Eduaba

Elder Elder Neil L. Andersen ne Kasae

Ɔkã Asomafo Duebien no hɔn Quorum no ho

Hom mfa hom enyiwa na hom akoma ntsim Agyenkwa Jesus Christ, na onnyiewiei enyigye a ɔnam Ɔno nko mu ba no do.

Minyim dza erodwen! Nyimpa kor ara na ɔaka dɛ ɔkasa na yeetsie President Russell M. Nelson. Mepɛ dɛ hom enyi yɛ wɛwɛ minitsi kakra ber a yɛrotweɔn hɛn nkɔnhyɛnyi dɔfo ntsi, mafa asɛntsir a ɔyɛ akɔndɔ: m’asɛm nye eduaba.

Akotompo, mpua, anomuna, na mango, anaa eduaba a wɔyɛ nã tse dɛ kiwano anaa pomegranate no hɔn enyi, su, na hɔn dɛw no ntsi, eduaba ayɛ akɔndɔdze a wɔasom bo mbersantsen.

Ne asaase ɔsomdwuma ber mu no, Agyenkwa no dze eduaba pa totoo onnyiewiei ndzɛmba a wɔsombo ho. Ɔsee dɛ, “Hɔn aba na hom dze bohu hɔn.’’ “Dɛmara na dua pa biara ɔsow eduaba pa.’’ Ɔhyɛɛ hɛn nkuran dɛ yɛmboaboa “aba no ano nkɔ onnyiewiei nkwa mu.’’

Adaaso a ɔyɛ pefee a hɛn nyina nyim no yie wɔ Mormon Nwoma mu no, nkɔnhyɛnyi Lehi hun noho wɔ “sar a no do yɛ hu na sum ahyɛ do mã’’ mu. Nsu fĩ, sum ehubɔhubɔ kebii bi, akwan huhuuihu, na anamɔn kwan a ɔabra ho, dɛmara dɛ dadze poma wɔ kwan tseaba a no mu yɛ nkekãnkekã a ogya kɔ dua fɛfɛɛfɛw bi ho a, “n’eduaba [ma] obi n’enyigye’’ wɔ hɔ. Ɔrekã adaaso no ho asɛm no, Lehi se dɛ: “Midzii … eduaba no, … ɔyɛ dɛw papaapanara, sen nduaba nyina a … [masɔ] ahwɛ da. … [Na] ɔdze enyigye kɛse bi hyɛɛ m’akoma mu mã.‘’Eduaba yi yɛ dɛw “[papaapanara] [sen] nduaba biara.’’

Dua na Eduaba no ne Nkyerɛase

Ebɛn asɛnkyerɛdze na dua yi a n’eduaba sombo dodow no kyerɛ? Ogyina hɔ ma “Nyankopɔn no dɔ’’ na ɔbɔ hɛn Ɔsor Egya ne ɔpon nwanwa ho nhyehyɛɛ no dawur. “Na mbrɛ Nyankopɔn dɔɔ wiadze nye yi, dɛ ɔdze ne Ba a ɔwoo no kor no mae, ama obiara a ɔgye no dzi no ɔaannhera, na oeenya onyiewiei nkwa.’’

Eduaba yi a ɔsombo no kyerɛ Agyenkwa no No Werdambɔ a onnyi saso ho nhyira nwanwa. Nnyɛ dɛ yɛbɛtsena ase bio wɔ hɛn ɔnnkyebo ekyir nko, mbom ɔnam hɛn gyedzi wɔ Jesus Christ mu, hɛn nnuhu, na yeresie mbrasɛm no do no, yebotum enya hɛn bɔn ho bɔnfakyɛ na da bi yeegyina ahotsew na korɛngyenn mu wɔ hɛn Egya na Ne Ba hɔn enyim.

Yeridzi dua n’eduaba no bi san so kyerɛ dɛ yɛgye asɛmpa nsan-ananmu n’ayɛdze na ahyɛmudzi horow no to mu—worunuma hɛn, yeregye Sunsum Krɔnkrɔn n’akyɛdze, na yɛrehɛn Ewuradze ne fie ma wɔdze adom akyɛdze tum a ofi sor no ama hɛn. Ɔnam Jesus Christ n’adom do na ber a yeridzi hɛn ahyɛmudzi horow nyi do no, yenya anohoba a wɔtow no abaw a onnhyia dɛ yɛnye hɛn ebusua tsenenee bɛtsena wɔ mfesantsen mu.

Ɔnnyɛ ahobow dɛ sor ɔbɔfo no kãa eduaba no ho asɛm dɛ “ɔma ɔkra enyigye mbordo.’’ Ɔyɛ nokwar trudoo!

Erokɔ do Edzi Nokwar ho Taferbanyinmbɔmu

Dɛ mbrɛ hɛn nyina esua no, edzi asɛmpa-nsananan mu eduaba a ɔsombo ekyir no mpo, iridzi nokwar na ayɛ nokwafo ama Ewuradze Jesus Christ ne yɛ da ho nnyɛ mberɛw. Dɛ mbrɛ wɔakã no mpɛn pii wɔ ehyiadzi yi ase no, yɛkɔdo hyia enyidan na ndaadaa horow, basabasayɛ na gyegyeegye, bradaato horow na nsɔhwɛ a wɔtwe hɛn adwen fi Agyenkwa no na enyigye na ahomka a yɛka No do no yeenya ho.

Osian atseetsee yi ntsi, kɔkɔbɔ kã Lehi n’adaaso no ho! Nsu esutsen n’afa no ho na dan pontonn a dɔm a mfe nyina wɔ mu no wɔdze hɔn nsatseaba retsentsen, dze risi atwetwe, na wɔresrew Jesus Christ n’akadofo atseneneefo no.

Dɔm a wɔwɔ dan no mu no rogor na wɔreserew hɔn a worisie mbrasɛm no ho, a hɔn enyidado nye dɛ wobedzi na woesi hɔn gyedzi wɔ Jesus Christ na N’asɛmpa ho ator na atwetwe. Na osian ekyingye na enyimtsiabu ho ahorba a wɔtowee tsia agyedzifo no ntsi, hɔn a woedzi eduaba no bi hyɛɛ ase dɛ wɔrefɛr wɔ asɛmpa a mpɛn bi wɔgyee too mu no ho. Wiadze ator afɛfɛwdze no twee hɔn; wɔdanee fi dua na n’eduaba no ho, na fi kyerɛwsɛm ne nsɛm mu, “[kɛfaa] akwan a wɔabra hɔn ho no na [wɔyewee].’’

Ndɛ hɛn wiadze mu no, abɔnsam n’edwumayɛfo reyɛ edwuma mbordo, ntsɛmara dze rubuei dan kɛse pontonn no mu. Ne ntserɛwmu no ahata esutsen no do a, reper abɛhɛn hɛn efiefie, ber a hɔn a wɔtsentsen nsa na atwetwesifo no dze kasadzen kasa wɔ hɔn internet akasamu do adzekyee na adzesaa.

President Nelson kyerɛkyerɛɛ mu dɛ, “Otsĩafo no emia no mbɔdzembɔ mu mbɔho mbɔho dɛ ɔbɛsɛɛ hɛn dasegye na oesiw Ewuradze n’edwuma no kwan.’’ Hom mma yɛnkaa Lehi ne nsɛm: “Yɛannkasa hɔn ho.’’

Onnhia dɛ yesuro dze, naaso ɔwɔ dɛ yɛweɔn. Mber bi no, ndzɛmba nketsenketse botum asɛɛ hɛn sunsum mu pɛryɛ. Meserɛ mma hom mma hom nsɛmbisa, binom hɔn ahorba, anyɛnkofo atorfo, anaa esian mfomdo na abagura kwan ma wɔnndan hom mmfi nhyira dɛɛdɛw, korɛngyenn, na ɔmee kra a ofi dua n’aba a ɔsombo mu ba no ho. Hom mfa hom enyiwa na hom akoma ntsim Agyenkwa Jesus Christ, na onnyiewiei enyigye a ɔnam Ɔno nko mu ba no do.

Jason Hall ne Gyedzi

Obiradzi abosoom mu no, emi na me yer Kathy yɛkɔr Jason Hall no funsie. Ber a nna orifĩ mu no, nna oedzi mfe 48 [eduanan awɔtwe] na nna ɔrosom dɛ elderfo quorum president.

Jason ne nsɛm wɔ dza osii a ɔsesa n’abrabɔ nye yi:

“[Mfe 15 mu no] [nna] menyaa esukɔ akwanhyia. … Mokɔn mu [buii] na mobubuii fi m’akoko dze sian ase. Nna munntum mmfa m’anan nnyɛ hwee na me nsa dze kakra ara. Menntum annantsew, enngyina hɔ, … menntsitsi edziban enndzi bio. Munntum nngye ahom anaa mennkasa papa.’’

“Egya dɔfo [wɔ Sor],’’ mepa kyɛw, ‘sɛ mubotum enya me nsa mpo a, mubotum egyina nsɔhwɛ yi ano. Meserɛ, Egya, meserɛ. …

“… Fa m’anan, Egya; [meserɛ] ara ma medze me nsa ayɛ adze.’’

Jason ammfa ne nsa annyɛ adze da. Ana itum tse ndze horow no fi dan pontonn no mu a? “Jason Hall, Nyankopɔn nntse wo mpaabɔ! Sɛ Nyankopɔn yɛ ɔdɔ Nyankopɔn a, obesi dɛn botum egyaa wo dɛm yi? Ebɛn ntsi na ewɔ gyedzi wɔ Christ mu?’’ Jason Hall tsee hɔn ndze horow no naaso ɔannkasa hɔn ho. Mbom ɔmee wɔ dua n’eduaba no mu. Ne gyedzi tsiim pintsinn wɔ Jesus Christ mu. Owieii university na ɔwaree Kolette Coleman wɔ temple, na ɔkã no ho asɛm dɛ “n’abrabɔ mu ɔdɔ.’’ Hɔn mfe 16 awar ekyir no, awanwadze bi so, wɔwoo, Coleman, hɔn babanyin a ɔsom bo.

Wosi dɛn tuu hɔn gyedzi mpon? Kolette kyerɛkyerɛɛ mu dɛ: Yenyaa awerɛhyɛmu wɔ Nyankopɔn ne nhyehyɛɛ mu. Na ɔmaa hɛn enyidado. Nna yenyim dɛ [wɔ ndaamba da bi mu] no Jason bɛtse apɔw. … Nna yenyim dɛ Nyankopɔn maa hɛn Agyenkwa a, no werdam afɔrbɔ ma hɛn tum ma yɛhwɛ kan ber a hɛn abaw gura.’’

Ɔrekasa wɔ Jason n’eyi ase no, Coleman a oedzi mfe 10 kãa dɛ ne papa kyerɛkyerɛɛ no dɛ “Ɔsor Egya [wɔ] nhyehyɛɛ bi ma hɛn, asaase abrabɔ bɛyɛ fɛw, na yebotum atsena ebusua ebusua. … Mbom … ɔwɔ dɛ yedua ndzɛmba a ɔyɛ dzen mu na yɛbɛyɛ mfomdo.’’

Coleman kɔr do dɛ: “Ɔsor Egya somaa Ne Ba, Jesus, wɔ asaase do. Nna otwar dɛ n’edwuma dzi mu. Ɔsa nkorɔfo yarba. Ɔdɔ hɔn. Na afei ohu hɛn yaw, awerɛhow, na bɔn ho amandze. Afei Owui maa hɛn. Nkyii Coleman dze sɔɔw do dɛ: Osiandɛ Ɔyɛ iyi ntsi, Jesus nyim m’atsenkã sesei.’’

Jesus wui nda ebiasa ekyir no, Ɔbaa … nkwa mu bio, a ɔdze No honandua a odzi mu. Iyi hia ma me osiandɛ minyim dɛ … me [papa] ne honandua bedzi mu na yɛbɔbɔ mu dɛ ebusua.’’

Afei Coleman dze wie dɛ: “Anafua biara fitsi ber a nna meyɛ abɔdomaba no, me papa see me dɛ, ‘Paapa dɔ wo, Ɔsor Egya dɔ wo, na eyɛ abofra pa.’”

Osian Jesus Christ Ntsi na Enyigye Ba

President Russell M. Nelson kãa siantsir a Hall ebusua no tse enyigye na enyidado nkã ho asɛm. Ɔkãa dɛ:

“Hɛn abrabɔ mu enyigye a yɛtse no mmfa gyinabew horow a yɛwɔ mu ho, mbom ɔfa adzebiara a hɛn abrabɔ tsim do ho.

“Sɛ yɛdze hɛn abrabɔ tsim Nyankopɔn ne nkwagye nhyehyɛɛ … na Jesus Christ na N’asɛmpa no do a, yebotum enya enyigye a dza orisi—anaa dza orinnsi—wɔ hɛn abrabɔ mu mmfa ho. No mu na osian Ɔno ntsi enyigye ba. Ɔno nye enyigye nyina ne farbaa. …

“Sɛ yɛdan wiadze a, … yerunnhu dɛwdzi dabiarada. … [Enyigye] nye akyɛdze a ofi agye enyim dɛ erobɔ mbɔdzen abɔ tsenenee bra, dɛ mbrɛ Jesus Christ kyerɛkyerɛɛ no.’’

Eresan Aba ho Anohoba

Sɛ nnya dua n’eduaba no bi mber kakra yi a, meserɛ hu dɛ Agyenkwa ne nsa da ho ara tsen ma wo. Ɔdɔ mu ara Ɔfrɛ dɛ, “Wonnu hɔnho na wɔmbra mo hɔ.’’ N’eduba dɔɔ sõ na ɔwɔ hɔ daa. Wɔmmfa sika nntɔ, na wɔmmpow obiara a nokwar mu ara ɔpɛ no.

Sɛ epɛ dɛ isan kɔ dua no ho na ikedzi euaba no bio no, hyɛ ase bɔ mpaa ma wo Ɔsor Egya. Gye Jesus Christ na No werdam afɔrbɔ ho tum no dzi. Mobɔ wo anohoba dɛ ber a ehwɛ Agyenkwa no wɔ “adwendwen biara mu,’’ no, dua no n’eduaba no bɛyɛ wo dze bio, a ɔyɛ dɛw dɛ ibedzi, enyigyedze dzi ma wo kra, “Nyankopɔn n’akyɛdze nyinara no mu dza ɔso.’’

Adapɛn ebiasa a abasen kɔ no, muhun Agyenkwa no n’eduaba ho enyigye petee ber a emi, na, Kathy, yɛkɔr Lisbon Portugal Temple tu hyɛ Nyame nsa dwumadzi ase. Wobuei asɛmpa nsan-ananmu no ho nokwar wɔ Portugal afe 1975 mu ber a nyamesom fahodzi baa hɔ. Ahotseweefo enyimnyamfo pii a wodzii kan dzi eduaba no mber a nna mboanofo nnyi hɔ, asɔr adan nnyi hɔ, na temple a ɔmmbɛn akwansin 1,000 [apem] nnyi hɔ no, nye hɛn dzii dɛw dɛ dua n’eduaba a ɔsombo no wɔ Ewuradze ne fie wɔ Lisbon, Portugal seseiara. Mbrɛ misi bu na midzi Latter-day Saintfo yinom a wɔdze hɔn abrabɔ etsim Agyenkwa no do nyi.

Agyenkwa no kãa dɛ, “Nyia ɔtse mo mu, na metse no mu no, ɔnoara na ɔsow aba pii: na hom kwetsi me a, hom nntum nnyɛ hwee.’’

Ɔrekasa akyerɛ Asɔrmba wɔ wiadze nyina mu anapa yi, President Nelson kãa dɛ, “Mo nuanom na nkyerɛbaa adɔfo, hom yɛ fasusu atseasefo wɔ eduaba a ofi iridzi Jesus Christ ne nkyerɛkyerɛ do no. Nkyii ɔdze sɔɔw do dɛ: “Meda hom ase. Modɔ hom!

Yɛdɔ wo, President Nelson.

Meyɛ dasefo wɔ nyikyerɛ tum a ɔda hɛn President dɔfo no do ho. Ɔyɛ Nyankopɔn ne nkɔnhyɛnyi. Tse dɛ tsetse Lehi no, President Russell M. Nelson to nsa frɛ hɛn na Nyankopɔn n’ebusua nyina dɛ yɛmbra mbedzi dua n’eduaba no. Nkyɛ yeenya ahobrɛadze na ahoɔdzen dze edzi n’afotu no do.

Megye dase ahobrɛadze mu ara dɛ Jesus Christ nye Nyame Ne Ba no; No dɔ, No tum, na N’adom ma ndzɛmba nyina a ɔwɔ mfaso mfesantsen ba. Megye ho dase wɔ Jesus Christ ne dzin mu, amen.

Nsɛnsin

1. Matthew 7:16

2. Matthew 7:17

3. John 4:36

4. In early January 2007, while preparing for a Brigham Young University devotional address as a member of the Presidency of the Seventy to be given on March 4, 2007, I asked Elder David A. Bednar what he was preparing for his February 4, 2007, address before the same audience. I was taken aback when he responded that his talk was about holding fast to the iron rod. This was the exact title I had chosen for my talk. After sharing our text with one another, we realized that our approaches were different. His talk, entitled “A Reservoir of Living Water,” emphasized the rod of iron, or the word of God, as encompassing the scriptures. In his talk he asked, “Are you and I daily reading, studying, and searching the scriptures in a way that enables us to hold fast to the rod of iron?” (speeches.byu.edu).

   Then, just a week after my conversation with Elder Bednar, President Boyd K. Packer gave a BYU devotional address entitled “Lehi’s Dream and You.” President Packer emphasized the rod of iron as the personal revelation and inspiration that come to us through the Holy Ghost. He said: “If you hold to the rod, you can feel your way forward with the gift of the Holy Ghost. … Grasp the iron rod, and do not let go. Through the power of the Holy Ghost, you can feel your way through life” (Jan. 16, 2007, speeches.byu.edu).

   My subject, “Hold Fast to the Words of the Prophets,” in March 2007 was the iron rod as representing the words of the living prophets (Mar. 4, 2007, speeches.byu.edu).

   The connection of these three talks was no coincidence. The hand of the Lord was at work as three talks, prepared for the same audience, identified three aspects of the iron rod, or the word of God: (1) the scriptures, or the words of ancient prophets; (2) the words of living prophets; and (3) the power of the Holy Ghost. It was an important learning experience for me.

5. Hwɛ 1 Nephi 8:4–14

6. 1 Nephi 11:25

7. John 3:16

8. Hwɛ David A. Bednar, “Lehi’s Dream: Holding Fast to the Rod,” Liahona, Ɔbɛsɛ 2011, 32–37.

9. 1 Nephi 11:23

10. 1 Nephi 8:28

11. Hwɛ Boyd K. Packer, “Lehi’s Dream and You” (Brigham Young University devotional, Sanda 16, 2007), speeches.byu.edu.

12. Russell M. Nelson, “We Can Do Better and Be Better,” Liahona, Esusow Aketseaba 2019, 68.

13. 1 Nephi 8:33

14. Stephen Jason Hall, “The Gift of Home,” New Era, Mumu 1994, 12.

15. Stephen Jason Hall, “Helping Hands,” New Era, Ɔbɛsɛ 1995, 46, 47.

16. Personal correspondence to Elder Andersen from Kolette Hall.

17. Personal correspondence to Elder Andersen from Kolette Hall.

18. Funeral talk by Coleman Hall, shared with Elder Andersen by Kolette Hall.

19. Russell M. Nelson, “Joy and Spiritual Survival,” Liahona, Ɔbrɛfɛw 2016, 82, 84.

20. 3 Nephi 21:6

21. Hwɛ 2 Nephi 26:25,33

22. Nkyerɛkyerɛ na Ahyɛmudzi 6:36

23. 1 Nephi 15:36

24. John 15:5

25. Russell M. Nelson, “The Second Great Commandment,” Liahona, Ɔberɛfɛw 2019, 100.