Ndituak nda ye Nsin ifik ke Mbuotidem Christ

Iko otode Elder D. Todd Christofferson

Eke Eboho mme Apostle Duopeba

Ndituak nda ye nsin ifik ke mbuotidem Christ oyom iko Abasi Jesus Christ oduk ke esit ye ukpong owo.

Ke mbok Akani Testament, nnyin imekot ibanga ini edikan kini ndito Israel ekenimde ediomo ye Jehovah enyung ekpono Enye ye ke ini eken emi mmo ekesinde ediomo oro enyung etuak-ibuot eno mme ndem ye Baal.¹

Ukara Ahab ekedi kiet kotu ini unana akpaniko eke northern kingdom Israel. Prophet Elijah ke ndaha kiet odoho Edidem Ahab ete obon ndito Israel ye mme prophet ye oku Baal ke Obot Carmel. Kini mmo ebonode otokiet, Elijah odoho mmo ete, “Adanga didie ke mbufo esok ukot ke edem mbiba? [mme ke iko efen, “Ini ewe ke mbufo edinam ubiere ini kiet?”] Edieke Jehovah edide Abasi, mbufo etiene enye: edi ama edi Baal, etiene enye. Edi mbon oro iboroke enye baba iko kiet.”² Ntre Elijah eteme yak imo ye mme prophet Baal isibe eyen enang enyung edori ke ifia ke mme itie uwa mmo, edi “ekusin ikang.”³ Ndien, “Mbufo ekot enying abasi mbufo, ndien ami nyekot enying Jehovah: ndien yak Abasi emi edidade ikang iboro edi Abasi. Ndien kpukpru owo edoho ete, iko oro ofon.” ⁴

Mbufo eyeti ke mme oku Baal ema ekot mme abasi mmo emi mikoduhe ete odong ikang edi ke ediwak ini, edi “uyo iduhe, baba owo kiet eke eyerede iduhe, baba mkpang-utong inyung iduhe.” ⁵ Edi ekedisim ini Elijah, enye odiong nwure itie uwa Jehovah, onim ifia ye nkpo uwa do, ndien odoho yak efioro mmong do, idige akang kiet edi utim ikata. Eyihe ikoduhe koro enye mme odudu eke owo efen ikemeke ndisin ikang.

“Edikem ke ini ekam ewade uwa, prophet Elijah asanga ekpere, onyung odoho ete, O Jehovah Abasi Abraham, ye eke Isaac, ye eke Israel, ke ami ndi owo fo, ke nnyung nam kpukpru nkpo emi ke uyo fo. …

“Ndien ikang Jehovah oduo, ata uwa oro, ye ifia, ye itiat, ye ntong, onyung edei mmong emi odude ke ukpe.

“Ndien kpukpru owo ekut, enyung eduongo ke isong, ekubi iso mmo: ndien mmo edoho ete, Jehovah edi Abasi! Jehovah edi Abasi!”⁶

Mfin emi Elijah ekpekeme nditing ete:

• Ekeme ndidi Abasi, Ete nnyin ke Enyong, odu, mme Enye iduhe, edi edieke Enye odude, etuak-ibout eno Enye.

• Ekeme ndidi Jesus Christ edi Eyen Abasi, Andifak ubon owo emi ekesetde, mme idige Enye ke edi, edi edieke edide Enye, etiene Enye.

• Ekeme ndidi Nwed Mormon edi iko Abasi, mme idige, edi edieke edide, ndien “esanga ekpere Abasi ke [ndikot nnyung] nam item nwed oro.” ⁷

• Ekeme ndidi Joseph Smith ama okut onyung eneme-nneme ye Ete ye Eyen Esie ke usen ini edim eke 1820, mme enye ikanamke, edi edieke akanamde, ndien etiene ndausung eke prophet, ke esit edide mme ukpohode edidian eke ami, Elijah, nkenode enye.

Ke akwa mbono mmi-mmi emi, President Russell M. Nelson eting ete: “Inaha nte mbufo eyik se idide akpaniko [se ke Moroni 10:5]. Inaha nte mbufo eyik eke mbufo ekpenimde ke akpaniko. Otode eriyarare idem mbufo, mbufo emekeme ndibo iko ntiense ke Nwed Mormon edi iko Abasi, ke Joseph Smith edi prophet, ndien ke emi edi Ufok Abasi Jehovah. Ke se mbon efen ekpemade nditing mme enamde, iduhe owo ndomo kiet emi edibiatde iko ntiense emi okodukde esit ye ekikere mbufo kabanga se idide akpaniko.”⁸

Ini emi James onwongode ke Abasi “ono kpukpru owo emi enanade eti-ibuot Esie ke ntarubok,” ⁹ enye nko ono ikpan ete:

“Edi yak enye ebenge ke mbuotidem, okuyok; koro owo eke oyokde ebiet mbufut mmong, eke ofim eberide, emen, otop, oduok ko.

“Owo oro okuse ete, imo iyebo baba nkpo kiet ke ubok Obong.

“enye edi owo esit iba, eke minyeneke nsongo-nda ke kpukpru usung esie.”¹⁰

Andinyanga nnyin, ke nde efen, ekedi eti uwutnkpo nsongo-nda. Enye odoho ete, “Enye ikokpongke Mi ikpong; koro Ami nnamde se inemde Enye esit kpukpru ini.” ¹¹ Ekere ebanga edimen nwut emi ke nwed Abasi kabanga iren ye iban emi,nte Andinyanga, emi ekenyenede iwuk ye nsongo-nda:

Mmo “ekabare esit ke akpaniko; ndien mmo ikokpongke mbuotidem oro, koro mmo ema etuak eda, ye nsin ifik, inyung inyekke, eyom ye ofuri nting-enyin ndinim mbet Abasi.”¹²

“Ekikere mmo enyene iwuk, ndien mmo eka iso enyene idorenyin ke Abasi.”¹³

“Sese, mbufo emefiok idem mbufo, koro mbufo edide ntiense ete, ekom mmo emi enamde enyene ifiok akpaniko … enyene iwuk ye osongo ke mbuotidem, ye k’banga nkpo emi akanamde mmo eboho itie ufin.”¹⁴

“Mmo oro enyung edodiong esin ifik ke erikpeb ye nsanga mme apostle ye ke eribung uyo ye ke akam.”¹⁵

Ndituak nda nnyung nsin ifik ke mbuotidem Christ oyom iko Abasi Jesus Christ oduk ke esit ye ukpong owo, oworo ete ke iko Abasi inamke esisit nkpo ke uwem owo kpot, edi ke enehede ese uwem ye edu uwem owo. Jehovah ete:

“Nyenyung nno mbufo obufa esit, nnyung nda obufa spirit nsin mbufo ke idem, nnyung nsio mbufo esit enyene itiat ke obuk mfeb, nnyung nno mbufo esit enyene obuk.

“Nyenyung nda spirit mi nsin mbufo ke idem, nnyung nnam mbufo esanga ke mme ewuho mi, enyung ekpeme ikpe mi enyung enam.

“Ndien …  mbufo eyedi ikot mi; ami nyenyung ndi Abasi mbufo.”¹⁶

Emi edi ediomo nnyin inamde oto ke baptism ye ke mme edinam temple. Edi ubak owo itimke ibo iko Abasi Jesus Christ isin ke uwem mmo. Okposuk, nte Paul etingde, “mmo ekebuho ye [Christ] ke baptism,” mmo esuk enanana nde eke “nte Christ ekesetde ke mkpa …  , kpa ntre ke nnyin ikpasanga ke obufa uwem.”¹⁷ Iko Abasi inamke anwanga mmo. Mmo iyirike ke Christ kanga. Mmo ememek ukpebnkpo ye mbet emi mmo edinamde ye ebiet ye ini emi mmo edinwamde ke Ufok Abasi. Ke nde oro, edi ke ndinehede nnim ediomo mmo ke mbon emi “ekemekde oto ke ediomo”¹⁸ efeb abianga enyung esongo eda ke mbuotidem Christ.

Ediwak nnyin imewak ndikut idem nnyin ke ufot nditeteme man inam edinam iko Abasi ke ndaha kiet ye nditim nnyene iwuk ye nsin-ifik nno uduak Abasi ke ndaha efen. Ke usung ediyoyok oro, eti mbuk iko Abasi Jesus Christ osuk ododu ke esit nnyin onyung ada ukpong nnyin enyene. Oro ekeme nditibe usop-usop, edi nnyin inyene ndisanga ke nnen-nnen usung.

Oro imemke edi ofon ndituak nda ye nsin-ifik kini ikutde idem nnyin nte itarade “ke akamba ikang ukut,”¹⁹ nkpo emi osopde nditibe mme ebighide nditibe nno kpukpru nnyin ke uwem isong. Kesioho Abasi efeb, ekim emi ekpeda ekesim iduo, unana idorenyin, ye ntuanga. Ye Abasi, ndongesit ada itie ubiak, emem ada itie nta-edet, ndien idorenyin ada itie mfuho. Ndituak nda ke mbuotidem Christ eyeno iberedem mfon ye osongo.²⁰ Enye eyekpuho idomo esin ke edidiong ndien, ke iko Isaiah, “ono … anyanya ke ibuot ntong.”²¹

Yak ami nno uwutnkpo ita eke ami mfiokke mbanga:

Odu nnwan kiet emi odongode mmem-idem, anyan-ini udongo emi ebighide edi ikopke ibok, akam itie-oku, ye utre-udia ye akam. Nte ededi, mbuotidem esie ke odudu akam ye ima emi Abasi eneyenede ono enye ikureke. Enye odomo aka iso k’usen-k’usen (ndien ke ubak ini kini-kini) ndinwam nte enode enye ikoot ke Ufok Abasi ndien, adiana ye ebe esie, ekpeme ekpri ufokemana kiet, asasak ke nte ekemede. Esit mbom esie okpon, oto ke ndutuho esie, ndien ke ediwak ini enye ayak idem esie ke ndinwam mbon efen. Enye akaiso esin ifik, ndien mme owo ekop inemesit ndidu mkpere enye.

Erenowo emi odude ke Ufok Abasi, aka mission, odo ediye nnwan ama ofuho kini ubak ndito-eka esie etingde iko nsabare ebanga Ufok Abasi ye Prophet Joseph Smith. Ke esisit ini mmo eworo ekpong Ufok Abasi. Nte esiwakde nditibe ntre, mmo eno ndioi nwed, podcasts, ye ndise emi mbon usua, ediwak kotu edide nkani mbon Ufok Abasi emi ekeworode ke iyaresit. Ndito-eka esie esak ebanga ufok Abasi esie, eting ke enye edue usung akatak. Enye ikenyeneke iboro ino mme emiom mmo, ndien mbuotidem esie otongo ndinyek oto ke mfanga. Enye ekere mme imo ikpetetre ndika Ufok Abasi. Enye eneme ye nnwan esie. Enye eneme ye mbon emi enye amade. Enye obong-akam. Nte enye odude ke esit ediyok emi, enye editi mme ndaha ini emi enye okokopde odudu Edisana Spirit onyung obode ntiense akpaniko oto Spirit oro. Enye ebiere ete, “Edieke ami nnamde akpaniko nno idem mi, ana ami nnyime man Spirit otuk mi ofon akan inikiet ndien iko ntiense Spirit edi akpaniko.” Enye ama enyene obufa udong inemesit ye emem emi nnwan ye ndito esie etingde.

Ebe ye nnwan kiet emi esikopde inemesit ke ndinam item eke mme adausung Ufok Abasi ke uwem mmo ema efuho kabanga unana ukeme mmo ndinyene ndito. Mmo ebiat ediwak okuk ndisobo ye nti docta mbakara, ndien, ke esisit ini mmo edinyene eyeneren kiet. Ke ndiokiso, nte ededi, ke ufang isua kiet, nsekeyen oro ama enyene unomo emi mitoho ndudue owo ndomokiet edi anam enye edi mkpeng, ye mfre ndibiara. Enye ama enyene eti ukpeme, edi mme docta ikemeke nditing nte nkpo editiede ke ini akade iso. Ema emen eyen emi mmo eketimde eyom ke ubak ndaha ekpong mmo, ndien mmo ifiokke mme eyefiak eyak enye eno mmo. Mmo ndien enwana ndiyo unana eyen oro ndien esuk enanam ubiong-utom efen. Ke ini afanikong emi, mmo ewongore ese Abasi. Mmo eyiri ke udia k’usen-k’usen emi mmo ebode eto enye. Mme ufan ye ufokemana esit mbom enwam enyung eno osongo otode edidiong itie-oku. Mmo edu ekpere kiet eken, idahaemi ndo mmo osongo onyung ofon akan nte ekpedide ke nkpo-ntibe mikpikeduhe.

Ke July 23, 1837, Jehovah ono eriyarare esok President eke Eboho mme Apostle Duopeba ini oro, Thomas B. Marsh. Eriyarare oro esine mme iko emi:

“Ndien bong-akam nno ndito-ete fo eke Twelve. Nehede teme mmo ke ntak enying mi, yung nyene mbuotidem kiso mi nno enying mi.

“Ndien ke edomoke mmo ekure, ye ediwak ukut, sese, ami, Jehovah, nyenyene mbom mbanga mmo, ndien edieke mmo misongke esit, enyung etre ndisong ibuot ye ami, mmo ndien eyekpuho, ndien ami nyekok mmo.”²²

Ami mmenim ke ukpeb emi ewutde ke mme ufang emi edi ono nnyin. Mme idomo ye ukut emi osimde nnyin, ye idomo emi Jehovah ayakde osim nnyin, ekeme ndida nnyin nkesim oyoho nkabare esit ye uboho. Edi emi editibe kpot, edieke, nnyin misongke esit mme ibuot ye Enye Edieke nnyin ituakde ida ye nsin ifik, nte ekpededi, nnyin iyebo edikabare emi Andinyanga eketingde kini Enye odohode Peter ete, “Ke ini editongode ntak akabare, songo ndito-ete fo idem,” ²³ oyoho edikabare emi anade nte enam ekure. Enwongo edikok edi ediyet ye edinam unan idioknkpo nnyin asana, ndinam nnyin isana.

Ami mmeti item eka nnyin ete: “Edia ikong mbufo; mmo eyenam ufon eno mbufo.” Mme eka nnyin enen, ndien kabanga ndisin ifik ke mbuotidem, “ndidia ikong mbufo” edi ndibong akam kpukpru ini, nkot Nwed Abasi, nnwam nnyung nka Ufok Abasi, ndia udia-Obong kwa udua ke eti esit, ma mbohidung fo, nnyung mmen cross mbufo ke nkopitem nno Abasi k’usen-k’usen. ²⁴

Kpukpru ini ti enwongo ke nti nkpo eyedi, kemi ye ebede emi, ono mbon emi etuakde eda ye nsin ifik ke Christ. Ti “nsinsi uwem, ye idara eke ndito Abasi.”²⁵ “O kpukpru mbufo emi enyenede edisana esit, emenede ibuot mbufo enyung, ebo inem iko Abasi, enyung etabi ima Esie; koro mbufo ekpebo, edieke ekikere mbufo ekpetuakde ada, ke nsinsi.”²⁶ Ke enying Jesus Christ, amen.

Notes

1. See Bible Dictionary, “Baal.”

2. 1 Kings 18:21.

3. 1 Kings 18:23.

4. 1 Kings 18:24.

5. 1 Kings 18:29.

6. 1 Kings 18:36, 38–39.

7. Introduction to the Book of Mormon.

8. Russell M. Nelson, “Revelation for the Church, Revelation for Our Lives,” Liahona, May 2018, 95.

9. See James 1:5.

10. James 1:6–8.

11. John 8:29; emphasis added.

12. 3 Nephi 6:14; see also Alma 27:27.

13. Alma 57:27.

14. Helaman 15:7–8.

15. Acts 2:42.

16. Ezekiel 36:26–28; see also 2 Corinthians 3:3.

17. Romans 6:4.

18. See Joseph Smith—Matthew 1:22–23; see also Matthew 24:24–25.

19. 1 Nephi 20:10; see also Isaiah 48:10.

20. As the Lord said to a 22-year-old Joseph Smith following the loss of part of the Book of Mormon translation: “You should not have feared man more than God. … He would have extended his arm and supported you against all the fiery darts of the adversary; and he would have been with you in every time of trouble” (Doctrine and Covenants 3:7–8). Alma testified that after his conversion, “I have been supported under trials and troubles of every kind, yea, and in all manner of afflictions; yea, God has delivered me from prison, and from bonds, and from death; yea, and I do put my trust in him, and he will still deliver me. And I know that he will raise me up at the last day, to dwell with him in glory” (Alma 36:27–28).

21. Isaiah 61:3.

22. Doctrine and Covenants 112:12–13.

23. Luke 22:32.

24. See Luke 9:23. President Russell M. Nelson reminds us, “Nothing opens the heavens quite like the combination of increased purity, exact obedience, earnest seeking, daily feasting on the words of Christ in the Book of Mormon [see 2 Nephi 32:3], and regular time committed to temple and family history work” (“Revelation for the Church, Revelation for Our Lives,” 95).

25. Enos 1:3.

26. Jacob 3:2.