Elder Ronald A. Rasband: Ritōl Ekapāāl, Baba eo eļap an wūjlepļo̧k
Jān Elder M. Russell Ballard
Jān Doulul eo an Jon̄oulruo Rijilōk ro
Pijain baam̧le ko Rasband,
Ron Rasband eaar jab pere ke enaaj kar jerbale juon mijen. Kajjitōk eo emake wōt an juon eo 19 an iiō ke ej kōpelļo̧k peba in kūr eo an ia eo enaaj jerbal ie.
“Jema eaar etal n̄an Germany ilo juon mijen. Ļeo jeiū eaar etal n̄an Germany ilo juon mijen. Ļeo ippān leddik eo jeiū eaar etal n̄an Germany ilo juon mijen. “Iaar ļōmņak in kar etal n̄an Germany.”
Ak ekar wōr jet an Irooj karōk. Ron eaar bōk kūr eo an, ijeļo̧kin, eaar kūr n̄an Eastern States Mission, eo ej pād ilo New York City, USA. Eaar inepata, eaar bōk peba in kūr eo an n̄an ruum̧ eo an, bukwelōlō ilo peet eo an, im jar, kōppeļļo̧k bok in jeje ko an rekwojarjar, im jino riiti:
“Lo, im lo, ekanooj lōn̄ armej Ippa ilo ijin, ilo ijoko ipeļaakin ijin; im juon kōjām em̧m̧an enaaj peļļo̧k ilo ijoko ipeļaakin ijin ilo jikin ko iturear.
“Kōn menin, N̄a, Irooj, Iaar kōtļo̧k bwe kom̧ro en itok n̄an jikin in; bwe āindein eaar mennin aikuj ilo N̄a kōn lo̧mo̧o̧r an armej raņ” (K&K 100:3–4; eoon eo eaorōk kar kobaik).
Em̧ōkaj, an Jetōb Kwojarjar kar kam̧ool n̄an Ron bwe kūr eo an n̄an Eastern States Mission ekar jab bōd.
“Eaar jako aō inepata im iaar bōk elōn̄ en̄jake ko rellōn̄ jinointata bwe en̄in ijo Irooj ekōnaan bwe in etal n̄ane,” eaar keememej. “En̄in eaar juon en̄jake eo eaar ukōt eō ilo jetōb.”
Mijen eo an n̄an Bukwōn ko Iturear ilo Amedka eaar jet iaan kūr ko an m̧oktata ilo Kabun̄ in me ekar bōk e n̄an jikin ko me ejjan̄in kar etal ieļo̧k. Im ilo kajjojo kūr—āinwōt kar juon rūkaki, bisop, koonjeļ eo eutiej, mijen būreejtōn, membōr in Jiljilimjuonn̄oul eo, Būreejtōn eo Eutiej an Jiljilimjuonn̄oul eo, im Rijilōk an Irooj Jisōs Kraist—Elder Ronald A. Rasband eaar bōk ankilaan Irooj im kar pedped wōt ioon Jetōb eo An ilo an jerbal ippān ajri ro nejin Anij.
Ļotak jān Jema im Jinō ro Rem̧m̧an
Ilo kōnono eo an jinoin āinwōt juon Rijilōk an Jisōs Kraist, Elder Rasband eaar kwaļo̧k kam̧m̧oolol eo an eļap kōn ro jibun im jim̧aan. “Iar ļotak jān jema im jinō ro rem̧m̧an ilo gospel in,” eaar ba, “im raar jemen im jinen jiljino epepen ko likļo̧k.”1
Jinen, Verda Anderson Rasband, ekar juon ritōl eo eļap iakwe ippān, eo eaar katakin Ron n̄an iakwe jeje ko rekwojarjar. Jemen, Rulon Hawkins Rasband, eaar juon rikabwijer priesthood eo etiljek eo eaar kwaļo̧k waanjon̄ok kōn jerbal ko rem̧m̧an.
Ļotak ilo Pāpode 6, 1951, ilo Salt Lake City, Utah, USA, Ronald A. (Anderson) Rasband eaar make wōt nejin jemen im jinen. Erro jim̧or rekar m̧are im jebel, im Ron eaar rūtto ļo̧k ippān ļaddik ro ruo jein im leddik eo jein.
“Eaar āinwōt ro jemōm̧ im jinōm̧, āindein amwōj kar iakwe e” leddik eo jein, Nancy Schindler eaar ba. “Ron eaar jab kōtļo̧k bwe m̧am̧a im baba ren jutak iturin doon ak jijet ippān doon n̄e ejako ikōtaer.”
Ron eaar juon ļaddik em̧m̧an, bōtaab eaar kwaļo̧k ke ekajoor bar bōt ilo jet wāween.
“Elōn̄ jān jejjo iien, [Būraimere] rikaki ro aō raar itok ippān jinō, stake Būraimere būreejtōn eo, im ba, ‘Ronnie Rasband ej juon eo epen auiia,’” eaar ba. “Bōtaab raar jab ebweer ippa. Raar kwaļo̧k iakwe eļap n̄an eō im aolep iien rej karuwaineneik eō ļo̧k n̄an kūlaaj.”2
Mour eo an Ron eaar pedped wōt ioon Kabun̄ in—kweilo̧k ko an ward, bade ko an ward, kōjota ko an ward, tiim in ikkure ko an ward. N̄e ejjab boub ilo Cottonwood First Ward, ej kōm̧m̧an jerbal bajjōk, kōm̧m̧ani m̧akūtkūt ko an Jikaut, im joļo̧k iien ippān ro m̧ōttan. Ilo m̧weo, baam̧le eo ej mije jeje ko rekwojarjar, ikkure ko, im jerbal ko.
“Jema eaar katakin eō kilen jerbal kōn waanjon̄ok eo an,” ekar ba. Eaar ba “Jinō eaar katakin eō kilen jerbal ilo an kōtļo̧k eō bwe in kōm̧m̧ani.”
Jemen Ron eaar kattōre juon waan tōlibōr pilawe, rujļo̧k kajjojo 4 awa jibbon̄ im jepļaaktok n̄an kapijuknen ilo kajjojo jota. Jinen eaar pād m̧weo n̄an lale ajri ro, kōm̧m̧an jidik jāān ilo an wia kake to̧ļe.
Ron eaar jeļā kilen tōl, ajije eddo ko an n̄an ro jet, im kilen kadedeļo̧k men otemjeļo̧k—ko raar lukkuun kōpooj e ilo jerbal im eddo ko an ilo kabun̄—ko kar kōjerbali ilo mour eo an.
“Ron kar kapeiki bwe en kōkaduduik ujoojoj ko,” leddik eo jein eaar ba. Ak Ron, eaar kōņaan bwe ro m̧ōttan ren jipan̄ e.
“Ke ij reinam̧ōj ļo̧k, ij lo ro m̧ōttan rej kōkaduduik n̄an e,” Nancy ej ba. “Wiik eo tok juon bar ro jet m̧ōttan rej kōkaduduik ujoojoj ko. Ej jijet ilo jea eo im ettōn̄ im bwebwenato ippāer ilo aer kōm̧m̧ani jerbal ko an.”
Jemen im jinen Ron raar lukkuun apan̄ kōn jāān, bōtaab ewōr ippān baam̧ļe eo gospel eo. “Ekar jab ļap jāān ippam,” Ron eaar keememej, “bōtaab eaar jab jelet m̧ōņōņō eo aō.”
Ro Mōttad im Ritōl ro Jej Leke
Rūtto ļo̧k, Ron eaar jeraam̧m̧an kōn ro m̧ōttan rem̧m̧an im ritōl ro an priesthood, ro retiljek, ekoba em̧m̧aan eo me eaar juon an stake būreejtōn ium̧win 14 iiō—James E. Faust (1920–2007), eo eaar jerbal ilo Doulul eo an Jon̄oulruo Rijilōk ro im ilo Būreejtōnji eo Kein Kajuon. Baam̧le eo an Ron raar lukkuun epaake Būreejtōn Faust im baam̧le eo an. “Ekkā an eļtok n̄an eō āinwōt juon iaan ļaddik ro an ilo Cottonwood kōnke eaar jipan̄ kōkajiriirik eō,” ej ba.
Eaar ejjeļo̧k an Ron iien n̄an ikkure n̄an jikuuļ eo an ke ej high school kōnke emakijkij an jerbal, bōtaab eaar kōtļo̧k an iien n̄an jem̧jerā ko raorōk ejjeļo̧k jem̧ļo̧kier.
Eo m̧ōttan Kraig McCleary eaar ba “Iaar aolep iien nōbar Ron kōn wōn e, ak men̄e eaar jab wāppen.” Kōn juon ettōn̄dikdik, eaar ba, “iaar jiron̄ e ke n̄e enej etal n̄an lan̄, inaaj bar pād ijen kōnke Kōm̧ro kar kōm̧m̧ani men otemjeļo̧k ilo am kar rūtto tak.”
Ron eaar jino mijen eo an ilo 1970, ak Kraig eaar ļōmņak in karum̧wij ļo̧k jerbal in mijinede eo an m̧ae tokālik ilo fall season eo. En̄ņe ej iien eo Ron eaar kūr tok e jān mijen eo an.
“Ijjab jeļā elemen an kar bōk mālim n̄an kōļtok, bōtaab eaar kipel eō eļap bwe in etal n̄an mijen,” Brother McCleary eaar ba. “Aaet, iaar jab karum̧wij ļo̧k.”
Ron eaar ba mijen eo an ekar juon en̄jake “elukkuun em̧m̧an.” “Irooj eaar kōjeraam̧m̧an eō kōn elōn̄ kabwilōn̄lōn̄ ko, en̄jake in tōmak ko raar lapļo̧k,” ej ba. “Mijen eo aō eaar lukkuun aorōk n̄an mour in jetōb eo aō.”
Ron eaar joļo̧k jimettan in mijen eo an ilo āne ko ilo Bermuda. Mijen būreejtōn eo an, Harold Nephi Wilkinson, eaar jilkinļo̧k “mijinede ro repokake” n̄an ijeņ kōnke en maron̄ emakijkij an loļo̧k er.
“Kōm̧ kar lukkuun make ļo̧k iaam̧, ak būreejtōn eo ejjab aikuj in kar inepata kōn kōm̧,” Ron eaar ba. “Kōm̧ kar kōm̧m̧an jerbal in mijinede.”
Ilo “Dream Girl” jān Delta Phi
Ālkin an dedeļo̧k mijen eo an ilo 1972, Ron eaar lo juon an jerbal, kar deļo̧n̄e University eo ilo Utah, im kar koba ļo̧k ilo Delta Phil Kappa, juon doulul in aolep mijinede ro rej kab ro̧o̧l. Ilo m̧akūtkūt in iaio eo an doulul in, ekar m̧ōkaj an itok limoin ippān juon jiron̄ etan Melanie Twitchell. Melanie eaar juon eo kar kālete ilo Delta Phil “dream girls,” eo eaar jipan̄ doulul in kōm̧m̧ani m̧akūtkūt ko.
Āinwōt Ron, Melanie eaar itok jān juon baam̧le eo eniknik in Armej ro Rekwojarjar ilo Raan-ko Āliktata. Jemen, eaar juon ritariņae, im jinen eaar jab kōņaan bwe baam̧le eo en emakijkij aer em̧akūt ej juon men ej kōm̧m̧an bwe ren jako jān jar.
Melanie eaar bwilōn̄ kōn jouj im peran eo an Ron, im jeļā eo kōn gospel in. “Iaar ba ippa make, ‘Ej juon em̧m̧aan em̧m̧an jekdoon n̄e iban jerā ippān. Ikōņaan bwe en juon m̧ōtta eo em̧m̧an.’”
Ke jem̧jerā eo aerro eaar eddōkļo̧k, Jetōb eaar kapen en̄jake ko an kōn Ron im wūjlepļo̧k eo an n̄an Irooj. Tokālik jem̧jerā eo aerro eaar jino ilo ta eo Melanie ej ņaetan “bok in bwebwenato,” eo em̧m̧an.
Elder Rasband eaar ba eaar jejjet n̄an e. “Melanie ekar lukkuun jejjet n̄an eō ilo gospel in. Kōmro kar jino m̧ōttāik doon, im ej iien eo iaar kajjitōk bwe en m̧areik eō.”
Raar m̧are ilo Jeptōm̧ba 4, 1973, ilo Salt Lake Temple. Jān tōre eo, eaar ba, “juon m̧ōtta indeeo ejjab ļōmņak kōn e make … kar jipan̄ eō bwe in juon rikarejeran eo em̧m̧an ļo̧k an Jisōs Kraist. An iakwe im jipan̄, im an iakwe im jipan̄ n̄an ajri ro 5 nejum̧, ro pāleer, im ajri ro jibum̧ 24, raar rejetake eō.”3
“Jen Ilo̧k”
Ke eaar jerbal āinwōt juon būreejtōn n̄an doulul eo an em̧m̧aan ilo ward eo an ripālele, Ron eaar jino iaiio ippān Jon Huntsman SR., juon rikakpilōklōk an high council an ward eo. Jon eaar m̧ōkaj an bwilōn̄ kōn wāween an Ron kōpeļļake doulul eo.
“Eaar wōr an tōl im kapeel ko rekabwilōn̄lōn̄,” Elder Huntsman eaar ba, eo eaar jerbal āinwōt juon Eria Jiljilimjuonnoul jān 1996 n̄an 2011. “Iaar ļōmņak bwe juon likao eo ej pād wōt ilo kalōj emaron̄ in kar kōpeļļaike juon doulul āinwōt in.”
Ilowaan jejjo allōn̄ ko, Jon eaar lale an Ron kōpeļļaiki ļōmņak ko n̄an jerbali ilo an kar kadedeļo̧k eddo ko an priesthood. Ke jerbal in senior marketing eo ej peļļo̧k ilo kombani eo an Jon—eo eaar oktak im erom Huntsman Chemical Corporation—eaar jeļā bwe Ron ewōr ippān kapeel ko me eaar kōņaan leļo̧k n̄an e jerbal eo. Jerbal eo enaaj jinoe ilo wiik eo juon ilo Ohio, USA.
“Iaar jiron̄ ļo̧k Melanie, ‘ke iban joļo̧k aō jikuuļ im em̧akūt,’” Ron ej ba. “Iaar lukkuun kate eō bwe in kadiwōj ļo̧k jān kaļōj, im epaake aō tōpar kōttōbar eo aō.”
Melanie eaar kakeememej Ron bwe unin pād ilo juon jerbal em̧m̧an kōnke ej pād ilo jikuuļ.
“Ta eo kwoj inepata kake?” kōrā eo ekar kajjitōk. “Ijeļā kilen lemlem im etal. Iaar kōm̧m̧ane ilo aolepān mour e aō. Inaaj kōm̧m̧an bwe kwon ko̧o̧ļe jinōm̧ aolep jota. Jen etal.”
Leke eo an Jon kōn Ron eaar jejjet. Kōn bōklōkōt eo an Jon, eaar m̧ōkaj an Ron wanlōn̄ļo̧k ilo kombani eo, ekar erom̧ būreejtōn im chief operating opija ilo 1986. Eaar ito-itak kōn jerbal ko an kombani eo—jim̧or ilowaan im itulkin Amedka. Mekarta an boub jikejuuļ eo an, Ron eaar kajjieon̄ in pād ilo kapijuknen ilo weekend ko. Im n̄e ej ito-itak, ekkā an bōk ro uwaan baam̧le eo ļo̧k ippān.
“N̄e ej pād m̧weo, ej lukkuun kōm̧m̧an bwe ajri ro ren en̄jake iakwe,” Melanie eaar ba. Ej pād ilo m̧akūtkūt ko im iien ikkure ko n̄e emenin aikuj. Jenessa MacPherson, juon iaan leddik ro nejin emān, ej ba ke eddo ko an jemen ilo Jabōt ekkā aer bōk e jen an jijet ippān baam̧le eo ilo kweilo̧k ko an Kabun̄ in.
“Ekkā am̧ kijon̄ lale wōn eo enaaj jijet ippān ilo m̧ōn jar eo kōnke ej menin m̧ōņōņō bwe en pād ijo,” eaar ba. “Ij keememej ļo̧k aō jibwe pein ilo peiū im ļōmņak ippa make, ‘Eļan̄n̄e in kar jeļā āinwōt e, in kar pād ilo iaļ eo ejim̧we im naaj kar erom̧ āinwōt Rilo̧mo̧o̧r.’ Eaar aolep iien juon eo ij relo̧k n̄an e.”
Ļaddik eo nejin rūtto rein, Christian, eaar keememej an kijon̄ “joļo̧k iien ippān jemen.” Jem̧jerā ko am̧ ippān ro jet raar kadu kitieer kōnke emakijkij an baam̧le eo em̧m̧akūt n̄an bar juon jikin, eaar ba “ak jema eaar aolep iien juon m̧ōtta eo em̧m̧an”—juon eo em̧m̧an ippan jiāe.
Men̄e ej ikkure basketball ippān Christian, ikkure board game ippān leddik ro nejin, ak en̄wōd ippān baam̧le ak ro m̧ōttan, Ron ekōņaan wōt tōblaļ.
“Ilo am̧ kar rūtto tak, eaar jab kōtļo̧k an jabdewōt tōblaļ,” Christian eaar ba. “Kōm̧ij aikuj jerbale, ak kōm̧m̧an bwe kōmin em̧m̧an ļo̧k. Im jekjek in eaar wōnm̧aanļo̧k ippān ro jibwun rejitōn bōro.
Ilo aolepān iiō ko, baam̧le eo an Ron raar lukkuun lo wāween tōl ko an kabun̄ in kōkajoorļo̧k maron̄ eo an n̄an kwaļo̧k iakwe im tiriam̧o̧ kake, n̄an kwaļo̧k en̄jake ko an Jetōb, im n̄an im̧we ro jet n̄an kōm̧m̧ane ijo em̧m̧antata ippāer. Ālkin ļotak eo an Paxton ļaddik eo jibwun Ron im Melanie, baamļe eo eaar lukkuun pedped ioon kajoor im jipan̄ eo an Ron ilo jetōb.
Paxton, ke eaar ļotak tok eaar juon ko, metak kōn jorrāān ko an ānbwin ko raar mālijon̄ n̄an baam̧le eo ilo ānbwin, en̄jake, im jetōb. Elder Rasband eaar ba kōn ļotak eo an Paxton eaar “juon mālijon̄ eo epen n̄an dipļo̧ke eļaptata kōn mour indeeo.”4
Ilo iiō ko jilu rekadu in an Paxton mour ioon laļ in—eaar kanooj lōn̄ kajjitōk ko ak ejabwe uwaak ko—Elder Rasband eaar unjen kajoor, tōl baam̧le eo an ilo kajoor in Pinmuur eo an Jisōs Kraist.
Kōn ennaan in kūr eo an ekāāl, ro jet uwaan baam̧le eo im ro m̧ōttaer raar jab bwilōn̄. “Kōm ro me relukkuun jeļā kajjien,” Christian eaar ba, “kar kajutak pā ko peiūm̧ ke eaar rejetak āinwōt juon Rijilōk.”
“Inaaj Ilo̧k im Jerbal”
Ilo 1996, iiō 45, Ron eaar pād ilo lukwōn juon jerbal eo an em̧m̧an ke ekar bōk taļboon kūr eo ekar itok bwe en jerbal āinwōt mijen būreejtōn n̄an New York North Mission. Āinwōt Rijilōk ro etto, em̧ōkaj an “ joļo̧k [ok] eo an” (Matu 4:20).
“Eaar m̧ōkaj aō bōk kūr eo,” Elder Rasband eaar ba. Eaar ba n̄an Irooj, “Kwoj kōņaan bwe in ilo̧k im jerbal, inaaj ilo̧k im jerbal.”
Ron eaar bōk juon katak em̧m̧an ke eaar ekkatak jān en̄jake eo an: “Armej eļap ļo̧k aer aorōk jān jabdewōt men.”5 Kōn jeļāļo̧kjeņ im kapeel in tōl ko an, eaar pojak in jino jerbale mijen eo ilo aelōn̄ in kiin̄ eo an Irooj.
Ron im Melanie raar lo bwe jerbal in mijinede ilo New York eaar jim̧or idajon̄jon̄ im kalimomo. Ron eaar m̧ōkaj an leļo̧k eddo n̄an mijinede ro—ekōm̧m̧an bwe ren ettā, im katakin, kajoorļo̧k, im rōjan̄ er ilo eddōkļo̧k.
Ilo 2000, ralitōk allōn̄ ko rekaddu ālkin an Ron im Melanie kar kadedeik mijen eo aer, Ron eaar kūr n̄an Jiljilimjuonn̄oul eo, ijo eaar kōppopo, en̄jake, im elōn̄ tōļan ko kar kōjeraam̧m̧an Kabun̄ in. Āinwōt juon membōr in Jiljilimjuonn̄oul eo, eaar jerbal āinwōt juon rikakpilōklōk ilo Europe Central Area Presidency eo, jipan̄ im lale jerbal in ilo 39 laļ ko. Men̄e eaar etal jān college elōn̄ ļo̧k jen 40 iiō ko rem̧ootļo̧k, eaar pād wōt ainwōt juon rijikuuļ, bōk eddoin karuwainene jen ro jein im jatin ilo an kar lale North America West, Northwest, im jilu Eria ko ilo Utah; kar jerbal āinwōt juon Executive Director eo an Temple Department; im kar jerbal ilo Būreejtōnji eo an Jiljilimjuonnoul eo, jerbal ippān ļo̧k Jon̄oulruo ro.
Jemaan ļo̧k, Elder Rasband ekar etale, “Ej juon menin utiej im nōbar n̄an eō bwe in pād ilubwiljin Jon̄oulruo ro im katak jān er ilo elon̄ wāween ko.”6
“Ta eo Rejeļā, Ijeļā”
Tulōn̄ tuanmiin: pija jān Wendy Keeler; tuanbwijmaron̄: Mormon Preachers, Mijinede ro Jinointata ilo Denmark, jān Arnold Friberg (pedped ioon juon pija jā Christen Dalsgaard, 1856); Dan Jones Awakens Wales, jān Clark Kelley Price
Ruo pija kar jin̄aik rej ettoto itōrerein opiij eo an Elder Rasband. Juon iaer ej pijain mijinede ro an Mormon rej katakin juon baam̧le ilo Denmark ilo 1850. Pija eo kein karuo ej mijinede eo jiniontata Dan Jones ej kwaļo̧k jān juon aeboj laļ ilo āne ko reddik ilo British. Pija ko (itulōn̄ tuabwijmaron̄) rekar kakeememej Elder Rasband kōn bwij eo an make.
“Paineer rein m̧okta raar leļo̧k aolepān aer n̄an gospel eo an Jisōs Kraist im letok juon jenokan iaļ eo aer n̄an ļoore,” eaar kam̧ool.7 Ta eo eaar lukkuun iuun ro jibwun im jim̧aan Elder Rasband m̧aanļo̧k ilubwilijin kapo im jum̧ae ej ta eo ej elukkuun kōkarbab e n̄an kūr eo an ekāāl: juon jeļā eo epen n̄an kam̧ool kōn Irooj im jerbal eo An.
“Elōn̄ wōt men ij aikuj in ekkatak ilo kūr in aō ekāāl,” eaar ba. “Ij lukkuun ettā kōn menin. Ak ewōr juon men ilo kūr in aō me imaron̄ kōm̧m̧ane. Imaron̄ kwaļo̧k kam̧ool kōn etan Kraist ilo aolepān lal’ (K&B 107:23). Ej mour!”8
Āinwot paineer ro jibwun, eaar ba: “Ta eo rej en̄jake, ij en̄jake. Ta eo rejeļā, ijeļā.”9
Im ta eo rej kōjatdikdik kake ilo eddōkļo̧k eo aer ilo mour in, katak ko, im jerbal eo an Elder Ronald A. Rasband, eo ej aer waanjon̄ok im nōbar jenkwan ko aer ilo an etal m̧aanļo̧k āinwōt juon rikam̧ool eo ejenolok an Irooj.