɔ; ema enyuŋ enam kpukpru nnyin inwɔŋ Spirit kiet isin ke idem

“Man ubahare oku-du ke ikpɔkidem; edi man kpukpru ndido ekpekere kiet eken.

“Ntem edieke ndido kiet okopde ndutuho kpukpru ndido eken etiene enye ekop ndutuho; edieke enyung enode ndido kiet ubong, kpukpru ndido eken etiene enye edara.”5

Ekikere edidu edi akpan-nkpɔ ɔnɔ ufɔn ikpɔkidem, mfre, ye eke spirit nnyin. Edi oro enehede emem koro ke ubak ini nnyin owo kiet-kiet imikere ke nnyin idukke kotu. Ke mme ini ubiongo, nnyin iyekere ke nnyin ididotke ikesim akwa ndaha emi Abasi oyomde mme idorenyin eke mbon efen.6 Nnyin imisinana ifiok inyene idorenyin ke idem mbon efen—mme kpa ke idem nnyin—emi midige se Abasi oyomde. Nnyin imineme ke mfefere usung ete ke ukpong kiet ediboho okongo ke nti-nkpo mme ikoot, edi mmo idige ndaha udomo nyin ke enyin Abasi. “Jehovah ese esit.”7 Enye ekere-abanga mme udong ye se inyenede ye se nnyin ikabare idi.8

Sister Jodi King ama ewet abanga ifiok-ukpep idemesie eke mme isua se ikebe.

“Akananam ami nkereke ke ami nduhe ke ufok Abasi tutu ebe mi, Cameron, ye ami iditongo ibo ukut unana ediduk-idibi. Ndito ye mme ufokemana emi ekesinode mi idara ndikut ke ufok Abasi editongo idahaemi ndino mi mfuho ye ubiak.

“Ami ndi ada ye unana eyen ke mme ubok mi mme eke ekpat-ofong nsekeyen ke ubok mi. …

“Ndiɔk-nkan usen Sunday ekedi akpa Sunday nnyin ke obufa ward kiet. Sia nnyin mikinyeneke ndito, ema ebup mme nnyin idi obufa ɔdɔ-ndɔ ye ini eke nnyin iduakde nditongo nnyene ndito. Ami mma nehede mboro mme mbume emi ke miyakke mmo efina mi—ani mma mfiok ke mbume oro ikinaha nte abiak mi.

“Nte ededi, ke ata usen Sunday oro, ndibɔrɔ mbume oro ama enehede ɔsɔŋ. Nnyin ima-idifiok ete, ke ima ikenyene idorenyin. ke nnyin imiduk idibi—edi nko—idibi ikoduhe.

“Ami nsanga nduk esop udia-Ɔbɔŋ ye unana idorenyin, ndien ndiboro mme akpan mbume eke ‘eyomde ndifiɔk mbufo’ ama osong ono mi. …

“Edi ekedi Sunday School ekenehede obung esit mi. Ukpepnkpo oro—emi akpaka-bangade edisana utom eke mme eka ndito—ososop okpuho ndien akabare edi ikpehe edi[sabare] owo. Esit mi ama ofuho ndien ke ndobo mmongeyet oduoho eksim mme mfuk mi ke nte nkopde nte iban esemede ebanga edidiong kiet eke ami nnanade.

“Am mma nsop ndaha nworo ke ufok Abasi. Ke akpa ini, ami nkoyomke ndifiak nka aba. Ami nkoyomke edibɔ ekikere ubahare oro aba. Edi ke okoneyo oro, ke mma nkeneme ye ebe mi, nnyin idibiere ke nnyin iyesika ufok Abasi idige koro Abasi oyom nnyin ika nko edi koro nnyin mbiba imifiok ete ke idara eketode ndifiak nam ediomi ye ndinyene Spirit ke ufok Abasi okpon-akan mfuho eke ami nkekopde ke usen oro. …

“Ke Ufok Abasi, mme ebekpa, mbon uwɔrɔ-ndɔ, ye mbon midɔhɔ-ndɔ, mbon ufokemana emi ema ekefiak-edem ke iko Abasi, mme owo ye anana-utit udongo mme unana-okuk, mbon ufok Abasi emi ekopde same-sex attraction, mbon eyomde ndikan ndioi-udong mme eyighe, mbon edukde ufok Abasi obufa, mbufa mbon etode ebiet efen eduk-edi, mme edidung, ndien ke ebat-ibat oro eka iso. …

“Andinyanga okot nnyin ete idi itiene Enye—isehe ndaha nnyin. Nnyin idi ufok Abasi man idinam ediomo nnyin edi obufa, ikɔri mbuɔtidem nnyin, ikut emem, ndien inamnte Enye ekenehede anam ke uwem Esie—ndinwam mbon efen emi ekerede ke mmimɔ isineke do.”9

Paul anam anwanga ete ke Abasi ono Ufok Abasi ye mme ada-idaha esie ”man otodo enam ikot Abasi efon ema, enyung enam utom Abasi okut unen, enyung enam idem Christ okori.

”Tutu kpukpru nnyin ikabare idi kiet ke mbuɔtidem ye ke ifiɔk Eyen Abasi , ikori ikpon iwɔrɔ owo isim ofuri ndaha uyɔhɔ Christ.”10

Oro edi nkpɔ mfuhɔ, koro, ke ini owo, ekereke ke enye inamke ofon ke ofuri ndaha ke uwem, etrede ke mmo isineke ke ata nka emi Abasi akasiakde man anwam nnyin ndikɔri nkesim se ifɔnde.

Yak nnyin ubiere-ikpe ino Abasi ye mbon emi Enye okokotde inyung iyuho ke ndima nnyung nda kiet eken ke eti usung nte nnyin ikemede. Yak nnyin ibup Enye man owut nnyin usuŋ oro, “edida mme … mme ubuene, ye mmɔ emi edade unan, ye mbuŋɔ, ye nnan”11—oro edi, ofuri owo—eka akwa usɔrɔ eke Abasi.

Udiana akpan-nkpo ke ukpepnkpo edidu enyene nkpo edi-nam ye ntip-nsin eke idem nnyin. Okposuk nte nnyin misiwakke ndikere mbanga oro, ediwak inyene nnyin oto utom-unwam ye nwaidem emi nnyin inamde ino mbon efen ye Abasi. Ndinehede nse mme unana mme inemesit eke idem nnyin ekeme edibiat ekikere edidu.

Nnyin inwana editiene ukpep-nkpɔ Andinyaŋa.

“Owo ekededi eke oyomde ndikabare ŋkpon ke otu mbufo eyedi asaŋa-utommbufo. …

“Koro Eyen Owo ke Idem Esie ikedige man enam ŋkpɔ enɔ Enye, edi man Enye anam ŋkpɔ ɔnɔ owo, onyuŋ ɔnɔ uwem Esie ke ndifak ediwak owo.”12

Edidu ididihe ke nte ibetde enye edi-di ke nte nnyin inwamde kiet eken.

Mfin emi, ke ndiokiso, ndisin idem nam akpan-nkpɔ mme ndiwa-idem nnɔ owo ekededi ke akabare anana uduot-owo. Ke ekpri nkpo eke Deseret Magazine eke isua emi ebede, ewet-nwed Rod Dreher afiak-etiŋ nneme ye ekpri eka kiet ke Bundapest ete:

“Ami nkodu ke train eke Bundapest ye … ufan kiet emi akande isua Edip-ye-duop esisit—yak ikoot enye Kristina—kini nnyin ikekade ndinyene nneme ye akamba [owo-Abasi] nnwan emi enye, ye ebe esie, ekekande ukobo eke obio idiok-inyene. Nte nnyin isangade ke mme efak obio oro, Kristina eting abanga nte osongde ndinam-akpaniko ye mme ufan ndaha isua esie kabanga mme mfina emi enye okutde nte nnwan-ndo ye eka mkpri ndito.

“Mme mfina eke Kristina edi se mme nkaiferi emi ekpepde ndidi eka ndito ye nnwan esikutde—edi edu emi adade-itie kotu ubok-nka esie edi ke mme mfina uwem edi nkpo-ndik ono ufon owo ndien inaha enyime mmo. Ndi enye ye ebe esie esinyene efanga ke ubak ini? Mmo ete, ntem akpana enye okpong ndɔ. Nte ndito esieesino enye iyatesit? Ntre akpana enye ono mmo eka ebiet ukpeme ndito-owong.

“Kristina ekere ke mme ufan esie ifiokke ke mme idomo, kpa ye ndutuhɔ, edi ubak nkpɔ eke uwem—ndien ekeme ndidi ubak nkpɔ eke eti uwem, edieke ndutuhɔ oro ekpepde nnyin edinyene ime, mfɔnido ye ima. …

“… Akwa ekpep-ebuana edu-ukpono Christian Smith ke University eke Notre Dame okut ke ukpep iwaad esie [isua edide] Efureta kesim Edip-ye-ita ete ke ediwak mmɔ enim ke obio idige nkpɔ ndomokiet akan ‘eboho mme owo eke edude ikpɔŋ eduŋde man enyene idaresit ke uwem.’13

Emi oworo ete, ke nkpo ekededi emi owo osongde ye owo “edi edu ufik.”14

Ke ukpuhode, mme ebe-iso nnyin eme enyene ata ekikere edidu, edidiana-kiet, ye idorenyin ke Christoto ke nwaidem emi mmo ekanamde ke ndika mission, ebop temple, esin nti ufokidung oto ke mfiomo enyung efiak etongo, ye ke ediwak usung efen ewade idem ye inyene mmo ke utom Zion. Mmo ema enyime ndiwa-idem kpa eke uwem mmo edieke oro odotde. Ndien kpukpru nnyin idi mme adia-ufɔn eke nwaidem mmɔ. Ukem oro edi akpanikɔ ɔnɔ ediwak mfin emi enanade ufɔkemana ye mme ufan, esin eti-ifet edinam-utom, mme edi-bɔ odusat ye nsɔŋ-ido nte utip edina bpatism. Utip mmo, nte ededi, edi eti ekikere edidu kotu mbon ediomo. Nwaidem ekededi emi nnyin inamde ke utom Abasi anwam nnyin ndisongo itie nnyin ye Enye emi okonode uwem Esie ndifak ediwak owo.

Akpatre ye ata akpan nkpo ke ukpep-nkpo edidu edi akpan utom eke Jesus Christ. Nnyin idukke Ufok Abasi iyom ebuana ikpong, ekpedi nte oro edidi akpan-nkpo Nnyin iduk iyom erifak nto ima ye mfon eke Jesus Christ. Nnyin iduk man ibɔ edinam iko Abasi eke erinyanga-ukpong ye edimenede ino idem nnyin ye mbon ima nnyin ke ikpehe nkang mbiba. Nnyin iduk man ibuana ke akwa utom edisiak Zion ke ndibenge-idem nno Obong edifiak-ndi.

Ufok Abasi ekama ediomi erinyaŋa-ukpɔŋ ye edimenede emi Abasi ɔnɔ nnyin oto mme edinam eke edisana itie-oku.15 Oto ke ndinim mme ediomi emi ke nnyin idi-bɔ nkoŋ-nkan ye ata ekikere edidu. President Russell M. Nelson ewet mmi-mmi-emi ete:

Inikiet eke ami ye afo inamde ediomi ye Abasi, ebuana nnyin ye Enye enehede ekpere akan kini mikinamke ediomi nnyin. Idahaemi nnyin imibobo otokiet. Otode ke ntak ediomi nnyin ye Abasi, Enye idikpaha mba ke ukeme Esie ke ndinwam nnyin, ndien ime mbom Esie ye nnyin idikureke. Nnyin owo kiet kiet iminyene asanga-asanga itie ke esit Abasi. …

“… Jesus Christ edi etie-ubiong ke mme ediomi oro (se Hebrews 7:22; 8:6).”16

Edieke nnyin iditi-de emi, akwa idorenyin eke Abasi eyesɔŋɔ nnyin idem, idibiatke, nnyin.

Nnyin imikeme ndikop idara ke nte nnyin inamde, ke idem nnyin ye ke otuowo, “ofuri ofuri idaha uyɔhɔ Christ.”17 Kesioho edikpu ye ndutime emi ikutde ke uwem, edidu edi se iyomde. Nnyin inwam inyuŋ isɔŋɔ kiet eken idem ke ndika-iso nyɔ, idiɔŋɔ ke sutɔ ukut ye edibighe edidi mme edidiɔŋ emi ekenwɔŋɔke ekpededi, nnyin iye “sɔŋ esit; [koro Christ ama] akakan ererimbot,”18 ndien nnyin idu ye Enye. Eyighe iduhe koro ndidi kiet ye Ete, Eyen, ye Edisana Spirit edi akpatre nkpɔ ke edidu.19

Ntem, ukpep-nkpɔ edidu ediwɔrɔ mi ete, ke nnyin owo kiet-kiet imikeme ndisɔŋɔ ite ke: Jesus Christ akakpa ɔnɔ mi; Enye enyime ke ami mmodot ke iyip Esie. Enye ama mi ndien ekeme edi-nam ofuri ukpuhɔre ke uwem mi. Nte ami nkabare-esit, mfɔn Esie eyekpuhɔ mi. Ami ndi kiet ye Enye ke ediomo iko Abasi; ami ndu ke Ufok Abasi ye obio-ubɔŋ Esie; ndien ami ndu ke utom Esie ndida ufak nsɔk ofuri nditɔ Abasi

Ami ntiŋ ikɔ ntiense ke afo omodu, ke enyiŋ Jesus Christ, amen.

Mkpri nwed

  1. See Revelation 5:9; see also 1 Nephi 19:17; Mosiah 15:28; Doctrine and Covenants 10:51; 77:8, 11.

  2. Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith (2007), 186.

  3. Doctrine ye Covenants 38:27

  4. One perceptive observer has noted:

    “Religion that is merely a private affair has been, until our time, unknown in the annals of mankind—and for good reason. Such religion quickly diminishes into an indoor pleasure, a kind of hobby of one or more individuals, like reading a book or watching television. So, it is not astonishing that the search for spirituality has become so fashionable. It is what individuals, liberated from religion, desperately seek as a substitute.

    “Spirituality is indeed an integral part of all religions—but a minor part, and it cannot be a substitute for the whole. Religion is not some kind of psychic exercise that occasionally offers a transcendental experience. It either shapes one’s life—all of one’s life—or it vanishes, leaving behind anxious, empty souls that no psychotherapy can reach. And for religion to shape one’s life, it needs to be public and communal; it needs to be connected to the dead and the unborn” (Irving Kristol, “The Welfare State’s Spiritual Crisis,” The Wall Street Journal, Feb. 3, 1997, A14).

  5. 1 Corinthians 12:12–13, 25–26.

  6. See Russell M. Nelson, “Perfection Pending,” Ensign, Nov. 1995, 86–88; Jeffrey R. Holland, “Be Ye Therefore Perfect—Eventually,” Liahona, Nov. 2017, 40–42.

  7. 1 Samuel 16:7.

  8. As expressed by Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, “‘Come as you are,’ a loving Father says to each of us, but He adds, ‘Don’t plan to stay as you are.’ We smile and remember that God is determined to make of us more than we thought we could be” (“Songs Sung and Unsung,” Liahona, May 2017, 51).

  9. Jodi King, “Belonging in the Church through the Lens of Infertility,” Liahona, Mar. 2020, 46, 48–49.

  10. Nwed Mbon Ephesus 4:12–13

  11. Luke 14:21

  12. Nwed Mark 10:43–44, emphasis added.

  13. Rod Dreher, “A Christian Survival Guide for a Secular Age,” Deseret Magazine, Apr. 2021, 68.

  14. , “A Christian Survival Guide for a Secular Age,” 68.

  15. Se Doctrine ye Covenants 84:19–22

  16. Russell M. Nelson, “The Everlasting Covenant,” Liahona, Oct. 2022, 6, 10.

  17. Ephesians 4:13

  18. John 16:33

  19. See John 17:20–23. “And now, I would commend you to seek this Jesus of whom the prophets and apostles have written, that the grace of God the Father, and also the Lord Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost, which beareth record of them, may be and abide in you forever” (Ether 12:41).