Enyimpi si a Onnhihim ma Jesus Christ

Elder Dale G. Renlund ne Kasaa

Ɔkã Asomafo Duebien no hɔn Quorum no ho

Nyame to nsa frɛ dɛ yɛnntow hɛn akwan dadaw no nkyen ekyirekyir na yɛnhyɛ abrabɔ fofor ase wɔ Christ mu.

Ndaansa Ebɔbira yi, ɔyɛɛ me adom dɛ mutu Kinshasa Democratic Republic of the Congo Temple no hyɛɛ Nyame nsa. Ano nnkotum akã enyigye a emi na Congofo nokwafo no nyae dɛ yeehu temple a woetu ahyɛ Nyame nsa wɔ hɔn asaase do.

Ankorankor a wɔhɛn Kinshasa Temple mu no wohu nsaano mfonyin mbrɛana ɔayɛ no fofor a wɔfrɛ no Congo Falls. Ɔkaa hɔn a wɔkɔ temple no soronko mu ara, enyimpi si a onnhihim a, wohia ama wɔdze hɔnho aatow sekyɛ wɔ Jesus Christ do, na woeedzi hɛn Ɔsor Egya ne nhyehyɛɛ ho ahyɛmu anamɔn kwan no do. Waterfall no a ɔadrɔ no wɔ nsaano mfonyin no mu no, twe adwen gyina ndzeyɛɛ bi a nna ɔtaa kɔ do mfe ɔha na no mboree a abɛsen kɔ no, wɔ hɔn a asɔpɔkan no, wɔsakyeree baa Christian som mu wɔ Congo no.

Ansaana hɔn nsakyeree no, nna wɔsom ndzɛmba a nkwa nnyi mu, wɔgye dzi dɛ tum soronko wɔ mu. Nsakyeree ekyir no, dodowara twaa kwan kɔr waterfall pii no a ɔwɔ Congo Esutsen no kor do no, tse dɛ Nzongo Falls. Hɔn a wɔasakyer yinom toow hɔn ehonyi dadaw ahorow no guu nsu no mu dɛ sɛnkyerɛdze ma Nyame na nkaafo no dɛ woegyaa hɔn tsetse amambra no na wɔagye Jesus Christ ato mu. Wɔgyee enyim dɛ wɔnnkotow hɔn ndzɛmba no egu bea a nsu no nndɔ na wɔataa dzinn no; wɔtowee guu nsu gyakagyaka no mu wɔ bea a oruhue kɛse egu no, bea a hɔn nsa nnkɛkã ndzɛmba no bio no. Ndzeyɛɛ yinom yɛ sɛnkyerɛdze ma hɔn enyimpi si fofor a onnhihim ma Jesus Christ .

Nkorɔfo binom so a wɔwɔ mbea bi na wiadze abakɔsɛm mu a wɔkyerɛɛ hɔn enyimpi si ma Jesus Christ wɔ dɛm akwan yi mu. Mormon Nwoma no mu nkorɔfo a wɔfrɛ hɔn Anti-Nephi-Lehifo no “wɔdze hɔn etuatsew ho akodze guu famu” wosiee “ no wɔ asaasetsirmu” dɛ “dasegye ma Nyankopɔn … dɛ wɔremmfa [hɔn akodze no] nnkã nyimpa … bio da.” Wɔreyɛ dɛm no, wɔbɔɔ anohoba dɛ wobedzi Nyame ne nkyerɛkyerɛ do na wɔrennsan hɔn ekyir bio da. Ndzeyɛɛ yi yɛɛ “wɔsakyeree baa Ewuradze hɔ” no n’ahyɛase na wɔannhwe ase da.

“Wɔsakyeree baa Ewuradze hɔ” no kyerɛ dɛ worigya ndzɛyɛɛ kor a, nkaano gyedzi nhyehyɛɛ kyerɛe, na wɔrefa fofor a ogyina gyedzi wɔ Ɔsor Egya ne nhyehyɛɛ na wɔ Jesus Christ No Werdambɔ no do. Nsesã yi bor edze w’adwen mu ntseasee regye asɛmpa nkyerɛkyerɛ. Ɔwen wo nyimpa ban, ɔsesã hɛn ntseasee wɔ abrabɔ yi no botae ho, na ɔma yɛdze nokwardzi a ɔnnsesã ma Nyame. Ankorankor apɛdze a ɔma yɛtow sekyɛ wɔ Ewuradze do na yɛabɛfa ahyɛmu anamɔn kwan do no bɔ ebira no, pa, na enyimpi si dɛ yebegyaa hɛnho ama Ɔsor Egya ne pɛ no hyɛ ananmu.

Asakyer aba Ewuradze hɔ no hyɛ enyimpi si a onnhihim ase ma Nyankopɔn, na dza ɔtoa do nye yɛrema dɛm enyimpi si no akã hɛn abrabɔ ho. Enyimpi si a ɔtse dɛm reyɛ hɛn su no gye abrabɔ mber mu nyina a ohia abotar na daa daa nnuhu. Ewiei no, enyimpi si ba bɛkã hɛn nyimpa ban ho, ɔgye ndwow wɔ hɛn mu, na ɔwɔ hɛn abrabɔ mu daa. Tse dɛ ma hɛn werɛ mmfir hɛn dzin dabiarada no, hɛn werɛ mmfir enyimpi si a woekrukye no wɔ hɛn akoma mu.

Nyame to nsa frɛ dɛ yɛnntow hɛn akwan dadaw no nkyen ekyirekyir na yɛnhyɛ abrabɔ fofor ase wɔ Christ mu. Iyi ba ber a yerutu gyedzi wɔ Agyenkwa no mu no mpon. a ɔhyɛ ase ber a yɛretse hɔn a wɔwɔ gyedzi no hɔn dasegye. N’ekyir no, yɛreyɛ ndzeyɛɛ a ɔtow hɛn sekyɛ wɔ No do dzen no ma gyedzi nyin.

Afei, ɔbɛyɛ fɛw dɛ yɛdze gyedzi a oenyin ma tse dɛ yɛdze nsan yarba anaa etsibɛn rema. Ɔno no, “sunsum mu huntsi” kor ara bɔtow binom hɔn gyedzi mu. Naaso ɔmmba no dɛm. Kwan kor a gyedzi benyin nye ankorankor bedzi dwuma wɔ gyedzi mu. Ɔtaa dɛ nsato a binom dze ma no na okenyan ndzeyɛɛ yinom. naaso yennkotum “enyin” wɔ obi ne gyedzi do, anaa yɛatwer binom ma wɔto hɛn dze mu. Ama hɛn gyedzi enyin no, otwar dɛ yɛsan mu yɛ gyedzi-ntowdo ndzeyɛɛ, tse dɛ, erobɔ mpaa, erusũa kyerɛwsɛm no, iridzi sacrament, na iirisie mbrasɛm na erosom binom.

Ber a hɛn gyedzi a ɔwɔ Jesus Christ mu nyin no, Nyankopɔn frɛ hɛn ma yɛbɔ anohoba ma No. Anohoba horow a wɔfrɛ no ahyɛmudzi no a na ɔkyerɛ hɛn nsakyeree. Ahyɛmudzi tow sunsum mu mpontu ho fapem tsim. Ber a yɛsan mu yi dɛ wonuma hɛn no yɛhyɛ ase fa Jesus Christ ne dzin to hɛn do yɛsan mu yi dɛ yɛnye no nantsew. Yɛbɔ anohoba dɛ yɛbɛyɛ tse dɛ Ɔno, na yeetu No su ho mpon.

Ahyɛmudzi tow hɛn sekyɛ wɔ Agyenkwa no do, na opia hɛn wɔ anamɔn kwan no do a ogya kɔ hɛn ɔsor fie no. Ahyɛmudzi mu tum no boa hɛn ma yenya nsakyer kɛse wɔ akoma mu, na yenya Christ no su ma ada edzi yie wɔ hɛn enyim Mbom enyimpi si afã afã ma hɛn ahyɛmudzi no rennfa hwee mbrɛ hɛn. Bia yebenya adwen ebien ebien, yɛatow hɛn akwan dadaw no ato nsu a ɔataa dzinn mu, anaa yesie hɛn etuatsew akodze a ne nsa tuatua hɔ. Mbom adwen ebien enyimpi si ma hɛn ahyɛmudzi no rommbue Ɔsor Egya na Jesus Christ tum a ɔtsew ho no.

Hɛn enyimpi si a yɛdze sie hɛn ahyɛmu nnyi dɛ ogyina anaa ɔdan wɔ hɛn abrabɔ gyinabew horow a ɔsesã no do. Yɛreyɛ kor ama Nyame no wɔdɛ ɔyɛ dɛ Congo Esutsen a ɔbɛn Kinshasa Temple a, ɔpem enyidado mu no. Esutsen yi, nntse dɛ wiadze mu esutsen dodowara, ɔpem nsu afrenhyia no nyina mu, na ohue nsu gallon bɛyɛ ɔpepe 11 [dubiako] pam kor biara gu Atlanatic Po Kɛse no mu.

Agyenkwa no frɛɛ N’esuafo no dɛ wɔma enyi nda hɔn do dɛmara na wongyina pintsinn. Ɔkãa dɛ, “Dɛm ntsi, hom nsi hom adwen mu egyinae, dɛ hom bɛyɛ dza mebɛkyerɛ, na mebɛhyɛ ho mbra nyina.” “Yeesi” engyinae dɛ yebesie ahyɛmudzi no, ɔma kwan ma yenya Nyame n’enyigye afebɔɔ ho anohoba no emudzi mu.

Latter-day Saintfo anokwafo akyerɛ dɛ woesi egyinae dɛ wobesie hɔn ahyɛmudzi a wɔnye Nyame ayɛ no na wɔasesã afebɔɔ. Mekã dza ɔfa nyimpa baasa a wɔtse dɛm ho—Onuabanyin Banza Mucioko, Akyerɛbaa Banza Régine, na Onuabanyin Mbuyi Nkitabungi.

Afe 1977 mu no, nna Banzafo no tse Kinshasa wɔ ɔman Zaire mu a, sesei ɔyɛ Democratic Republic of the Congo no. Nna wɔyɛ enyimdzefo wɔ hɔn sɔn mu Protestant asɔr no mu. Osian hɔn talent horow ntsi, hɔn asɔr yɛɛ nhyehyɛɛ ma hɔn ebusua kumabaa no dɛ wɔnkɔ Switzerland Aborɔkyir nkosũa adze na wɔmaa hɔn esũapɔn ho scholarship.

Wɔwɔ Geneva no, nna Onuabanyin Banza taa hu asɔrdan kakraba bi a ne dzin dze “Jesus Christ N’Asɔr a ɔwɔ hɔ ma Nda a Odzi Ekyir Ahotseweefo, wɔ bɔɔs kwan no a wɔfa kɔ skuul no. Ɔyɛɛ no nwanwa, “Ana Jesus Christ wɔ Ahotseweefo sesei, wɔ nda a odzi ekyir yi mu? Ewiei no osii egyinae dɛ ɔbɔkɔ akɔhwɛ.

Wɔyɛɛ Onuabanyin na Akyerɛbaa Banza etuu enyigye mu wɔ nkorbata hɔ. Wobisaa nsɛmbisa horow a ɔhaw hɔn a ɔfa Nyame No su ho, tse dɛ, “Sɛ Nyame yɛ sunsum, tse dɛ mframa a, osi dɛn mbɔ na wobotum abɔ hɛn dɛ Ne nsaso? Osi dɛn na Otum tsena ahengua do?” Nna wonnyaa mbuae a ɔtɔ hɔn akoma do kesii dɛ asɛmpasomafo no kyerɛkyerɛɛ nsan-ananmu nkyerɛkyerɛ no tsiabaa. Ber a asɛmpasomafo no kɔree no, Banzafo no hwɛɛ hɔn enyim na wɔsee dɛ, “Ana iyi nnyɛ nokwar no, dza yɛatse yi?” Wɔkɔr do baa asɔr na wohyia asɛmpasomafo no. Nna wonyim dɛ enuma dze ba Jesus Christ N’Asɔr mu no benya nsunsuando horow. Wɔbɛgye hɔn scholarship no; woetwa hɔn visa mu, na woekehia dɛ hɔn na hɔn mbofra beenu no wofi Switzerland. Wɔsaan mu yii dɛ wobonuma na woesi hɔn pi Ɔbɛsɛ 1979 mu.

Hɔn enuma ekyir dapɛn ebien no, Onuabanyin na Akyerɛbaa Banza sanee kɔɔr Kinshasa dɛ Asɔrmba a odzi kan na ma ɔtɔ do ebien wɔ hɔn man mu. Geneva Nkorbata asɔrmba no kɔɔr do nye hɔn dzii nkitaho na wɔboae ma wɔnye Asɔr baanodzifo nyaa nkitahodzi. Wɔhyɛɛ Banzafo no nkuran dɛ wɔntsena nokwar mu nkesi anohoba ber no a Nyame bɛkyekyer N’Asɔr wɔ Zaire.

No mu no, adzesũanyi bi so a ɔnye bi edzi nsesã a ofi Zaire, Onuabanyin Mbuyi, nna orusũa adze wɔ Belgium. Wonumaa no wɔ afe 1980 mu wɔ Brussels Ward. Ekyir no annkyɛr na ɔsoom dɛ etuhoakyɛ asɛmpasomfo wɔ Ngyeresi Aborɔkyir. Na Nyame yɛɛ N’anwanwadze no. Onuabanyin Mbuyi sanee baa Zaire dɛ Asɔrba a ɔtɔdo ebiasa wɔ ne man mu. N’awofo maa kwan no, wɔhyɛɛ Asɔr nhyiamu ase wɔ n’ebusua fie mu. Kwakwar afe 1986 mu no, wɔdze ntotɔserɛ kɛmaa aban no dɛ wɔngye Asɔr no ntomu wɔ mbra kwan do. Nna wohia Zaire ɔmamfo baasa ma wɔdze hɔn nsa ahyɛ krataa ase. Hɔn a enyigye mu ara wɔdze hɔn nsa hyɛɛ krataa ase no nye Onuabanyin Banza, Akyerɛbaa Banza na Onuabanyin Mbuyi.

Asɔrmba nokwafo yinom hun nokwar no ber a wɔtsee no; nna woedzi ahyɛmu hɔn enuma ber a ɔtoow hɔn sekyɛ wɔ Agyenkwa no do. Naaso nna ɔtse dɛ ma wɔtoow hɔn akwan dadaw no guu nsu gyakagyaka no mu a, wonnyi adwen biara dɛ wɔbɛfa no bio. Anamɔn kwan no annyɛ mberɛw dabiarada. Amanyɛsɛm mu nhuanyan, Asɔr baanodzifo nkitaho a otwitwa, na ɔhaw a ɔwɔ Ahotseweefo kuw ne nkyekyeree mu no nkyɛ obogura ankorankor a hɔn enyimpi nnsi pi. Naaso Onuabanyin na Akyerɛbaa Banza na Onuabanyin Mbuyi tsimii wɔ hɔn gyedzi mu. Wɔbaa Kinshasa Temple tu hyɛ Nyame nsa som no, mfe 33 [eduosa biasa] a wɔdze nsa hyɛɛ ntotosɛrɛ krataa ase ahwehwɛ ngye ntomu ama Asɔr no wɔ Zaire.

Banzafo no wɔ Ehyiadzi Asoɛe ha ndɛ. Hɔn mba beenu no kã hɔn ho, Junior na Phil, na hɔn nsewnom mbasiafo, Annie na Youyou. Afe 1986 mu no, Junior na Phil yɛɛ ankorankor beenu a wodzii kan numaa hɔn wɔ Zaire. Onuabanyin Mbuyi nye ne yer, Maguy, na hɔn mba beenum rohwɛ ehyiadzi yi wɔ Kinshasa.

Edzikamfo yinom tsee ahyɛmu no ase, ɔno mu na ɔmaa wonyaa “hɔn Ewuradze Nyankopɔn no ho nyimdzee, na wonyaa enyigye wɔ Jesus Christ hɔn Pomfo no mu.”

Yebesi dɛn atow hɔn sekyɛ wɔ Agyenkwa no do na yeegyina pintsinn nokwar mu dɛ iyinom na Congo Saintfo mpemdu a wodzii hɔn ekyir na ɔpepe binom so a wɔwɔ wiadze nyina mu no? Agyenkwa no akyerɛ hɛn mbrɛ yensi nyɛ. Dapɛn biara yedzi sacrament na yɛnye hɛn Ɔsor Egya dzi ahyɛmu. Yɛbɔ anohoba dɛ yɛnye Agyenkwa no bɛnantsew ber a yɛhyɛ bɔ dɛ yɛpɛ dɛ yɛfa Ne dzin to hɛn do, yɛkaa No aber nyina, na yesie Ne mbrasɛm. Yɛregye enyim ayɛ ahosiesie na yedzi ahyɛmu yinom do emudzi mu dapɛn biara no, tow hɛn sekyɛ wɔ Agyenkwa no do, ɔboa hɛn ma yɛdze hɛn enyimpi si bɔ bra, na ɔdze tum pia hɛn wɔ ahyɛmu anamɔn kwan no do.

Moto nsa frɛ hom dɛ hom mfa enyimpi nnantsew osũanyiyɛ anamɔn do hom abrabɔ nyina mu. Hom nyɛ ahyɛmu na hom ndzi do. Hom ntow hom akwan dadaw no ngu bea a nsu no dɔ, ohue gyakagyaka gu no. Hom nsie hom etuatsew akodze no ara yie a ne nsa nntuatua hɔ. Osian Jesus Christ No Werdambɔ no, yɛpra hɛn akoma mu dzi ahyɛmu dɛ yebedzi no nyi a ɔbɛsesã hɛn abrabɔ afebɔɔ. Ibɛyɛ tse dɛ Agyenkwa no ara yie sɛ aber nyina ekaa No, ekã No do, na edɔ No a. Megye dase dɛ Ɔno nye fapem tsim no. Yɛwɔ enyidado wɔ No mu, na N’anohoba tsen. Jesus Christ ne dzin mu, amen.

Nsɛnsin

1. Tu hyɛ Nyame nsa som no baa do wɔ Palm Sunday, Ebɔbira 14, 2019, dɛ mbrɛ President Russell M. Nelson kyerɛɛ no.

2. The artist, David Meikle, painted Congo Falls working from photos of Kiubu Falls. The Kiubu Falls are located approximately 249 miles (400 kilometers) north of Lubumbashi in the southeastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

3. These objects were known inkisi in Kikongo and as fétiches in French. The word translates into English as amulets, talismans, or fetishes.

4. David Meikle also painted Nzongo Falls working from photos of the falls. The Nzongo Falls are located approximately 81 miles (130 kilometers) from Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo. The river at these falls became known as Nzadi Inkisi, or “River of Fetishes.” The name reflects the practice described in the text.

5. In AD 1000, the heads of the Icelandic clans met together for their annual, two-week Allting, the equivalent of an informal assembly that made laws that would be binding on all. A man named Thorgeir was asked to make the decision for everyone about conversion to Christianity or continuing to worship Norse gods. After three days of seclusion in his tent, Thorgeir announced his decision; the clans would become Christian. As Thorgeir was returning to his village, he took his cherished Norse-God idols and cast them into a waterfall, now known as Godafoss, or “Waterfall of the Gods.” This action signified Thorgeir’s complete conversion to Christianity.

6. Alma 23:13; 24:17–18.

7. Hwɛ Alma 23:6; David A. Bednar, “Converted unto the Lord,” Liahona, Ɔberɛfɛw 2012, 106-9.

8. Hwɛ Ezekiel 11:19–20; 2 Corinthfo 3:3.

9. Hwɛ Romanfo 10:14, 17.

10. Hwɛ Preach My Gospel: A Guide to Missionary Service, nwoma a wɔayɛ mu nsesã (2018), 203.

11. Hwɛ Dallin H. Oaks, “Taking upon Us the Name of Jesus Christ,,” Ensign, Esusow Aketseaba 1985.

12. Hwɛ Alma 5:12–14.

13. Hwɛ Nkyerɛkyerɛ na Ahyɛmudzi 82:10.

14. The Congo River is the deepest, second-most powerful, and ninth-longest river in the world. Since it crosses the equator twice, at least one section of the river is always in a rainy season, resulting in regular water flow. Regular flow means that the flow is relatively consistent all year long, averaging 41,000 cubic meters of water per second, even though the flow rate may vary over the years (range 23,000–75,000 cubic meters per second).

15. Joseph Smith Nkyerɛasee Luke 14:27, ase nsɛnsin b).

16. Hwɛ 2 Nephi 9:18; Russell M. Nelson, “Joy and Spiritual Survival,” Liahona, Ɔberɛfɛw 2016, 81–84. President Nelson kãa dɛ, “Dɛwdzi yɛ akyɛdze ma anokwafo.”

17. Alma 37:6.

18. Hwɛ Nkyerɛkyerɛ na Ahyɛmudzi 20:77 In the Mission Leadership Seminar in June 2019, after partaking of the sacrament, before beginning his formal message, President Russell M. Nelson said, “A thought has occurred to me that my making a covenant today is a lot more important than the message that I have prepared. I made a covenant as I partook of the sacrament that I would be willing to take upon me the name of Jesus Christ and that I am willing to obey His commandments. Often, I hear the expression that we partake of the sacrament to renew covenants made at baptism. While that’s true, it’s much more than that. Mayɛ ahyɛmu fofor. Hom ayɛ ahyɛmu fofor. Ɔno ekyir no Ɔkã dɛ yebenya no Sunsum ma Ɔnye hɛn atsena. Ebɛn nhyira nye yi!

19. Hwɛ 3 Nephi 18:12.