Edinam-ekem ndino Iwaad Osongo

Etop otode Elder Quentin L. Cook

Eke Eboho mme Apostle Duopeba

Ediwak mkparawa iren ye nkaiferi iban eyenyime edinam emi enyung edu ke usung ediomi otode ke akpan nting-enyin nno iwaad nnyin.

Sosongo, edima President Nelson, ke inem ndausung eriyarare kabanga mme ntiense ke itie baptism ye ndausung emi afo oyomde ete nnyin inam man inwam ke ndisongo iwaad nyung nam edisana ndaha mmo okori.

Mbemiso ami mbuana edinam-ekem oro, nnyin imeno ekom ke eti usung emi mbon Ufok Abasi enyimede eno nkori emi odude ke nkaiso Mfiak-nda-ndi gospel emi. Nte President Nelson eketingde isua oko ete, mbufo emeda nti-nkpo mbufo!

Mbufo emekop inem ndikpeb Di, Tiene Mi ke ufok. Mbufo nko emenyime ukpuhode emi odude ke Ufok Abasi. Mbon elders quorum ye ndito-eka iban Relief Society ediana-kiet ke utom erinyanga-ukpong.

Esit nnyin oyoho ye ekom. Nnyin imenehede ino ekom koro iwaad nnyineka iso ndisongo-nda nyung nnyene mbuotidem.

Iwaad nnyin edung ke eti ini edi ini emi oyoho ye mfina. Mme mbumek emi odude akananam itiehe nte edide ke idahaemi. Uwutnkpo kiet: smartphone eke eyo emi ono usung ekesim ndinyene akpan ye nti etop, ke esit edide family history ye edisana nwed Abasi. Ke ndaha efen, ndisime nkpo, oborubut-edu, ye idioknkpo eke mikesiduhe kini edem odu do mfin.

Mna enwam mme iwaad nnyin ndifep ndioi mbumek emi, Ufok Abasi enam akamba ye nti usung ita enim. Akpa, enam nwed-ukpebnkpo osongo onyung okpon ke ufok. Udiana, President Russell M. Nelson, President M.Russell Ballard, ye General Officers ema emen edinam ndito-owong ye iwaad emi esinede nti edinam ye nkori eke idem owo ewut ke Sunday emi ekebede. Oyoho usung ita edi ndinam ukpuhode man anam mme bishop ye adauusng eken eting-enyin ese mme iwaad. Ana nting-enyin emi enyene odudu ke spirit onyung anwam mme iwaad nnyin ndikabare ndi oruk mbon-ekong iwaad emi President Nelson oyomde ete mmo edi.

Uwutnkpo Ebuana

Mme edinam emi, diana ye mbon emi ekesiande ke mme esisit isua emi ekebede, idige ukpuhode emi enimde ke nsan-nsan. Ukpuhode kiet-kiet emi edi akpan ubak ke uwutnkpo ebuana man odiong ikot Abasi onyung ebenge mmo idem ndisobo ye Abasi

Ubak uwutnkpo kiet enyene utom ye obufa emana. Eyom mme iwaad nnyin ete enam ediwak ubiong-utom kini uyen mmo—esio mme ete ye eka ye mme adausung efeb ke ndinam se mme iwaad ekpekeme ndinam nno idem mmo.

Ntot

Mfin emi nnyin isian mme ukpuhode ke nka ino mme iwaad ke ndaha ward ye ke stake. Nte President Nelson eketingde, Sister Bonnie H. Cordon eyeneme ukpuhode ono nkaiferi iban ke mbubreyo emi. Ntak kiet emi ukpuhode emi adade itie edi ndisongo mme andinyene Itie-oku Aaron, eboho, ye quorum presidencies idem. Ukpuhode emi edi ukem ye ido nnyin ke Doctrine ye Covenants 107:15, emi ekotde ete, “Ke bishopric edi presidency eke Itie-oku [Aaron] emi, onyung akama mme ukpohore ye ukem odudu oro.”

Kiet kotu utom bishop ke nwed Abasi edi ndidi ibuot nno mme priest nyung nduk esop ye mmo, ndikpeb mmo utom ke itie-utom mmo. Ke ndidian do, akap onoitem ke bishopric eyenyene ubiong ono mme teachers ndien udiana onoitem enyene ubiong ono mme deacon.

Ntem, man asanga ye eriyarare emi ke Doctirine ye Covenants, eyetre ndinyene presidencies eke Mkparawa Iren ke ndaha eke ward. Nti ndito-ete emi enam ediwak nti utom, ndien nnyin imekom mmo.

Imenim ke mme bishopric eyeno ubiong itie-oku eke mkparawa iren akamba nsinifik ye nting-enyin enyung enwam mmo ke utom eboho mmo. Eyekot ikpo mme andino Mkparawa Iren item man enwam eboho presidencies eke Itie-oku Aaron ye bishopric ke utom mmo. Nnyin imenim ke ediwak mkparawa iren ye nkaiferi iban eyenyime edinam emi enyung edu ke usung ediomi otode ke akpan nting-enyin nno iwaad nnyin.

Ke ubono-nkpo Abasi, bishop enyene ubiong ono ofuri owo emi edude ke ward. Enye odiong mme ete ye eka eke iwaad ukem nte odiongde mme iwaad. Bishop kiet okut ke nte imo inwamde akparawa emi ekenyenede mfina ye idiok-ndise, enye ekeme ndinwam akparawa oro ke nkabare-esit esie kpot ukem nte anwamde ete ye eka esie ke ndima nyung nyo ye eyen oro. Uboho eke akpararwa oro ekedi uboho ono ufokemana esie ndien eketibe ke bishop ndinam utom ke ufon ofuri ufokemana oro. Idahaemi akparawa oro akabare edi eti enyene Itie-oku Melchizedek ye full-time missionary.

Nte mbuk emi etemede, ubono-nkpo emi:

• Eyenwam bishop ye mme onoitem esie ndinam akpan ubiong-utom mmo nno iwaad ye ndito Primary.

• Eyenim odudu ye utom eke Itie-oku Aaron ke ata uwem ye uduak eke kpukpru mkparawa iren.

Nko ubono-nkpo emi:

• Ese ubiong-utom quorum presidencies eke Itie-oku Aaron ye nte mmo edinehede enam ibat eno bishopric,

• Osongo mme ikpo adausung man enwam enyung ekpeb quorum presidencies eke Itie-oku Aaron ke ndisin odudu ye unen eke itie-utom mmo.

Nte ikutde, ubono-nkpo emi isuhokede ubiong emi bishopric enyenede kabanga nkaiferi iban. Nte President Nelson ekpebde mi ete, “Akpa ye ata akpan ubiong [bishop] edi ndikpeme mkparawa iren ye nkaiferi iban ke ward esie.”

Didie ke ndima ye anam nti-utom bishop nnyin ekeme ndinam ubiong emi nkure? Nte mbufo etide, ke isua 2018 ema esuhore mme eboho Itie-oku Melchizedek man enam utom ye mbon Relief Society man elders quorum ye Relief Societies ekeme, ke idak ndausung bishop, enwam ndinam ikpo ubiong-utom emi ekesiwakde ndida ediwak ini esie ke akpa. Mme ubiong emi esine utom ukworo-iko ye family history ke wardnko ye ediwak ini ndisin unwam nno mbon ward esie.

Bishop ikemeke ndiyak ubak ubiong emi, uto nte ndisongo iwaad idem, sia enye edide eti ebiere-ikpe, andise mbon unana enyin, ye andikama mbubehe okuk ye nsongidem mbon esie. Nte ededi, emi, ekpri akan nte nnyin ikefiokde ibanga kini edem. Nte Elder Jeffrey R. Holland eketingde ke isua emi ebede kini ekesiade ukpuhode emi eknamde eno mme eboho Itie-oku Melchizedek ete, “Nte ededi, ke bishop, osuk etie ibuot nte akwa oku ke ward. Akpana obufa ubono-nkpo [eke elders quorum ye Relief Societies] enyime man enye etie ibuot ke utom mbon Itie-oku Melchizedek ye Relief Society ndien iyomke ete enye anam utom eke nka iba oro.”

Nte uwutnkpo, president eke Relief Society ye eke elders quorum, nte enimde, ekeme ndinam akamba utom ke ndino ikpo-owo item—ukem nte president eke nkaiferi iban anamde ke ndino mmw nkaiferi iban item. Sia edide bishop ikpong ekeme ndidi eti ebiere-ikpe, mme adausung eken nko ekeme ndibo eriyarare nto heaven man enwam ke mfina eke miyomke eti ebiere-ikpe ye edibiat oruk nkpo ekededi.

Emi iworoke ke nkaiferi ikemeke inyung inaha nte enye eting iko ono bishop mme ete ye eka esie. Ubiong mmo edi ono mme iwaad! Edi oro iworoke ke adausung Nkaiferi Iban eyenehede oyo unana eke nkaiferi kiet ofon. Bishopric enyene mbubehe ono nkaiferi iban ye mkparawa iren, edi nnyin imokut osongo emi otode ke ndinyene okposong, mbuaha, ye mme ese-enyin adausung Nkaiferi iban emi emade enyung etemede, idige ke ndinam ubiong eke class presidencies, edi ke ndinwam man iwaad ekut unen ke utom mmo.

Sister Cordon eyebuana nti ukpuhode efen ono nkaiferi iban ke mbubreto emi. Ami, nte ededi, mmesian idahaemi nte ke mme president Nkaiferi Iban ke ward eyenam ibat eno enyung ebo item eto bishop eke ward mmo. Ke ini edem, ekeme ndiyak ubiong emi nno onoitem kiet, edi tongo ke emi ka iso, nkaiferi iban enehede edi ubiong eke owo emi akamade etuek ukpohode ke ward. President Relief Society eyenehede aka iso anam ibat ono bishop.

Ke general ye level eke stake, nnyin iyeka iso ndinyene presidencies eke Mkparawa Iren. Ke level stake, high councilor kiet eyedi president Mkparawa Iren ndien ye, high councilor emi emekde eno Nkaiferi Iban ye Primary, eyedi mbon esop Itie-oku Aaron ye Nkaiferi Iban ke stake. Ndito-ete emi eyenam utom ye presidency Nkaiferi Iban eke stake ke esop emi. Ye onoitem stakiet president kiet nte etie-ibuot, esop emi eyenyene akpan ufon koro ediwak edinam ye mbre ke obufa nkpo Ndito-owong ye Iwaad edida itie ke level eke stake.

Mme high councilor emike idak ndausung stake presidency, ekeme ndisin unwam nno bishop ye eboho Itie-oku Aaron ke ukem usung nte utom-unwam emi mme high councilor eke mme ward elders quorum enode.

Nte mbubehe enyenede ebuana, high councilor efen eyenam utom nte stake Sunday School president ndien, nte odotde, ekeme ndinam utom ke esop Itie-oku Aaron ye Nkaiferi Iban ke stake.

Eyenam mme ukpuhode emi otukde nka efen anwanga enyung eno etop esok mme adausung, Ukpuhode emi edi:

• Ward youth council eyeda itie mbono bishopric youth committee.

• Eyetre iko emi “Mutual” ndien akabare edi “edinam Nkaiferi Iban,” “edinam eboho Itie-oku Aaron,” mme “edinam eke iwaad” edidade itie kwa udua ke ebiet emi ekemede ndinam ntre.

• Eyebahare okuk emi ekenimde eno edinam eke iwaad ukem-ukem eno mkparawa iren ye nkaiferi iban ke nte ekemde ke ibat iwaad emi edude ke nka kiet-kiet. Eyeyak ibat okuk emi ekemde eno mme edinam eke Primary.

• Ke ofuri ndaha—ward, stake, ye general—nnyin iyekot iko emi “nka” akan iko eke “auxiliary.” Eyekot mbon emi edide-ibuot ke nka General Relief Society, Nkaiferi Iban, Mkparawa Iren, Primary, ye Sunday School nte “mme General Officers.” Eyekot mbon emi edide-ibuot eke nka ke ndaha ward ye stake nte “ward officers” ye “stake officers.”

Mme ubono-nkpo eke esiande mfin emi ekeme ndisop ntongo ke nte mme branches, wards, districts, ye stakes ebengeke idem edi enyene ndida itie ke January 1, 2020. Mme ubono-nkpo emi, kini ebuanade enyung edian ye nkani ubono-nkpo, owut eti ye ata okposong unwam ye ukpeb man odiong onyung osongo ofuri erenowo, nnwan, iwaad, ye eyenowong, ndinwam mmo man etiene uwutnkpo eke Andinyanga nnyin, Jesus Christ, ke nte nnyin ikoride ke usung ediomi.

Ndima ndito-eka iren ye iban, ami nnwongo nyung nting iko ntiense nte ke akwa ubono-nko emi ke idak ndausung eke eti president ye prophet, Russell M. Nelson, eyeno ofuri mbon Ufok Abasi odudu ye nsongo-nda. Mme iwaad nnyin eyenyene akamba mbuotidem ke Andinyanga, ebo ukpeme ke mme idomo eke andidiok, enyung ebenge-idem ndiyo mme afanikong eke uwem. Ke edisana enying Jesus Chrst, amen.

Mkpri nwed

1. Se Russell M. Nelson, in “Latter-day Saint Prophet, Wife and Apostle Share Insights of Global Ministry,” Newsroom, Oct. 30, 2018, newsroom.ChurchofJesusChrist.org.

2. In addition, you have made specific efforts to use the correct name of the Church as taught by President Russell M. Nelson and to remember our Savior with love and reverence as you do so.

3. “Members of the Church of Jesus Christ are sent forth ‘to labor in his vineyard for the salvation of the souls of men’ (Doctrine and Covenants 138:56). Utom erinyanga-ukpong esine utom mbon Ufok Abasi ndikworo iko-Abasi, ndinwam mbufa owo esongo eda, ndinwam mbon mfiak-edem enyene iwuk, utom temple ye family history, ye ndikpeb iko-Abasi. The bishopric directs this work in the ward, assisted by other members of the ward council” (Handbook 2: Administering the Church, 5.0, ChurchofJesusChrist.org).

4. As leaders, we love the members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for your goodness and your discipleship. We pay tribute to the individuals, the moms, the dads, the youth, and the children who are walking the covenant path—and doing so with dedication and joy.

5. In 2019, 11-year-old deacons began passing the sacrament, and 11-year-old young women and young men received limited-use temple recommends. Last year, President Nelson challenged our young men and women to be part of a youth battalion to gather scattered Israel on both sides of the veil (see “Hope of Israel” [worldwide devotional for youth, June 3, 2018], HopeofIsrael.ChurchofJesusChrist.org). The response has been dramatic.

   Full-time missionaries now serve in an exceptional way at younger ages. Since October 6, 2012, young men have been eligible to serve at 18 years of age and young women at 19 years of age.

6. “Nko kiet kotu utom bishop ke nwed Abasi edi ndidi ibuot nno [mme] priest, nyung nduk esop ye mmo, ndikpeb mmo utom ke itie-utom mmo. … This president is to be a bishop; for this is one of the duties of this priesthood” (Doctrine and Covenants 107:87–88).

7. Adult leaders will also be called as Aaronic Priesthood quorum specialists to assist with programs and activities and to attend quorum meetings so that the bishopric can regularly visit Young Women classes and activities and occasionally visit Primary. Some specialists could be called to assist with a particular event such as a camp; others could be called on a longer-term basis to assist the quorum advisers. There will always be two adult men in each quorum meeting, program, or activity. While roles and titles will change, we do not anticipate a decrease in the number of adult men serving and supporting Aaronic Priesthood quorums.

8. Russell M. Nelson, “Witnesses, Aaronic Priesthood Quorums, and Young Women Classes,” Liahona, Nov. 2019, 39, emphasis added; see also Ezra Taft Benson, “To the Young Women of the Church,” Ensign, Nov. 1986, 85.

9. We are also advising bishops to spend more time with young single adult members and their own families.

10. effrey R. Holland, general conference leadership meeting, Apr. 2018; see also “Effective Ministering,” ministering.ChurchofJesusChrist.org. Elder Holland taught that responsibilities the bishop cannot delegate are presiding over the Aaronic Priesthood quorums and the young women, being a common judge, watching over the finances and temporal affairs of the Church, and caring for the poor and needy. The elders quorum and Relief Society presidencies and others can take primary responsibility for missionary work, temple and family history work, the quality of teaching in the ward, and watching over and ministering to members of the Church.

11. In addition to circumstances requiring the keys of a common judge, issues of abuse of any kind should be handled by bishops in accordance with Church policy.

12. President Relief Society ke stake eyenehede aka iso anam ibat ono stake president.

13. The stake Young Men president’s counselors may be called from the membership of the stake or, as needed, may be the high councilor assigned to the Young Women and the high councilor assigned to the Primary.

14. The brother who serves as Sunday School president has significant responsibility for youth curriculum on two Sundays each month.

15. The presidencies of the Relief Society, Young Women, Young Men, Sunday School, and Primary at the general and stake levels are General Officers or stake officers. At the ward level, the bishopric leads the young men, so young men advisers are not ward officers.