Akwa Mboho
Abasi Ɔdiɔŋɔ onyuŋ Ama Mbufo
Akwa Mbono Ɔfiɔŋ Duop 2023

Abasi Ɔdiɔŋɔ onyuŋ Ama Mbufo

Otode Elder Alan T. Philips

Eke Seventy

Uduak inemesit eke Abasi edi ofuri-ofuri abaŋa mbufo. Afo edi nsɔŋurua eyen Esie ye eke akwa udori.

Isua itiokiet emi ekebede, ufɔkemana nnyin ekeka-isaŋ ke okoneyo ke mkpere obio Oxford. Nte esiwakde ndidi ye mkpri nditɔ-ŋwɔŋ, akana nte nnyin itre, ntem nnyin idikut service station emi kiet enyenede ediwak ubet-urua ye ebiet ediade-udia. Ye editim-nnen, nnyin idiwɔrɔ ke moto nnyin, ikise ebiet oro, inyuŋ ifiak ikiduk moto, ifiak itɔŋɔ isaŋ nnyin.

Ke minit efut eken mkpon-nkan eyen-eren nnyin ama obup akpan mbume kiet ete: “Jasper odu mmɔŋ? ” Jasper esitie ke idem esie ke edem moto. Nnyin ikikere ke enye ama ede-idap mme ke ekededibe mme akanam nkari ye nnyin.

Nte eyeneka eren esie enehede esede edem moto oro, nnyin idikut ke eyen-eren nnyin isua ition ikiduhe do. Esit nnyin ɔkɔyɔhɔ ye ndik. Nte nnyin ifiakde ika service station oro, nnyin ibeŋe Ete Heaven ite yak Jasper odu ke ubɔhɔ. Nnyin ima ikoot polisi inyuŋ inam mmɔ ediɔŋɔ se ikitibe.

Kini nnyin ikisimde do, ke ebede minit aba eken, nnyin idikut moto mme polisi iba ke mbehe moto oro, ye ikaŋ-moto ekedekep. Ke esit moto kiet ekedi Jasper, ebrede mbre ye mme mana-ɔfɔn. Ami ndifreke idara emi nnyin ikikopde ke edifiak-nsobo ye enye.

Ediwak nke-mbuk ukpepŋkpɔ eke Andinyaŋa ɔkɔŋɔ ke edibok, edifiak-men-ndi, mme edidomo man ekut ŋkpɔ se ikisuana me sikisop. Kotu emi edi mme nke-mbuk eke erɔŋ okosopde, okuk okosopde, ye eyen okosopde,1

Nte ŋkpɔ-ntibe emi ye Jasper afiakde oduk ekikere mi ke ediwak isua, ami ndikere mbaŋa edisana idiɔŋɔ ye ufɔn eke nditɔ Abasi, erifak odudu eke Jesus Christ, ye mfɔn-ma ima eke Ete Heaven, emi ɔfiɔkde afo ye ami. Ami mmenim ke nyenɔ ikɔ ntiense kabaŋa mme akpanikɔ mfin emi.

I. Nditɔ Abasi

Uwem ɔsɔŋ eti-eti. Ediwak owo ekop ekaha, edu-ikpɔŋ, ekere ke isesin mimmɔ, mme edikpa-mba. Kini ŋkpɔ ɔsɔŋde, nnyin imikeme edikere ke nnyin imidue usuŋ mme ke imida-edem. Ndidiɔŋɔ ete ke nnyin idi nditɔ Abasi ye mbon nsinsi ufɔkemana Esie eyenam inyene ekikere edidu ye ntak.2

President M. Russell Ballard ete ke: “Odu akpan idiɔŋɔ emi kpukpru nnyin ibuanade idahaemi ye ke nsinsi. … Oro edi ke afo edi ndien ke kpukpru ini edi eyen eren mme eyen-anwan eke Abasi. … Ndifiɔk akpanikɔ emi—ata edifɔk oro nyuŋ nam oro—edi edikpuhɔ ŋkpɔ ke uwem.”3

Ekunam-ndudue mme edisuhɔre nte afo enyenede ufɔn ɔnɔ Ete mbufo ke Heaven Afo udihe akpatre ŋkpɔ-unɔmɔ eke uduot-obot, eyen-akpa ke ererimbot, mme ibɔrɔ ŋkpɔ diana ini ye ufaŋ. Ebiet eke uduak odude, andinam-uduak odu.

Uwem fo enyene se ɔwɔrɔde ye ntak. Nkaiso Mfiak-edimen ikɔ Jesus Christ ndi ada unwana ye ifiɔk kabaŋa edisana akaŋa mbufo edi. Afo edi edima eyen eke Ete Heaven. Afo edi akpan ŋkpɔ eke kpukpru nke-mbuk ye ukpepŋkpɔ. Abasi enehede ama mbufo anamde Enye ɔkɔnɔ Eyen Esie man edikɔk, edinyaŋa, onyuŋ edifak mbufo.4

Jesus Christ eti edisana uduot-obot ye nsinsi udoro eke owo kiet-kiet.5 Enye anam-anwaŋa nte ikpɔ mbet iba eke ma Abasi nyuŋ ma mbɔhiduŋ nnyin edi adaha ɔnɔ ofuri mme mbet Abasi.6 Kiet kotu edisana ubiɔŋ-utom nnyin edi edikpeme mbon eke edude ke unana.7 Emi edi ntak nte mbet Jesus Christ nnyin “idibiom mbiomo kiet eken, … itua ye mmɔ emi etuaŋade … , inyuŋ idɔŋ mbon emi efuhɔde esit.”8

Edu-ukpono idihe kpɔt ibaŋa ebuana nnyin ye Abasi; edi nko abaŋa ebuana nnyin ye kiet eken. Elder Jeffrey R. Holland anam-anwaŋa ete jke ikɔ Mbakara emi edu-ukpono oto ke Latin religare, ɔwɔrɔde “edi bɔp” mme, ata ediwɔrɔ “edifiak mbɔp.” Ntem, “ata edu-ukpono [edi] uruk emi ɔbɔpde nnyin ye Abasi ndien ɔnɔ kiet eken.”9

Nte nnyin inamde ŋkpɔ ye kiet eken enehede enyene ufɔn. President Russell M. Nelson ekpep ete ke, “Etop Andinyaŋa edi inwaŋ-inwaŋ: Nti mbet Esie ebɔbɔp, emenere, eteme, ekpe-ubɔk, enyuŋ enɔ-ifiɔk.”10 Kpa emi edi ata akpan-ŋkpɔ kini mme nsaŋa isaŋ ekereke ke imisop, idi-ikpɔŋ, efre-mmimɔ, mme esiode mmɔ.

Inaha nte nnyin ise anyan ebiet man ikut mme owo emi edude ke nnana-enyin. Nnyin imikeme editɔŋɔ ke edinwam owo kiet ke ufɔkemana, ufɔk Abasi, mme ke ata obio nnyin. Nnyin nko imikeme edise man inyaŋa ke ndutuhɔ eke million owo 700 emi edude ke ata unana11 mme million owo Ikie emi eyiride ebin mmɔ esio oto ke ukɔbɔ, enwan, ye mbiet idiɔŋɔ afai-edinam.12 Jesus Christ edi mfɔn-ma uwutŋkpɔ eke edise mbon edude ke unana enyin mbon emi biɔŋ ɔdɔŋde, isenowo, mbon udɔŋɔ, mme ubuene, mbon ŋkpɔkɔbi. Utom Esie edi utom nnyin.

Elder Gerrit W. Gong ekpep ete ke “esiwak edikut isaŋ nnyin ɔtɔkiet ye Abasi.”13 Ke ntre, mme ward nnyin akpana edi ebiet-ubɔhɔ ɔnɔ kpukpru nditɔ Abasi. Nte nnyin misinehede ika ufɔk Abasi mme isinehede isiak mme obio emi ntak edide enam ntuak-ibuot, eti Christ, ndien esin enwam enɔ kiet eken?14 Nnyin imikeme edi-nam item President Nelson man isuhɔre edikpe-ikpe nnɔ owo, inam ima awak, inyuŋ inɔ ata ima Jesus Christ ke mme ikɔ ye edinam nnyin.15

II. Odudu Erifak eke Jesus Christ

Erisio-isop eke Jesus Christ edi mkpon-nkan idiɔŋɔ ima emi Ete Heaven enyenede ɔnɔ nditɔ Esie.16 Ikɔ oro erisio-isop ediwut ndaha “kini kiet” eke mbon emi ekedide isenowo mme eke ebahare-esio.

Utom Anadinyaŋa nnyin ekedi edinɔ mbiba usuŋ ndifiak nyɔŋ mbine Ete Heaven ye unyaŋa ke usuŋ-isaŋ oro. Andinyaŋa ɔdiɔŋɔ oto ke ifiɔk-ukpep Esie nte edinwamde nnyin ke mme afanikɔŋ eke uwem emi.17 Ekanam ndudue ndomokiet, Christ edi andinyaŋa ye andikɔk ukpɔŋ nnyin.

Nte nnyin inyenede mbuɔtidem, Enye eyenwam nnyin isin-ifik ika iso ke ufɔt ndutuhɔ. Enye akaka-iso ediyak edima ye enyene mbɔm ikoot Esie ete:

“Etiene Mi, kpukpru mbufo emi ekpade mba enyuŋ ebiomde edidobi mbiomo, ndien Ami nyenɔ mbufo nduɔk odudu.

“Emen ɔkpɔnɔ mi ekɔŋɔ ke itɔŋ mbufo, enyuŋ ekpebe mi; … ndien mbufo eyekut nduɔk odudu enɔ ukpɔŋ mbufo.”18

Edida ɔkpɔnɔ ndomo enyene odudu. Nte President Howard W, Hunter anamde anwaŋa ete: “Ɔkpɔnɔ ekedi ŋkpɔ-utom … emi ayakde odudu eke udiana unam eyire ndien ɔsɔŋɔ ye ukeme eke unam kiet, abuanade onyuŋ osuhɔde ndodobi ufen eke [edinamde]. Mbiomo emi ekedobide mme ndusuk ikimemke inɔ unam kiet edibiom ekeme edideme ukem-ukem enyuŋ enehede eyɔ eto ke unam iba emi eyitde ɔtɔkiet ye uruk ɔkpɔnɔ kiet.”19

Presuident Nelson ekpep ke: Mbufo edi etien Christ me ediyire ye Enye ye ke odudu Esie, man otodo afo oku-yɔ ukut uwem emi ikpɔŋ. Mbufo eduri ɔkpɔnɔ mbiomo uwem ye Andinyaŋa ye Andifak ererimbot.”20

Didie ke nnyin idiyit mme ididian idem nnyin ye Andinyaŋa? Elder David A. Bednar ete ke:

“Ndinam nyuŋ nim ndisana ediomi eyiri ye Ɔbɔŋ Jesus Christ. Ke akpanikɔ, Andinyaŋa ke ebeŋe nnyin ete ibere-edem inyuŋ iduri ɔtɔkiet ye Enye. …

Nnyin idige ndien idinyuŋ idige ikpɔŋ.”21

Eke owo ekededi emi obiomde edidobi mbiomo, osopde, odude ke ndutime: Inaha nte afo anam emi ikpɔŋ.22 Otode ke Erisio-isop Christ ye ke mme edinam-ikɔ Abasi Esie, afo eyekeme ediyire nyuŋ ndiana ye Enye. Enye ke ima eyenɔ ɔsɔŋɔ ye ukɔk emi mbufo eyomde man eyɔ ndutuhɔ emi odude kiso. Enye edi ebiet-ubɔhɔ ke mme oyobio uwem nnyin.23

III. Ima eke Ete Heaven

Man ewet-enim, Jasper edi enyene-ifiɔk, inem, ɔfiɔk-ŋkpɔ, ye okop-idem eyen. Edi ata akpan ŋkpɔ ke mbuk emi edi ke enye edi okim. Enye edi eyeneren mi, ndien ami menehede ma enye nkan nte enye ekpefiɔkde. Edieke anana-mfɔm-ma, ete ererimbot ekepkerede nte abaŋa eyen esie, ndi afo emekere nte nsana-ma, enyene-ubɔŋ, edima Ete Heaven ekerede abaŋa mbufo?

Eke ndima ufan mi eke obufa emana emi, Gen Z ye Gen Alpha: Mbɔk ediɔŋɔ ete ke mbuɔtidem oyom utom.24 Nnyin idu kini emi, ediwak owo, enyimede ke edikut-ke-enyin kpɔt edi se enimde-ke-akpanikɔ.” Mbuɔtidem ekeme edidi mfina onyuŋ oyom mbumek. Edi ke ebɔ-bɔrɔ mme akam emi ebɔŋde.25 Ndien ekeme edikop mme ibɔrɔ akam oro.26 Owo idikew mme ubak ata nti ŋkpɔ ke uwem; ekokop, ediɔŋɔ, enyuŋ enyene-ifiɔk ebaŋa mmɔ. Mmɔ edi ata akpanikɔ.

Jesus Christ oyom mbufo edidiɔŋɔ enyuŋ enyene ebuana ye Ete mbufo eke Heaven.27 Enye ekpep ete, “Ewe owo koru mbufo, ekenyene eyen, ndien enye ɔwɔrɔ ada, onyuŋ ɔdɔhɔ ete, Ete, berede ufɔk Fo man Ami ndiduk ndi nyuŋ ndia ye afo, miditiŋke ete, Duk di, eyen mi, koro se inyenede mi edi okuo, ndien se inyenede fi edi okim?”28 Ndi afo emekere abaŋa nwak-nkan idem, edima mbiet eke Abasi Nsinsi Ete?

Afo edi eyen Esie. Edieke afo ekerede ke imisop, edieke afo enyenede mbume mme ananade ifiɔk, edieke afo anwande ye mme ndaha fo mme anwanade ye spirit ndutime, ewɔŋɔre etiene Enye. Bɔŋ akam nnɔ Enye yom ndɔŋesit, ima, ibɔrɔ, ye ndausuŋ. Ke sutɔ unana ke ekpedi ye ke sutɔ ebiet eke afo odude, waŋade esit fo nnɔ Ete Heaven fo. Ke usuk owo, afo emekeme ediyom man etiene ikoot President Nelson onyuŋ obup “mme Enye enehede odu do—mme Enye ɔdiɔŋɔ fi. Ebup Enye se Enye ekerede abaŋa mbufo. Ndien ekpaŋ utɔŋ.”29

Ndima nditɔ-eka Irenowo ye Iban:

  • Ediɔŋɔ Ete mbufo ke Heaven. Enye edi mfɔn-ma ye edima.

  • Ediɔŋɔ owo emi Jesus Christ edide.30 Enye edi Andinyaŋa ye Andifak nnyin. Edian idem mbufo ye mbon emi mbufo emade enɔ Enye.

  • Onyuŋ ɔdiɔŋɔ owo eke afo edide. Ediɔŋɔ ata edisana idiɔŋɔ mbufo. Uduak inemesit eke Abasi edi ofuri-ofuri abaŋa mbufo. Afo edi nsɔŋurua eyen Esie ye eke akwa udori. Enye ɔdiɔŋɔ onyuŋ ama mbufo.

Kabaŋa mme ndimem adaha akpanikɔ emi ke ami ntiŋ ikɔ ntiense mbaŋa ke enyiŋ Jesus Christ, amen.

Mkpri nwed

  1. See Luke 15:4–32.

  2. See Preach My Gospel: A Guide to Sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ (2023), 1.

  3. M. Russell Ballard, “Children of Heavenly Father” (Brigham Young University devotional, Mar. 3, 2020), speeches.byu.edu.

  4. See John 3:16; Mosiah 15:1; 3 Nephi 17:6–10.

  5. See Preach My Gospel, chapter 3.

  6. Se Matthew 22:36-40.

  7. See General Handbook: Serving in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1.2, Gospel Library.

  8. Mosiah 18:8–9.

  9. Jeffrey R. Holland, “Religion: Bound by Loving Ties” (Brigham Young University devotional, Aug. 16, 2016), speeches.byu.edu.

  10. See Russell M. Nelson, “Peacemakers Needed,” Liahona, May 2023, 99.

  11. “The number of people in extreme poverty rose by 70 million to more than 700 million people” (“Poverty,” Nov. 30, 2022, World Bank, worldbank.org).

  12. “More than 100 million people are forcibly displaced” (“Refugee Data Finder,” May 23, 2022, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, unhcr.org).

  13. Gerrit W. Gong, “Room in the Inn,” Liahona, May 2021, 25.

  14. See General Handbook, 1.3.7, Gospel Library.

  15. See Russell M. Nelson, “Peacemakers Needed,” 98–101.

  16. Se John 3:16.

  17. See Alma 7:11–12; Doctrine and Covenants 122:8.

  18. Matthew 11:28–29.

  19. Howard W. Hunter, “Come unto Me,” Ensign, Nov. 1990, 18.

  20. “The Mission and Ministry of the Savior: A Discussion with Elder Russell M. Nelson,” Ensign, June 2005, 18.

  21. David A. Bednar, “Bear Up Their Burdens with Ease,” Liahona, May 2014, 88.

  22. President Camille Johnson said: “Brothers and sisters, I can’t go at it alone, and I don’t need to, and I won’t. Choosing to be bound to my Savior, Jesus Christ, through the covenants I have made with God, ‘I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me’ [Philippians 4:13]” (“Jesus Christ Is Relief,” Liahona, May 2023, 82).

  23. See Psalm 62:6–8.

  24. See James 2:17.

  25. See Matthew 7:7–8; James 1:5.

  26. “The Holy Ghost is the Comforter (John 14:26). As the soothing voice of a loving parent can quiet a crying child, the whisperings of the Spirit can calm our fears, hush the nagging worries of our life, and comfort us when we grieve. The Holy Ghost can fill us ‘with hope and perfect love’ and ‘teach [us] the peaceable things of the kingdom’ (Moroni 8:26; Doctrine and Covenants 36:2)” (Topics and Questions, “Holy Ghost,” Gospel Library).

    “He [the Holy Ghost] ‘witnesses of the Father and the Son’ (2 Nephi 31:18). It is only through the power of the Holy Ghost that we can receive a sure testimony of God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ.

    “The Holy Ghost testifies of truth, and it is through His power that we ‘may know the truth of all things’ (Moroni 10:5)” (“The Holy Ghost Testifies of Truth,” Liahona, Mar. 2010, 14, 15).

    “But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me” (John 15:26).

  27. See John 14:6–7; 17:3.

  28. Joseph Smith Translation, Matthew 7:17 (in the Bible appendix).

  29. Russell M. Nelson, “Come, Follow Me,” Liahona, May 2019, 90.

  30. See Mark 8:27–29.