Akwa Mboho
Ndikabare-esit nnɔ Uduak Abasi
Akwa Mbono eke Ofiong April 2022

Ndikabare-esit nnɔ Uduak Abasi

Etop otode Elder Quentin L. Cook

Eke Eboho mme Apostle Duopeba

Nkabare-esit eke idem nnyin esine ubiong-utom ndibuna ikɔ Abasi Jesus Christ ye ererimbot.

Ami mmenem esit ye President Russell M. Nelson ke osongo ikoot prophet esie nnɔ utom ukwɔrɔ-ikɔ ye mme inem etop eke President M. Russell Ballard ye Elder Marcos A. Aidukaitis abangade ɔkwɔrɔ-ikɔ mfin emi.

ubiong-ikoot ukwɔrɔ-ikɔ ndika Great Britain ke utit isua oko ama anam mi ndikere mbanga mme osongurua edinam eke nkpo-Abasi emi ekedide osongo ɔnɔ ubiere mi ke ndinam-utom nte ɔkwɔrɔ ikɔ Abasi.1 Ini eke ami nkedidde isua Efut, edima mkpon-nkan eyeneka mi eren, Joe, ekedi isua Edip—isua emi ekemde kini oro ke ndika mission. Ke United States, ke ntak enwan Korea, ekenyime ata esisit ibat owo ete eka mission. Ekesikot owo kiet kpɔt ke ward kiet-kiet ke isua kiet.2 Ekedi nkpɔ mkpaidem kini bishop nnyin ɔdɔhɔde Joe ete ekere abanga ukeme emi ye ete nnyin. Joe okosuk anam nwed mbenge-idem ɔnɔ ndika ufɔknwed ibɔk-mbakara. Ete nnyin, eke mikisinke idem ke Ufɔk Abasi, ama ebenge okuk onim man anwam enye ndien ikenyimeke inɔ Joe ndika mission. Ete ekekere ke Joe ekeme ndinam ediwak nti nkpɔ ke ndika ufɔknwed ibɔk-mbakara. Emi ekedi ata akamba mfina ke ufɔkemana nnyin.

Ke inemede ye enyene-ibuot ye anam-uwutnkpɔ mkpon-nkan eyeneka mi eren, nnyin iditre ke ubiere esie mme ke ndika mission nyung mbighi edika-nwed esie okokongo ke mbume ita: (Akpa) Ndi Jesus Christ edi edisana? (Udiana) Nte Nwed Mormon edi ikɔ Abasi? ndien (Oyoho Ita) Nte Joseph Smith edi Prophet eke Edifiak-mmen-ndi? Edieke ibɔrɔ mbume emi edide ihn, oro ama anwanga ke Joe ekeme edi-nam ediwak nti nkpɔ ke ndida ikɔ Abasi Jesus Christ nsɔk ererimbot akan ndisɔsɔp ndi docta.3

Okoneyo oro ami mma mbong-akam ye ke ofuri esit. Spirit Abasi, ke usung eke mukemeke ndikang, ama osongo ɔnɔ mi ibɔrɔ eke ofuri mbume ita emi ekedi ihn. Emi ekedi ntongo edinam ɔnɔ mi. Ami ndifiɔk ke ofuri ubiere eke ami ndinamde nnɔ ofuri uwem mi edikongo ke mme akpanikɔ emi. Nko ami ndidiongo ke ana ami nka mission edieke enɔde mi ufang. Ke ofuri uwem utom-unwam ye ifiɔk-ukpep, ami mmedifiɔk nte ke ata nkabare-esit edi iboro eke ata edinyime nnɔ uduak Abasi ndien nnyin ke Edisana Spirit ekeme ndikpeme nnyin ke mme edinam nnyin.

Ami mma nnyene ikɔ ntiense eke edisana-ndaha Jesus Christ nte Andinyanga ererimbot. Ke okoneyo oro ami mma-mbɔ spirit ikɔ ntiense kabanga Nwed Mormon4 ye eke Prophet Joseph Smith.

Joseph Smith Ekedi Nkpɔ-utom kiet ke Ubɔk Abasi

Ikɔ ntiense fo eyenyene osongo kini afo ɔfiɔkde ke esit fo oto akam fo ete ke Prophet Joseph Smith ekedi nkpɔ-utom kiet ke ubɔk Abasi. Ke mme isua itiaita emi ebede mi, kiet kotu ubiɔŋ mi nte Apostle Duopeba ekedi ndifiak-nse nyung nkot kpukpru nti babru ye nwed eke Joseph Smith ye nduŋɔre emi akade ekesim edimiŋ-nwɔrɔ eke Saints .5 Iko ntiense ye ima mi kabaŋa Prophet Joseph Smith ama enehede osongo onyung okpon ke mma nkekot inem mbuk eke uwem ye edimek ikoot utom esie nte prophet.

Joseph edikabare Nwed Mormon oto ke odudu Edisana Spirit ekedi ntongo ɔnɔ Edifiak-mmen-ndi.6 Nwed Mormon edi enyene iwuk, emi ekenehede ewet, ndien esine mme ibɔrɔ ɔnɔ ikpɔ mbume eke uwem. Nwed oro edi udiana ikɔ ntiense Jesus Christ. Ami nting ikɔ ntiense nte ke Joseph Smith ekedi edinen-owo, ɔyɔhɔ ye mbuɔtidem, ye nkpɔ-utom ke ubɔk Abasi ke ndinam Nwed Mormon ɔwɔrɔ edi.

Mme eriyarare ye edinam emi ewetde ke Ukpepnkpɔ ye Ediomi ɔnɔ ukpɔhɔde, edinam ikɔ-Abasi, ye ediomi emi ekemde ɔnɔ erinyanga ye edimenere. Mmɔ itongoke mme akpan-nkpɔ emi edidade isiak Ufɔk Abasi kpɔt edi nko ɔnɔ akpan ukpepnkpɔ emi anamde nnyin ifiɔk ntak eke uwem onyung ɔnɔ nnyin idorenyin nsinsi.

Kiet kotu anana-ibat uwutnkpɔ eke ubiong ikoot Joseph Smith nte prophet odu ke ɔyɔhɔ ibuot Ata-ye-efurekiet eke Doctrine ye Covenants Oro edi anwanga mbuk eke nkukut heaven, esinede mme obio-ubong eke ubong, emi Prophet Joseph ye Sidney Rigdon ekbɔde ke February 16, 1832. Kini oro, ediwak ufɔk Abasi ekekpep ke Erisio-isop eke Andinyanga idinɔhɔ ata ediwak owo erinyanga-ukpong. Ekesinim ke edinyanga esisit ibat owo, ke esit edide nsinsi ndutuhɔ “eke ata ata-idiɔk ye ndaha emi owo mikemeke nditing mbanga.”7

Eriyarare emi odude ke ibuot Ata-ye-efurekiet ɔnɔ ediye nkukut eke mme ndaha ubon emi ata ediwak nditɔ eke Ete Heaven emi ekesongoke enim akpa ndaha mmɔ eyebɔ edidiong ke ekurede akpatre ubiere-ikpe.8 Nkukut eke ndaha ubong ita emi, “nsuhɔre-nkan emi akande ofuri ifiɔk,”9 edi ata efanga eke okposong ini oro ye nsu-nsu ukpepnkpɔ ete ke ediwak owo eyetak eka hell ye nsobo.

Kini afo ɔfiɔkde ke Joseph Smith ekedi isua Edip-ye-itiokiet kpɔt, ekeka esisit nwed, ye ekpri mme ndinana-na ifiɔk eke nti usem emi ekekabare Bible eto, enye ekenehede edi ata nkpɔ-utom ke ubɔk Abasi. Ke ufang Efureba eke ibuot Ata-ye-efurekiet, enye ama enyene ifiɔk ndisin ikɔ idotke ke nde eke edisua-nnɔ emi ewetde ke Gospel John.10

Edi inem nkpɔ ete ke isua Aba-ye-ition edikemke adausung ke ufok Abasi Anglican ye ɔwɔrɔ-etop ata-ifiɔk nwed kiet,11 Frederic W. Farrar, emi ekewetde Uwem Christ12 edinyime ete ke se edisua-nnɔ ɔwɔrɔde ke Bible eke King James Version ekedi mme ndudue edikabare otode Hebrew ye Greek ediduk Ikɔ Mbakara.13

Ke eyo nnyin, ediwak owo enyime ete ke ikpinaha utip odu ɔnɔ idiɔknkpɔ. Mmɔ esongo edinyime idiɔknkpɔ eke editua-mkpɔfiɔk miduhe. Ukpep-nkpɔ nnyin emi eyarare ifangake ekikere oro emi edibiomde ediwak owo ikpe isin ke nsinsi ebiet hell ye nsua-nnɔ kpɔt edi osongo ete ke nkabare-esit eke idem nnyin edi mbet anade inam man ibɔ-ufɔn ke Erisio-isop eke Andinyanga inyung inyene obio-ubong celestial.14 Ami nting ikɔ ntiense nte ke Joseph Smith ekedi ata nkpɔ-utom ke ubɔk Abasi ke ndinam Mfiak-mmen-ndi ikɔ Abasi ɔwɔrɔ edi!

Otode ke Mfiak-mmen-ndi ikɔ Abasi Jesus Christ, nnyin idifiɔk ufɔn eke edikabare-esit ye “mme utom edinen-ido.”15 Nnyin idifiɔk ata ufɔn eke Erisio-isop Andinyanga ye mme edinam ye ediomi unyanga Esie, ke esit edide mbon emi ekenamde ke temple.

Mme “utom edinen-ido” oworo oto ndien edi mfri edikabare-esit. Ata edikabare-esit oto ndinehede nnyime nyung mbiere man itiene uduak Abasi.16 Usoro utip ye edidiong emi oworode oto nkabare-esit edi akpaniko ye nsinsi emem ye osongo eke idem kabnaga akpatre inemesit17—kesioho mme oyobio eke uwem emi.

Ndkabare-esit nno Andinyanga okpuho ata owo esin ke anam-asana, amama-obufa, nsana-mma owo—obufa obot ke Christ Jesus.18

Edip Ediwak Owo Akpaniko Koro Mmo Ifiokke Ebiet emei Ekpekutde Oro

Nso idi ubiong emi oworode tonkabare-esit? Ke Liberty Jail Prophet Joseph ama okut ke “enehede edip ediwak owo akpaniko koro mmo ifiokke ebiet emi mmo ekpekutde oro.”19

Ke se Abasi ewet ke akpa ikpw-nwed eke Ukpepnkpo ye Ediomi, ewet akamba-ndise mfiori eke ntak emi Abasi onode nwed oro enim. Enye ete “Ke ntre, Ami Abasi, mmofiok nsobo emi edisimde mme owo ke isong, nkot isungutom mi, Joseph Smith, Jun., nyung nting-iko nno enye ke heaven, nyung nno enye ibet.” Enye afiak eteme ete “Man mbon mmemidem ye mkpri owo ekeme ndifiori uyoho iko Abasi mi nno mme utit ererimbot.”20 Oro esine mme full-time missionaries. Oro esine nnyin owo kiet-kiet. Emi ekpedi ekpri nting-enyin nkpo ono kpukpru owo emi ekenyenede edikabare-esit eno uduak Abasi. Andinyanga enehede okot nnyin ete idi-di uyo Esie ye mme ubok Esie.21 Ima Andinyanga eyedi ndausung unwana nnyin. Andinyanaga ekekpep mbet Esie ete, “Mbufo, eka ekanam kpukpru mme idut edi mbet Mi.”22 Ndien onode Joseph Smith, Enye ete, “Kworo iko Abasi minno kpukpru owo eke mikibɔhɔ oro.”23

Udua ebede tongo ekediong Temple Kirtlandke April 3, 1836, emi ekedide Ederi Easter ye Passover nko, Obong obiongode ke utibe nkukut ono Joseph ye Oliver Cowdery. Obongama ama ɔbɔ temple emi ndien eketing ete, “Emi edi ntongo edidiong emi ediduɔhɔde ke ibuot ikɔt mi.”24

“Ke nkukut emi okurede, Moses obiongode ke iso nnyin, “onyung ono nnyin mme ukpohode nditang Isreal mbok ke mbang mbinang ererimbot, ye ndida esien Isreal duop nto ke isong edere-edere ndi.”25

President Russell M. Nelson, edima prophet nnyin mfin emi eke akamade ukem ukpɔhɔde oro, ekekpep ke usenubɔk emi ete ke: “Ekenim mbufo mkparawa irenowo enɔ ini emi eke enwongo editang Israel mbok adade itie. Nte mbufo ekade mission, mbufo emenam akpan utom ke edinam eke owo mikwe akpa mi!”26

Ke ubiong eke Andinyanga ke ndibuana iko Abasi man ikabare idi ubak owo eke owo emi nnyin idide, ana nnyin ikabare-esit ino uduak Abasi; ana nnyin ima mbohidung nnyin, ibuana mfiak-nda-ndi iko Abasi Jesus Christ, inyung ikoot ofuri owo ite edi enyung edikut. Nte mbon Ufok Abasi, nnyin imima iboro emi Prophet Joseph okonode John Wentworth, andiwet Chicago Democrat, ke 1842. Enye okoyom etop abanga Ufok Abasi. Joseph etre iboro esie ke ndida “Adaha Akpaniko” nte ebe-iso nwed nno nkpo Duopeta emi Inimde ke Mbuotidem. Adaha oro ediwut, ke ibio-ibio usung, nkpo emi anade inam-ikure ete:

“Iduhe ubok eke editrede utom emi ndikori; ukobo ekeme nditongo, ndioi-nka ekeme ndidiana-kiet, mbon-ekong ekeme ndiboho, mbiari ekeme ndibiat-enyin, edi akpaniko Abasi eyesongo, odot, onyung ada-ke-idem aka iso, tutu oduk ofuri idut, aka ke ofuri ererimbot, oduk ofuri idung, onyung oyomo ke ofuri utongtutu enam uduak Abasi ekure, ndien Akwa Jehovah eyedoho ete ke enam utom oro ekure.”27

Emi esidi akwa ikoot ono mme emana eke Latter-day Saints, akpan-akpan mme okworo-iko Abasi. Ke spirit “Adaha Akpaniko,” nnyin iminem-esit koro kini idiok-udongo ekedukde ererimbot nti mme okworo-iko ema ebuana iko Abasi. Mme okworo-iko Abasi, nnyin imema mbufo! Jehovah oyom nnyin owo kiet-kiet ibuana iko Abasi Esie ke iko ye edinanam. Nkabare-esit eke idem nnyin esine ubiong-utom ndibuna ikɔ Abasi Jesus Christ ye ererimbot.

Mme edidiong ke edibuana iko Abasi esine nkori edikabare-esit nnyin nno uduak Abasi ye ediyak Abasi akara ke uwem nnyin.28 Nnyin imidiong mbon efen man enyene “akamba ukpuhɔre” ke esit.”29 Odu ata nsinsi idara ke ndinwam nda mme ukpong nsok Christ.30 Ndinwana nnyene edikabare-esit eke idem fo ye eke mbon efen edi ata akwa ubiong-utom.31 Ami nting iko ntiense emi ke enying Jesus Christ, amen.

Mkpri nwed

  1. I served in the British Mission from September 1, 1960, to September 1, 1962.

  2. The other young men had to be available for the military draft.

  3. After Joe’s return from his mission, he did graduate from medical school and serve as a successful doctor. His mission also prepared him to be a bishop, stake president, regional representative, and mission president.

  4. Se Moroni 10:4. Ami mma nkokot ke Nwed Mormon. With the seriousness of this issue in our family, I was praying with real intent.

  5. Se Saints: The Story of the Church of Jesus Christ in the Latter Days, vol. 1, The Standard of Truth, 1815–1846 (2018), and vol. 2, No Unhallowed Hand, 1846–1893 (2020).

  6. The translation commenced on April 7, 1829, and was completed around the first of July 1829. It has been remarkable to study the facts surrounding the translation. I particularly appreciated reading the printer’s manuscript and the original manuscript of the Book of Mormon published as volumes 3 and 5 in the Revelations and Translations series of The Joseph Smith Papers. Mmo mbiba edi mme nti eboho-nwed.

  7. See Frederic W. Farrar, Eternal Hope: Five Sermons Preached in Westminster Abbey, November, and December, 1877 1(892), xxii.

  8. The vision includes those who do not learn of Christ in this life, children who die before the age of accountability, and those who have no understanding.

  9. Doctrine ye Covenants 76:89.

  10. Se John 5:29.

  11. Farrar was educated at King’s College, London, and Trinity College, Cambridge He was a Church of England (Anglican) cleric, Archdeacon of Westminster Abbey, Dean of Canterbury Cathedral, and chaplain to the Royal Household.

  12. Se Frederic W. Farrar, The Life of Christ (1874).

  13. See Farrar, Eternal Hope, xxxvi–xxxvii. Fredric Farrar felt compelled to correct teachings about damnation and hell. He strongly proclaimed what he termed “simple, undeniable, and indisputable facts. … The verb ‘to damn’ and its cognates does not once occur in the Old Testament. No word conveying any such meaning occurs in the Greek of the New Testament.” He goes on to explain that the word damnation is a “grievous mistranslation … [and] perverts and obscures the real meaning of our Lord’s utterances” (Eternal Hope, xxxvii). Farrar also pointed out the overwhelming demonstration of a loving Father in Heaven throughout the Bible as additional evidence that the definitions of hell and damnation used in the English translation were incorrect (see Eternal Hope, xiv–xv, xxxiv, 93; see also Quentin L. Cook, “Our Father’s Plan—Big Enough for All His Children,” Liahona, May 2009, 36).

  14. The relationship between repentance and the Atonement is set forth in Doctrine and Covenants 19:15–18, 20. In addition, endless punishment is clarified in Doctrine and Covenants 19:10–12.

  15. Doctrine ye Covenants 59:23.

  16. See Mosiah 27:25; Doctrine and Covenants 112:13; see also Dale E. Miller, “Bringing Peace and Healing to Your Soul,” Liahona, Nov. 2004, 12–14.

  17. Se Mosiah 2:41.

  18. Dallin H. Oaks, “The Challenge to Become,” Ensign, Nov. 2000, 33; Liahona, Jan. 2001, 41; see also 2 Corinthians 5:17; Bible Dictionary, “Conversion.”

  19. Doctrine ye Covenant.123:12.

  20. Doctrine and Covenants 1:17, 23.

  21. If that is our desire, we are “called to the work” (Doctrine and Covenants 4:3; see also Thomas S. Monson, “Called to the Work,” Liahona, June 2017, 4–5).

  22. Matthew 28:19.

  23. Doctrine ye Covenants 112:28.

  24. Doctrine ye Covenants 110:10.

  25. Doctrine ye Covenants 110:11.

  26. Russell M. Nelson, “Preaching the Gospel of Peace,” Liahona, May 2022, 6–7; see also Russell M. Nelson, “Hope of Israel” (worldwide youth devotional, June 3, 2018), HopeofIsrael.ChurchofJesusChrist.org.

  27. Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith (2007), 444.

  28. See Russell M. Nelson, “Let God Prevail,” Liahona, Nov. 2020, 92–95.

  29. Alma 5:14.

  30. Se Doctrine ye Covenants 18:15; see also James 5:19–20.

  31. See Alma 26:22; Doctrine and Covenants 18:13–16; see also Bible Dictionary, “Conversion.”