2010–2019
The Correct Name of the Church
October 2018


Aha Ziri-ezi nke Nzukọ-nsọ ahụ

Mgbe anyị wepụrụ aha Ya site na Nzukọ-nsọ Ya, anyị amaghị ama n’ewepụ Ya dịka ebe nlekwasị-anya nke ndụ anyị.

Ụmụnne nwoke na ụmụnne nwanyị m hụrụnaya, n’ọmarịcha ụbọchị izu-ike nkea anyị na-ańụrịkọrịtara ọńụ n’ime ọtụtụ ngọzi anyị sitere na Onye-nwe-anyị. Anyị jupụtara n’ekele maka ịgba-ama unu niile nke ozi-ọma nke Jizọs Kraịst eweghachitere, maka ịchụ-aja ndi unu meworo iji nọrọ na ma ọbụ laghachi n’ụzọ ọgbụgba-ndụ Ya, na maka ije-ozi unu dị uchu n’ime Nzukọ-nsọ Ya.

Taa ọ metụtara m ịgwa unu okwu maka isi-okwu nke dị oke mkpa. Ụfọdụ izu-ụka ndi gara aga, e wepụtara nkwupụta gbasara ịkpọ nzukọ-nsọ site n’aha ya ziri-ezi.1 E mere m nkea n’ihi Onye-nwe-anyị mmetụtara n’obi m mkpa nke aha Ọ nyere iwu maka Nzukọ-nsọ Ya, ọbụna Nzukọ-nsọ nke Jizọs Kraịst nke Ndi-nsọ Ụbọchị Ikpe-azụ a.2

Dịka unu ga-esi atụ anya, aziza ndi enyere nkwupụta nke a ma nye revised style guide 3 abụrụwo nke agwakọtara. Ọtụtụ ndi-otu ozugbo meziri aha nke Nzukọ-nsọ na blog ha niile ma social media pages ha niile. Ndi ọzọ naara atụgharị uche maka gịnị, n’ime ihe niile nke na-eme n’ime ụwa, ọ dị mkpa ikwusi ike maka otu ihe “ejighị kpọrọ ihe.” Ma ụfọdụ kwuru na ọ kweghị omume, ya mere gịnị mere esi anwa? Ka m kọwaa ihe mere o si dị anyị oke mkpa nke ukwuu gbasara isi-okwu nke a. Mana mbụ ka m kwupụta ihe mgbalị a na abụghị:

  • bụghị mgbanwe aha.

  • bụghị nhazigharị aha.

  • bụghị ịchọ mma.

  • bụghị ihe nkwanye.

  • Ma ọ bụghị ihe ejighị kpọrọ ihe.

Kama, ọ bụ mmezi ihe. Ọ bụ iwu nke Onye-nwe-anyị. Joseph Smith enyeghị Nzukọ-nsọ eweghachitere aha site n’aha nke onwe ya; abụghị ma Mọmọn. Ọ bụụrụ Onye-nzọpụta n’Onwe Ya onye kwuru, “N’ihi otu aka a ga-akpọ nzukọ-nsọ m n’ụbọchi ndi ikpeazụ, ọbụna Nzukọ-nsọ Ahụ nke Jizọs Kraịst nke Ndi-nsọ Ụbọchị-Ikpeazụ a.”4

Ọbụna na mbụ, oge AD 34, Onye-nwe-anyị biliteworo site n’ọnwụ nyere ụdị iwu nye ndi-otu nke Nzukọ-nsọ Ya mgbe Ọ gara ileta ha n’ime mba Amerịka. N’oge ahụ Ọ kwuru:

“Unu ga-akpọ nzukọ-nsọ ahụ n’aha m. …

“Ma olee otu o siri bụrụ nzukọ-nsọ m ma ọbụghị na a kpọrọ ya n’aha m? N’ihi na ọbụrụ na a kpọọ nzukọ-nsọ n’aha Moses mgbe ahụ ọ bụ nzukọ-nsọ Moses; ma-ọbụ ọbụrụ na a kpọọ ya aha mmadụ mgbe ahụ ọ bụ nzukọ-nsọ nke mmadụ; mana ọbụrụ na a kpọọ ya n’aha m mgbe ahụ ọ bụ nzukọ-nsọ m.”5

Ya mere, aha nke Nzukọ-nsọ ahụ abụghị ihe nkpakọrịta. Mgbe Onye-nzọpụta kwupụtara ebe o doro anya ihe aha nke Nzukọ-nsọ Ya ga-abụ, ma ọbụna nke bidoro nkwupụta Ya nke, “Ya mere otu aka a ga-akpọ nzukọ-nsọ m,” Ọ naghị egwuegwu. Ma ọbụrụ na anyị ghara ka ejiri etutu-aha mee ihe ma ọbụ họrọ ya ma ọbụ ọbụna kwado etutu-aha ndi ahụ n’onwe anyị, Ọ na-emejọ Ya.

Gịnị nọ n’aha, ma ọbụ na mkpa nkea, etutu-aha? Mgbe abịara n’etutu-aha niile nke Nzukọ-nsọ a, dịka “Nzukọ-nsọ LDS,” “Nzukọ-nsọ Mọmọn,” ma ọbụ “Nzukọ-nsọ nke Ndi-nsọ Ụbọchị Ikpeazụ a,” ihe a kacha ahụta n’anya ewepụrụ bụ enweghị aha nke Onye-nzọpụta. Ị wepụ aha nke Onye-nwe-anyị site na Nzukọ-nsọ nke Onye-nwe-anyị bụ nnukwu mmerị nye Setan. Mgbe anyị n’atụfu aha nke Onye-nzọpụta, anyị n’eji aghụghọ elegharaihe niile nke Jizọs Kraịst mere anyị—ọbụna Aja-mgbaghara-mmehie Ya.

Tulee nkea n’anya nke Ya: Ndụ tupu ndụ anụ-ahụ Ọ bụụrụ Jehovah, Chineke nke Testament Ochie. N’okpụrụ ntuzi-aka nke Nna Ya, Ọ bụụrụ Onye-okike ụwa nkea na ụwa ndi ọzọ niile. 6 Ọ họọrọ inyefe n’uche nke Nna Ya ma mee ihe maka ụmụ Chineke niile nke n’enweghị onye-ọzọ ga-eme! Ịgbadata bịa n’ụwa dịka Nwa Amụrụ Nanị Ya nke Nna n’anụ-ahụ, ekwujọrọ Ya nke ọjọọ, akwara Ya emo, agbụrụ Ya asụ, ma etiri Ya ihe. N’ime Ụbị-nta nke Getseman, Onye-nzọpụta anyị wekwasiri n’Onwe Ya mgbu niile, njọ niile, na nhụjuanya na ntaram ahụhụ niile nke mụ na gị na onye ọbụla onye biworo n’ụwa ma ọbụ ga-ebi n’ụwa a nweteworo. N’okpụrụ aro nke ibu arọ nyigburu onwe ya, Ọ gbara ọbara site n’oghere niile.7 Ntaram ahụhụ nkea niile ka emesiri ike mgbe akpọgburu Ya n’obi ọjọọ n’elu obe nke Kalvarị.

Site na nhumihe ndia siri ike na Mbilite Nọnwụ Ya sotere—Aja-mgbaghara-mmehie Ya n’enweghị ọgwụgwụ—Ọ nyere onye niile anwụghị anwụ, ma gbapụta onye ọbụla n’ime anyị site n’ihe ndi na-eso njọ, n’ọnọdụ nke nchegharị anyị.

Isoro Mbilite N’ọnwụ nke Onye-nzọpụta ahụ na ọnwụ nke Ndi-ozi Ya, ụwa dabara n’ime ọchịchịrị ọtụtụ narị afọ ndi gara aga. Emesịa n’ime afọ 1820, Chineke Nna, na Ọkpara Ya, Jizọs Kraịst, bịakwutere Onye-amụma Joseph Smith ibido Mweghachite nke Nzukọ-nsọ nke Onye-nwe-anyị.

N’ihe niile Ọ tachiri obi na ya—na ihe niile O meworo maka ụmụ mmadụ—a matara m nkea n’akwa ụta na anyị anabatawo n’ime Nzukọ-nsọ nke Onye-nwe-anyị eweghachitere ịkpọ anyị aha site n’aha ndi ọzọ, nke ọbụla nke n’ewepụga aha nsọ nke Jizọs Kraịst!

Sọnde niile dịka anyị na-eri oriri-nsọ n’itozu-oke, anyị n’eme ọhụụ nkwa anyị dị nsọ nye Nna anyị Bi N’igwe na anyị dị njikere iwekwasi n’onwe anyị aha Ọkpara Ya, Jizọs Kraịst.8 Anyị n’ekwe nkwa isoro Ya, chegharịa, ma debe iwu-nsọ Ya niile, ma mgbe niilena-echeta Ya.

Mgbe anyị wepụrụ aha Ya site na Nzukọ-nsọ Ya, anyị amaghị ama n’ewepụ Ya dịka ebe nlekwasị-anya nke ndụ anyị.

Iwekwasị onwe anyị aha nke Onye-nzọpụta tinyekọtara ikwupụta na ịgba-aka ebe nye ndi ọzọ—site n’omume na ọnụ okwu anyị niile—na Jizọs bụ Kraịst ahụ. E nwewo mgbe egwu imejọ mmadụ onye kpọrọ anyị “ndi Mọmọn” na anyị aghara ịgbachitara Onye-nzọpụta n’Onwe Ya, igbachitara Ya ọbụna n’aha nke a na-akpọ Nzukọ-nsọ Ya?

Ọbụrụ na anyị dịka ndi mmadụ na dịka mmadụ n’otu n’otu ga-achọ inwe ohere n’ike nke Aja-mgbaghara-mmehie nke Jizọs Kraịst—isachapụ na ịgwọ anyị, igba anyị ume na imeba anyị, ma na njedebe ibuli anyị—anyị garịrị anakwere Ya nke ọma dịka ebe ike ahụ si bịa. Anyị nwere ike ibido site n’ikpọ Nzukọ-nsọ Ya site na aha nke O kwupụtara.

N’ihi ọtụtụ ndi ụwa, Nzukọ-nsọ nke Onye-nwe-anyị ka agbanwere dịka “Nzukọ-nsọ Mọmọn.” Kama anyị dịka ndi-otu nke Nzukọ-nsọ nke Onye-nwe-anyị maara onye guzoro n’isi ya: Jizọs Kraịst n’onwe Ya. Na mwute, ọtụtụ ndi na-anụ okwu ahụ Mọmọn nwere ike iche na anyị na-efe Mọmọn. Ọbụghị ezi-okwu! Anyị na-akwanye ugwu ma na-erubere nnukwu Onye-amụma Amerịka mgbe ochie isi.9 Mana anyị abụghị ndi na-eso-ụzọ Mọmọn. Anyị bụ ndi na-eso-ụzọ nke Onye-nwe-anyị.

N’ụbọchị mbụ niile nke Nzukọ-nsọ eweghachitere, okwu ndi dịkaNzukọ-nsọ Mọmọn na ndi Mọmọn10 ka ekwuru dịka okwu nleda-anya—dịka okwu rere ure, okwu mmegbu—ewepụtara iji zochaa aka nke Chineke n’iweghachite Nzukọ-nsọ nke Jizọs Kraịst n’ime ụbọchị ikpeazụ ndia niile.11

Ụmụnne nwoke na ụmụnne nwanyị, enwere ọtụtụ esemokwu nke ụwa megidere iweghachi aha ziri ezi nke Nzukọ-nsọ. N’ihi ụwa dijitalụ nke anyị bi n’ime ya, na maka ingini nchọpụta kacha nke n’enyere anyị niile aka chọta ozi ndi anyị chọrọ mgbe ahụ nnọọ—tinyekwara ozi gbasara Nzukọ-nsọ nke Onye-nwe-anyị—ndi nkatọ kwuru na mmezi ya n’oge ugbua enweghị amamihe n’ime ya. Ndi ọzọ chere na n’ihi ama anyị ama ebe niile dịka “ndi Mọmọn” na dịka “Nzukọ-nsọ Mọmọn,” anyị kwesịrị imepụta ihe kacha mma site na ya.

Ọ bụrụ na enwebuuru nkparịta-ụka gbasara ịkpọ aha nye otu nke mmadụ-mere, esemokwu ndi ahụ nwere ike ị dị ire. Mana n’okwu nkea dị mkpa, anyị na-ele Ya anya onye Nzukọ-nsọ nkea bụ ma nakwere na ụzọ nke Onye-nwe-anyị abụghị, ma enweghị ike ị bụ, ụzọ nke mmadụ. Ọ bụrụ na anyị ga-enwe ndidi ma ọbụrụ na anyị ga-eme akụkụ nke anyị nke ọma, Onye-nwe-anyị ga edu anyị site n’ọrụ nkea dị mkpa. Emesịa ihe niile, anyị maara na Onye-nwe-anyị na-enyere ndi na-achọ ime uche ya aka, dịka nnọọ otu O siri nyeere Nifaị aka imete ọrụ nke ịrụ ụgbọ-mmiri eji agafe osimiri ahụ.12

Anyị ga-achọ inwe agwa ọma ma nwe ndidi n’ime mgbalị anyị niile imetazi njehie niile ndia. Ndi nzipụ-ozi n’ikuku maara ihe ga-enwe nghọta n’ịzaghachi arịrịọ anyị.

N’otu ọgbakọ zuruọha nke gara aga, Okenye Benjamín De Hoyos kwuru okwu gbasara ụdị omume a. O kwuru:

“Ụfọdụ afọ ndi gara aga mgbe m n’eje-ozi n’ụlọ-ọrụ nke public affairs nke Nzukọ-nsọ n’ime Mexico, [otu onye nsom njem na mụ] ka akpọrọ okú isoro na talk show redio. … [Otu nime dairetọ mmemme] jụrụ [anyị], ‘Gịnị mere Nzukọ-nsọ ahụ si nwee ụdị aha ogologo? …’

“Mụ na onye nsom njem chịrị ọchị n’ụdị ajụjụ a dị ebube ma gaa n’ihu ịkọwa na aha nke Nzukọ-nsọ abụghị nke mmadụ họpụtara. O sitere n’aka Onye-nzọpụta. … dairetọ mmemme n’egbughị oge ma na mkwanye ugwu zaghachịrị, ‘Anyị ga otu ahụ kwugharịa ya n’oke mmasị.’”13

Akụkọ ahụ na-ewete usoro. N’otu n’otu, mgbalị anyị kacha mma dịka ndi mmadụ ka a ga-achọ imezi njehie niile nke ribataworịị n’ime afọ niile ahụ.14 Ndi ụwa niile nwere ike ma ọbụ enweghị ike isoro ọmụmatụ anyị n’ịkpọ anyị aha site na aha nke ziri ezi. Mana ọ maghị anyị ama ida-mba ma ọbụrụ ma ndi kacha n’ụwa kpọọ Nzukọ-nsọ na ndi otu ya site n’aha nke n’ezighị ezi ma ọbụrụ na anyị mee kwa otu ahụ.

Revised style guide anyị n’enye-aka. Ọ kwupụtara: “Na-nrụtụ aka nke mbụ, uju-aha nke Nzukọ-nsọ ka a họọrọ: ‘Nzukọ-nsọ nke Jizọs Kraịst nke Ndi-nsọ Ụbọchị Ikpeazụ a.’ Mgbe nrụtụ-aka ebelatara [nke abụọ] dị mkpa, okwu ndi a ‘Nzukọ-nsọ ahụ’ ma ọbụ ‘Nzukọ-nsọ nke Jizọs Kraịst’ ka a họọrọ. ‘Nzukọ-nsọ eweghachitere nke Jizọs Kraịst’ bụ kwa nke ndi mma na nke a họọrọ.”15

Ọ bụrụ na otu onye ga-ajụ, “Ị bụ onye Mọmọn?” I nwere ike izaghachi, “Ọ bụrụ na I na-ajụ ma m bụ onye otu Nzukọ-nsọ nke Jizọs Kraịst nke Ndi-nsọ Ụbọchị Ikpeazụ a, ee, a bụ m!”

Ọbụrụ ma otu onye jụọ, “Ị bụ Onye-nsọ Ụbọchị Ikpeazụ a?”16 I nwere ike izaghachi, “Ee, a bụ m. Ekwere m na Jizọs Kraịst ma a bụ m onye otu nke Nzukọ-nsọ Ya eweghachitere.”

Ezi ụmụnne m nwoke na ụmụnne m nwanyị, a na m ekwe unu nkwa na ọbụrụ na anyị ga-eme akụkụ nke anyị kacha mma iweghachite aha ziri ezi nke Nzukọ-nsọ nke Onye-nwe-anyị, Ya onye Nzukọ-nsọ nkea bụ nke ya ga awụdata ike Ya na ngọzi niile n’elu isi nke Ndi-nsọ Ụbọchị Ikpeazụ a,17 ụdị ndi anyị na-ahụbeghị mbụ. Anyị ga-enwe mmụta na ike nke Chineke inyere anyị aka were ngọzi niile nke ozi-ọma nke Jizọs Kraịst eweghachiteere gaa mba niile, ụmụnna, asụsụ, na ndi mmadụ na ịkwado ụwa maka Ọbịbịa nke Abụọ nke Onye-nwe-anyị.

Ya mere, gịnị nọ n’aha? Mgbe abịara n’aha nke Nzukọ-nsọ nke Onye-nwe-anyị, aziza ahụ bụ “Ihe niile!” Jizọs Kraịst duziri anyị ịkpọ Nzukọ-nsọ Ya site n’aha Ya n’ihi ọ bụ Nzukọ-nsọ Ya, jupụtara n’ike Ya.

A ma m na Chineke dị ndụ. Jizọs bụ Kraịst ahụ. Ọ na-edu Nzukọ-nsọ Ya taa. A na m agba-ama n’aha dị nsọ nke Jizọs Kraịst, amen.

Notes

  1. “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. In recent weeks, various Church leaders and departments have initiated the necessary steps to do so. Additional information about this important matter will be made available in the coming months” (Russell  M. Nelson, “The Name of the Church” [official statement, Aug. 16, 2018], mormonnewsroom.org).

  2. Preceding Presidents of the Church have made similar requests. For example, President George Albert Smith said: “Don’t let the Lord down by calling this the Mormon Church. He didn’t call it the Mormon Church” (in Conference Report, Apr. 1948, 160).

  3. See “Style Guide—The Name of the Church,” mormonnewsroom.org.

  4. Doctrine and Covenants 115:4.

  5. 3 Nephi 27:7–8.

  6. See Moses 1:33.

  7. See Doctrine and Covenants 19:18.

  8. See Moroni 4:3; Doctrine and Covenants 20:37, 77.

  9. Mormon was one of the four major writers of the Book of Mormon, the others being Nephi, Jacob, and Moroni. All were eyewitnesses of the Lord, as was its inspired translator, the Prophet Joseph Smith.

  10. Even the word Mormonites was among terms of derision that were employed (see History of the Church, 2:62–63, 126).

  11. Other epithets seem to have occurred in New Testament times. During the Apostle Paul’s trial before Felix, Paul was said to be “a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes” (Acts 24:5). Regarding the use of the phrase “of the Nazarenes,” one commentator wrote: “This was the name usually given to Christians by way of contempt. They were so called because Jesus was of Nazareth” (Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Acts of the Apostles [1937], 313).

    Similarly, another commentary states: “As our Lord was contemptuously called ‘The Nazarene’ (Matthew 26:71), so the Jews designated his disciples ‘Nazarenes.’ They would not admit that they were Christians, i.e. disciples of the Messiah” (The Pulpit Commentary: Acts of the Apostles, ed. H. D. M. Spence and Joseph S. Exell [1884], 2:231).

    In a related vein, Elder Neal A. Maxwell observed: “Throughout scriptural history, we see recurring efforts to demean prophets in order to dismiss them—to label them in order to diminish them. Mostly, however, they are simply ignored by their contemporaries and by secular history. After all, early Christians were merely called ‘the sect of the Nazarenes.’ (Acts 24:5.)” (“Out of Obscurity,” Ensign, Nov. 1984, 10).

  12. See 1 Nephi 18:1–2.

  13. Benjamín De Hoyos, “Called to Be Saints,” Liahona, May 2011, 106.

  14. While we have no control over what other people may call us, we are in complete control over how we refer to ourselves. How can we expect others to honor the correct name of the Church if we as its members fail to do so?

  15. Style Guide—The Name of the Church,” mormonnewsroom.org.

  16. The term saint is used often in the Holy Bible. In Paul’s Epistle to the Ephesians, for example, he used the word saint at least once in every chapter. A saint is a person who believes in Jesus Christ and strives to follow Him.

  17. See Doctrine and Covenants 121:33.