Akwa Mboho
Etop eke Ufɔkemana—Mme Ikɔ eketode Abasi
Akwa Mbono Ɔfiɔŋ Duop 2025


13:57

Etop eke Ufɔkemana—Mme Ikɔ eketode Abasi

Etop emi enyene edisana ntɔŋɔ, ntem ana nnyin ikama enye ye uteŋe emi odotde nte mme ikɔ eketode Abasi.

Akwa mbono emi eke October 2025 anam ɔyɔhɔ isua 30 tɔŋɔ ekenɔ etop eke “Ufɔkemana: Etop emi enɔde Ererimbot.” Otode edisana ubono-ŋkpɔ, ekenɔ etop emi, ye mme ikɔ eriyarare esie, ndi “kama nyuŋ nsɔŋɔ ufɔkemana nnim nte ata-akpan itie ke obio.”

Ofuri owo edu ke ufɔkemana, mme afo edi eka, ete, eyen-aŋwan, eyeneren, eyeyen, ete-ete mme eka-eka, aunt, uncle, eyeneka-eren, eyeneka-ŋwan, mme cousin. Ata akpan-akpan, nnyin owo kiet-kiet idi, nte etop oro etiŋde idi, “edima eyeneren mme eyen-aŋwan spirit eke ete ye eka eke heaven … [ye] edisana uduot-obot ye akaŋa.”

Ini emi ekotde mi esin ke edisana ndaha apostle ke 2015, eketeme mi ete, “Etop emi edi okuo idahaemi. Enyiŋ fo [ewutde mme ikɔ oro ‘Esop mme Apostle Duopeba’ odude ke ibuot-ikɔ] odu mi idahaemi. Kop ikɔ oro nyuŋ kpep enye nte afo enyene enye.”

Ami mema etop eke ufɔkemana. Ami mmetiŋ ikɔ-ntiense ŋkanare ererimbot tɔŋɔde ke Africa kesim Australia ye ofuri ebiet ekededi kabaŋa utom ufɔkemana ke nsinsi uduak Abasi. Etop emi enyene edisana ntɔŋɔ, ntem ana nnyin ikama enye ye uteŋe emi odotde nte mme ikɔ emi otode Abasi.

Eti, nditɔ-eka irenowo ye iban, nte ami ŋketiŋde ke akwa mbono andikibe ke ata enyɔŋ-obot emi ke, “Ikɔ enyene-ufɔn.”

Yak ami nnɔ mbufo usuk akpan-ŋkpɔ kabaŋa etop oro nte ɔwɔŋ ikɔ kabaŋa se nnyin inimde ke akpanikɔ.

Ke 1994, isua kiet mbemiso ekedinɔde etop oro, Eboho mme Apostle Duopeba ekeneme nte obio ye mme ukara ekpɔŋde ibet emi Abasi ekenimde ɔnɔ ufɔkemana, ndɔ, ye oruk owo. President Russell M. Nelson ekem edinam aŋwaŋa ete, “Edi oro ikidighe akpatre kabaŋa ŋkpɔ se nnyin ikikutde.” “Nnyin ima ikeme ndikut mme ukeme eke mme nsio-nsio obio ke ndikpɔŋ kpukpru mme ido ye edu kabaŋa edinam idaŋ. Nnyin ima ikut ndutime oro kabaŋa oruk eren mme ŋwan. Nnyin ima ikut kpukpru oro nte edidide.”

Mbon Duopeba oro edibiere ndinam ŋwed kiet, adaha etop kiet, ndiwut ibio-ibio nte ndaha Ufɔk Abasi kabaŋa ufɔkemana. Ke isua oro, mme Apostle emi, okut-ŋkukut emi Abasi okotde, ema ebeŋe ubiere kiet abaŋade ufɔkemana enim. President Dallin H. Oaks editi nte mmɔ ewɔŋɔre ebine Abasi ke akam eyom “se [mmɔ] ekpetiŋde ye nte [mmɔ] editiŋde ikɔ oro.” Mmɔ edimen ikɔ oro etiŋ enɔ Akpa Presidency—Mme President Howard W. Hunter, President Gordon B. Hinckley, ye President Thomas S. Monson—eyom unyime mmɔ.

Esisit mme ɔfiɔŋ eken, ke March 1995, President Hunter edibe efep, ndien President Hinckley akabare edi 15th President eke Ufɔk Abasi. Etop oro okodu ke ubɔk esie idahaoro. Ini ewe edidi eti ini ndisian etop emi nnɔ Ufɔk Abasi? Ini oro ekedidi ke ufaŋ ɔfiɔŋ itiokiet efen.

Mme usen mbemiso akwa esop Relief Society eke September 23 emi ekenimde mbemiso akwa mbono ada itie, President Hinckley ye mme ɔnɔitem esie ediso-bo ke ndineme ye General Presidency eke Relief Society. Nditɔ-eka iban oro, ukem nte mme Apostle, ema esikere mme mfina kabaŋa iban ye mme ufɔkemana. Mmɔ ema esise eyom mme esop ndiso-bo ye mme ufɔkemana ke ini-iso.

Ema enim ini President Hinckley nditiŋ-ikɔ nnɔ iban ke mboho oro. Enye okosuk ekekere se editiŋde ke etop esie. Nte nneme akade iso, enye edikot ke enyiŋ ɔnɔ obufa ŋkpɔ oro edi itiŋke aŋwa-aŋwa kaŋa nte “Ufɔkemana: Etop emi enɔde Ererimbot.” Ndi esop iban emi edi nnen-nnen ndaha ke ndisian akpan ubiere emi kabaŋa ufɔkemana?

Ekem General Relief Society President Elaine Jack edinam aŋwaŋa ete: “Nnyin ikifiɔk-ke se etop oro kabaŋa ufɔkemana edide ke ini oro. … [N]nyin ima ikeme edidɔhɔ ke ibuot-ikɔ oro ete, edi nnyin ima ikere ŋkpɔ kiet abaŋade ufɔkemana … ke edi-di eti ŋkpɔ. … Ami mma nnyene eti ekikere ke nnyin iminyene mbon eke Eboho Duopeba emi ekebɔde eriyarare.”

Esop Relief Society eke usen Saturday oro ekedi enyene-ufɔn. “Ye ata ediwak ŋkari ikɔ emi etiŋde nte akpanikɔ, ye ata ediwak abiaŋa kabaŋa mme edu ye ufɔn, ye ata ediwak mbukpek ye nnem-inua ndiŋwana ye ekpri ndo ererimbot, nnyin imibiere ndikpan nyuŋ mbemiso mkpan … kabaŋa mme edu, ukpep, ye edinam eke ebehede ufɔkemana emi mme prophet, okut-ŋkukut, ye andiyarare eke ufɔk Abasi emi ekefiakde etiŋ ke ofuri mbuk mmɔ.”

Enye ndien edikot etop oro ofuri-ofuri. Nte Jehovah eketiŋde ete, “Mme okpoto ke uyo mi mme uyo eke mme isuŋutom mi, ke edi ukem-ukem.”

Etop oro ete ke, “Abasi ekemek ufɔkemana enim.” Ami mmema ediŋwaŋa eke ikɔ etop oro. Etop oro edi ikoot ɔnɔ nnyin ke uwem isɔŋ ndikere ke nsinsi mbaŋa edisana-ndaha emi odude nnyin ke idem ye nsinsi ini-iso emi anade nnyin ke iso. President Nelson ekekpep ke, “Mbufo enehede edi nditɔ eke spirit Abasi. … Ekunam ndudue kabaŋa ŋkpɔ oro: Odudu mbufo edi edisana. Ye ntim-nyom mbufo, Abasi eyewut ata esisit se afo ekemede ndikabare ndi.”

Ke ini ekenɔde, etop oro ikiduk-ke ye mme ekikere ediwak owo ke ererimbot. Ikikuk-ke ke ini oro. Iduk-ke idahaemi. Odu mbon emi enyenede mfina ye etop oro kabaŋa ufɔkemana, ndɔ, ye ndidi eren mme ŋwan. Ubakowo enɔ ekikere ete Ufɔk Abasi emum etop oro esio, efiak-enam ɔfɔn, mme ete esik etop oro enim ke nkaŋ kiet.

Etop emi abaŋade ufɔkemana edi, nte President Hinckley eketiŋde ete ke edi, ukpepŋkpɔ, ndima nditɔ-eka irenowo ye iban. Mme ukpep iwɔrɔke ikpɔŋ usuŋ edi enehede esaŋa ke ndaha ye usuŋ Jehovah ye ke usuŋ ediomi Esie. Ɔbɔŋ Jesus Christ akayarare mme ukpepŋkpɔ eke etop oro ɔnɔ mme Apostle Esie ke ini oro ye idahaemi. Emi edi Ufɔk Abasi Esie; Enye ama owuk mme akpanikɔ oro emi nnyin itienede.

Ubak mbufo emekeme edikere mbaŋa etop oro ndien edɔhɔ ete, “Etop emi inmake ŋkpɔ inɔ mi.” “Etie nte inyeneke ufɔn.” “Ufɔkemana mi ibietke ntre.” “Ami ŋkemke ye etop oro.”

Eke mbon emi enyenede mfina, efiɔk ete ke afo edi eyen eke ete ye eka eke heaven, ubak ufɔkemana eke Ete Heaven mbufo. Iduhe owo emi enehede ɔfiɔk mbufo mme enehede ekpeme mbufo akan nte Enye anamde. Ewɔŋɔre etiene Enye; ewaŋare esit mbufo enɔ Enye; enyene mbuɔtidem ke Enye ye ke mme eŋwɔŋɔ Esie. Mbufo emenyene ufɔkemana ke Andinyaŋa, Jesus Christ mbufo, emi amade mbufo. Enye ekedi ke ererimbot ndisio-isop nnɔ mme idiɔkŋkpɔ nnyin nyuŋ mbiom ukut eke ndudue ye eke ata ndiɔi usen nnyin. Enye ɔfiɔk se mbufo ekutde enyuŋ ekerede. Ewɔŋɔre etiene Enye; enim ke Enye eyenɔ Edisana Spirit ndidu ye mbufo, mmenere mbufo, nyuŋ mkpeme mbufo. Ekop ima Mmɔ emi “owutde idemesie aŋwa-aŋwa ke mme esit nditɔ owo; … edi ŋkpɔ emi enehede eyom ekan … ye ŋkpɔ emi ɔnɔde ukpɔŋ idara.”

Kpukpru mme Apostle Ɔbɔŋ enehede ema mbufo. Nnyin imibɔŋ-akam ibaŋa mbufo inyuŋ iyom ndausuŋ Jehovah inɔ mbufo. Edu ye nnyin. Mbufo edu ke mme ini afanikɔŋ kini andidiɔk oyomde ndinam mbufo eke eke esie. Ekunyime nditiene enye. Ndien edieke mbufo edude, efiak edi. Mme ubɔk nnyin anyanare esim mbufo, ukem nte eke mbon efen emi emade mbufo.

Etop oro ete ke, “Mme ete ye eka enyene nsasana ubiɔŋ ndibɔk nditɔ mmɔ ke ima ye edinen-ido.” Ŋwed Mormon ɔnɔ udiana ntiense adian akpanikɔ emi. Ke akpa ufaŋ eke akpa ibuot-ŋwed oro, nnyin ikoot ete, “Ami, Nephi, emi ŋkemanade nto ete ye eka emi ekefɔnde.” Ibat owo nnyin ifaŋ ikitɔŋɔ edikot Ŋwed Mormon—inyuŋ ifiak itɔŋɔ ndien itɔŋɔ—ndien ke usuŋ oro idimum mme ikɔ oro isin ke ibuot nnyin? Idimum mmɔ isin ke esit.

Kiet kotu mme ikɔ eke ami mmade ŋkan ke etop oro edi emi ke: “Edinehede inyene inemesit ke uwem ufɔkemana ke ini ebɔpde edori ke mme ukpepŋkpɔ … Jesus Christ.”

Anie owo miyomke inemesit?

Ndien nso idi mme ukpepŋkpɔ eke Jesus Christ? Efen, ke etop oro ete: “Mbuɔtidem, akam, eritua-mkpɔfiɔk, erifen-nnɔ, ukpono, ima, utom, ye mme nti mbre.”

Ewe uwem mikpifɔnke oto ke ndida mme akpan ukpep ami nsin ke utom? Iduhe owo nnyin ndomokiet emi edinamde ɔfɔn-ama, edi nnyin imikeme nditiene mme ikɔ ifiɔk President Hinckley ete: “Enam ata eti ukeme mbufo.”

Nnyin ikoot ke etop oro ke, “Mme ete ana nte etie-ibuot … ke ima ye edinene-ido,” ndien “mme eka enehede enyene ubiɔŋ-utom ke edibɔk nditɔ mmɔ.” Nditie-ibuot iwɔrɔke ndikaka-ra, ndien ndibɔk iwɔrɔke ndadiana ubiɔŋ-utom. Abasi ama ɔnɔ irenowo ye iban nsio-nsio edi ukem-ukem ye akpan ubiɔŋ-utom emi ekemde ye kiet eken.

Yak mbuana uwutŋkpɔ kiet eke idem mi.

Ŋwan mi ye ami imikpep ndinehede nnam utom ke ndidi ukem-ukem nsaŋa ke usen kiet ke ini ami ŋkebierede ndinam akpan ubiere kiet ke minemke ye enye. Edinam mi ama eyighe enye, edidighe enye, onyuŋ esin enye ke ata ɔkpɔsɔŋ ndaha. Ke oro ebede, enye edidori ubɔk esie ke afara mi ndien ɔsɔŋɔ etiŋ ete, “Ron, mbɔk, ku-unam ŋkpɔ ntre ye ami ini efen.” Nnyin iminehede inam ŋkpɔ ɔtɔkiet ɔtɔŋɔde ke ini oro.

Nnyin imikut ke etop eke ufɔkemana ke: “Mme ete ye eka enyene ubiɔŋ-utom ndiŋwam kiet eken nte ukem-ukem nsaŋa.”

Ukem-ukem edi ikɔ emi enyenede ufɔn. Ke mme isua ekebede, nte Sister Rasband ye ami inamde utom ɔtɔkiet ke ŋkpɔ se etop oro owutde nte “nsasana ubiɔŋ-utom” nnyin, nnyin iminehede ukem-ukem ɔkpɔnɔ ndɔ inim. Idahaemi nte nditɔ nnyin kiet-kiet ema ekedɔde-ndɔ, Sister Rasband ye ami isuk ikaka-iso nditeme mmɔ ye mbon ndɔ mmɔ kabaŋa ndidi mme ukem-ukem nsaŋa.

Ini emi nnyin idude uwem nnyin ise ubɔŋ Abasi ikpɔŋ, nnyin imikpono kiet eken inyuŋ iŋwam kiet eken. Mme ndisana usuŋ eke edinen-ido ada ekesim ntuak-nda ke uwem nnyin owo kiet-kiet, ufɔkemana, ye obio nnyin.

Ete nnyin ke Heaven ama ɔnɔ etop kabaŋa ufɔkemana ndiŋwam nda nnyin nnyɔŋ ufɔk mbine Enye, ndiŋwam nnyin ikpep inyuŋ iyɔhɔ ke ima, ɔsɔŋɔ, uduak, ye nsinsi edifiɔk. Ye ofiru ukpɔŋ mi, ami mbeŋe ye mbufo nte edu ekpere Enye ye Edima Eyen Esie. Ami ŋwɔŋɔ nte ke nte mbufo enamde ntre, Spirit eyedemere onyuŋ ekpeme mbufo onyuŋ aŋwam mbufo ndikop ke esit mbufo emem emi Mmɔ ekeŋwɔŋɔde ndinɔ emi “ayaŋade kpukpru ifiɔk owo.” Ke enyiŋ Jesus Christ, amen.

Mkpri ŋwed

  1. The Family: A Proclamation to the World,” Gospel Library.

  2. The Family: A Proclamation to the World,” Gospel Library.

  3. See Ronald A. Rasband, “Words Matter,” Liahona, May 2024, 70, 75–76.

  4. See Sheri Dew, Insights from a Prophet’s Life: Russell M. Nelson (2019), 208.

  5. This was not the first official proclamation of the Church. Previous to the 1995 “The Family: A Proclamation to the World” were proclamations in Church history in 1841, 1845, 1865, and 1980. The latest proclamation was given in 2020: “The Restoration of the Fulness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ: A Bicentennial Proclamation to the World.” (See Emma Benson, “What We Learn from the Proclamations of the Restoration” [digital-only article], Liahona, Dec. 2021, Gospel Library.)

  6. Dallin H. Oaks, “The Plan and the Proclamation,” Liahona, Nov. 2017, 30.

  7. See Dew, Insights from a Prophet’s Life, 209–10.

  8. See Barbara Morgan Gardner and Olivia Osguthorpe, “Delivering the Family Proclamation: Insights from Former Relief Society General President Elaine L. Jack,” Religious Educator, vol. 24, no. 2 (2023), 164.

  9. See Gardner and Osguthorpe, “Delivering the Family Proclamation,” 162–65; see also Elaine L. Jack, “Relief Society: A Balm in Gilead,” Ensign, Nov. 1995, 92. In her remarks, President Jack taught: “Families bring us our greatest joys and sometimes our most wrenching heartaches. Families provide a learning environment, a schoolroom from which we never graduate but can always learn. In our families we learn to appreciate the spiritual peace that comes from applying the principles of charity, of patience, sharing, integrity, kindness, generosity, self-control, and service. These are more than family values, sisters; these are the Lord’s way of life.”

    Elder Dallin H. Oaks, chair of the Priesthood Executive Council at the time, also attended the meeting (see Gardner and Osguthorpe, “Delivering the Family Proclamation,” 167).

  10. See Gardner and Osguthorpe, “Delivering the Family Proclamation,” 165.

  11. “The Family: A Proclamation to the World” would be the first official Church proclamation since April 6, 1980. Up to that point, the Church had issued only four official proclamations, addressing matters of doctrine, faith, history, warnings, invitations, and statements of Church growth and progress (see Encyclopedia of Mormonism [1992], “Proclamations of the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles,” 3:1151–57).

  12. Elaine L. Jack, in Gardner and Osguthorpe, “Delivering the Family Proclamation,” 166.

  13. Gordon B. Hinckley, “Stand Strong Against the Wiles of the World,” Ensign, Nov. 1995, 100. In the October 1976 general conference, President Spencer W. Kimball cited an American author who observed, “Throughout history, nations have been able to survive a multiplicity of diseases, invasions, famines, earthquakes, epidemics, depressions, but they have never been able to survive the disintegration of the family” (in “A Report and a Challenge,” Ensign, Nov. 1976, 7–8).

  14. Doctrine and Covenants 1:38.

  15. The Family: A Proclamation to the World,” Gospel Library.

  16. Russell M. Nelson, “Choices for Eternity” (worldwide devotional for young adults, May 15, 2022), Gospel Library.

  17. See Gordon B. Hinckley, “Stand Strong Against the Wiles of the World,” 100.

  18. See “The Family: A Proclamation to the World,” Gospel Library.

  19. 1 Nephi 11:22–23.

  20. The Family: A Proclamation to the World,” Gospel Library.

  21. 1 Nephi 1:1.

  22. The Family: A Proclamation to the World,” Gospel Library.

  23. The Family: A Proclamation to the World,” Gospel Library.

  24. Gordon B. Hinckley, “Women of the Church,” Ensign, Nov. 1996, 69.

  25. The Family: A Proclamation to the World,” Gospel Library. “When there is not a husband or father in the home, the mother presides over the family” (General Handbook: Serving in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 2.1.3).

  26. The Family: A Proclamation to the World,” Gospel Library.

  27. The Family: A Proclamation to the World,” Gospel Library.

  28. The Family: A Proclamation to the World,” Gospel Library.

  29. In the October 1991 general conference, President Gordon B. Hinckley taught that Adam and Eve “stood side by side in the garden. They were expelled from the garden together, and they worked together, side by side, in gaining their bread by the sweat of their brows” (“Our Solemn Responsibilities,” Ensign, Nov. 1991, 51).

  30. Ŋwed Mbon Philippi 4:7.