Mme Bishop—Mme Andibɔk Otu-erong Jehovah

Etop otode Elder Quentin L. Cook

Eke Eboho mme Apostle Duopeba

Bishop enyene akpan utom ndinam nte andibɔk man ada obufa emana usung, osok Jesus Christ.

Ndima ndito-ete mi eke itie-oku, ata akpan edi-ti udim ke ikwo emi enehede ema obup ete, “Nte iwaad ke Zion ekeme ndife-mme?”¹ Uyoho-esit ye mfiak-nting ubiere mi ke ndiboro mbume oro edi “Ihn-ihn!”

Ndikut ete ke iboro oro edi akpaniko, ami metie-ntiense mfin emi ke ndinwam mbufa emana ke ini ndutime mfina ye idomo edi akpan ubiong emi Ete Heaven onode mme ete ye eka ye mbon bishopric.² Yak ami mmen ufon bishopric kiet nwut ye ifik-ukpeb eke idem mi.

Ini emi ami nkedide deacon, ufokemana mi ema eworo eka obufa ufokidung ke ward efen. Ami nketongo ufoknwed secondri, ntre ami nkeka obufa ufoknwed nko. Nti eboho mkparawa iren ema edu ke eboho deacon oro. Ediwak mme ete ye eka mmo ekedi esin-idem mbon ufok Abasi. Eka mi ama enehede esin-idem, ete miekedi isio-isio ke ofuri usung edi iketimke isin-idem.

Udiana onoitem ke bishopric,³ Brother Dean Eyre, ekedi eti adausung. Inieke ami nkoyomke ndimehe ye obufa ward emi, ema esian edinam eke ete-ye-eyeneren ke Bear Lake—oyomde usung ekpere 40 miles (65km). Ami nkekereke ke ami nyeka ke ete mi misangake. Edi Brothet Eyre ono mi asanga-sanga ikoot ete ami nsanga ye imo nka. Enye ama eting nti ye iko-ukpono abanga ete mi onyung eting se oworo ke ufang mi ndidu ye mbon eboho mme deacon eken. Ntem ami mbiere ndika ye Brother Eyre, ndien ami mma nnyene eti ifiok-ukpeb.

Brother Eyre ekedi eti uwutnkpo eke mbiet-ima Christ ke ndinam ubiong-utom bishopric man anwam mme ete ye eka ke ndibem nyung nkama iwaad. Enye ama ono mi eti ntongo ke obufa ward emi onyung edi owut-usung ono mi.

Esisit ofiong mbemiso ami nka mission ke 1960, Brother Eyre amaebe efep oto udongo cancer ke isua Edip-ye-efurenang. Enye okokpong nwan kiet ye ndito mmo ition, kpukpru ekpride ekan isua Efurekiet. Mkpon-nkan ndito iren esie, Richard ye Chris Eyre, ekedoho mi ete ke ufot ini eke ete mmo miduhe, mme bishopric ema enwam enyung ebem mmo ye mkpri ndito-eka iren ye iban mmo ke mbiet-ima Christ, eke ami nkopde inem mbanga.

Kpukpru ini mme ete ye eka enyene akpan ubiong eno ufokemana mmo.⁴ Mme eboho presidency nko eno mbon eboho akpan unwam ye ndausung ke ndinwam mmo ke ndimenere utom ye odudu eke Itie-oku Aaron nsin ke ufot uwem mmo.⁵

Ekpeme-erong ye erong

Uduak mi mfin emi edi nditing-enyin nse mme bishop ye mme onoitem mmo, emi ekpenehede ekot “mme andibɔk otu-erong Jehovah”—ye ndidian do ke ndidi mme andikpeme nno obufa emana emi.⁶ Enem nte ke Apostle Peter okokot Jesus Christ nte “Andibɔk ue Andikpeme ukpong fo.”⁷

Bishop enyene akpan ubiongutom ition ke nte akarade ward kiet:

1. Enye akwa oku andikara ke ward.⁸

2. Enye edi ada-ibuot eke Itie-oku Aaron.⁹

3. Enye edi eti ekpe-ikpe kiet.¹⁰

4. Enye akama utom erinyanga-ukpong ye edimenere, esinede ndise mbon nnana enyin.¹¹

5. Ndien enye akama mme nwed, nkpo-okuk, ye nte ekamade ebiet Ufok Abasi.¹²

Ke utom esie nte akwa oku andikara, bishop edi “adausung ke nkpo-Abasi” ke ward.¹³ Enye edi “eti mbet Jesus Christ kiet.”¹⁴

Ndidian do, “bishop akama utom erinyanga-ukpong ye edimenere ke ward.”¹⁵ Akpana bishop ono mme presidency elders quorum ye Relief Society ubiongutom edibuana iko Abasi, ndisongo mbufa owo ye mbon emi efiakde edi idem, ke ndinwam, ye utom temple ye family history ke-usen-ke-usen.¹⁶ Bishop akama utom emi ke esop ward ye esop eke iwaad ke ward.

Bishop enyene akpan utom ndinam nte andibɔk man ada obufa emana usung, esinede young single adults, osok Jesus Christ.¹⁷ President Russell M. Nelson ama eting-abanga ntippe utom eke bishop ye mme onoitem esie. Enye ekekpeb ete ke “akpa ye ata akpan ubiong edi ndise mkparawa iren ye nkaiferi iban eke ward [mmo] enyin.”¹⁸ Bishopric enwam mme ete ye eka ke ndikpeme nyung mbɔk ndito-owong ye iwaad ke ward. Bishop ye president Nkaiferi Iban ke ward ediomi otokiet. Mmo edomo man enwam iwaad ndinim mme mbet eke Abangade Nsongoda eke Iwaad, edot edi-bo edinam-iko-Abasi, enam enyung enim ndisana ediomi.

Mbufo eyebup ete, “Nsidi ntak emi etemede bishop ete abiat ediwak ini ntem ye mme iwaad?” Jehovah ama asiak Ufok Abasi Esie man mme akpa akpan utom okure. Nte ekemde, edisiak Ufok Abasi Esie enyene adaha emi bishop enyenede ubiongutom iba. Enye enyene ubiong ikpo-ukpebnkpo ono ward ke ofuri ndaha, edi enye nko enyene akpan ubiong ono eboho priest.¹⁹

Mkparawa iren emi edide priest ye nkaiferi iban eke ukem isua oro edu ke ata akpan ndaha ke uwem ye nkori mmo. Ke ata esisiti ibio ini, mmo enam mme ubiere emi esinde edibighe mfina ke uwem mmɔ. Mmɔ ebiere mme ikpedot edika temple, edika mission,²⁰ ndomo edidɔ-ndɔ ke temple, ye edibenge-idem utom eke uwem mmo. Mme ubiere emi, inikiet enamde, enyene akpan utom ke spirit ye edinam ke ofuri eyo uwem mmɔ. Mme bishop, mbok ediongo ete ke esisit ini emi ebiatde ye ekpri priest kiet, nkaiferi, mme young adult kiet ekeme ndinwam mmo ndifiok odudu emi odude ono mmo oto ke Eriso-isop Jesus Christ. Oro ekeme ndino nkukut emi edinyenede akpan ufɔn ke ofuri uwem mmɔ.

Bishop Mahe ye mme onoitem esie

Kiet kotu eti uwutnkpo eke ami nkutde kabanga bishop emi akanwamde ndinɔ oruk nukut emi nno mme iwaad esie ekedi Bishop Moa Mahe. Ekekot enye ndidi akpa bishop eke San Francisco Tongan Ward.²¹ Enye ekedi odudung emi otode Vava’u, Tonga. Ward esie akada ekpere anwa ubom-ofim eke San Francisco, California, ebiet emi enye anamde utom.²²

Tonga ward

Ward oro ema enyene ata ediwak ibat iwaad, ediwak mmo etode mme ufokemana emi mibighike ekeworo-edidung ke United States. Bishop Mahe ikekpebke mmo danga ekpedi nnen-nnen mbet Jesus Christ ke iko ye uwutnkpo kpot, edi enye nko ama anwam ndino mmo ndikut se mmo ekemeke ndikabare ndi onyung anwam mmo ndibenge-idem nka temple, mission, ufoknwed, ye utom. Enye akanam-utom ke ekperede ndisim isua itiaita, ndien uduak ye udong esie kabanga mme iwaad akabare edi oworo-osu.

Ekperede ibat percent mkparawa iren Anang-ye-duop ke mme eboho Itie-oku Aaron ema eka mission. Mkparawa iren ye nkaiferi iban Efut ekedi mme akpa mbon Ufok Abasi ke ufokemana mmo ndika ikpo ufoknwed.²³ Enye ama oso-bo ye etubom ufoknwed secondri eke obio (idige owo ufok Abasi nnyin), ndien mmo enam ufan enyung eduak danga ekpenwam mkpri owo kiet-kiet man enyene nti uduak enyung ekan afanikong mmo. Etubom oro odoho mi ete ke Bishop Mahe ama anwam imo ke ndinam utom ye mme odu-dung eke kpukpru edu-ukpono emi ekenyenede mfina. Mme mkpri owo emi ema ediongo ete ke bishop ama mmo.

Ke mbom, Bishop Mahe ama ebe efeb kini anamde-utom nte bishop. Ami ndifreke mfufuho ye enyene-mbom itie-mkpa esie. Owo ema ewak eti-eti. Nkaikwo okodongo nti mkpri mbon ufok Abasi akande Edip-ye-efurekiet emi ema ekeka mission mme edi-ka ufoknwed ndien ekedi mme iwaad kini utom esie nte bishop. Eting-iko kiet ama owut ata ido ekom eketode mme iwaad ye young adults eke ward esie. Enye ama oto-mo Bishop Mahe ke nkukut emi emi okonode mmo ke ndibengeidem nno uwem ye nnen-nnen utom-unwam. Edi ata akpn-nkpo, Bishop Mahe ama anwam mmo ke ndisongo mbuotidem mmo ke Obong Jesus Christ nte itiat-idak-isong eke uwem mmo.

Idahaemi, mme bishop, ebiet ekededi emi enamde-utom, ke ndungore mbufo ye mme ebuana efen, mbufo emekeme ndino oruk nkukut oro enyung ebop mbuotidem ke Jesus Christ. Mbufo emekeme ndino osongo ikoot man ekpuho ido, ebenge mmo idem ono uwem, onyung anam mmo edu ke usung ediomi.

Ke ndidian do, mbufo eyenwam ubak iwaad emi edude ke mfina ye mme ete ye eka mmo ke mme nkpo eke mitimke idi akpan-nkpo.²⁴ Ke ini emi ebietde nte mkpri owo enyene ikpo mfina ye mme ete ye eka mmo, owo emi edide-ibuot ke eboho mmo ye enye emi mmo eborode ke ufok Abasi nko edi owo emi mme ete ye eka mmo ebinede ekebo mme recommend eke temple. Emi enim bishop ke asanag-sanga ndaha ndino iwaad ye mme ete ye eka mmo item kini eneni ama ekesin ubahare. Mme bishop ekeme ndinwam ke ndise nkpo ye nsinsi ekikere ndien ono ubiere ke akpan-nkpo mme eke midihe akpan-nkpo. Nnyin iteme ete ekuno mme bishop utom edinwam mme ufokemana man mmo ekeme ndida ini ye odudu mmo nnwam mme iwaad ye ufokemana mmo ke mme oruk ndaha ntem.²⁵

Ami mefiok mbanga bishop kiet emi ekekemede ndisuhore ata utɔk ke ufɔt eyeneren ye ete esie, ada edidiana-kiet esin ke ufokidung onyung asiak edisin-ifik nno ikɔ Abasi. Bishop oro ama anwam ete ye eka ndifiok ete ke ndidomo man edi mbet Jesus Christ ofon akan nditim nse danga ye ini emi enamde utom ufokemana ekure.

Man otodo enyene ediwak ini ye mme iwaad, ke ebiet mmo edude, edide ke nkpo ufokenwed mme edinam, eteme mme bishopric ete ede-me ini ke ediso-bo ye edino item ye mme ikpo owo. Kini mme bishop enode item ke ikpo ye usop-usop nkpo, nnyin imete-me yak ede-me utom nkaiso edino item eke edibighe, esisit nkpo eke miyomke ubiere kabanga edisana-ido eno mbon elders quorum mme Relief Society—nte mme presidency mme ono-unwam ndito-eka irenowo ye iban. Spirit eyekpeme mme adausung²⁶ ke ndimek nnen-nnen owo man enam item emi. Mbon emi ebode udeme ubiongutom edino item emi edot edi-bo eriyarare. Mmo, nte ededi, ana enyene ata akpan mfara-ke-inua kpukpru ini.

Kpukpru ini mme nti adausung esiwa-idem eno obufa emana. Emi edi ebiet eke mbon bishopric ebiatde ediwak ini mmo ndinam-utom Ufok Abasi.

Ami idahaemi mmoyom nditing esisit nkpo akpan-akpan nno mme iwaad ndien ekem nting nno mme bishop nnyin.

Ekeme ndi-di ediwak mbufo nti mkpri owo inyeneke anwaga nkukut ebanga owo emi edide ye owo emi mbufo ekemeke ndikabare ndi. Edi mbufo edu ke ntongo ata akpan ubiere emi mbufo edinamde ke uwem mbufo. Mbok eneme ye ete ye eka ye bishop mbufo ebanga mme akpan mbumek emi anade mbufo ke iso. Eyak bishop edi ufan ye onoitem mbufo.

Nnyin imofiok ke mbufo emenyene idomo ye afanikong emi otode ofuri usung ebine mbufo. Ana nte kpukpru nnyin ikabare esit kpukpru usen, ke nte President Nelson ekekpebde. Mbok eneme ye bishop mbufo ebanga nkpo ekededi emi eti ebiere-ikpe ekemede ndinwam mbufo man anam uwem mbufo ekem ye Jehovah ke ndibenge-idem nno “akwa utom” emi Enye enyenede ono mbufo ke akpatre emana emi.²⁷ Nte Presdent Nelson ama okokot mbufo, mbok enim idem mbufo ndidi kiet kotu udim-ekong iwaad Jehovah!²⁸

Idahaemi iko kiet enyenede mbufo mme nti bishop ke ibuot ndausung ye mbon Ufok Abasi. Nnyin imeno akpan ekom nnyin esok mbufo. Diana ye edinam-ekem emi ekeyomde ete mbufo enam ke mmi-mmi isua emi, ndima bishop mbok ediongo ke nnyin imema inyung ikom mbufo. Owo ikemeke nditing mbanga ukemeutom emi mbufo esinde ke obio-ubong. Ufok Abasi enyene ibat mme bishop ye branch president 30,900 emi enamde-utom ke ofuri ererimbot.²⁹ Nnyin imekpono mbufo owo kiet-kiet.

Ubak mme iko ye edisana ikoot emi owutde mmo oyoho ye ata nkpo-Abasi, emi ufon awakde. Mme ikoot eke bishop edi iboro emi obopde ntongo oruk iko oro Ndinam-utom nno Jehovah ke ndaha emi ofon ke ediwak usung. Edikot, edinyime, ye edimek bishop edi ifiok-ukpeb eke mukemeke-ndifre. Eke mi, oro okodu ye esisit ibat ndiwut mme edinam ke akwa ndaha ye akamba ekikere emi owutde ikoot oro. Ikoot oro enehede odu ke ndaha nti edinam nte ndɔ ye ndidi-ete emi owo mikemeke nditing-nwut ke esisit iko.³⁰

Mme bishop, nnyin imenyime mbufo! Mme bishop, nnyin imema mbufo! Mbufo edi nti andibɔk enɔ Jehovah ke ndikpeme otu-erong Esie. Andinyanga idifreke mbufo ke mme ndisana ikoot emi. K’emi ke ami nting-ikɔ ntiense mbanga, ke utit-urua ini Easter emi, ke enying Jesus Christ, amen.

Mkpri nwed

1. “True to the Faith,” Hymns,, no. 254.

2. Youth leaders, quorum and class presidencies, and other Church leaders share this responsibility.

3. The bishop is president of the priests quorum. His first counselor has responsibility for the teachers quorum, and his second counselor has responsibility for the deacons quorum. (See General Handbook: Serving in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 10.3, ChurchofJesusChrist.org.)

4. Se Doctrine and Covenants 58:25–28.

5. Se Quentin L. Cook, “Adjustments to Strengthen Youth,” Liahona, Nov. 2019, 40–43.

6. The use of the word bishop applies with equal force to our faithful branch presidents.

7. 1 Peter 2:25.

8. Se General Handbook, 6.1.1.

9. See General Handbook, 6.1.2.

10. See General Handbook, 6.1.3.

11. See General Handbook, 6.1.4.

12. See General Handbook, 6.1.5.

13. General Handbook, 6.1.1; see also General Handbook, 6.1.1.1–6.1.1.4.

14. General Handbook, 6.1.1.

15. General Handbook, 6.1.4.

16. Se General Handbook, 21.2; 23.5; 25.2.

17. Se General Handbook, 6.1; 14.3.3.1; see also Quentin L. Cook, “Adjustments to Strengthen Youth,” 40–43. The bishop has also been encouraged to spend more time with his wife and family. Such focus is made possible as capable adult advisers and specialists are called to assist the Aaronic Priesthood quorum presidencies and the bishopric in their duties.

18. Russell M. Nelson, “Witnesses, Aaronic Priesthood Quorums, and Young Women Classes,” Liahona,, Nov. 2019, 39.

19. Se Doctrine and Covenants 107:87–88.

20. “The Lord expects each able young man to prepare to serve [a mission] (see Doctrine and Covenants 36:1, 4–7). Young women and senior members who desire to serve should also prepare. An essential part of preparation is striving to become converted to Jesus Christ and His restored gospel. Those who desire to serve also prepare physically, mentally, emotionally, and financially” (General Handbook, 24.0).

21. The ward was organized on December 17, 1980. Elder John H. Groberg of the First Quorum of the Seventy helped organize this Tongan-language ward. (See Gordon Ashby, chairman, and Donna Osgood, ed., The San Francisco California Stake: The First 60 Years, 1927–1987 [1987], 49–52.))

22. Bishop Mahe had advanced to a management position with Pan American Airlines at the San Francisco, California, International Airport.

23. See History of San Francisco California Stake, 49.

24. They may also be rebelling against things that are eternally significant.

25. See General Handbook, 21.2.1.

26. The bishop will coordinate with the elders quorum and Relief Society presidencies with respect to who should be assigned and how loving and caring follow-up should be achieved.

27. Doctrine ye Covenants 64:33.

28. Se Russell M. Nelson, “Hope of Israel” (worldwide youth devotional, June 3, 2018), HopeofIsrael.ChurchofJesusChrist.org.

29. As of February 19, 2021, there were 24,035 bishops and 6,865 branch presidents serving throughout the world.

30. I was called as the bishop of the Burlingame Ward in California in 1974 by President David B. Barlow and set apart on September 15, 1974, by Elder Neal A. Maxwell, who had recently been called as an Assistant to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.