Nnyin Kiet-kiet Iminyene Mbuk

Etop otode Elder Gerrit W. Gong

Eke Eboho mme Apostle Duopeba

Mbɔk edi edikut ufokemana mbufo, ofuri mme emana mbufo, enyung eda mmɔ enyɔŋ ufɔk.

Mme ufan, ndito-eka iren ye iban, nnyin kiet-kiet iminyene mbuk. Nte nnyin ikutde mbuk nnyin, nnyin iyire, nnyin inyene, nnyin ikabare-idi.

Enying mi edi Gerrit Walter Gong. Gerrit edi enying Dutch, Walter (enying ete mi) edi enying America, ndien Gong nte ededi edi enying China.

Ntaifiok ekere ke usuk ibat owo 70–110 billion ema eduŋ ke isɔŋ. Ndusuk owo kiet kpot ke ekekot Gerrit Walter Gong.

Nnyin Kiet-kiet Iminyene Mbuk. Ami mmema “edim ediduoho ke iso mi [ye] ofim nte oro osopde ebe.”¹ Ami mmekpeb-mkpat nsanga ye mme inuen mben-inyaŋ ke Antarctica. Ami mmenam akpa ndise eke idem mmo nno ndito-akpa ke Guatemala, ndito edungde-ke-usung ke Cambodia, iban Maasai ke African Mara.

Ami mmebet ke ufokibok ke nte ndito nnyin kiet-kiet emanade—inikiet emi docta ama oyom ete ami nnwam.

Ami mmebuot-idem ke Abasi. Ami mmenim “[nnyin] idi, man [nnyin] ikpenyene idaresit,”² koro emenim ini ye edikem-ini eno kpukpru nkpo kidak enyong.³

Ndi afo omodiongo mbuk fo? Se mme enying oworode? Ibat owo eke ererimbot okori tongo ke owo 1.1 billion ke isua 1820 ekpere-ndisim owo 7.8 billion ke isua 2020.⁴ Isua 1820 ebiet nte edi ndaha ukpuho-nkpo ke mbuk ererimbot. Ediwak emanade ke 1820 ebede enyene eti ibuot-uti nkpo ye mme nwed man ediongo ata ediwak emana eke ufokemana. Ndi afo emekeme ndikere mbanga asanga-asanga, inem editi ye ete-ete mme eka-eka kiet mme owo ufokemana efen?

Ke adanga ofuri ibat mme owo emi ekedungde ke isong,mmo enyene utit, enyene-ibat, owo kiet kini kiet. Afo ye ami, nnyin kiet-kiet iminyene ufon.

Ndien mbok kere-banga emi, ke ifiokde mme ke nnyin ifiokke mmo, nnyin kiet-kiet imana ito ete ye eka. Ndien eka ye ete kiet-kiet emana eto eka ye ete.⁵ Ke ndaha emana mme edepde-dep, ofuri nnyin ke akpatre iyire ke ufokemana Abasi ye eke ubonowo.

Amana ke AD 837, ete-etebom mi oyoho Edip-ye-duop, Akpa Dragon Gong, okotongo obio ufokemana nnyin ke usuk-usuk China. Akpa ini eke ami nkekade obio Gong, mbon obio ete, “Wenhan huilaile” (Gerrit onyong edi”).

Ke nkang eka mi, ofuri odu-uwem ubon nnyin esine mme tosin enying ufokemana, ye ediwak ke ekukut.⁶ Nnyin kiet-kiet iminyene ediwak ufokemana eke idiyiride. Edieke afo ekekde ke akamba-aunt fo ama anam ofuri ibat ubon ufokemana fo okure, mbok yom mme cousins ye cousins’ cousins fo. Yire mme enying mbon ufokemana emi etide-ke-ibuot dian mme enying billion Duop edungore ke FamilySearch idahaemi enyene ke nkpo ofim esie ye mme owo 1.3 billion ke Family Tree esie.^7de

Bup mme ufan mme ufokemana man eduri odu-uwem eto kiet. Nte President Russell M. N elson ekpepde mme odu-uwem eto enyene mme orung ye nkok.⁸ Mme afo edi akpa ubon mme oyoho ubon emana duop emi efiokde, da mkpong andikibe yire ye mkpong emi edidide. Yire mme orung ye nkok eke odu-uwem eto ufokemana fo.⁹

Mbume oro “Afo oto mmong?” bup mbon-ubon, itie emana, ye idut mme obio emi odungde. Ke ofuri ekondo, ndaha 25 ida emana nnyin ito China, ndaha 23 ito India, ndaha 17 ito ubak Asia ye Pacific eken, ndaha 18 ito Europe, ndaha Duop ito Africa, ndaha Itiaba ito mme America.¹⁰

Mbume oro “Afo oto mmong?” nko oyom nnyin man ikut edisana idiongo ye ntak nkpo-Abasi nnyin ke uwem.

Nnyin kiet-kiet iminyene mbuk.

Ufokemana kiet eke ami mfiokde ekeyire mme emana ufokemana ition kini mmo ekekade akani ufokidung mmo ke Winnipeg, Canada. Do ke ete-ete okodoho ndito-eyeyen ition abanga usen oro mme okworo-iko iba (enye okot mmo mme angel eke etode heaven) ekeda iko Abasi Jesus Christ edi, emi okpuhode uwem ufokemana ke nsinsi.

Eka kiet eke ami mfiokde ama okot ndito esie ye cousins mmo ete ebup eka-ekam mmo ebanga mme nkpo-ntibe ini-uyen esie. Mme utibe-nkpo eke eke-ekam ye mme ukpepnkpo uwem idahaemi edi eti nwed ufokemana emi obokde mme emana.

Akparawa kiet eke ami mfiokde ke onim “Dad journal” kiet. Ediwak isua andikibe, ubom-isong kiet ama ɔtɔ onyung owot ete esie. Idahaemi, man odiongo ete esie, akparawa uko emi ke obobon mme nkpo editi eke ini-uyen ye mbuk oto ufokemana ye mme ufan.

Kini ebupde ebanga ebiet se oro oworode ke uwem, ediwak owo ebat ufokemana nte akpa nkpo.¹¹ Emi esine ufokemana emi edude-ke-uwem ye mbon si ikebe. Nte ededi, kini nnyin ikpade, nnyin isuk idodu. Nnyin ika-iso idu uwem ke ikpehe nkang oko.

Isuk inehede idu ke uwem, akpana eti mbon-ntongo ubon nnyin.¹² Nnyin imeti inyene nnyin oto ke mme obobuk mbuk, nwed imaan ye mbuk ufokemana, nkpo-editi mme ke ebiet editi-nkpo, ye mme usoro ye ndise-esiode, udia, mme ibat nkpo efen emi etide nnyin abanga mbon emi ikemade.

Kere banga ebiet eke afo odungde—nte oro idige inem-nkpo danga idut ye obio mbufo esiti enyung ekpono mbon-ntongo-ubon, ufokemana, mbon efen emi ekenwamde enyung ewa-idem? Nte uwutnkpo, kini editi ini-idok autumn ke South Molton, Devonshire, England, Sister Gong ye ami imema ndikut ekpri ufok Abasi ye obio emi emana eke ufokemana Bawden nnyin ekedungde. Nnyin imikpono mbon-ntongo-ubon nnyin ke ndiberede mme heaven oto ke utom temple ye family history¹³ ye ke ndidi nkpo ediyire¹⁴ ke uruk eke emana nnyin.¹⁵

Ke eyo emi eke “Ami mmek mi,”mme obio edia-ufon kini mme emana eyiride ke nti usung. Nnyin imoyom mme orung ndinyene mba—nti ebuana, nti utom-unwam, edu-uwem ekekande nwut-idem.

Ndiyiri ye mbon-ntongo-ubon nnyin ekeme ndikpuho uwem nnyin ke mme utibede usung. Otode ke mme idomo ye nam-nkure mmo, nnyin iminyene mbuotidem ye osongo.¹⁶ Otode ke ima ye nwaidem mmo, nnyin ikpep edifen-nno inyung inam ika-iso. Ndito nnyin ekabare esongo. Nnyin iminyene ukpeme ye odudu. Ebuana ye mbon-ntongo-ubon anam edidiana ke ufokemana, esit-ekom, mme utibe-nkpo okori. Oruk ebuana oro ekeme ndida unwam oto ikpehe nkang oko edi

Ukem nte idara odukde ke ufokemana, ukut nko ekeme ndiduk. Iduhe owo emi asanade-ama, nsana-mma ufokemana inyung iduhe. Ini emi mbon eke ekpemade, ebɔkde, enyung ekpemede nnyin etrede ndinam oro, nnyin idikop esine, esuene ubiak. Ufokemana ekeme ndikabare ndi nditungo mkpɔk. Edi, ye unwam heaven, nnyin iyedifiok ufokemana nnyin inyung inam emem ye kiet eken.¹⁷

Usukini ata nsinifik nno osongo ebuna ufokemana eyenwam nnyin inam mkposong nkpo ikure. Ke ubak ndaha, obio akabare edi ufokemana. Eti nkaiferi kiet emi enyene-mfina ufokemana esie ekekpongde mmi-mmi emi esikut edima ufokemana kiet ke Ufok Abasi ke ebiet emi enye ekpebɔkde ndien ono enye itie. Ido-oruk ye usung ufokemana ono odudu edi ibiereke se nnyin idide.

Abasi oyom ufokemana nnyin edu ke inemesit ye ke nsinsi. Nsinsi enehede ebighe edieke nnyin inamde kiet eken ayat esit. Inem ehenede ɔmuhɔ edieke nti ebuana etrede ye uwem isong emi. Otode edisana ediomi, Jesus Christ ono ima, odudu, ye mfon Esie man okpuho nnyin¹⁸ onyung odiong mme ebuana nnyin. Utom-unwam nwaidem ke temple nno mme ndima nnyin anam Erisio-isop eke Andinyanga nnyin edi akpaniko ono mmo ye nnyin. Ke isanade-ima, nnyin iyekeme edifaik nyɔŋ nka iso Abasi nte mme ufokemana emi idianade-kiet ke nsinsi.¹⁹

Mbuk nnyin kiet-kiet edi isang emi osuk akade iso, nte nnyin ikutde, ibot, inyung ikabare diana ndidu emi akande ekikere.

Prophet Joseph Smith ete, “Ekeme ndidi ata okposong ukpep ke nnyin iting ini ino ubak owo—odudu emi ewetde mme ebopde ke isong ye ebopde ke enyong.”²⁰ Ebuana eke nnyin inyeneke mi ekeme ndidu ye nsinsi ubong do.²¹ Ke akpaniko, “nnyin ke [mbon ufokemana nnyin miduhe] ikemeke ndifon mma; nko mmo ikemeke ndifon-mma ke nnyin miduhe,” oro edi, ke “ofuri ye oyoho ye nsana-mma ebuana.”²²

Nso ke nnyin ikpenam idahaemi?

Akpa, kere mbiet fo ekefiakde ese aka iso afiak edem ke ufot ukutiso iba eke nsinsi. Ke usung kiet, se idem fo nte eyenanwan, eyeyen-anwan, eyen eyeyen-anwan; ke usung efen, sak-imam ye idem fo nte aunt, eka, eka-eka. Se nte ini osopde ndibe mfep! Ke ini ye ubiong kiet-kiet, fiok owo emi odude ye afo. Tang mme ndise, mbuk mmo nim; nam nkpo-editi mmo ofon. Wet mme enying, ifiok-ukpep, ye akpan usen-ofiong mmo nim. Mmo edi ufokemana fo—ufokemana oro afo enyenede ye ufokemana emi afo oyomde.

Nte afo anamde edinam-iko Abasi eke temple ono mbon ufokemana, spirit Elijah, “idiongo Edisana Spirit etiede ntiense abanga edisana uduot-obot eke ufokemana,”²³ eyeyire esit eke ete, eka, ye ndito mbufo otokiet ke ima.²⁴

Udiana, yak se anamde ke family history oto esit ye ata edinanam. Kot eka-eka fo. Nehede se mme enying eke obufa nsekeyen oro. Da ini—kut nsinsi—ke ndaha isang fo kiet-kiet. Kpep yung da esit-ekom ye akpaniko ti inyene ufokemana fo. Nam-usoro yung kabare di eti ndien, ke ebiete eyomde, suhode-idem nam ofuri nkpo emi ekemede idihe ke ndino idiok ubiere. Yak nti otongo ye afo.

Oyoho Ita, ka ke FamilySearch.org. Tara mobile apps emi odude do. Mmo edi ke mfon onyung enem ndinam. Kut, yire, nnyene. Se nte afo enyenede ebuana ye mme owo ke ubetufok kiet, nte ememde ye enemde ke ndidian enying nno odu-uwem family tree fo, ndikut nyung ndiong mme orung ye nkok fo.

Oyoho Inang, nwam dian mme ufokemana ke nsinsi. Ti mme ido eke edidade inam ibat owo eke heaven. Odu ata ediwak owo ke ikpehe nkang oko akan sidu ke nkang emi. Nte ediwak temple esikde ekpere nnyin, mbɔk nnɔ mbon ekedade ebet ifet edinam ikɔ Abasi eke temple man ebɔ mmɔ.

Enwongo kini Easter ye ofuri ini edi, ke ye otode Jesus Christ, nnyin iyedi ata eti mbuk nnyin ndien mme ufokemana nnyin eyedi inem ye nsinsi. Ke ofuri emana nnyin, Jesus Christ esikɔk esit ekebungoke, esisio mbuotekong ke ufin, esisa-na mmo emi efikde ayak.²⁵ Ndinyene ediomi ye Abasi ye kiet eken²⁶ esine ndifiok ke spirit ye ikpɔkidem nnyin eyefiak adiana-kiet ke eriset-ke-mkpa ndien ata nsongurua ebuana nnyin ekeme ndika-iso ebe mkpa ekesim oyoho idara.²⁷

Nnyin kiet-kiet iminyene mbuk. Di dikut mbuk fo. Di dikut uyo fo, ikwo fo, edidiana-kiet fo ye Enye. Emi edi ata ntak eke Abasi okobotde mme enyong ye isong onyung okut ete ke mmɔ efɔn.²⁸

Etoro uduak inemesit eke Abasi, etoro Erisio-isop eke Jesus Christ, etoro nka-iso edifiak-mmen-ndi iko Abasi ye Ufok Abasi Esie. Mbɔk edi edikut ufokemana, ofuri mme emana mbufo, enyung eda mmɔ enyong ufɔk. Ke edisana enying Jesus Chrst, amen.

Mkpri nwed

1. “My Heavenly Father Loves Me,” Children’s Songbook, 228.

2. 2 Nephi 2:25.

3. Se Ecclesiastes 3:1.

4. Based on United Nations Secretariat, The World at Six Billion (1999), 5, table 1; “World Population by Year,” Worldometer, worldometers.info.

5. Many are blessed to have parents who did not physically bear them, yet they are joined as family through bonds of affection and adoption and sacred sealing covenants.

6. I express appreciation to those who are piloting ways to organize large numbers of family names into family trees.

7. In 2021, some 99 million names were added to public family trees. And recently, digitization was completed of 2.4 million rolls of microfilm containing approximately 37 billion names (with some duplications). These individual name records can now be prepared to be searched, found, and added to the family tree of humanity.

8. Se Russell M. Nelson, “Roots and Branches,” Liahona, May 2004, 27–29.

9. Of course, as we discover and build our living family tree, please maintain 100 percent respect for the privacy and volunteer participation of family members, living and deceased.

10. David Quimette extrapolated these numbers, based on Angus Maddison, The World Economy: A Millennial Perspective (2001), 241, table B-10.

11. See Laura Silver and others, “What Makes Life Meaningful? Views from 17 Advanced Economies,” Pew Research Center, Nov. 18, 2021, pewresearch.org.

12. 1 Nephi 9:5; 1 Nephi 19:3; Words of Mormon 1:6–7; and Alma 37:2 speak of keeping records and remembering “for a wise purpose,” including to bless future generations.

13. See Russell M. Nelson and Wendy W. Nelson, “Open the Heavens through Temple and Family History Work,” Ensign, Oct. 2017, 34–39; Liahona, Oct. 2017, 14–19; see also “RootsTech Family Discovery Day—Opening Session 2017” (video), ChurchofJesusChrist.org.

14. Se Doctrine ye Covenants 82:10

15. See Gordon B. Hinckley, “Keep the Chain Unbroken” (Brigham Young University devotional, Nov. 30, 1999), speeches.byu.edu. President Hinckley is also quoted in David A. Bednar, “A Welding Link” (worldwide devotional for young adults, Sept. 10, 2017), broadcasts.ChurchofJesusChrist.org.

16. For example, in our family, Henry Bawden, from Devonshire, England, married Sarah Howard, who emigrated with her family after they joined the Church. While Sarah was in St. Louis as a young teenager, her father, mother, and five siblings died. Henry and Sarah had 10 children. Sarah also raised six children of Henry’s first wife, Ann Ireland, after she died. Sarah was also mother to two young granddaughters after her (Sarah’s) daughter-in-law passed away. Despite life’s many challenges, Sarah was warm, loving, compassionate, and of course very hardworking. She was affectionately known as “Little Grandma.”

17. Hard as it may be, as we forgive ourselves and each other with Christ’s help, we become “the children of God” (Matthew 5:9).

18. See, for example, Mosiah 3:19.

19. Se “The Family: A Proclamation to the World,” ChurchofJesusChrist.org.

20. Doctrine and Covenants 128:9.

21. Se Doctrine ye Covenants 130:2.

22. Doctrine and Covenants 128:18.

23. Russell M. Nelson, “A New Harvest Time,” Ensign, May 1998, 34; see also Russell M. Nelson and Wendy W. Nelson, “Open the Heavens through Temple and Family History Work,” 16–18.

24. Se Mosiah 18:21.

25. Se Luke 4:18.

26. I am told the Hebrew word for family—mishpachah—comes from a Hebrew root word (shaphahh) meaning “to join or bind together.” Every role within the family is designed to strengthen family bonds.

27. See Doctrine and Covenants 88:15–16, 34; 93:33; 138:17

28. Se Genesis 1:4, 31.