Easter Asɛm Kɛse a Wɔakã no Pɛn

Elder Gary E. Stevenson ne Kasaa

Ɔkã Asomafo Duebien no hɔn Quorum no ho

Hwɛ Mormon Nwoma no wɔ kan fofor mu na hwɛ dase a ɔyɛ dur a ɔgye wɔ Christ a Ɔasoɛr no nokwar ho.

President a Odzi Kan na n’Apamfo Krataa wɔ Easter ho

Ɔyɛ dɛ hom atse krataa bi fi President a Odzi Kan na n’Apamfo hɔ a wɔakenkan no wɔ wo ward anaa nkorbata mu adapɛn pii a wɔabasen kɔ no. Dɛm krataa no bɔɔ no dawur dɛ Kwesida a odzi do yi—Easter Kwesida—ward na nkorobata horow nyina behyia ayɛ sacrament nhyiamu nko, a wobegya mber a wɔaka no ma ebusua ebusua asɔr wɔ fie dze akaa ahomgye da yi a ohia dodoodow yi.¹

Medze m’adwen kɔtoo President a Odzi Kan na n’Apamfo hɔn krataa no do, na ɔyɛe ma modwendwen kwan a hɛn ebusua edzi Easter no wɔ mfe pii mu. Mber dodow a modwendwen hɛn afedzi ho no, mber dodow a ɔyɛ me ahobow sɛ yɛrenngye enyim ara dɛ yɛretsew dɛm da yi ne nkyerɛasee papaapa do a, da a ɔyɛ adze tsitsir ma Jesus Christ agyedzifo nyina no.

Borɔnya na Easter Ntɔyɛɛ

Adwendwen no maa modwendwen nsonsonee a ɔda kwan a yeedzi Borɔnya sɛ yɛdze toto Easter ho a. Mumu ber no, yɛyɛ nhyehyɛɛ bi dɛ yɛdze enyigyedze “Jingle Bells,’’ Borɔnya asetaagyee atsentsen, na akyɛdze bi so dze aka ntɔyɛɛ a mfaso wɔ ho yie—tse dɛ yɛrohwɛ hɔn a wohia, yɛrotow Borɔnya ndwom na asɔr ndwom a yɛpɛ, na nokwar yebue kyerɛwsɛm no na yɛakenkan Borɔnya asɛm no wɔ Luke 2 mu. Afe biara sɛ yɛkenkan asɛm a yɛpɛ yi fi Bible nwoma dadaw kɛse bi mu a, hɛn ebusua yɛ dza ebia w’ebusua yɛ—yɛdze entuhu gu hɛn etsir na abatsir do a yɛhyehyɛ ntar atsentsen dze gyina hɔ dɛ Joseph, Mary, na dodow a wɔbae dɛ wɔrobɔsɔr abɔdomaba Jesus no, yɛsan sũasũa yɛ Borɔnya asɛm a ɔsom bo wɔ Agyenkwa n’awoe ho.

Naaso, hɛn ebusua Easter afedzi no, abɛyɛ biribi soronko. Metse nkã dɛ hɛn ebusua egyina “yɛrokɔ asɔr” do mbordo akyɛn dɛ yebenya Easter a Christ dzi akõtsen wɔ mu na mfaso wɔ mu; na afei dɛ ebusua no, yɛaboa ano akyɛ Easter ntɔyɛɛ dwumadzi bi so a ɔkã ho. M’enyi gye ho dɛ mohwɛ hɛn mba na sesei nananom kyin hwehwɛ Easter nkyirefua na wɔdodɔ hɔn Easter nkɛntsɛn mu.

Mbom President a Odzi Kan na n’Apamfo krataa no yɛ mboa dze ma hɛn. Nnyɛ dɛ wɔto nsa frɛ hɛn nyina nko dɛ yɛnhwɛ no pefee dɛ hɛn afe dzi wɔ dza osii a ohia dodooodow a nna bi nnsii asaase yi do pɛn no—Jesus Christ No Werdambɔ na Wusoɛr no—enyidzi na obu a ɔfata Ewuradze no kã ho, wɔsanee so maa hɛn mber ara yie wɔ Easter Kwesida dɛ yɛnye hɛn ebusua ebusua na anyɛnkofo bedzi.

Nkɔnhyɛnyi Joseph Smith ne nsɛm yinom dze asɛm bi kã dza osii tsitsir a ɔfa Easter ho dɛ: “Hɛn nyamesom n’asɛmpa fapem no nye Asomafo na Nkɔnhyɛfo hɔn dasegye, wɔ Jesus Christ ho dɛ Owui, wosie no, na da a otsĩa ebiasa no Ɔsoɛree bio, na Ɔfowee kɔr sor; na ndzɛmba nyina a ɔfa hɛn nyamesom ho no yɛ iyi ho mbata ho.”²

Emi na Lesa apɛnsapɛnsa akwan a hɛn ebusua botum etu mpon kakra wɔ Easter ber mu no. Bia asɛmbisa a yeebisa hɛnho no yɛ dza hɛn nyina yɛbotum adwendwen ho: Yebesi dɛn bɛyɛ Jesus Christ no Wusoɛr afe dzi na nkyerɛkyerɛ no, Easter asɛm no ayɛ dɛ mbrɛ yɛdze pɛryɛ, mãhyɛ, na nyamesomfo ntɔyɛɛ papabi dzi Jesus Christ n’awoe no, Borɔnya asɛm no?

Ɔyɛ dɛ hɛn nyina yɛrobɔ mbɔdzen. Muhu mbɔdzembɔ a ɔrokɔ do wɔ Latter-day Saintfo ntamu dze kɔ Easter a Christ dzi akõtsen wɔ mu. Mberɛnkɔnson Kwesida na Good Friday a ɔyɛ mfaso kɛsenara na yɛdwendwen ho yie kã iyi ho dɛ mbrɛ hɛn enuanom Christianfo binom yɛ no. Yebotum asan so afa Easter a Christ dzi mu akõtsen ntɔyɛɛ a oye a yehu no wɔ kusum na amanaman nyɛe ahorow wɔ wiadze nyina mu a oye dze akã ho.

Ahyɛmu Fofor nwomanyimfo N. T. Wright susuu dɛ: “Ɔwɔ dɛ yetu anamɔn dɛ yebedzi Easter wɔ akwan afofor mu: wɔ nsaano mfonyin, akenkansɛm, mbofra agodzi horow, awensɛm, ndwom, asaw, afahyɛ horow, adɔmba bɔ, agordzi ahorow tsitsir wɔ mu. … Iyi nye hɛn afahyɛ kɛsenara. Yi Borɔnya fi hɔ, na wɔ bible mu no ayew tsir ebien a odzi enyim wɔ Matthew na Luke, no nko. Yi Easter fi hɔ, nna nnyi Ahyɛmu Fofor; nnyi Christiansom.”³

Easter, Bible no, na Mormon Nwoma no.

Bible no som hɛn bo wɔ dza ɔkyerɛkyerɛ nyina wɔ Jesus Christ n’awoe, somdwuma, Mbeamuduabɔ, na Wusoɛr ho. Asɛmfua kor nnkã enyidado na onnyieiwei nsunsuando ho mma adasamba nyina nnkyɛn dza ɔsor ɔbɔfo no kãe Easter anapa wɔ Ture Nda no ho dɛ: “Ɔasoɛr.’’⁴ Hɛn enyi sɔ Ahyɛmu Fofor kyerɛwsɛm no papaapa dɛ ɔkora Easter na Agyenkwa ne Easter somdwuma wɔ Judea na Galilee ho asɛm no.

Ber a emi na Lesa kɔr do dwendwenee na yɛhwehwɛɛ akwan a yɛbɛtserɛw hɛn ebusua Easter afe dzi mu ma Christ edzi akõtsen yie wɔ mu no, yɛpɛnsapɛnsa kyerɛwsɛm akenkan ntɔyɛɛ a yebotum ada no edzi ama hɛn ebusua—dza ɔnye Luke 2 yɛ pɛr ama Easter, sɛ ebɛpɛ a.

Na afei yenyaa ɔsor nyikyerɛ yi: Dza ɔkã nyiyimu a ohia wɔ Easter ho wɔ Ahyɛmu Fofor mu no, hɛn Latter-day Saintfo no wɔdze Easter akyɛdze nwanwa dodoodow ehyira hɛn! Dase soronko ho akyɛdze, Easter anwanwadze ho ahyɛmu kor so a bia Easter kyerɛwsɛm akɛse mapã wɔ mu wɔ Christiansom nyina mu. Nokwar merekã Mormon Nwoma no, na tsitsir ara yie no, Jesus Christ a opue hɔn a nna wɔtse ase wɔ Wiadze Fofor mu no, wɔ No wusoɛr enyimnyam mu ho asɛm.

Nkɔnhyɛnyi Joseph Smith kãa Mormon Nwoma no ho asɛm dɛ “odzi mu kyɛn nwoma biara,”⁵ na ɔhyɛ ase wɔ 3 Nephi 11, ɔkã Christ a Ɔasoɛr efi owu mu a ɔkɛseraa Nephifo no, Agyenkwa ne Easter somdwuma no nwanwayɛ ho asɛm. Easter kyerɛwsɛm yinom gye Ewuradze Jesus Christ no Wusoɛr ho dase.

Tsir yinom mu no, Christ frɛ asomafo duebien, kyerɛkyerɛ dɛ mbrɛ Ɔyɛe no wɔ Ne Bepɔw do Nkyerɛkyerɛ no mu, bɔ no dawur dɛ Ɔahyɛ Moses mbra no mã, na Ɔhyɛ nkɔm wɔ nda a odzi ekyir Israel mboano ho no. Ɔsa ayarfo no yarba na ɔbɔ mpaa ma nkorɔfo no wɔ enyimnyam kwan a ɔtse dɛm mu dɛ “tɛkyerɛma biara runntum nnkã, anaadɛ ɔdasanyi biara runntum nnkyerɛw, nna adasamba hɔn akoma runntum mmfa anwanwadze akɛse a ɔtse dɛm a yehunii na yɛtsee dɛ Jesus rekã no; obiara nnkotum esusu ho na obiara runntum nsusu dɛw a ɔhyɛɛ hɛn akoma mu dɛm aber no a yɛtsee dɛ ɔrobɔ mpaa serɛ Egya no dze ama hɛn no.”⁶

Easter yi, hɛn ebusua betsim wɔ nyiyimu a odzi kan wɔ 3 Nephi 11, a hom nyim no. Hom bɛkaa dɛ dɔmtutuw a nna wɔwɔ temple no ho wɔ Bountiful asaase do no wɔtsee Nyankopɔn Egya ne ndze no na wohun Jesus Christ a ofi sor risian retserɛw Easter ɔfrɛ fɛfɛɛfɛw mu no ama hɔn:

“Hom nsoɛr mbra mo hɔ, … na hom ehu mprɛgow n’ananmu wɔ me nsa nye m’anan ho, ama hom eehu dɛ Emi … nye asaase nyinara do Nyankopɔn, a woeku no apata wiadze bɔn no.

“Na … nyimpadodow no kɔree, … nkorkor … na wɔdze hɔn enyiwa hunii na wɔdze hɔn nsa so kãa hwɛe, … na wɔgyee ho dase, dɛ ɔyɛ ɔno, …

“Na … wɔdze ndze kor tsẽaa mu see dɛ:

“Hosanna! Nhyira nkã Ɔsorsor Nyankopɔn ne dzin! Na wotwae hwee Jesus n’ananadze, na wɔsɔɔr no.”⁷

Susu dɛ: Nephifo no a wɔwɔ temple ho no dze hɔn nsa kãa Ewuradze a Ɔasoɛr no ankasa! Mowɔ enyidado dɛ yɛbɛma tsir yinom a ɔwɔ 3 Nephi no akã hɛn Easter ntɔyɛɛ ankasa ho dɛmara dɛ Luke 2 aka hɛn Borɔnya ntɔyɛɛ ho. Nokwar mu no, Mormon Nwoma no kã Easter asɛm kɛse a wɔakã no da. Ma mma ɔnnyɛ Easter asɛm kɛse a wɔnnkã no da.

Motõ nsa frɛ wo dɛ hwɛ Mormon Nwoma no wɔ kan fofor mu na hwɛ dase a ɔyɛ dur a ɔgye wɔ Christ a Ɔasoɛr no nokwar ho dɛmara dɛ Christ ne nkyerɛkyerɛ no bun na no mbordo.

Mormon Nwoma No Gye Jesus Christ Dase

Yebotum ebisa dɛ, Yɛrekenkan Mormon Nwoma kyerɛwsɛm no Easter ber besi dɛn botum ehyira hɛn abrabɔ na hɛn adɔfo hɔn dze ma ɔayɛ mfaso? Ɔbor ma obi botum ehu. Mber biara a yɛkenkan na yesũa Mormon Nwoma no hɛn enyi botum ada nsunsuando nwanwa kwan.

Ɔnnkyɛree, na emi na Lesa kɔhwɛɛ nyɛnko dɔfo bi a nna ɔadeda no, gyedzinyi ɔbaa a yarba twaa no nkwa do. Yɛnye n’ebusua na anyɛnkofo mapã boaa ano, a yedzii ɔkra fɛɛfɛw a ɔhyɛɛ hɛn abrabɔ amaamã ho nkaadze nkɔmbɔ.

Ber a nna yegyina ekyir kakra fi emu adaka no ho nye binom ridzi nkɔmbɔ no, muhun Primary mbasiamba beenu a wɔkɔr adaka no ho na wosi sii—a nna hɔn enyiwa da n’ano ara—dɛ wɔnye hɔn antse dɔfo rebedzi nkra. Obiara mmbɛn hɔ no, Lesa twaa mu kɔr hɔ na ɔkotoow hɔn nkyɛn ma hɔn awerɛkyekyer na nkyerɛkyerɛ. Obisaa hɔn mpɔw mu na sɛ wonyim bea a hɔn antse no wɔ sesei a. Wɔkãa hɔn yaw, naaso afei Nyankopɔn ne mbabaa a wɔsom bo yinom, a ahõtodo rehyerɛn hɔn enyiwa mu no, kãa dɛ sesei dze hɔn antse n’enyiwa agye, na obotum awɔ Jesus nkyɛn.

Wonnyinii no, wonyaa asomdwee wɔ enyigye ho nhyehyɛɛ kɛse no mu na, wɔ hɔnara hɔn mbofra kwan mu no, gyee dase wɔ Agyenkwa no no nokwar Wusoɛr a ɔyɛ dur na ne fɛɛfɛw ho. Nna wonyim no wɔ hɔn akoma mu osian awofo dɔfo hɔn adwendahɔ nkyerɛkyerɛ, ebusua, na Primary baanodzifo a wodua gyedzi aba wɔ Jesus Christ na onnyiewiei nkwa mu ntsi. Hɔn nyansa a ɔbor hɔn mfe do no, mbasiamba yinom tsee nokwar horow ase no a ɔba hɛn hɔ a ɔnam Easter asɛm na Agyenkwa a Ɔasoɛr no somdwuma na nkɔnhyɛfo hɔn nsɛm dɛ mbrɛ wɔkãe wɔ Mormon Nwoma no mu do.

Meehu dɛ sɛ President Russell M. Nelson dze Mormon Nwoma no bi kyɛ obi a ɔnnkã hɛn asɔr ho, a wiadze baanodzifo kã ho a, ɔtaa bue 3 Nephi na ɔkenkan Christ a Ɔasoɛr efi owu mu na ɔkɔr Nephifo no hɔ ho asɛm. Ɔyɛ dɛm a, nkɔnhyɛnyi tseasefo no reyɛ adzehia dɛ ɔregye Christ ɔtseasefo no noho dase.

Yennkotum egyina dɛ Jesus Christ adasefo kɛpem dɛ yebotum agye No ho dase. Mormon Nwoma no yɛ Jesus Christ ne dase kor so osiandɛ wɔ ne nkrataafa krɔnkrɔn nyina mu no, nkɔnhyɛnyi kor kesi kor do anngye dase nko dɛ Christ bɛba, mbom dɛ Ɔbae.

Osian Ɔno ntsi

Mikitsa Mormon Nwoma a wodzii kan tsintsimii no kor wɔ me nsamu. Meyɛ dɛm a aber nyina okenyan me. Me mpanyinyɛ mu no, dza Joseph Smith kumaba yɛe dze nyaa kyerɛwsɛm buukuu krɔnkrɔn yi ma ɔkyerɛɛ ase na wotsintsimii no ayɛ me fɛw, ahomka, na ɔatɔ modo. Anwanwadze a nna ɔwɔ dɛ osi no yɛ ahobow dodow dɛ ebɔdwendwen ho.

Naaso nnyɛ dɛm ntsi na buukuu yi kenyan me. Siantsir no nye dɛ buukuu yi, kyɛn buukuu biara a wotsintsim no asaase yi do da, gye dase wɔ Jesus Christ n’abrabɔ, no somdwuma, nkyerɛkyerɛ, no Werdambɔ, na no Wusoɛr ho. Mo nuanom na nkyerɛbaa adɔfo, daa daa hom rusũa Jesus Christ ho asɛm fi buukuu yi mu no bɛsesa hom abrabɔ. Obobue hom enyiwa ama afofor a ɔbɛyɛ yie. Ɔbɛma hom enyidado akɔ sor na ɔdze ɔdɔ ahyɛ hom mã. Ne nyina no, obepegya na wɔahyɛ hom gyedzi dzen wɔ Jesus Christ mu na ɔdze nokwar nyimdzee ehyira hom dɛ Ɔno na hɛn Egya nyim hɛn, dɔ hɛn, na wɔpɛ dɛ yehu hɛn kwan san kɔ fie, a ɔdze F kɛse.

Nuambanyin nkyerɛbaa adɔfo, mber no aba a, tsetse nkɔnhyɛfo dzii kan kãe no, “ber a Agyenkwa no ho nyimdzee bɛtahye ɔman biara, ebusuafo, kasa horow, nye nyimpa nyina mu.”⁸ Yɛdze hɛnara hɛn enyiwa ankasa ruhu nkɔnhyɛsɛm yi ne mãhyɛ, wɔ Jesus Christ ho dase a yehu no wɔ Mormon Nwoma mu no

Buukuu biara nnyi hɔ a ɔyɛ ma ɔbor dze kyerɛ dɛ:

Osian Jesus Christ ntsi, biribiara sesae.
Ɔnam Ɔno ntsi, biribiara ye koraa.
Ɔnam Ɔno ntsi, abrabɔ tum kɔ do—tsitsir ara mber yaayaw mu.
Ɔnam Ɔno ntsi, biribiara bɛyɛ yie.

Ne nsera a Ɔkɔr dɛ Agyenkwa a Ɔasoɛr no, a Nyankopɔn Egya no yii no kyerɛe no, nye Easter konyimdzi na enyimnyam asɛm kɛse no. Ɔbɔboa hɛn ebusua ma yenya hɛn ankasa hɛn dasee wɔ Jesus Christ ho dɛ hɛn Agyenkwa na Pomfo, a Obubuu owu mpokyerɛ mu.

Medze me dasee wɔ Mormon Nwoma no nokwaryɛ na wɔ Jesus Christ ho dɛ Nyankopɔn tseasefo Ne Ba dze wie. Jesus Christ ne dzin mu, amen.