Utom Family History ye eke Temple: Edidian-kiet ye Ufon

Iko otode Elder Dale G. Renlund

Eke Eboho mme Apostle Duopeba

Nte nyin inamde family history nyin inyung ika temple ino mme etebom nyin, Abasi eyeno edidiong emi okonwongode inikiet ke nkang veil mbiba emi.

Ebuana ufokemana ekeme ndidi ubak akpan nti nko edi mkposong ifiok-ukpeb emi edisimde nyin. Ediwak nyin imekut ubak eneni kotu ufokemana nyin. Oruk eneni ntem ama ada itie ke ufot oworiso owo iba eke Edifiak-nda-ndi Ufok Abasi Jesus Christ ke ukpere edem ini emi. Parley ye Orson Pratt ekedi ndito-eka, mme akpa mbon ufok Abasi ye Apostle emi ekemekde. Mmo kiet-kiet ema ekut idomo, edi ke okurede edinyene ata iko ntiense. Mbiba enehede ewa idem enyung enam utom ke ntak akpaniko.

Kini ikot Abasi ekedude ke Nauvoo, ebuana mmo ama abiara, ekesim akamba ntuaha ke isua 1846. Akamba ye ata ubahare ama otongo. Parley ama ewet leta ono Orson oyom emem, edi Orson ikoboroke. Parley ama etre do, onim ete ke nneme ye enye okure, ke mibohoke Orson afiak otongo.

Ediwak isua ekedikem, ke March 1853, Orson edikop abanga utom ke ndiming nwed kiet kabanga mbon emana William Pratt, akpa mbon ubon mmo eke America. Orson ama otongo nditua “nte ekpri eyen” ke nte enye esede osongurua nti-nkpo eke mbuk ufokemana. Esit esie enem, ndien enye ebiere ndinehede ebuana ye eyeneka eren esie.

Orson ediwet ono Parley ete, “Idahaemi edima eyeneka mi, iduhe owo efen kotu ubon eke Etebom nyin, Lieu[tenant] William Pratt, emi enyenede akwa udong ndiyom oruk ubon esie nte nyin.” Orson ekedi akpa owo ndifiok ete ke mbon Latter-day Saint enyene ubiong ndidungore nyung nim family histories, man otodo nyin ikeme ndinam edinam-iko Abasi nno mme etebom nyin. Leta esie aka iso eting ete: “Nyin imediongo ke Abasi eke mme ete nyin enyime ofuri utom emi. … Ami mbenge edifen-nno ke ndikitre ndiwet fi. … Ami mmenim ke afo eyefen ono mi.” Kesioho osongo iko ntiense mmo, ima mmo kabanga mme etebom mmo ekedi ntak ke ndinam emem, ndikok unan, nyung nyom edifen-nno.

Abasi ama odoho ete nyin inam nkpo kiet, Enye enyene ediwak ntak kabanga nkpo oro. Utom family history ye eke temple idige ino mme akpa-mkpa kpot edi ododiong mme odu-uwem nko. Eke Orson ye Parley, oro ama owongore esit mmo ono kiet eken. Utom family history ye eke temple onono ufon ke nkpo emi oyomde ufon.

Nte mbon Ufok Abasi, nyin imenyene edisana ubiong ndiyom mme etebom nyin nyung nam family history nno mmo. Emi okpon akan nkpo-mbre, koro mme edinam erinyanga ukpong ana ono ofuri ndito Abasi. Ana nyin iyom enying mme etebom nyin emi mikoboho mme edinam erinyanga emi mbemiso mmo ekpa. Nyin imekeme ndinam edinam-iko Abasi emi nno mmo ke temple, ndien mmo ekeme ndimek ndinyime edinam oro. Edoho nyin nko ete inwam mbon ward ye stake ke mme enying mbon ufokemana mmo. Edi mkpaidem nkpo ete, otode ke utom family history ye eke temple, nyin iyenwam ndinyanga mbon emi ekekpade.

Edi kini nyin inamde utom family history ye eke temple mfin emi, nyin nko iyebo mme “ufon” edidiong emi mme prophet ye apostle eketingde ebanga. Mme edidiong emi edi nti nkpo oto ke ndaha, uduot-obot, ye utip mmo ke uwem isong emi. Ke esit ediwak edidiong emi edi:

• Akamba ifiok kabanga Andinyanga ye uwa ufak Esie;

• Akamba odudu Edisana Spirit man ibo odudu ye ndausung ino uwem nyin;

• Akamba mbuotidem, man otodo edikabare esit ntiene Andinyanga akabare okpon onyng enyene-iwuk,

• Akwa ukeme ye udong ke ndibo ukpeb nyung ntua-mkpofiokoto ke ndifiok owo eke nyin idide, ebiet emi nyin iketode idi, ye ndinehede mfiok ebiet emi nyin idikade;

• Akamba ukeme ke ndifon, nam-asana, ye odudu ndisuhore idem ke esit nyin;

• Akwa idara otode akamba ukeme ke ndikop ima Abasi,

• Akamba edidiong ke ufokemana, isehe ndaha ufokemana eke eyo emi, ufokemana andikibe, ye eke ini iso mme ke nte family tree eke nyin mifonkke-ima,

• Akamba ima ye ekom nno mme etebom nyin ye oruk nyin emi esuk edude ke uwem, ntem nyin ikereke ite ke idi ikpong;

• Akwa odudu ke ndifiok nkpo emi oyomde ufon ndien ekem, dian ye unwam Abasi, nyin idinwam mbon efen;

• Akamba ukpeme nsio ke idomo ye idiok odudu eke andidiok; ye

• Akamba unwam ke ndidong esit emi obungode, mme eke enyekde nyung nno unwam.

Enam utom family history ye eke temple edieke mbufo eyomde ndibo kiet kotu mme edidiong emi. Nte enamde oro, eyeboro akam mbufo. Ini emi enamde edinam iko Abasi eno mme akpa-mkpa, ndito Abasi ke isong ebo ufon. Oro edi ntak emi President Russell M. Nelson, ke akpa etop esie nte President Ufok Abasi nyin, etingde ete, “Ntuak-ibuot mbufo ke temple ye utom unwam mbufo do nno mme etebom mbufo eyeno mbufo nkori eriyarare ye emem eke idem mbufo, onyung osongo ubiere mbufo ndidu ke usung ediomo.”

Nko akani prophet ama ebemiso okut mme edidiong emi okodude ono mme odu-uwem ye akpa-mkpa. Isungutom heaven kiet ama owut Ezekiel nkukut eke temple kiet ye mmong emi oworode ke temple oro. Eketing eno Ezekiel ete:

“Mmong emi oworo ke … onyung osuhore ke desert, okosim ke inyang emi [ama akakpa] … ,[ndien] mmong (inyang) akabare ofon.

“Ndien ama ekem, kpukpru mme odu-uwem eke edinyokde ke ebiet ekededi eke akpa osimde do, eyedu uwem … koro mmong eyekabare ofon; ndien kpukpru oruk nkpo eke akpa mmong oro edisimde eyedu uwem.”

Mbiet nkpo iba kabanga mmong edi akpan nkpo. Akpa, okposuk nte ekpri idim oro minyeneke nte efehede okoduk, enye okori ekesim akamba akpa-inyang, akabare okpon onyung otungo ke nte efehede aka. Mbiet nkpo etibe ye mme edidiong eke temple kini ediande owo kiet-kiet nte ufokemana otokiet. Akamba nkori ada itie aka iso ye edem ekesim ediwak emana ke nte edinam sealing obopde mme ufokemana eyiri otokiet.

Udiana, akpa-inyang ananam ofuri nkpo eke enye osimde afiak ofon. Mme edidiong temple nko enyene akamba ukeme ndinam ufon. Mme edidiong temple ekeme ndinam esit ye uwem ye ufokemana afiak ofon.

Yak ami nno uwutnkpo kabanga emi. Ke isua 1999, akparawa kiet emi ekotde Todd ama osukho-oduo oto ke iyip ndiboho-otokiet ke mfiri esie. Okposuk nte Todd ye ufokemana esie ekedide mbon Ufok Abasi, mmo ikesiwakke ndika Ufok Abasi, ndien mmo ikekaha temple. Ke akpatre okoneyo usen uwem Todd, eka esie, Betty, eketie ke nkang bed esie ofiongore ubok esie onyung eting ete, “Todd, edieke afo akpade, ami mmebiere nte ke eyenam temple work eno fi.” Ke edem usenubok oro, mfiri Todd ama odop. Mme dokta usiak-esit ema transplant esit eke Todd eda edisin ke nde eke owo udongo mi, emi ekerede Rod.

Esisit ofiong ifang ke transplant oro ama okokure, Rod ama edifiok mbon ufokemana eke Todd onyung otongo ndinyene nneme ye mmo. Ke ufang isua iba, eka Todd, Betty, ama okot Rod ete edidu kini enye edikade temple ke akpa ini. Rod ye Betty ekesobo iso ye iso ke akpa ini ke celestial room eke St. George Utah Temple.

Ke esisit ini ebede, ete Todd—ebe Betty—ama edikpa. Esisit mme isua ke iso, Betty ama odoho Rod ete edida-ono eyen esie emi ama akakpa man obo edinam-iko Abasi eke temple esie. Rod ama anam oro, ndien utom edida-nno oro ama ada itie ke sealing room ke St. George Utah Temple. Ema edian Betty eno ebe esie emi akakpade, otongo edong ke altar ye eyeyen-eren esie; emi akadade ono ebe esie. Edikem, ye mmong-eyet ndisuhore ke mfuk esie, enye okot Rod ete edibuana ye mmo ke altar. Rod ama otongo edong ke ekpere mmo, ada ono eyen esie Todd, emi esit esie odude ke ikpan-esit Rod. Do ema edian Todd emi okonode Rod esit, eno ete ye eka esie ke nsinsi. Eka Todd ama anam enwongo emi enye ekebierede ono akpa.mkpa eyen esie ke mme isua emi ekebede.

Edi mbuk oro ikureke do. Ke isua efut ke ema ekenam heart transplant oro ekure, Rod ama oyom ndido-ndo ndien odoho ete yak ami nam sealing oro ke Temple Provo Utah. Ke usen ndo oro, ami mma nsobo ye Rod ye ediye nnwan esie, Kim, ke nsak-iso sealing room oro emi mbon ufokemana ye nti ufan esie ekebetde. Ke edisobo oro okurede, ami ndoho nte mme mmo enyene mbume ndibup.

Rod oboro ete, “Ihn. Ufokemana emi ekenode mi esit edu mi ndien ekpema ndikut fi.”

Amii nkekereke mbanga oro ndien mbup nte, ‘Afo odoho ete ke mmo mmodo mi? Ke ata idahaemi?”

Rod oboro ete, Ihn.”

Ami mma nsanga nduk inuk kiet ndien nkot mmo nte eworo ke sealing room edi. Betty, eyen esie nnwan, ye ebe eyen esie ema esobo ye nyin. Rod afat Betty, okom enye ke ndidi, ndien emen mi owut enye. Rod odoho ete, “Betty, emi edi Elder Renlund. Enye edi dokta emi eketimde esit eyen fo akama ke ata ediwak isua.’ Enye ama asanga edifat mi. Ndien mfari ye mmong-eyet idaresit ama odu ke esisit ini.

Ke oro okurede, nyin ima ibe iduk sealing room, emi ekediande Rod ye Kim ke ofuri ini ye ke nsinsi. Rod, Kim, Betty, ye ami imekeme nditing iko ntiense ete ke heaven ema enyime edinam oro, koro spirit mbon efen emi ekebede efeb ema ebuana ye nyin ke usen oro.

Abasi, ke uyoho odudu Esie, adian onyung anam owo kiet-kiet ye mme ufokemana efon isehe unomo, ntak-udua, ye ukut. Ke ubakini nyin imesida mme ntuuk-spirit emi nyin ikopde ke temple nte ke nyin imekpere heaven. Usen oro ke esit Temple Provo Utah, iko emi otode C. S. Lewis ama enyene ufon mi ete: “[Mme owo] … eting ebanga ibio-ini ukut, ‘Iduhe ndutuho eke ikpokidem emi ekpedade edomo ye nsinsi inemesit,’ ufiokke ete Heaven, ke edukde, eyekpuhore ukut emi nyin ikutde ke uwem isong emi esin ke ubong. … Ndinen owo eyedoho ete. ‘Akananam nyin iduhe ke ebiet efen ke mibohoke ke Heaven.’”

Abasi eyesongo, anwam, onyung ekpeme nyin; Enye eyenyung okok ubiak esit nyin. Kini nyin inamde family history nyin inyung ika temple ino mme etebom nyin, Abasi eyenam ediwak edidiong emi ekenwongode eno mme odu-uwem ye akpa-mkpa ke ini-kiet. Ntre, eyediong nyin kini nyin inwamde mbon efen ke ward ye stake nyin ndinam ukem utom oro. Mbon Ufok Abasi eke midungke ikpere temple nko eyebo edidiong emi ke ndibuana nam utom family history, nte ebode enying mme etebom mmo man enam edinam ke temple eno mmo.

President Russell M. Nelson ama ono ikpan ete ke: “Nyin imekeme ndinyene ediwak nti mbuk emi mbon efen ekenyenede kabanga ifiok-ukpeb eke temple ye family history. Edi ana nyin inam nkpo man inehede ikop idara oro ke idem nyin.” Enye aka iso eting ete, “Ami ndoho mbufo nte enehede ekere ebanga ewe oruk nwaidem—akpan-akpan nwaidem eke ini—emi mbufo ekemede ndisin [man] enam ediwak utom temple ye family history.” Kini mbufo enamde item President Nelson, mbufo eyekut, etum-enim, enyung edian ufokemana mbufo. Efen, edidiong eyetiene mbufo ye ufokemana mbufo ukem nte mmong inyang emi Ezekiel eketingde abanga. Mbufo eyekut ufon eno nkpo emi oyomde ufon.

Orson ye Parley Pratt ema ebo utip ufon ye edidian-kiet eke utom temple ye family history ke ntongo eyo emi. Betty, ufokemana esie, ye Rod ema ebo oro. Mbufo emekeme ndibo. Ke ntak uwa ufak Esie, Jesus Christ onono ofuri owo, odu-uwem ye akpa-mkpa edidiong emi nko. Oto ke edidiong emi, nyin iyekut ete ke nyin, “akananam ke nyin ikodungke ke ebiet efen ke mibohoke ke … Heaven.” Ami nting iko ntiense emi ke enying Jesus Christ, amen.

Notes

1. See Parley P. Pratt to Orson Pratt, May 25, 1853, Orson Pratt Family Collection, Church History Library, Salt Lake City; in Terryl L. Givens and Matthew J. Grow, Parley P. Pratt: The Apostle Paul of Mormonism (2011), 319.

2. Orson Pratt to Parley P. Pratt, Mar. 10, 1853, Parley P. Pratt Collection, Church History Library, Salt Lake City; in Givens and Grow, Parley P. Pratt, 319.

3. Notably, not only did Orson Pratt help publish the book on the descendants of William Pratt, but some years later, in 1870, he and his family performed over 2,600 proxy baptisms in the Endowment House in Salt Lake City for the deceased individuals in the book (see Breck England, The Life and Thought of Orson Pratt [1985], 247).

4. See Joseph Smith, History of the Church, 6:312–13.

5. See “Names Submitted for Temple Ordinances,” First Presidency letter, Feb. 29, 2012. Ancestors whose names are submitted for proxy temple ordinances should be related to the submitter. Without exception, Church members must not submit names from any unauthorized group, such as celebrities and Jewish Holocaust victims.

6. See Dallin H. Oaks, “In Wisdom and Order,” Tambuli, Dec. 1989, 18–23; D. Todd Christofferson, “The Redemption of the Dead and the Testimony of Jesus,” Liahona, Jan. 2001, 10–13; Boyd K. Packer, “Your Family History: Getting Started,” Liahona, Aug. 2003, 12–17; Thomas S. Monson, “Constant Truths for Changing Times,” Liahona, May 2005, 19–22; Henry B. Eyring, “Hearts Bound Together,” Liahona, May 2005, 77–80; M. Russell Ballard, “Faith, Family, Facts, and Fruits,” Liahona, Nov. 2007, 25–27; Russell M. Nelson, “Salvation and Exaltation,” Liahona, May 2008, 7–10; Russell M. Nelson, “Generations Linked in Love,” Liahona, May 2010, 91–94; David A. Bednar, “The Hearts of the Children Shall Turn,” Liahona, Nov. 2011, 24–27; Richard G. Scott, “The Joy of Redeeming the Dead,” Liahona, Nov. 2012, 93–95; Quentin L. Cook, “Roots and Branches,” Liahona, May 2014, 44–48; Thomas S. Monson, “Hastening the Work,” Liahona, June 2014, 4–5; Henry B. Eyring, “The Promise of Hearts Turning,” Liahona, July 2014, 4–5; David A. Bednar, “Missionary, Family History, and Temple Work,” Liahona, Oct. 2014, 14–19; Neil L. Andersen, “‘My Days’ of Temples and Technology,” Liahona, Feb. 2015, 26–33; Neil L. Andersen, “Sharing the Temple Challenge,” Family Discovery Day, Feb. 2015, LDS.org; Quentin L. Cook, “The Joy of Family History Work,” Liahona, Feb. 2016, 22–27; Gary E. Stevenson, “Where Are the Keys and Authority of the Priesthood?” Liahona, May 2016, 29–32; Dieter F. Uchtdorf, “In Praise of Those Who Save,” Liahona, May 2016, 77–80; Quentin L. Cook, “See Yourself in the Temple,” Liahona, May 2016, 97–101; Dale G. Renlund, Ruth L. Renlund, and Ashley R. Renlund, “Family History and Temple Blessings,” Liahona, Feb. 2017, 34–39; Dallin H. Oaks and Kristen M. Oaks, “Connected to Eternal Families,” Family Discovery Day, Mar. 2018, LDS.org.

7. See Doctrine and Covenants 109:15.

8. See Doctrine and Covenants 109:21.

9. See Boyd K. Packer, “Balm of Gilead,” Ensign, Nov. 1987, 16–18; Jeremiah 8:22; 51:8.

10. Russell M. Nelson, “As We Go Forward Together,” Liahona, Apr. 2018, 7.

11. See Ezekiel 40–47; Bible Dictionary, “Ezekiel.”

12. Ezekiel 47:8–9.

13. See Spencer W. Kimball, “Glimpses of Heaven,” Ensign, Dec. 1971, 36–37.

14. C. S. Lewis, The Great Divorce: A Dream (2001), 69.

15. See Isaiah 41:10.

16. See “How Firm a Foundation,” Hymns, no. 85.

17. Russell M. Nelson and Wendy W. Nelson, “Open the Heavens through Temple and Family History Work,” Liahona, Oct. 2017, 19.

18. Lewis, The Great Divorce, 69.