Akwa Mboho
Edinyene Odudu Abasi otode ke Ediomi
Akwa Mbono eke April 2023

Edinyene Odudu Abasi otode ke Ediomi

Otode Elder Dale G. Renlund

Eke Eboho mme Apostle Duopeba

Nte mbufo esaŋade ke usuŋ ediomi, tɔŋɔde ke baptism kesim temple ye ke ofuri uwem mbufo, ami mbeŋe odudu edikan mme nduri eke ererimbot.

Ke November emi ekebede, ami mma nnyene ufaŋ edidiɔŋ Belém Brazil Temple. Ekedi ŋkpɔ idara ke edidu ye nti mbon Ufɔk Abasi ke edere-edere Brazil. Kini oro, ami mma mkpep nte ke Belém edi usuŋ-ediduk nkesim ikpehe-obio eke esinede ata ɔsɔŋ-odudu nkan akpa-inyaŋ ke ofuri ererimbot, Akpa-inyaŋ eke Amazon.

Kesioho ɔsɔŋɔ eke akpa-inyaŋ emi, mkpaidem ŋkpɔ-kiet esiwak editibe akaŋ mbiba ke isua. Ini emi utin, ɔfiɔŋ, ye isɔŋ edianade-kiet ntre, akamba ofim oyobio ɔwɔrɔ kiso akpa-inyaŋ, amia mmɔŋ emi efehede. Ema enim ibat mbufut emi ekperede edikoŋ nkan meter Itiokiet1 asaŋade ekesim 50 kilometers2 kiso akpa-inyaŋ. Esikot utibe-nkpɔ emi, eneŋede efiɔk nte ntotuŋɔ mbufut, ke ikɔ iduŋ nte pororoca, mme “akwa uyom” otode ke akamba uyom emi enye esinamde. Nnyin imikeme edinehede ntre ete ke akamba Amazon ana osuk-ibuot ɔnɔ odudu eke heaven.

Ukem nte Amazon, nnyin iminyene nti ŋkpɔ edifiɔrɔ nduk uwem nnyin; nnyin imisinam nti ŋkpɔ se idide. Ukem nte Amazon, ye unwam heaven nnyin imikeme ndi-nam mme utibe ŋkpɔ. Ke ofuri-ofuri, idihe edifɔn nkpɔ ɔnɔ nnyin edisuhɔre-idem, ndi suŋ-suŋ, mme edinyime man iyak mme uduak nnyin inɔ Abasi. Edi ke edi-nam oro kpɔt ke edikpuhɔde nnyin, ifiak-inyɔŋ man ikoduŋ kiso Abasi, inyuŋ inyene nsinsi akaŋa nnyin.

Ke mibietke Amazon, nnyin imikeme edimek mme iyenyime inɔ odudu heaven mme “idisaŋa ke usuŋ ererimbot.”3 Edisaŋa ke usuŋ ererimbot ekeme edisɔ-sɔŋ. Edi kini nnyin inyimede “inɔ neminua otode Edisana Spirit” inyuŋ iyak mme udɔŋ ata owo inim,4 nnyin iyebɔ odudu edikpuhɔ eke Andinyaŋa isin ke uwem nnyin, odudu man inam mkpɔsɔŋ nkpɔ.

President Russell M. Nelson ekekpep nnyin nte idinamde emi Enye ete, “Owo ekededi emi anamde ediomi ke itie uduɔk-mmɔŋ ye ke mme temple—ndien enim mmɔ—enyene nkɔri edisim odudu Jesus Christ … [man emenede] nnyin ke enyɔŋ akan nduri eke idiɔk ererimbot emi.”5 Ke ikɔ efen, nnyin imikeme edinyene odudu Abasi, edi kpɔt kini nnyin iyiride ye Enye oto ke ndisana ediomi.

Mbemiso ekebobot isɔŋ, Abasi ama enim ediomi nte ŋkpɔ-utom emi nnyin, nditɔ Esie ididiande idem nnyin ye Enye. Otode ke nsinsi, unana-ukpuhɔ mbet, Enye ama ɔnɔ mme ndaha kemi edikpuhɔrede, enyaŋa, enyuŋ emenede nnyin. Ke uwem emi, nnyin iminam mme ediomi emi ke edibuana ke mme edinam itie-oku ndien inwɔŋɔ ite ke iyenam se Abasi ɔdɔhɔde nnyin ete inam, ndien ke usiene, Abasi ɔnwɔŋɔ edinɔ nnyin usuk edidiɔŋ.6

Ediomo edi enwɔŋɔ emi nnyin ibeŋeke idem inɔ, inehede ifiɔk, inyuŋ ikpono ofuri-ofuri.7 Ndinam ediomo ye Abasi okpuhɔ ɔkpɔŋ edina-nam enwɔŋɔ. Akpa, eyom odudu-unen itie-oku. Udiana, ikpikpu enwɔŋɔ inyenekeodudu ediyire man emenede nnyin ebe nduri eke ererimbot emi. Nnyin inam ediomo kpɔt kini nnyin iyomde edinehede nsinifik ke idem nnyin man inam oro ɔwɔrɔ osu.8 Nnyin ikabare idi nditɔ ediomi eke Abasi ye mme adia-akpa eke obio-ubɔŋ Esie, akpan-akpan kini nnyin iwutde idem nnyin ɔyɔhɔ-ɔyɔhɔ ye ediomi oro.

Ikɔ oro usuŋ ediomi ɔwɔrɔ ete ediwak ediomi emi nnyin itienede Christ inyuŋ iyire ye Enye. Otode ke ubiɔŋ ediomi emi, nnyin inyene usuŋ ikesim nsinsi odudu Esie. Usuŋ oro ɔtɔŋɔ ye mbuɔtidem ke Jesus Christ ye erikabare-esit, ndien baptism ye edibɔ Edisana Spirit etiene do.9 Jesus Christ ama owut nnyin nte idiukde usuŋ oro kini ekenimde Enye baptism.10 Nte asaŋade ye mbuk Ikɔ Abasi eke Obufa Testament ke Mark ye Luke, Ete Heaven enehede etiŋ-ikɔ ye Jesus kini baptism Esie, ete, “Afo edi edima Eyen Mi; mmenem esit eti-eti ye Afo.” Kini nnyin isaŋade ke usuŋ ediomi ke baptism, ami mmekeme edikere nte Ete Heaven etiŋde ukem ikɔ oro ɔnɔ nnyin ete: “Afo edi edima eyen mi eke ami nkopde inemesit. Ka iso.”11

Kini baptism ye kini nnyin idiade udia-ɔbɔŋ,12 nnyin idi ntiense ke nnyin iminyimeedida enyiŋ Jesus Christ ndori ke dem nnyin.13 Ke ndaha emi, yak nnyin iti ewuhɔ eke Akani Testament ete, “Kumen enyiŋ Jehovah Abasi fo utomo ke se midige akpanikɔ.”14 Ke mme utɔŋ nnyin eke eyo emi, emi ebiet nte edikpan kabaŋa ndida enyiŋ Abasi nsin ke se minyeneke uteŋe. Mbet emi esine ke, edi ubiɔŋɔ esie enehede okpon. Ikɔ Hebrew emi ekabare nte “da” ɔwɔrɔ man “emenede ke enyɔŋ” mme “men,” nte owo ekpemende ɔfɔŋ-etak-ubom emi owutde owo kiet ye idem owo kiet mme eboho.15 Ikɔ oro ekabare nte “ikpikpu” ɔwɔrɔ “ukpɔk” mme “abiaŋa.”16 Ewuhɔ oro ete kumen enyiŋ Jehovah Abasi utomo ke se midige akpanikɔ ekeme ndien ediwɔrɔ ke, “Inaha nte afo owut idem fo nte owo-mbet Jesus Christ ke mibɔhɔke afo oyom edida-nnɔ Enye mfɔn-mfɔn.”

Nnyin ikabare idi mbet Esie inyuŋ inehede ida inɔ Enye kini nnyin inyimede ndien ikɔri ke edida enyiŋ Jesus Christ ndori ke idem nnyin oto ke ediomi. Mme ediomi nnyin ɔnɔnɔ nnyin odudu ndidu ke usuŋ ediomi koro ekpuhɔ ebuana nnyin ye Jesus Christ ye Ete Heaven nnyin. Eyiri nnyin ye Mmɔ oto ke ubiɔŋ ediomi.

Usuŋ ediomi oro ada ekesim mme edinam eke temple, oruk nte temple endowment.17 Endowment edi enɔ Abasi eke nsasana ediomi emi enehede eyiride nnyin ɔnɔ Enye. Ke endowment, nnyin idiomo, akpa, ndinwana nim mbet Abasi; udiana, man ikabare-esit ke mbuŋɔ esit ye edinuaha spirit, ɔyɔhɔ ita, man inam ikɔ Abasi Jesus Christ. Nnyin ima emi ke edinyene mbuɔtidem ke Enye, inam ediomi ye Abasi nte nnyin ibɔde mme edinam erinyaŋa-ukpɔŋ ye edimenede, inim ediomi oro ke ofuri eyo uwem nnyin, inyuŋ idomo edinim ikpɔ ibet iba ndima Abasi ye mbɔhiduŋ nnyin. Nnyin idiomo, ɔyɔhɔ inaŋ, edinim mbet mfara-ke-idem ndien, ɔyɔhɔ ition, ndiyak idem nnyin ye ofuri-nkpɔ se Abasi adade ɔdiɔŋ nnyin man ida ibɔp Ufɔk Abasi Esie.18

Ke edi-nam nyuŋ nim ediomi temple, nnyin ikpebe ediwak kabaŋa uduak Abasi inyuŋ ibɔ uyɔhɔ eke Edisana Spirit.19 Nnyin idibɔ ndausuŋ inɔ uwem nnyin. Nnyin idikɔri ke ndaha owo-mbet nnyin man otodo nnyin ikudu nte nsinsi, anana-ifiɔk nditɔ.20 Edi, nnyin idu ye nsinsi uduak inyuŋ inyene ediwak udɔŋ ndinam nkpɔ nnɔ Abasi ye mbon efen. Nnyin idibɔ edikɔri ukeme man inam mme uduak nnyin ke uwem isɔŋ ɔwɔrɔ osu. Ekpeme nnyin esio ke idiɔk,21 ndien nnyin inyene akamba odudu ndikan idomo nyuŋ nkabare-esit kini nnyin iduɔde.22 Kini nnyin iduɔde, edi-ti ekikere ediomi nnyin ye Abasi anwam nnyin edifiak nka usuŋ ediomi oro. Ke ediyire ye odudu Abasi, nnyin ikabare idi pororocaeke idem nnyin, ikeme edi-kan ndiuri eke ererimbot, ke ofuri eyo uwem nnyin inyuŋ ikoduk mme nsinsi. Ke akpatre, ema ekpuhɔ mme akaŋa nnyin koro usuŋ ediomi ada ekesim ndaha-ubɔŋ ye nsinsi uwem.23

Edinim mme ediomi emi nnyin inamde ke itie-baptism ye ke mme temple nko ɔnɔ nnyin ɔsɔŋɔ ndikan mme idomo ye ubiak-esit eke uwem isɔŋ.24 Ukpepnkpɔ ekesaŋade ye ediomi emi anam usuŋ nnyin emem onyuŋ ɔnɔ idorenyin, ndɔŋesit, ye emem.

Mme eka-eka ye ete-ete Lena Sofia ye Matts Leander Renlund ema ebɔ odudu Abasi eto ediomi baptism mmɔ kini mmɔ ekedukde Ufɔk Abasi ke 1912 ke Finland. Mmɔ ema enem-esit ndidi ubak kotu akpa nkɔk Ufɔk Abasi ke Finland.

Leander akakpa oto akpai-kpai ikɔŋ ke ufaŋ isua ition eken kini Lena akasaŋade ye idibi ɔyɔhɔ eyen duop mmɔ. Eyen oro, ete mi, akamana ke ufaŋ ɔfiɔŋ iba ke Leander ama akakpa. Ke akpatre Lena ikibukke ebe esie kpɔt edi nko okobuk nditɔ itiaba kotu nditɔ duop esie. Nte ubuene ebekpa kiet, enye ama anwana-idem. Ke ufaŋ isua Edip enye ikedehe idap ikut emem ke okoneyo kiet. Kini edide usen, enye eyenwana-nkpɔ man ɔnɔ ufɔkemana esie udia. Ke okoneyo, enye eyekpeme mbon mmemidem eke ufɔkemana esie. Imemke edikere nte enye akanamde nkpɔ.

Lena ama etime koro enye ama ɔdiɔŋɔ ke akpa-mkpa ebe ye nditɔ esie ekeme edi-di eke esie ke ofuri mme nsinsi. Ukpepnkpɔ eke edidiɔŋ temple, esinede eke nsinsi ufɔkemana, edinɔ enye emem koro enye ama enim odudu edidian-kiet ke akpanikɔ. Kini odudde ke isɔŋ, enye ikibɔhɔ endowment esie mme ke edidian enye nnɔ Leander, edi Leander ekedi akwa ufɔn ke idem esie ye ubak akwa idorenyin esie ɔnɔ ini-iso.

Ke 1938, Lena ama ɔnɔ mme ŋwed man otodo ekeme edi-nam mme edinam temple nnɔ mme akpa-mkpa mbon ufɔk emana esie, ubak emi ekebemde iso enɔ ke Finland. Ke enye ama akakpa, mbon efen ema enam mme edinam temple enɔ enye, Leander, ye mme akpa-mkpa nditɔ esie. Ke edade-enɔ, enye ama anam endowment, ema edian Lena ye Leander enɔ kiet eken, ndien ema edian mme akpa-mkpa nditɔ esie ye ete mi enɔ mmɔ. Nte mbon efen, Lena “akakpa ke mbuɔtidem, ikibɔhɔ se ekeŋwɔŋɔde enɔ enye, edi ada nsan-nsa okut, … [edi] adara mme uŋwɔŋɔ oro, onyuŋ enyime mmɔ.”25

Lena okodu uwem nte ke enye ama ebebem iso anam mme ediomi emi ke uwem esie. Enye ama ɔdiɔŋɔ ke ediomi baptism ye udia-ɔbɔŋ eyire enye ye Andinyaŋa. Enye “ayak inem ediyom edisana itie [Andifak] ada idorenyin ɔsɔk mbiara esit [esie].”26 Lena ekekere oro nte nkpɔ-kiet eke akwa mbɔm Abasi emi enye ekpepde abaŋa nsinsi ufɔkemana mbemiso edikut mme ndiɔkiso ke uwem esie. Otode ke ediomi, enye ama ɔbɔ odudu Abasi ndiyɔ nyuŋ nkan odudu mfiik eke afanikɔŋ ye nsɔŋɔ-nkpɔ eke esie.

Nte mbufo esaŋade ke usuŋ ediomi, tɔŋɔde ke baptism kesim temple ye ke ofuri uwem mbufo, ami mbeŋe odudu edikan mme nduri eke ererimbot—odudu man ekpep, odudu man akabare-esit ndien asana-ama, ye odudu man enyene idorenyin, ndɔŋesit, kpa ye idara ke nte mbufo eyɔde mme afanikɔŋ eke uwem. Ami mbeŋe ukpeme nnɔ mbufo ye ufɔkemana mbufo kabaŋa odudu eke andidiiɔk, akpan-akpan kini mbufo enamde temple edi akpan ntiŋ-enyin ke uwem mbufo.

Nte mbufo etienede Christ enyuŋ eyire ke Enye ye Ete Heaven mbufo ke ediomi, mkpaidem nkpɔ-ntibe kiet eyetibe. Eyekpuhɔre mbufo enyuŋ ekabare efɔn-ema ke Jesus Christ.27 Mbufo ekabare edi eyen ediomi eke Abasi ye adia-akpa ke obio-ubɔŋ Esie.28 Ami mmekeme edikere nte Enye ɔdɔhɔde mbufo ete, “Afo edi edima eyen mi eke Ami nnemde-esit. Omɔŋyɔŋ edi ufɔk.” Ke enying Jesus Chrst, amen.

Mkpri nwed

  1. Approximately 20 feet.

  2. Ap

  3. We have a choice because God has given us the privilege to choose and act for ourselves. See Guide to the Scriptures, “Agency,” scriptures.ChurchofJesusChrist.org; 2 Nephi 2:27; Moses 7:32.

  4. Se Mosiah 3:19.

  5. Russell M. Nelson, “Overcome the World and Find Rest,” Liahona, Nov. 2022, 96, 97.

  6. See Guide to the Scriptures, “Covenant,” scriptures.ChurchofJesusChrist.org.

  7. Everyone stumbles on occasion, but God is patient with our stumbles and has given us the gift of repentance even after breaking a covenant. As Elder Richard G. Scott taught, “The Lord sees weaknesses differently than He [sees] rebellion … [because] when the Lord speaks of weaknesses, it is always with mercy” (“Personal Strength through the Atonement of Jesus Christ,” Liahona, Nov. 2013, 83). Thus, we should not doubt the Savior’s ability to help us with our weaknesses. However, consciously breaking a covenant with the callous plan to repent afterwards—in other words, preplanned sin and repentance—is repugnant to the Lord (see Hebrews 6:4–6).

  8. See Robert Bolt, A Man for All Seasons: A Play in Two Acts (1990), xiii–xiv, 140.

  9. See 2 Nephi 31:17–18.

  10. See 2 Nephi 31:4–15.

  11. Luke records, “And the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven, which said, Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased” (Luke 3:22). Mark records, “And there came a voice from heaven, saying, Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” (Mark 1:11). William Tyndale’s translation is even more vivid and intimate than the King James Version. In his translation, the voice of Heavenly Father says, “Thou arte my dear Son in whom I delyghte” (in Brian Moynahan, God’s Bestseller: William Tyndale, Thomas More, and the Writing of the English Bible—A Story of Martyrdom and Betrayal [2002], 58). Only Matthew reports that the voice was more generally directed, saying, “And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” (Matthew 3:17). The Gospel of John only reports of the baptism by John the Baptist: “And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God” (John 1:34).

  12. See 2 Nephi 31:13; Doctrine and Covenants 20:77.

  13. President Dallin H. Oaks explained the importance of the term “willing” as we renew our baptismal covenant with the sacrament: “It is significant that when we partake of the sacrament we do not witness that we take upon us the name of Jesus Christ. We witness that we are willing to do so. [See Doctrine and Covenants 20:77.] The fact that we only witness to our willingness suggests that something else must happen before we actually take that sacred name upon us in the most important sense” (“Taking upon Us the Name of Jesus Christ,” Ensign, May 1985, 81). The “something else” refers to temple blessings and future exaltation.

  14. Exodus 20:7.

  15. See James Strong, The New Strong’s Expanded Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (2010), Hebrew dictionary section, page 192, number 5375.

  16. See Strong, The New Strong’s Expanded Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, Hebrew dictionary section, page 273, number 7723.

  17. Elder David A. Bednar taught: “The baptismal covenant clearly contemplates a future event or events and looks forward to the temple. … The process of taking upon ourselves the name of Jesus Christ that is commenced in the waters of baptism is continued and enlarged in the house of the Lord. As we stand in the waters of baptism, we look to the temple. As we partake of the sacrament, we look to the temple. We pledge to always remember the Savior and to keep His commandments as preparation to participate in the sacred ordinances of the temple and receive the highest blessings available through the name and by the authority of the Lord Jesus Christ. Thus, in the ordinances of the holy temple we more completely and fully take upon us the name of Jesus Christ” (“Honorably Hold a Name and Standing,” Liahona, May 2009, 98). The process is probably not complete until “we shall be like him” (Moroni 7:48), when we have fully been transformed.

  18. As explained in the General Handbook: Serving in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 27.2 (ChurchofJesusChrist.org), the covenants are to live the law of obedience, obey the law of sacrifice, obey the law of the gospel of Jesus Christ, keep the law of chastity, and keep the law of consecration; see also David A. Bednar, “Let This House Be Built unto My Name,” Liahona, May 2020, 84–87.

  19. See Doctrine and Covenants 109:14–15. Elder D. Todd Christofferson taught, “The ‘fulness of the Holy Ghost’ includes what Jesus described as ‘the promise which I give unto you of eternal life, even the glory of the celestial kingdom; which glory is that of the church of the Firstborn, even of God, the holiest of all, through Jesus Christ his Son’ (D&C 88:4–5)” (“The Power of Covenants,” Liahona, May 2009, 23, note 5).

  20. Se Doctrine ye Covenants 109:15

  21. See Doctrine and Covenants 109:22, 25–26.

  22. See Doctrine and Covenants 109:21.

  23. See Doctrine and Covenants 109:15, 22; Russell M. Nelson, “The Power of Spiritual Momentum,” Liahona, May 2022, 98.

  24. See Russell M. Nelson, “Overcome the World and Find Rest,” 96; Doctrine and Covenants 84:20. Notably, President Nelson said, “Each time you seek for and follow the promptings of the Spirit, each time you do anything good—things that ‘the natural man’ would not do—you are overcoming the world” (“Overcome the World and Find Rest,” 97).

  25. Hebrews 11:13.

  26. “Redeemer of Israel,” Hymns, no. 6, verse 5. This was Lena Sofia Renlund’s favorite hymn.

  27. See Moroni 10:30–33.

  28. See Doctrine and Covenants 132:19–20.