Āinwōt An Kōm̧m̧ane
Ilo ad pukōt n̄an jerbal in karejar āinwōt E, jenaaj pok iien ko rem̧man n̄an meļo̧kļo̧k koj im kotak ro jet.
Emāron 18 allon remootļo̧k, ilo fall eo ilo 2017, būratōr eo ao Mike me 64 an iiō ekar karon̄ eō ke elōn̄ an nan̄inmej in kāānjer ilo lojeen. Ekar barāinwōt ba n̄an n̄a bwe ekar bōk juon kōjeraam̧m̧an an priesthood jān eo ekar ikutkut an loļo̧k, im bwe em̧ōj an loļo̧k bisop eo an. Ekar barāinwōt jilkintok ilo text juon pijaan tampeļ eo ilo Oakland California eo ekar pijaiki jān aujpitoļ eo ekar takto ie, ippan tok naan in ilo pija eo “Lale ta in imaron loe jān ruum̧ e aō ilo aujpitoļ.”1
Ikar lukkuun ilbōk kōn naan ko an kōn riloļo̧k ro, kōjeraam̧m̧an ko an priesthood, bisop ro, im tampeļ āinwōt ikar ļōmņak men kein kōn kāānjer. Kōjjeļā, Mike, juon pris an Aaronic Priesthood, ekar jab etal im jar ekebaak enan̄in 50 iiō.
Āinwōt juon baam̧le, jekar ikdeelel ilo mour in jetōb eo an āinwōt am kar ilo an kar kajjieon̄ tarinaeiki nan̄inmej in kāānjer, eļap tata kōn ikutkut in kajjitōk ko an kōn Bok in Mormon, kajoor eo an liāp, im mour alikin mej. Ilo an eļļāļo̧k allōn̄ ko im kāānjer eo ekar ļapļo̧k, kar aikuj eļapļo̧k im elōn̄ļo̧k kain n̄an jiban̄ nan̄inmej eo an, rekar kōm̧akūt Mike n̄an Utah im Huntsman Cancer Institute.
Ālikin jet iien an kar itok, Mike kar loļo̧k jān John Holbrook, eo ekar juon ward mijen ritol ilo ward eo ej jerbal āinwōt rilale ilo ijo ej kiiō jokwe ie. John ekar ba bwe “ikar lukkuun loe ippa make bwe Mike ej laddik eo nejin Anij” im bwe jem̧jerā eo aerro ekar mōkaj an eddōk, kar tōļļo̧k John bwe en erom āinwōt de facto būrator ilo jerbal in karejar nan Mike. Ekar wōr juon iien eo emōkaj ej aikuj kōm̧m̧an n̄an karuwainene mijenede ro n̄an loļo̧k, ako būrator eo aō ekar jab bōke, ako juon allōn̄ ilo jem̧jerā in aerro, John ekar bar kajjitōk, kōmeļeļeik Mike, “Ij lōmnak enij em̧m̧an ippem rōn kōn naan in gospel in.”2 Iien in karuwainene eo ekar wanm̧aanļo̧k, kar tōlļo̧k n̄an katak ko ippān mijenede ro, barāinwōt ippān Bisop Jon Sharp, eo bwebewnato ko aerro ekar tōlļo̧k bwe Mike en bōk kōjeraam̧m̧an eo an petriak eo an, 57 iio alikin an kar peptaij.
Ilo Tijem̧ba in iiō eo ļo̧k, ālkin allōn̄ in m̧adm̧ad, Mike ekar kālet n̄an bōjrak jān an bōk uno in kāānjer, eo ekar leļo̧k jet kain bar abūnono ko n̄an anbwinin, im n̄an baj kōtļo̧k bwe mejatoto en make kōmour e. Jekar rōn jān taktō eo an ke elōn̄ wōt jilu allōn̄ in an Mike nej mour. Ilo raan in mour kein an, kajjitōk kōn gospel in ekar wanmaanļo̧k wōt—āinwōt lotok ko im jipan̄ ko jān ritōl ro an priesthood ro im ro m̧ōttan ilo jikin lale eo. Ilo iien loļo̧k ko am ippān Mike, ekkā am loe kape in Bok in Mormon ioon juon tābōl ilo turin beet eo an ilo am kōnono kōn Jeplaaktok eo an gospel in, kii ko an priesthood, im elōn̄ļo̧k kajjitok kōn tampeļ im mour indeeo an armej.
Ilo ioļap in Tijem̧ba eo, ippān epād kōjeraam̧m̧an eo an petriak, Mike ekar kajoorļo̧k, im jilu allōn̄ in an mour ekar kanooj in ļap. Jekar karrōk bwe en kobatok ippem ilo Kūrijmoj, ilo Iiō eo Ekāāl, im ko jet. Ilo Tijem̧ba 16, ikar bōk juon call eo ikar jab kōtmāne kake jān Bisop Sharp, eo ekar kōjjeļļā iō bwe e im stake būreejtōn eo rekar kōnnaan ippān Mike, ekar loe bwe ekar weppān n̄an bōk Melkisedek Priesthood eo, im kajjitōk n̄aat ijjab boub bwe in pād. Kain̄i eo kar karōke n̄an Bōļaide ņe, Tijem̧ba 21.
Ke raan eo ekar itok, lieo ippa, Carol, im n̄a kar etal n̄an mōn lale armej eo im ekar mōkaj aer ioon komro ilo hallway eo ke iturin ruum̧ eo an im karon̄ kōm̧ bwe Mike ekar jako an emenono. Kōm̧ kar deļo̧n̄e ruum̧ eo im loe petriak eo eo, bisop eo, im stake būreejtōn eo rej kōttar—innem Mike ekar kōppelļo̧k mejān. Ekar kile n̄a im ba bwe ekar ron̄ aō etal im ekar pojak n̄an an bōke priesthood eo. 50 iiō alikin an kar ekkapit āinwōt juon Aaronic Priesthood, ikar marōn, bok jipan̄ jān ritol ro, n̄an leļo̧k im kab kapit būrator eo aō n̄an Melkisedek Priesthood eo im kōjeraam̧m̧an e n̄an opiij eo an elder. Ļalem awa tokālik, Mike ekar jako, ilo an etal ļo̧k ilo veil eo n̄an etal ippān ro jinem im jemōm āinwōt juon eo ekar kabwijer Melkisedek Priesthood eo.
Juon iiō emootļo̧k, juon kūr jān Būreejtōn Russell M. Nelson n̄an kōj kajjojo bwe jān lale ro jeid im jatid ilo wāween eo “eutiejļo̧k, ekwojarjarļo̧k.”3 Kōnono kōn Rilo̧mo̧o̧r eo, Būreejtōn Nelson ekar katakin bwe “Kōnke Kabun̄ eo An in, jej āinwōt rikarejar ro An renaaj karejar n̄an juon, āinwōt Ekar kōm̧m̧ane. Jenaaj karejar ilo Etan, kōn kajoor im maron̄ eo An, im kōn An iakwe im jouj.”4
Ilo uwaak n̄an kūr in jān juon rikanaan an Anij, jerbal ko n̄an karejar n̄an eo juon rej bōk jikin ilo aolepān laļ in, ilo jerbal in tōl ko, ilo an membōr ro kōm̧m̧ani jerbal in karejar ko ilo tiljek, āinwōt aō ba ta eo ij kūr “ejjab ilo karōk” jerbal in karejar ko, ilo an elōn̄ ro rej kwaļo̧k iakwe eo an Kraist ilo uwaak in ta ko rej itok ilo ejjeļo̧k jeļā. Ilo baam̧le ko an make, jej kam̧ool, ilo epaak, jerbal in karejar rōt in.
John, eo mōttan Mike, eo mōttan im karejar būrator eo an Mike im kar juon mijen būreejtōņ, kijor ba n̄an mijenede ro an bwe “eļan̄n̄e juon eo ilo laajrak eo aer ej ba bwe ‘ejjab ikdeelel,’ en jab ebweer. Armej rej oktak.” Innem ekar ba n̄an kim, “Mike ekar kajoor an oktak.”5 John kar m̧okta juon mōttā, leļo̧k aolep ta ko ej aikuji n̄an kōkajoor im jipan̄, im mōttan eo ekar tōlļo̧k n̄an iakwe im lōke—ako jerbal in karejar ko an ekar jab bojrak n̄an loļo̧k ko rem̧m̧an. John ekar jelā bwe jerbal in karejar ej lapļo̧k jān mōttā im mōttā eo ej lapļo̧k ilo ad jerbal in karejar.
Ejjab aikuj bwe juon armej en en̄taan, āinwōt būrator eo ao, kōn nan̄inmej ko an mour in n̄an aikuji jerbal in karejar eo. Aikuj kein rej itok ilo kajjojo ļam̧, jon̄ak, im ed. Juon mama ak baba eo emake iaan; ripālele edikļo̧k aer jar; juon eo em̧m̧an ded ej apan̄; juon mama eo emōk; mālejjon̄ in tōmak; jāān, mour, ak apan̄ ilo mour an rimare ro—elaajrak kein ejjeļo̧k jemļo̧kin. Bōtaab, āinwōt Mike, ejjeļok ej ettoļo̧k an jako, im ejjab rimuj n̄an topar iakwe eo Rilo̧mo̧o̧r eo.
Jej ekkatak jān jerbal in karejar ilo peij ko an Kabun̄ in bwe “ilo an lōn̄ jibadbad ko n̄an jerbal in karejar, kijejeto ko ad ilo jerbal in karejar eaikuj in tōl kōn juon ikdeelel n̄an jipan̄ ro jet bōk juon oktak eo em̧wilaļ an juon make n̄an erom̧ āinwōt Rilo̧mo̧o̧r.”6 Elder Neil L. Andersen ekar ba ilo wāween in:
“Juon armej eo em̧m̧an emaron̄ in jipan̄ juon kōn neen wa eo waan, bōkļo̧k eo m̧ōttan n̄an jikin taktō, m̧ōn̄ā ippān juon eo ebūrom̧ōj, ak ettōn̄ dikdik im ba iakwe.
“Ak n̄an ļoor kien eo m̧oktata enaaj ioktok n̄an jerbal ko raorōk kōn jerbal in jipan̄.”7
N̄an kōkm̧anm̧anļo̧k ad jerbal in karejar āinwōt Jisōs Kraist, eaorōk n̄an keememej bwe kijejeto ko An n̄an iakwe, lōn̄aj, im kōjeraam̧m̧an eaar juon kōttōbar eļap ijelo̧kkin tōpar aikuj ko. Eaar jeļā aikuj ko aer jen raan n̄an raan im kar wōr tiriam̧o kōn en̄taan ko aer ilo An kamour, naajdik, jeorļo̧k bōd, im katakin. Ak Eaar kōņaan kōm̧m̧an elōn̄ ļo̧k jen bōk aikuj ko an rainin. Ekar kōņaan bwe ro rej ped ipeļaakin n̄an ļoor E, n̄an jeļā E, im n̄an kōttōpare aolep kōttōpar ko aer.8
Ilo ad pukōt n̄an jerbal in karejar āinwōt E,9 jenaaj pok iien ko rem̧man n̄an meļo̧kļo̧k koj im kotak ro jet. Iien ko rem̧m̧an remaron̄ in jab jejjet, im idajon̄jon̄e ikdelel eo ad em̧ool n̄an erom̧ eļap ļo̧k āinwōt M̧aajta eo, eo ej unjen men otemjej, Pinmuur eo An Eļap, ekar wōrtokjān im jejjet. Ilo Matu jebta 25, ej kakeememej kōj elmen an Irooj en̄jake kake kōj, n̄aat, āinwōt E, jej loļo̧kjen kōn en̄taan ko, mālijjon̄ ko, aod ko jej iooni reļļap ak ekkā ad jab loi:
“Itok, kom̧ rimōņōņō an Jema, jolōt aelōn̄ eo ear pojak n̄an kom̧ jān aolep pedped in laļ:
“Bwe I ar kwole im kom̧ ar naajdik Eō: I ar maro, im kom ar kaidaak Eō: I ar ruwamāejet, im kom̧ ar kadeļo̧n̄ Eō. …
“Innām ro rem̧m̧an renaaj uwaak E im ba, Irooj, n̄āāt kōm ar lo Am̧ kwōle im naajdik Eok? Ak maro im kaidaak Eok?
“Nāāt kōm̧ ar lo Am ruwamāejet, im kadeļo̧n̄ Eok? …
“Im kiin̄ eo enaaj uwaak im ba n̄an er, “Em̧ool Ij ba n̄an kom̧, ilo ami kōm̧anm̧an jabdewōt n̄an juon rein ro jatū ediktata, kom̧ ar kōm̧anm̧ane n̄an Eō.”10
Men̄e jekar jerbal āinwōt jerbal in karejar būratōr im jijtōr ro, ak jekar kōm̧m̧an bwe jān loe aikuj ko an juon armej, rej kōketak kōj n̄an pukōt tōl im iaļ jān Jetōb eo—innem n̄an jerbal. Jemarōn ļōmņak ewi wāween eo em̧m̧an tata n̄an jerbal, ako Irooj ejeļā, im kōn Jetōb eo an enaaj kwaļo̧k ilo ad kate kōj. Āinwōt an Nipai, eo “ekar tōl jān Jetōb, ilo an jaje m̧okta ta ko [rej] aikuj kar kōm̧m̧ani,”11 jenaaj barāinwōt tōl jān Jetōb ilo ad kajjieon̄ in āinwōt kein jerbal ko ilo pein Irooj n̄an kōjeraam̧m̧an ro Nejin. Ilo ad kapukōt tōļ eo an Jetōb im lōke Irooj, jenaaj pād ilo iien im tōre ko jemarōn jeļā ia jej aikuj em̧m̧akūt im kōjeraam̧m̧an—ilo bar juon wāween, jerbal in karejar.
Enaaj wōr jet iien jenaaj kile juon aikuj ak en̄jake likjab n̄an uwaak, ļōmņak bwe ta ko jej leļo̧k ejjeļo̧k tokjāer. N̄an kōm̧m̧ane āinwōt An kōm̧m̧ane,12 bōtaab, ej n̄an karejar ilo ad leļo̧k ta ko jemaron̄e n̄an leļo̧k im n̄an leke bwe Irooj enaaj kōļapļo̧k jerbal ko ad n̄an kōjeraam̧m̧an ro “rej etetal ilo mour in.”13 Ilo jet, emaron̄ leļo̧k menin letok eo an iien im taļōn; n̄an ro jet, emaron̄ naan ko rejouj ak likin ekajoor. Men̄e jemarōn en̄jake bwe jerbal ko ad rej likjab, Būreejtōn Dallin H. Oaks ekar kwaļo̧k juon katak aorōk kōn “men ko redik im pidodo.” Ekar katakin bwe men ko redik im pidodo rej kajoor konke rej karwainene koj “jemjerā eo ad ippān Jetōb Kwojarjar,”14 juon jemjerā eo ej kōjeraam̧m̧an jim̧or eo ej leļo̧k im eo ej bōke.
Ilo an kar jeļā bwe m̧ōttan jidik en kar jako, būrator eo ao Mike ekar ba, “Elukkuun kabwilōn̄lōn̄ an nan̄inmej in kāānjer ilo loje kōm̧m̧an bwe kwon rie ilo ta ko eļap aer aorōk.15 Kam̧oolol n̄an kōrā ro im em̧m̧aan ro rekar loe jipan̄ eo, rekar jab ekajet, im kar jerbal in karejar āinwōt Rilo̧mo̧o̧r eo, ekar jab rimuj n̄an Mike. N̄an ro jet, oktak emārōn itok tokalik; n̄an ro jet, bōlen ilo mour eo juon. Bōtaab, jej aikuj keememej bwe ejjab rimuj im bwe ejjeļo̧k juon enan̄in etal ettoļo̧k jān iaļ in me ļeo im lio enij tōpar Pinmuur eo an Jisōs Kraist, eo im ejjeļo̧k jemļo̧kin.
Ilo Oktoba eo ļo̧k ilo kweilo̧k eo eļap, Elder Dale G. Renlund ekar katakin bwe “jekdoon ewi to in ad kar jako jān iaļ in … , iien eo jej kālet n̄an oktak, Anij enaaj jipan̄ kōj ro̧o̧ltok.”16 Kāālet eo n̄an oktak, bōtaab, ej kōn karuwainene, āinwōt “Ij ļōmņak kwonej m̧ōņōņō in ron̄ kōn naan in gospel in.” Āinwōt ej jab rimuj n̄an Rilo̧mo̧o̧r eo, ejjab iien emōkaj n̄an koj n̄an leļo̧k juon karwainene.
Ijtō in ej bōktok, bar juon alen, juon iien n̄an ad bar kōļmenļo̧kjeņ kōn en̄taan in pinmuur eo an ad Rilo̧mo̧o̧r, Jisōs Kraist eļap im ta eo Ekar kōm̧m̧ane n̄an koj kajjojo kōn wōnāān eo eļap—wōņāān eo E make ekar ba “wun eo [An], eļap jān men otemjej, mijak kōn metak.” “Mekarta,” Ekar ba, “Iaar bōke im kadedeļo̧k m̧aanjāpopo ko n̄an ro nejin armej.”17
Ij kam̧ool bwe kōnke emōj An “kam̧ōje,” aolep iien elōn̄ kōjatdikdik. Ilo etan Jisōs Kraist, Amen.