Edikpeb-nkpo ke Ufok—Inem ye Edisana Ubiong kiet

Iko otode Devin G. Durrant

Akpa Onoitem ke Sunday School General Presidency

Ami mbenge unwam Abasi ke nte nyin idomode ndikpeb-nkpo nte Christ ke ufok nyin.

Ami ye nwan mi, Julie, inyene ndito itiokiet, idahaemi nyin mbiba idung ke ufok. Osong koro ndito nyin iduhe ofuri ini ke ufok aba. Ami mmenana ndibo ukpeb nto mmo ye ndikpeb mmo nkpo.

Mfin, etop mi enyene ete ye eka ye mmo emi eyomde ndidi ete ye eka. Ediwak mbufo emebok ndito idahaemi. Eke mbon efen, ini oro ekeme ndisop ndi. Ndien eke ubak owo, ndidi ete ye eka eyedi edidiong ini iso. Ebenge mi edi yak nyin inyene inemesit ye edisana ubiong emi odude ke ndikpeb eyenowong nkpo.

Nte ete ye eka, imenam ndito nyin ediongo Ete ke Enyong ye Eyen Esie, Jesus Christ. Inwam mmo ke ndibong akpa akam. Imeno ndausung ye unwam kini mmo eduokde mmong. Imekpeb mmo ndinim mbet Abasi. Iteme mmo uduak emi Abasi enyenede ono ndito Esie, inwam mmo ndidiongo uyo Edisana Spirit. Iting mbuk eke mme prophet eset ino mmo inyung iteme mmo ete etiene mme odu uwem prophet. Ibong-akam iyom ufon mmo inyung iseme ke idomo osimde mmo. Iting iko ntiense ino mmo kabanga edidiong temple, ibenge mmo idem man eka mission. Ino item ima kini mmo edide mme ete ye eka. Ke—ntre—nyin iditreke ndidi ete ye eka ye andikpeb mmo. Nyin idikpongke ndisana ikoot emi.

Mfin emi, yak ikere esisit ibanga nti ufang emi nyin inyenede ke ndikpeb ndito nyin nkpo ke ufok.

Ukpebnkpo eke Family Home Evening

Yak itongo ye family home evening, emi ekedide akpan-nkpo ke ufok nyin. Ntighe ata ibuot iko ukpebnkpo ekesikpebde, edi mmeti ke nyin ikesifepke ndinim oro kwa udua. Mmediongo se ikedi akpan nkpo ino ete ye eka mi.

Ami nti edinam kiet eke ami nkesimade-nkan ke family home evening. Ete mi eyekot kiet kotu eyen esie etie “Udomo.” Ono eyen oro ediwak item nte, “Akpa, be duk kitchen yung berede usung yung beri fridge. Fehe duk ubet-ufok mi, tuk socks mi. Fiak bine mi, tama akang mbita, ndien doho ete, ‘Ete mi, ami mmenam oro!’”

Ami mmema mbre oro. Nyom ndikop ofuri item ofon, ndien mmesima ndaha kini nkemede ndidoho, “Ete mi, ami mmenam oro!” Edinam emi ama anwam ndino mi uko onyung anam eyeneren etie sung kini Ete mme Eka ekpebde iko Abasi.

President Gordon B. Hinckley eketing ete: “Edieke mbufo eyikde ufon family home evening, edomo ndinam enye. Etie otokiet ye ndito mbufo, ekpeb mmo, etiing iko ntiense eno mmo, ekot nwed Abasi otokiet enyung enyene ini inemesit otokiet.”

Kpukpru ini eneni eyedu ke ndinim family home evening. Nte ededi, mbenge yak mbufo eyom usung ekan ubiongo oro ndien enam family home evening edi akpan-nkpo—enyung enam mbre odu ke esit oro.

Ukpebnkpo eke Akam Ufokemana

Ndibong-akam ke ufokemana edi eti ifet efen ndino ukpeb.

Mmema ke nte ete President N. Eldon Tanner ekekpebde enye kini akam ufokemana. President Tanner eketing iko emi ete:

“Ami mmeti mbubreyo kiet kini nyin ikebongde-akam ke ufok, ete mi ebenge Abasi ete, ‘Eldon ama anam nkpo emi enye mikpikenamke mfin emi; atua mkpofiok, ndien edieke afo Abasi edifende ino enye, enye idinamke nkpo oro aba.’

“Nkpo oro anam mi mbiere nte ke ndinamke ndudue oro aba—akam oro ama ofon akan se ntuno ekpekenam.”

Nte eyenowong, mma-sifina idem mbanga anyan akam ke ufokemana nyin, nkere nte, “Nte nyin ikebongke akam ke esisit ini emi ekebede?” Koro ami ndi ete, idahaemi, ami mmediongo, ke ana nyin ibong akam nte ufokemana.

Kpukpru ini mmesinem esit kadanga Ete ke Enyong ekemende Jesus Christ owut nte Edima Eyen Esie. Mma ndibong-akam nno ndito mi ke enying nte mmo ekopde nte ami ntingde nno Ete ke Enyong danga ami nehede mma mmo. Iduhe eti ini efen ke ndiwut ima nno ndito nyin ke mibohoke ke obongde-akam ye mmo ye ke odiongde mmo. Ke ufokemana ebohode ke akam, do ke nyin ibo nti ukpebnkpo.

On-Call Teaching

Ukpeb ete ye eka ebiet ndidi doctor on-call. Kpukpru ini ana ibenge idem ndikpeb ndito nyin koro nyin idifiokke ini emi ufang odude ke ndino mmo ukpeb.

Nyin itie nte Andinyanga, emi ukpebnkpo Esie mikisiwakke ndida itie ke esit synagogue edi etibe ke nyo-nyo ebiet ke kpukpru usen—kini adiade udia ye mbet Esie, kini oduride mmong, ye asangade ebe eto fig.”

Ediwak isua emi ekebede, eka mi ama eting ete eti ini nneme iko Abasi iba esie ye akamba eyeneka eren mi, Matt, ekedi kini imo ikefutde ofong ye nte idade enye man okokut dentist. Nkpo mmade mbanga eka mi ekedi mbenge idem ke ndikpeb ndito esie.

Ukpebnkpo esie nte eka ikekureke. Kini ami ndide bishop, eka mi, ekedide 78 years old, odoho ke idet-ibuot mi okpon. Odiongo ke ana ami ndi uwutnkpo, ndien itreke ndikpeb mi. Eka mi, mmema fi!

Nte ete, ami mmekot nwed Abasi man otodo nkeme ndino iboro kini ndito ye ndito-ndito mi eyomde ifet ndibo ukpeb. “Eti ifet ndino ukpeb esitongo ye mbume mme mfina emi odude ke esit [owo] ufokemana kiet.” Ndi nyin imesino-utong ke ndaha ini oro?

Ami mmema iko Apostle Peter ete: Kpukpru ini ebenge idem ndiboro kpukpru owo [ndien ami ndian, eyenowong] eke edibupde mbufo ntak idori-enyin emi mbufo enyenede.”

Kini nkedide akparawa, ami ye ete ima isikop inem ndisongo nkom-ubok man ese eke ubok osongde akan. Nyin iyefut eka-ubok kiet eken osong man owut ubiak ke okpo iso. Idahaemi oro idige mbre aba, edi ekesidi ntre ke ini oro. Ke ima ikekure oruk mbuba kiet oro, Ete mi ese mi ke enyin onyung odoho ete, “Eyen, ubok fo osong. Mbenge kuyak ubok fo otuuk nkaiferi ke usung eke midotke. Enye ndien ekpeb mi ete nim idem mi asana nyung nnwam mbon efen ndinam ntre.

Elder Douglas L. Callister eketing iko abanga ete esie ete: “Usen kiet kini ikurede utom ndien inyong ufok Ete imo ososop odoho ete, ‘Mmekpe tithe mi mfin emi. Mmewet “sosongo” ke nwed tithe oro. Mmekom Abasi ke ndidiong ufokemana nyin.’”

Ekem Elder Callister ediwet etop ekom emi ono ete esie, emi ekedide andikpeb esie nko ete: “Enye ekekpeb nkopitem ye ido edinam item.

Ke ubakini nkere ke ofon ndibup idem nyin ete, ‘Nso ke ndikpeb, nso ke mkpeb ndito mi oto ke edinam ye ido nkpoitem mi?”

Ukpebnkpo eke Edikot Nwed Abasi ke Ufokemana

Edikot nwed Abasi ke ufokemana edi akpan ebiet ndikpeb ntotungo iko Abasi ke ufok.

President Russell M. Nelson odoho ete: “Idige koro ete ye eka enehede eyiri iko Abasi, edi koro mmo enyene ubiong emi otode Abasi ke ndikpeb iko Abasi nno ndito mmo.”

Kini nyin ikebokde ndito nyin, ikanwana ndinyene-iwuk nyung nsin ukpuhore-nkpo. Isua kiet ima ibiere nte ufokemana ndikot Nwed Mormon ke iko Spanish. Mme oro edi ntak emi Abasi okokotde ofuri ndito nyin emi ekade mission ndika ke ebiet emi esemde iko Spanish? Es posible. [Edi ntre].

Idem akpa mi kini Brother Brian K. Ashton eketingde ke enye ye ete esie ema ekot Nwed Mormon kini ufoknwed secondri esie. Brother Ashton ama nwed Abasi. Emewet mmo ke owongesit esie. Ete esie okotongo utom oro kini Brother Ashton ekedide eyenowong, ndien mkpasip oro akabare edi akpaniko. Brother Ashton anam ukem utom emi ono ikpo ndito esie. Ibighike eyeneren isua itiaita esie obup enye ete, “Ete, ewe ini ke ami ndikot Nwed Mormon ye afo?”

Ukpeb eke Uwutnkpo

Akpatre, ediwak nti ukpeb ete ye eka edi ke uwutnkpo nyin. Edoho di “uwutnkpo nno mbon akpaniko, ke iko-inua mbufo, ke edu uwem mbufo, ke ima, ye mbuotidem, ye edisana ido.”

Nte ikade isang, ami ye Julie ima iduk ufok Abasi ikut nte edade itie nwed Abasi emi esin ke edinam. Akparawa kiet, emi anade nte aka mission, eketing iko ke sacrament meeting.

Enye odoho ete, “Ofuri mbufo ekere ke ete mi edi eti owo ke Ufok Abasi, edi …” Enye odop, nkere iko efen se enye editingde. Enye adian ete, Enye edi ata eti owo ke ufok.”

Ke ekurede nkom akparawa emi ke inem iko emi enye eketingde abanga ete esie. Ekem ami ndidiongo ke ete esie ekedi bishop eke ward oro. Edi nte bishop emi akanamde eti utom ke ward esie, eyen esie ofiok ete ke enye akanam eti utom esie ke ufok.

Elder D. Todd Christofferson eketeme ete ke: “Nyin imenyene ediwak usung ndikpeb … emana emi, ana isin ukeme man inam nkpo oro ofon. Ke akande oro, ana ika iso ndinwam mme ete ye eka ndidi nti andikpeb … akpan-akpan ke uwutnkpo.”

Nte Andinyanga ekekpebde nkpo edi oro.

Ke isua emi ekebede, nte idude ke nduok-odudu ye mkpri-nkan ndito nyin iba, Julie ekere ke akpana iduok-mmong ino mme akpa-mkpa ke Temple St. George ye eke San Diego. Ami mma nkuni—ke idem mi—nkere nte, “Nyin imeduk temple ke ufok, ndien idahaemi nyin idu ke nduok-odudu. Ntak munamke nkpo emi ebehede nduok-odudu-o?” Ke eduokde-mmong ekure, Julie osio ndise ke anwa temple. Mfiak nkuni—ke ndobo. Mbufo emekeme ndikere mbanga nkpo efen se iketiene: nyin ima isio ndise.

Julie okoyom ndito nyin eti ebanga nte mmo ekenwamde mme etebom nyin, ye ami nko. Ikoyom ukpebnkpo kabanga ufon temple. Ikanam ata ukpeb oro—ekom enyene eka emi amade temple onyung oyomde ndito ebuana ke ima oro.

Kini ete ye eka emade kiet eken enyung eno nti uwutnkpo, ndito eyebo edidiong ke nsinsi.

Akpatre

Mbufo emi esinde ukeme mbufo ke ndino ukpeb ke ufok, ebo emem ye idaresit ke utom mbufo. Edieke mbufo enyenede ufang ndinam ofon mme ndinam mbengeidem, mbok enam ke nte Spirit etemede mbufo enyung enyime ndinam oro.

Elder L. Tom Perry eketing ete ke, “Nsongidem obio ekededi, inemesit eke mbon obio oro, uforo mmo, ye emem mmo odu ke ndikpeb ndito mmo nkpo ke ufok.”

Ihn, ndito mi iduhe aba ke ufok, edi ami ndu ke mbenge idem ndikpeb, mbenge idem nyung nyom nti ufang efen ndikpeb ikpo ndito mi, ndien ke usen kiet, nyekpeb ndito-ndito mmo.

Mbenge unwam Abasi ke nte ikpebde-nkpo nte Christ ke ufok nyin. Ke enying Jesus Christ, amen.

Notes

1. See Doctrine and Covenants 68:25; 93:40.

   Elder L. Tom Perry taught: “The influence of the adversary is so widespread and he is attacking, attempting to erode and destroy the very foundation of our society, even the family. Parents must resolve that teaching in the home is a most sacred and important responsibility” (“Mothers Teaching Children in the Home,” Liahona, May 2010, 30).

   The First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles have taught: “Husband and wife have a solemn responsibility to love and care for each other and for their children. ‘Children are an heritage of the Lord’ (Psalm 127:3). Parents have a sacred duty to rear their children in love and righteousness, to provide for their physical and spiritual needs, and to teach them to love and serve one another, observe the commandments of God, and be law-abiding citizens wherever they live. Husbands and wives—mothers and fathers—will be held accountable before God for the discharge of these obligations” (“The Family: A Proclamation to the World,” Liahona, May 2017, 145).

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

3. Elder David A. Bednar said: “Today if you could ask our adult sons what they remember about family prayer, scripture study, and family home evening, I believe I know how they would answer. They likely would not identify a particular prayer or a specific instance of scripture study or an especially meaningful family home evening lesson as the defining moment in their spiritual development. What they would say they remember is that as a family we were consistent” (“More Diligent and Concerned at Home,” Liahona, Nov. 2009, 19).

4. See “Home Can Be a Heaven on Earth,” Hymns, no. 298.

5. Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Gordon B. Hinckley (2016), 171.

6. See 2 Nephi 2:11.

7. N. Eldon Tanner, “Never Be Ashamed of the Gospel of Christ,” Ensign, Feb. 1980, 4.

8. See 3 Nephi 18:21.

9. See Matthew 3:16–17; 3 Nephi 11:6–8; Doctrine and Covenants 18:34–36; Joseph Smith—History 1:17.

10. “Take Advantage of Spontaneous Teaching Moments,” Teaching in the Savior’s Way (2016), 16. Teaching in the Savior’s Way includes a variety of tips and tools for teaching in the home.

11. See Doctrine and Covenants 11:21; 84:85.

12. Teaching in the Savior’s Way, 16.

13. See “Listen,” Preach My Gospel: A Guide to Missionary Service (2004), 185–86.

14. 1 Peter 3:15.

15. Douglas L. Callister, “Most Influential Teacher—Emeritus Seventy Pays Tribute to Father,” Aug. 29, 2016, news.lds.org.

16. Russell M. Nelson, “Set in Order Thy House,” Liahona, Jan. 2002, 81.

17. See Alma 32:28–43.

18. Sister Melinda Ashton pinch-hits when her husband, Brother Ashton, is out of town.

19. 1 Timothy 4:12; see also Alma 17:11.

20. Bishop Jeffrey L. Stewart serves in the Southgate Second Ward in St. George, Utah. Samuel, his son, is now serving in the Colombia Medellín Mission.

21. D. Todd Christofferson, “Strengthening the Faith and Long-Term Conversion of the Rising Generation,” general conference leadership meeting, Sept. 2017.

22. See 3 Nephi 27:21, 27.

23. See Doctrine and Covenants 43:8–9.

24. L. Tom Perry, “Mothers Teaching Children in the Home,” 30.