14:46

Ahwɛfoɔ—Nnwanhwɛfoɔ wɔ Awurade Nnwankuo so

Elder Quentin L. Cook na ɔde maae

Ɔka Asomafoɔ Dumienu Kuo no ho

Ɔhwɛfoɔ no wɔ diberɛ kɛseɛ bi sɛ ɔsom sɛ odwanhwɛfoɔ de kyerɛ awoɔ ntoatoasoɔ a ɛresɔreɛ no kwan kɔ Yesu Kristo nkyɛn.

Me nuanom asɔfofoɔ, kyerɛpɛn no mu baako a ɛyɛ nkaeɛ kɛse pa ara wɔ nnwom a yɛpɛ pa ara mu bisa sɛ, “Sion mmabunu bɛhinhim anaa?”¹ Mede atenka a ɛmu dɔ ne ɛnne a abunkam so de to dwa sɛ “Daabi!”

Rehyɛ mu den sɛ saa mmuaeɛ yi kɔ so yɛ nokorɛ no, medi adanseɛ ɛnnɛ yi sɛ yɛretae awoɔ ntoatoasoɔ a ɛresɔre yi akyiri wɔ berɛ a nsɛm denden a ɛntaa nsi ne nsɔhwɛ mu no, ɛyɛ asodie a ɛho hia a Ɔsoro Agya de ama awofoɔ ne ahwɛfoɔ.² Ma memfa me ankasa suahunu nkyerɛ mu mfa hia a ahwɛfoɔ ho hia.

Berɛ a na meyɛ dikɔn no, m’abusua tu kɔɔ efie foforɔ mu wɔ wɔɔd foforɔ mu. Na merehyɛ junior high sukuu ase, nti mekɔɔ sukuu foforɔ mu. Na mmerantewaa kuo nwanwasoɔ bi wɔ hɔ wɔ dikɔnfoɔ kuo no mu. Na wɔn awofoɔ no mu dodoɔ no yɛ asafomma ahokekafoɔ. Na me maame yɛ ɔhokekafoɔ mua; na me papa da mu fua wɔ ɔkwan biara so, mmom na ɔnyɛ asafoba ɔhokekafoɔ.

Na fotufoɔ a ɔtɔ so mmienu wɔ ahwɛfoɔ no mu,³ Onuabarima Dean Eyre, yɛ ɔkandifoɔ dɔfoɔ. Berɛ a na meresiesie me ho ahunu wɔɔd no mu yie no, wɔbɔɔ agya-ne-ɔba dwumadie bi a na ɛbɛkɔ so wɔ Bear Lake—bɛyɛ kwansini 40 (65km) ntam, ho dawuro. Mansusu sɛ mɛkɔ a me papa nka ho. Mmom Onuabarima Eyre too nsa frɛɛ me kwan sononko so sɛ mene no nkɔ. Ɔde nidie ne obuo kasa faa me papa ho na ɔsii m’akwanya a ɛho hia so dua sɛ mɛka ekuo mma afoforɔ no ho wɔ dikɔnfoɔ kuo no mu. Ɛno nti medwenee ho sɛ me ne Onuabarima Eyre bɛkɔ, na menyaa suahunu a ɛyɛ nwanwa.

Na Onuabarima Eyre yɛ Kristo su ɔdɔ mu nhwɛsoɔ nwanwasoɔ, ma ɛma ahwɛfoɔ no asodie ba mu sɛ wɔreboa awofoɔ ma wɔwɛn na wɔtete mmabunu no. Ɔmaa me ahyɛaseɛ a ɛkyɛn so wɔ saa wɔɔd foforɔ yi mu na ɔyɛɛ fotufoɔ maa me.

Bosome kakra bi ansa na merekɔ asɛmpatrɛ adwuma wɔ 1960 mu no, Onuabarima Eyre firii kokoram yareɛ mu wuui a wadi mfeɛ 39. Ɔgyaa ɔyere ne wɔn mma num, a wɔn nyinaa susua a ebi nnii mfeɛ 16. Ne mma mmarima mpaninfoɔ, Richard ne Chris Eyre, ama me awerɛhyɛmu sɛ wɔn papa a ɔnni hɔ nti, ahwɛfoɔ aboa wɔn de Kristo su mu ɔdɔ ahwɛ wɔn so ne wɔn nnuammarima ne mmaa nketewa no, a meda ase wɔ ɛno mu.

Asodie titire a awofoɔ bɛnya no berɛ nyinaa ne sɛ wɔhwɛ wɔn mmusua.⁴ Akuo atitenafoɔ nso ma mmoa a ɛhia ne akwankyerɛ ma ekuo asafomma berɛ a wɔreboa wɔn ama wɔapagya Aaron Asɔfodie no asɛdeɛ ne tumi akɔ wɔn asetena mfimfini.⁵

Ɛnnɛ me botaeɛ ne sɛ yɛbɛtwe yɛn adwene akɔ ahwɛfoɔ ne wɔn afotufoɔ so, a ɛfata sɛ wɔfrɛ wɔn “nnwanhwɛfoɔ wɔ Awurade nnwankuo so”—de asoyɛ kɔ sɛ wɔyɛ nnwanhwɛfoɔ ma awoɔ ntoatoasoɔ a ɛresɔreɛ no so.⁶ Ɛyɛ anigyesɛm sɛ Ɔsomafoɔ Petro kyerɛɛ Yesu Kristo sɛ “Odwanhwɛfoɔ no ne yɛn kra hwɛfoɔ.”⁷

Ɔhwɛfoɔ a ɔhwɛ wɔɔd so no wɔ asodie titire num:

Ɔno ne ɔsɔfo panin hwɛsofoɔ wɔ wɔɔd no mu.⁸
Ɔno ne Aaron Asɔfodie no titenani.⁹
Ɔyɛ ɔtemmufoɔ ma obiara.¹⁰
Ɔhyehyɛ nkwagyeɛ adwuma ne mmasoɔ, na ɔhwɛ onnibiefoɔ no so ka ho.¹¹
Na ɔhwɛ twerɛtohɔsɛm so, sikasɛm, ne sɛdeɛ yɛbɛtena yɛn hyiadan mu.¹²

Wɔ ne diberɛ mu sɛ ɔsɔfo panin hwɛsofoɔ no, ɔhwɛfoɔ no yɛ wɔɔd no “honhom mu kandifoɔ.”¹³ Ɔyɛ “Yesu Kristo suani nokwafoɔ.”¹⁴

Ɛka ho no, “ɔhwɛfoɔ no hyehyɛ nkwagyeɛ adwuma ne mmasoɔ wɔ wɔɔd no mu.”¹⁵ Ɛwɔ sɛ ɔhwɛfoɔ no de daa ne daa asodie sɛ wɔkyɛ asɛmpa no ma, hyɛ asafomma afoforɔ ne wɔn a wɔresan aba no den, resom, ne tɛmpol ne abusua abakɔsɛm adwuma no ma elderfoɔ kuo ne Mmaakuo atitenafoɔ no.¹⁶ Ɔhwɛfoɔ no hyehyɛ saa adwuma yi wɔ wɔɔd agyinatuo ne wɔɔd mmabunu agyinatuo mu.

Ɔhwɛfoɔ no wɔ diberɛ kɛseɛ bi sɛ ɔsom sɛ odwanhwɛfoɔ de kyerɛ awoɔ ntoatoasoɔ a ɛresɔre no kwan, a nnɛɛmmafoɔ ka ho, kɔ Yesu Kristo nkyɛn.¹⁷ Titenani Russell M. Nelson asi ɔhwɛfoɔ no ne n’aboafoɔ nkɛntɛnsoɔ diberɛ no so dua. W’akyerɛkyerɛ sɛ “wɔn asodie titire ne deɛ ɛdi kan ne sɛ wɔbɛhwɛ mmeranteɛ ne mmaayewa a wɔwɔ [wɔn] wɔɔd mu.”¹⁸ Ɔhwɛfoɔ ne n’aboafoɔ boa awofoɔ ma wɔwɛn na wɔtete nkwadaa ne mmabunu wɔ wɔɔd no mu. Ɔhwɛfoɔ no ne Mmaayewa no titenani no bɔ mu tu fo. Wɔbɔ mmɔden boa mmabunu no ma wɔde gyinapɛn a ɛwɔ For the Strength of Youthmu no bɔ bra, deɛ ɛma wɔfata sɛ wɔyɛ ayɛyɛdeɛ, na wɔyɛ na wɔkora apam kronkron.

Mobɛtumi abisa sɛ, “Adɛn na wɔakyerɛ ɔhwɛfoɔ no sɛ ɔnsɛe berɛ bebree sei wɔ mmabunu no ho?” Awurade ahyehyɛ N’Asɔre sɛ ɛbɛwie dwumadie kɛseɛ a ɛho hia kɛse no. Ne saa nti, N’Asɔre no ahyehyɛdeɛ wɔ nhyehyɛeɛ bi a ɔhwɛfoɔ no wɔ asodie mmienu. Ɔwɔ nkyerɛkyerɛ ho asodie ma wɔɔd mu no nyinaa, mmom ɔsan nso wɔ nkyerɛkyerɛ pɔtee ho asodie ma asɔfoɔ kuo no.¹⁹

Mmerantewaa a wɔyɛ asɔfoɔ no ne mmaayewa a wɔwɔ afe korɔ mu no wɔ gyinapɛn a ɛho hia kɛse wɔ wɔn asetena nyini mu. Wɔ berɛ tiawa bi mu no, wɔtumi si gyinaeɛ a ne titirie no ɛnya nkwa nna so ntotoɔ. Wɔkyerɛ sɛdeɛ wɔbɛfata sɛ wɔkɔ tɛmpol, som asɛmpatrɛ adwuma,²⁰ bɔ mmɔden sɛ wɔbɛware wɔ tɛmpol mu, na wɔsiesie wɔn ho ma wɔn abrabɔ adwuma. Sɛ wɔnya yɛ saa gyinaeɛsie yi a, ɛnya honhom mu ne anisoɔ ntotoɔ a ɛmu dɔ yie wɔ wɔn nkwa nna a aka so. Ahwɛfoɔ, mesrɛ mo, monhunu sɛ berɛ ketewa bi a wobɛsɛe wɔ ɔsɔfo kumaa anaa abaayewa kumaa anaa ɔbabunu ho no bɛtumi aboa wɔn ma wɔate tumi a ɛwɔ hɔ ma wɔn no ase nam Yesu Kristo Mpata no so. Ɛbɛtumi ama wɔn anisoadehunu a ɛbɛnya nkɛntɛnsoɔ a ɛmu dɔ wɔ wɔn asetena nyinaa mu.

Nhwɛsoɔ papapaa no mu baako a mahunu fa ɔhwɛfoɔ a ɔboa maa ne mmabunu nyaa saa anisoadehunu yi ne Ɔhwɛfoɔ Moa Mahe. Wɔfrɛɛ no maa ɔbɛyɛɛ ɔhwɛfoɔ a ɔdi kan wɔ San Francisco Tongan Wɔɔd.²¹ Na ɔyɛ otukɔtenafoɔ firi Vava’u, Tonga. Na ne wɔɔd no bɛn San Francisco, California, wiemhyɛn agyinaeɛ, baabi a na ɔyɛ adwuma.²²

Na wɔɔd no wɔ mmabunu bebree bi, a dodoɔ no firi mmusua a wɔatu aba United States a ɛnkyɛreeɛ. Ɔhwɛfoɔ Mahe amfa nhwɛsoɔ nko ara so ankyerɛ wɔn nsɛm no sɛ wɔnyɛ Yesu Kristo asuafoɔ ateneneefoɔ, mmom ɔboaae nso maa wɔmaa wɔn anisoadehunu fa sɛdeɛ wɔbɛtumi abɛyɛ, boaa wɔn siesiee wɔn ho maa tɛmpol, asɛmpatrɛ adwuma, nwomasua ne adwuma. Ɔsomm bɛyɛ mfeɛ nwɔtwe, na n’adaeɛso ne ne pɛ ma mmabunu no bɛyɛɛ nokwasɛm.

Ɛyɛɛ sɛ Aaron Asɔfodie akuo no mu mmeranteɛ ɔha nkyɛmu 90 somm asɛmpatrɛ adwuma. Mmeranteɛ ne mmaayewa dunum yɛɛ asafomma a wɔdii kan wɔ wɔn mmusua mu a wɔkɔɔ kɔlegyi.²³ Ɔhyiaa sukuu panin ma ɔmantam high sukuu no (ɔnni yɛn gyedie mu),na wɔnwenee nnamfofa na wɔbɔɔ mu hwɛɛ sɛdeɛ wɔbɛboa nkwadaa no mu biara ma wɔanya botaeɛ a mfasoɔ wɔ so na wɔadi ɔhaw so nkonim. Sukuu panin no kakyerɛɛ me sɛ Ɔhwɛfoɔ Mahe boaa no wɔ atubrafoɔ no adwumayɛ mu ma gyedie ahodoɔ no nyinaa a na wɔredi aperepereɛ. Mmabunu no hunuu sɛ na ɔhwɛfoɔ no dɔ wɔn.

Awerɛhosɛm, Ɔhwɛfoɔ Mahe wuui berɛ a na ɔresom sɛ ɔhwɛfoɔ. N’awerɛhoɔ ne nkanyan ayie no, me werɛ remfiri da. Na nnipakuo kɛseɛ pa ara na ɛwɔ hɔ. Na nnwontofoɔkuo no boro asafomma nkumaa nokwafoɔ 35 a wɔasom asɛmpatrɛ adwuma anaa wɔrekɔ ntoasoɔ sukuu a na wɔyɛ mmabunu berɛ a na ɔresom sɛ ɔhwɛfoɔ no. Ɔkasafoɔ baako kyerɛɛ anisɔ atenka a ano yɛ den a ɛfiri mmabunu ne mmeranteɛ a wɔwɔ ne wɔɔd hɔ no. Ɔkamfoo Ɔhwɛfoɔ Mahe wɔ n’anisoadehunu a ɔde maa wɔn de siesiee wɔn abrabɔ ne tenenee som. Nanso deɛ ɛhia kɛse no, Ɔhwɛfoɔ Mahe aboa wɔn ma wɔanya gyedie wɔ Awurade Yesu Kristo mu sɛ wɔn asetena mu fapem.

Afei, ahwɛfoɔ, baabiara a mosom, wɔ mo mmɔanimu mu ne fekuo afoforɔ mu no, mobɛtumi ama saa anisoadehunu yi na moanwene gyedie wɔ Yesu Kristo mu. Mobɛtumi ato nsa afrɛ wɔ ahoɔden mu de asesa suban, asiesie wɔn ama abrabɔ, na moahyɛ wɔn nkuran ma wɔatena apam kwan no so.

Ɛka ho no, mobɛtumi aboa mmabunu binom a wɔne wɔn awofoɔ wɔ ntawantawa wɔ nneɛma a ɛho nhia biara so.²⁴ Wɔ berɛ a mmabunu hunu no sɛ wɔne wɔn awofoɔ wɔ ntawantawa pii no, onipa a ɔhwɛ wɔn kuo so na wɔbua wɔn wɔ asɔfosɛm mu no nso ne onipa a wɔn awofoɔ no kɔgye tɛmpol adasedie krataa. Yei de ɔhwɛfoɔ no si gyinabea soronko so sɛ ɔtu ɔbabunu ne wɔn awofoɔ no fo berɛ a aperedie de ntetemu aba wɔn ntam. Ahwɛfoɔ bɛtumi aboa ma wɔn baanu no ahwɛ nneɛma afiri ɛnni awieɛ nhumu so na wɔsiesie nsɛm fa deɛ ɛho hia anaa ɛho nhia ho. Yɛsusu sɛ mma wɔmma ahwɛfoɔ no ɔsom abusua, sɛdeɛ wɔbɛtumi de wɔn berɛ ne ahoɔden asom mmabunu no ne wɔn mmusua wɔ saa tebea yeinom mu.²⁵

Menim ɔhwɛfoɔ baako bi a ɔtumi siesiee aperedie a ɛso yie wɔ ɔbabarima bi ne n’awofoɔ ntam, a ɛde nkabom baa efie na ɛboa pagyaa asɛmpa no mu ahofama. Ɔhwɛfoɔ no boaa awofoɔ no ma wɔtee aseɛ sɛ, yɛrebɔ mmɔden ayɛ Yesu Kristo asuafoɔ no ho hia kɛse pa ara kyɛn sɛdeɛ yɛbɛyɛ abusua dwumadie pɛpɛɛpɛ.

Sɛdeɛ yɛbɛnya mmabunu ho berɛ pii no, baabiara a wɔwɔ, sɛ sukuu mu abasɛm anaa dwumadie, wɔatu ahwɛfoɔ ne wɔn aboafoɔ fo sɛ wɔnnane nhyiamu a ɛfata ne afotuo berɛ mma mpaninfoɔ. Berɛ a ahwɛfoɔ tumi tu fo wɔ nsɛm denden ne anibereɛ mu no, yɛkamfo sɛ nsɛm bi a ɛwɔ daa a wɔretu ho fo, na ɛnyɛ anibereɛ kɛse na ɛmfa atemmuo a ɛfa ahonidie ho no, bɛtumi adane ama elderfoɔ kuo anaa Mmaakuo—tititriw atitenafoɔ no anaa nnuammarima ne nnuammaa a wɔsom wɔn no. Honhom no bɛkyerɛ akannifoɔ no kwan²⁶ ama wɔayi asafomma papa no ma wɔahwɛ saa afotusɛm yi so. Ɛwɔ sɛ wɔn a wɔgye saa afotuo dane ma dwumadie yi tumi nya adiyisɛm. Ɛsɛ sɛ, nokorɛ mu, wɔkora kokoamu nsɛm no katee berɛ nyinaa.

Akannifoɔ temafoɔ no de wɔn ho bɔ afɔdeɛ ma awoɔ ntoatoasoɔ a ɛresɔreɛ no berɛ nyinaa. Ɛha na asafomma a wɔyɛ ɔhwɛfoɔ ne aboafoɔ no sɛe wɔn Asɔre som berɛ dodoɔ no .

Afei mepɛ sɛ meka nsɛm kakra pɔtee bi kyerɛ mmabunu no na afei yɛn ahwɛfoɔ no.

Mo mmabunu a mo somboɔ yi mu dodoɔ no ntumi nyaa anisoadehunu pefee fa nnipa korɔ a moyɛ ne deɛ mobɛtumi abɛyɛ. Nanso mowɔ gyinaeɛsie a ɛho hia kɛse pa ara aboboano a mobɛyɛ wɔ mo abrabɔ mu. Mesrɛ mo, mo ne mo awofoɔ ne mo ahwɛfoɔ no nnya afotuo mfa ɔpɛ a ɛho hia a ɛda mo anim no. Ma ho kwan ma ɔhwɛfoɔ no nyɛ mo adamfo ne ɔfotufoɔ.

Yɛnim sɛ mowɔ ɔhaw ne nsɔhwɛ a ɛreba mo so firi akwan nyinaa so. Ɛhia sɛ yɛn nyinaa sakyera dabiara, sɛdeɛ Titenani Nelson akyerɛkyerɛ no. Mesrɛ mo sɛ mo ne mo ahwɛfoɔ no nkasa mfa nsɛm a ɔtemmufoɔ ma obiara no bɛtumi aboa mo sɛ mobɛhyehyɛ mo asetena yie wɔ Awurade mu de ayɛ ahosiesie ama “adwuma kɛseɛ” a Ɔwɔ ma mo wɔ saa asɛmpa berɛ a ɛtwa toɔ yi mu.²⁷ Sɛdeɛ Titenani Nelson ato nsa afrɛ mo no, mesrɛ mo monsiesie mo ho mfata sɛ mobɛka Awurade asraafoɔ dɔm no ho!²⁸

Afei asɛm bi ma mo ahwɛfoɔ a mosombo wɔ Asɔre asafomma akannifoɔ no ananmu. Yɛkyerɛ nkamfoɔ a emu dɔ ma mo. Ɛfa nsakraeɛ a wɔabisa mo sɛ monyɛ wɔ mfeɛ a atwam no, ahwɛfoɔ pa, mesrɛ mo monhunu ɔdɔ ne nkamfoɔ dodoɔ a yɛwɔ ma mo. Deɛ mode ma wɔ ahemman no mu tra nkyerɛmu so. Asɔre no wɔ 30,900 ahwɛfoɔ ne nkorabata titenafoɔ a wɔresom twa wiase nyinaa.²⁹ Yɛde anidie ma mo mu biara.

Nsɛm binom ne ɔfrɛ kronkron a wɔkyerɛ mu no titiriw rekame adonnɔn aboro so honhom mu. Ɔfrɛ a ɛyɛ ɔhwɛfoɔ no dibea da saa nsɛm no soro a asɛm nni ho. Resom Awurade wɔ saa dibea yi mu yɛ nwanwa wɔ akwan bebree so. Ɔfrɛ no, nsɔ mu, nyi si hɔ sɛ ɔhwɛfoɔ no yɛ suahunu a wo werɛ remfiri da. Ɛma me no, ɛyɛ abasɛm nketewa bi wɔ kyerɛpɛn kɛseɛ mu ne bunu mu atenka a ɛsan de ba. Ɛte ahodwoɔ mu wɔ dibea soronko mu ma abasɛm a ɛsomboɔ te sɛ awareɛ ne agyayɔ a worentumi mfa nsɛm kakra bi nkyerɛ mu.³⁰

Ahwɛfoɔ, yɛsɔ mo mu! Ahwɛfoɔ, yɛdɔ mo! Nokorɛ mu mo ne Awurade nnwanhwɛfoɔ wɔ Ne nnwan so. Agyenkwa no rennyae mo wɔ saa ɔfrɛ kronkron yi mu. Yei na medi ho adanseɛ, wɔ saa Amanehunu nnawɔtwe yi awieɛ, wɔ Yesu Kristo din mu, amen.