Izimpendulo Zomkhuleko

Imfundiso ebalulekile neduduzayo yevangeli likaJesu Kristu wukuthi uBaba wethu oseZulwini unothando olupheleleyo lwabantwana Bakhe. Ngenxa yalolo thando olupheleleyo, usibusisa ngokwezifiso nangokwezidingo zethu, ngokunjalo nangokuhlakanipha Kwakhe okungenamkhawulo. Njengoba umprofethi uNefi asho ngokucacile wathi, “Ngiyazi ukuthi [uNkulunkulu] uyabathanda abantwana bakhe.”¹

Enye ingxenye yalolo thando olupheleleyo wukuzibandakanya kukaBaba wethu oseZulwini kuzo zonke izinto ezithinta izimpilo zethu, ngisho noma ngabe thina singakwazi noma singakuqondi kahle lokho. Usizo nokuholwa nguBaba sikufuna kuye ngomkhuleko onentshisekelo ovela enhliziyweni. Uma sihlonipha izivumelwano zethu esizenzileyo futhi sizama ukuba njengoMsindisi wethu, sinelungelo lokuthola ukuholwa okuvela phezulu okuhlezi kukhona² ngethonya nangokushisekeliswa nguMoya oNgcwele.

Imibhalo engcwele isifundisa ukuthi, “Ngokuba uYihlo uyakwazi enikuswelayo ningakaceli kuye,”³ futhi nokuthi “wazi zonke izinto, ngokuba zonke izinto ziphambi kwamehlo [Akhe].”⁴

Umprofethi uMormoni uyisibonelo salokhu. Akazange aphile ukuba abone imiphumela yomsebenzi wakhe. Kodwa wayeqonda ukuthi iNkosi yayimhola phambili ngokuqaphela. Ngesikhathi ezwa enentshisekelo yokuhlanganisa izingcezu ezincane zikaNefi nombhalo wakhe, uMormoni wabhala ukuthi: “Futhi ngenza lokhu ngenhloso yokuhlakanipha; ngokuba kunyenyeza kanje kimi, njengokusebenza kuka Moya weNkosi okimi. Manje, angizazi zonke izinto; kodwa iNkosi izazi zonke izinto ezizokwenzeka; ngalokho-ke, yona isebenza kimi ukuthi ngenze njengoba ithanda.”⁵ Nakuba uMormoni wayengazi mayelana nokulahleka okwakusazokwenzeka kwamakhasi ayi-116 ombhalo olotshwe ngesandla, iNkosi yayikwazi lokho futhi yalungisa indlela yokunqoba leso sithiyo emandulo ngaphambi kokuba sibe khona.

UBaba uyazi ngathi, uyazazi izidingo zethu, futhi uzosisiza ngokuphelele. Kwesinye isikhathi lolo sizo lunikezwa ngaso leso sikhathi noma okungenani masinyane nje emva kokucela usizo oluvela phezulu. Kwesinye isikhathi izifiso zethu zentshisekelo futhi ezinhle aziphendulwa ngendlela esifisa ngayo, kodwa sithola ukuthi uNkulunkulu usibekele izibusiso ezinkulu. Futhi kwesinye isikhathi izifiso zethu ezilungileyo azifezwa kulempilo. Ngizokukhombisa lokhu, ngezindaba ezintathu, ukubonisa izindlela uBaba wethu oseZulwini angaphendula ngazo izicelo zethu zentshisekelo Kuye.

Indodana yethu engumagcino yabizelwa ukuyoshumayela ivangeli kwiMishini yaseFrance eParis. Ukulungiselela lomsebenzi, sahamba naye ukuyomthengela zonke izimpahla zokugqoka ezijwayelekile njengamahembe, amasudi, othayi, amasokisi, kanye nejazi. Ngebhadi, ijazi ayelifuna lalingatholakali ngosayizi wakhe. Kodwa-ke umabhalane wesitolo wethembisa ukuthi lelo jazi lalizotholakala emasontweni ambalwa futhi lalizolethwa esikhungweni sokuqeqeshwa kwabefundisi eProvo ngaphambi kohambo lwendodana yethu oluya eFrance. Salikhokhela ijazi sangabe sisazihlupha ngalutho.

Undodana wangena esikhungweni sokuqeqeshwa kwabefundisi ngenyanga kaJuni, ijazi labe selilethwa kusasele izinsukwana nje ngaphambi kokuba ahambe ngenyanga ka-Agasti. Akazange alilinganise kodwa walifaka masinyane emthwalweni wakhe ndawonye nezinye izimpahla zakhe nokunye.

Kwathi sekusondela ubusika eParis, lapho undodana ayesebenzela khona, wasibhalela esitshela ukuthi wayelikhiphile ijazi walilinganisa kodwa wathola ukuthi lalilincane kakhulu kuye. Ngakho-ke kwakufanele simfakele enye imali ukuze akwazi ukuthenga elinye ijazi eParis, nokuyinto ayenza. Nginokunengwa, ngambhalela ngimtshela ukuthi akabophisana ngalo lelo jazi lokuqala, njengoba ayengasezukulisebenzisa.

Kamuva sathola nansi i-email evela kuye: “Kubanda kakhulu lapha. … Umoya kuba sengathi udlula khona lapha kithi, nakuba ijazi lami elisha lilihle impela futhi lisinda. … Elidala ngalinika [omunye umfundisi ohlala nathi] owathi wayekade ekhulekela indlela yokuthola ijazi elingcono. Uyikholwa leminyaka embalwa futhi unonina kuphela … kanye nomfundisi owambhabhadisa okuyibona bantu abamxhasayo emsebenzini wakhe wokushumayela ivangeli ngakho-ke ijazi laba wukuphendulwa komkhuleko kuye, ngakho-ke nami kwangijabulisa lokho.”⁶

UBaba oseZulwini wayazi ukuthi lomfundisi, owayesebenza eFrance ekude nasekhaya, wayezodinga ijazi elisha ngokushesha ngenxa yobusika baseParis kodwa lomfundisi wayengezukuba nayo imali yokulithenga. UBaba oseZulwini wayazi futhi nokuthi indodana yethu yayizothola ijazi elivela esitolo sezimpahla zokugqoka eProvo, e-Utah, elalizoba lincane kakhulu. Wayazi ukuthi labefundisi ababili babezosebenza ndawonye eParis nokuthi lelijazi lalizoba impendulo yomkhuleko wokuzithoba nonentshisekelo kumfundisi owayenesidingo ngokujahekileyo.

UMsindisi wasifundisa wathi:

“Akuthengwa yini imizwilili emibili ngendibilishi na? kepha akuyikuwa phansi namunye kuyo ngaphandle kukaYihlo.

“Kodwa kini zibaliwe nezinwele zonke zekhanda lenu.

Ngakho maningesabi; nina niyayidlula imizwilili eminingi.”⁷

Kwesinye isikhathi, uma izifiso zethu ezinhle zingaphendulwa ngendlela ebesifisa ngayo, sithola ukuthi ekugcineni lokho kungaba yinzuzo kithi. Ngokwesibonelo, abafowabo baJosefa indodana kaJakobe babenomona ngaye futhi bemzonda kangangokuba baze bakha uzungu lokumbulala. Esikhundleni salokho, bamdayisa njengesigqila eGibithe.⁸ Uma kwakukhona umuntu owayebona sengathi imikhuleko yakhe yayingaphendulwa ngendlela ayefisa ngayo, lowo kwakungaba nguJosefa. Eqinisweni, lokhu okubonakala njengeshwa kwaba nomphumela wesibusiso esikhulu kuye futhi kwasindisa umndeni wakubo ukuba ungabulawa yindlala. Kamuva, emva kokuba esengumholi oyisethenjwa eGibithe, ngokholo nangokuhlakanipha okukhulu wathi kubafowabo:

“Manje ningabi-buhlungu, ningazithukutheleli ukuthi nathengisa ngami lapha, ngokuba uNkulunkulu wangithuma phambi kwenu ukulondoloza impilo.

“Ngokuba isimibili iminyaka indlala ikhona ezweni; kusasele iminyaka eyisihlanu okungayikulinywa, kuvunwe ngayo.

“UNkulunkulu wangithuma ngaphambi kwenu ukunilondoloza, nibe-yinsali emhlabeni, nisindiswe kube-ngukukhululwa okukhulu.

“Kalokhu akuyinina enangithuma lapha, kepha uNkulunkulu.”⁹

Ngesikhathi isesekolishi, indodana yethu endala yathola umsebenzi othandeka kakhulu wesikhashana okwakunokwenzeka uholele ekutheni iqashwe ngokugcwele emva kokuthweswa iziqu zayo zemfundo. Wasebenza kanzima kulomsebenzi esafunda iminyaka emine, wafaneleka kakhulu, futhi wayehlonishwa kakhulu ngozakwabo ayesebenza nabo ngokunjalo nabaphathi bakhe. Ekupheleni konyaka wakhe wokugcina, ngokwakubonakala sengathi kwakuhlelwe ngaphezulu (ngokucabanga kwendodana yethu), isikhala salowo msebenzi savuleka, futhi nguye owayephambili kulabo ababekhankasela lowo msebenzi, zonke izimpawu zazikhomba ukuthi, nakanjani, wayezowuthola lowo msebenzi.

Kodwa-ke, akaqashwanga. Akekho kithi owayengakuqonda lokhu. Wayezilungiselele kahle, waxoxisana kahle nabaqashi, nguye owayefanelwe kakhulu yilomsebenzi, futhi wayekhuleke ngethemba elikhulu! Waphela nasozwanini, futhi leso sigameko sonke sasishiya sizibuza imibuzo. Ngabe uNkulunkulu wayemshiyeleni kulesi sifiso sakhe esilungileyo na?

Impendulo yalowo mbuzo eyasicacela kahle ayizange ifike kwaze kwadlula iminyaka embalwa. Ukuba wayewutholile lowo msebenzi owawuthandeka kakhulu emva kokuthola iziqu zakhe, wayezolahlekelwa yithuba elibaluleke kakhulu empilweni yakhe yonke manje osekubonakala ukuthi lizombusisa futhi uzozuza ingunaphakade kulo. UNkulunkulu wayesazi isiphetho kusuka ekuqaleni (njengoba kuhlezi kunjalo), futhi kulokhu impendulo yemikhuleko eminingi yokulunga yaba ngu cha, uNkulunkulu efuna ukufeza umphumela omkhulu kakhulu.

Futhi kwesinye isikhathi, izimpendulo zomkhuleko esizifuna ngentshisekelo nangokulungileyo, azinikwa kulempilo.

UDade uPatricia Parkinson wazalwa ekwazi ukubona njengokwejwayelekile, kodwa kwathi eseneminyaka eyisikhombisa waqala ukuba yimpumputhe. Kwathi eseneminyaka eyisishiyagalolunye, uPat waqala ukuya ezikoleni zase-Utah zabangaBoni nabaNgezwa e-Ogden, e-Utah, kude nasekhaya, okwakudinga ukuba athole indawo yokuhlala khona esikoleni––okwenza wakhumbula ekhaya njengentombazanyana eyayisencane.

Kwathi eseneminyaka yobudala eyi-11, wayengasaboni nhlobo. UPat wabuyela ekhaya ukuyohlala khona izikhathi zonke eseneminyaka eyi-15 ukuze akwazi ukufunda esikoleni esasiseduze. Waqhubeka wayofunda ekolishi wathola iziqu eziphathelene nokuphazamiseka kwezokuxhumana kanye nezindaba ezithinta ingqondo, kwathi emva kokuzabalaza ngobuqhawe ngokumelene nezikhulu ezamukela abafundi ezazimngabaza, wangena esikoleni semfundo ephakeme waphothula iziqu zobungcweti besayensi yezifo zokukhuluma nolimi. UPat manje usebenza nabafundi abangama-53 besikole sabaqalayo futhi uphethe izingcweti ezine zolimi nokukhuluma esikoleni sakhe sesifunda. Unomuzi wakhe nemoto yakhe, eshayelwa ngabangani bakhe namalungu omndeni wakhe uma uPat edinga ukuhanjiswa.

Isithombe

Udade uPatricia Parkinson

Kuthe uPat eseneminyaka eyi-10, wayesehlelelwe futhi ukuba ayoxilongwa ngenhloso yokubhekana nenkinga yakhe yokubona okwakuya ngokuncipha. Abazali bakhe babelokhu bemtshela ukuthi yini eyayizokwenzeka mayelana nosizo ayezoludinga ukumnakekela, kodwa ngenxa yesizathu esithile abazange bamtshele ngalokhu kuxilongwa. Kwathi uma abazali bakhe sebemtshela ukuthi wayesehlelelwe ukuxilongwa, uPat, ngokusho kukanina, “wayexakekile.” UPat wagijima waya kwelinye igumbi wabuye wabuya kamuva wayesethi kubazali bakhe ngentukuthelo, “Ake nginitshele lokhu. Ngiyakwazi, uNkulunkulu uyakwazi, futhi nani kuzofanele nikwazi. Ngizoba yimpumputhe impilo yami yonke!”

Eminyakeni embalwa edlule, uPat wahamba waya eCalifornia ukuyovakashela amalungu omndeni ayehlala lapho. Ngesikhathi engaphandle nomshana wakhe oneminyaka emithathu, wathi kuye, “Mam’khulu uPat, yini ungavele ucele uBaba oseZulwini ukuba akunike amehlo amasha na? Ngoba uma umcela uBaba oseZulwini, Uzokunika noma yini oyicelayo. Kufanele uvele umcele nje kuphela.”

UPat wathi lombuzo wavele wammangalisa nje kodwa waphendula wathi, “Kwesinye isikhathi uBaba oseZulwini akasebenzi kanjalo. Kwesinye isikhathi udinga ukuthi ufunde okuthile, ngakho-ke Akakuniki konke okucelayo. Kwesinye isikhathi kudingeka ulinde. UBaba oseZulwini noMsindisi bazi kahle ukuthi yikuphi okuhle okusifanele nanokuthi yikuphi esikudingayo. Ngakho-ke Abazukukunika konke okufunayo ngaleso sikhathi okufuna ngaso.”

Sengimaze iminyaka eminingi uPat kanti kamuva nje ngimtshele ukuthi ngiyamncoma ngokuthi uhlezi ejabule futhi enethemba lokuhle njalo. Waphendula wathi, “Ubungakaze uhlale nami ekhaya, akunjalo? Nginazo nami izikhathi zami. Sengike ngazabalaza nokudangala, futhi sengike ngakhala kakhulu.” Noma kunjalo, wabuye wathi, “Kusuka ngesikhathi ngiqala ukulahlekelwa wukubona, kwakuyinto engajwayelekile, kodwa ngangazi ukuthi uBaba oseZulwini noMsindisi babenami kanye nomndeni wami. Lesi simo sasiphatha ngokusemandleni, futhi ngokubona kwami, sasiphatha ngendlela efanele. Sengigcine ngiphumelele ngokwanele, futhi ngokujwayelekile ngihlezi ngijabule. Ngiyasikhumbula isandla Sakhe sikuzo zonke izinto. Kulabo abangibuza ukuthi ngabe ngicasukile yini ngenxa yokuba yimpumputhe, ngibaphendula ngithi, ‘Ngingacasukela bani? UBaba oseZulwini unami kulokhu; angingedwa. Uhlezi enami ngaso sonke isikhathi.’”

Kuloludaba, isifiso sikaPat sokuphinde akwazi ukubona asizukunikwa kulempilo. Kodwa isiqubulo sakhe, asifunde kuyise, sithi, “Nalokhu kuzodlula.”¹⁰

UMongameli uHenry B. Eyring washo lokhu, “UBaba ngaso lesi sikhathi uyazi ngawe, nangemizwa yakho, ngokunjalo nangezidingo zabo bonke abaseduze kwakho zangokomoya nezempilo.”¹¹ Leli qiniso elikhulu neliduduzayo lingatholakala kulezi zigameko ezintathu engixoxe ngazo.

Bafwethu nodadwethu, kwesinye isikhathi imikhuleko yethu iphendulwa ngokushesha nemiphumela esinethemba layo. Kwesinye isikhathi izifiso zethu aziphendulwa ngendlela esifisa ngayo, kodwa sithola ukuthi uNkulunkulu usibekele izibusiso ezinkulu kunalezo ebesizilindele. Futhi kwesinye isikhathi izicelo zethu ezilungileyo kuNkulunkulu azizukufezwa kulempilo.¹² Njengoba iGosa uNeal A. Maxwell asho wathi, “Ukholo lubandakanya futhi nokwethemba esikhathini sikaNkulunkulu.”¹³

Sinesiqiniseko sokuthi ngendlela Yakhe futhi nangesikhathi Sakhe, uBaba oseZulwini uzosibusisa futhi azixazulule zonke izinkathazo zethu, konke okwenzeka kithi okungalungile, nayo yonke indumalo yethu.

Ukucaphuna emazwini eNkosi uBenjamini: “Futhi ngaphezu kwalokho, ngifisa ukuthi nicabange ngesimo esibusisiwe futhi nesokujabula salabo abagcina imiyalelo kaNkulunkulu. Ngokuba bhekani, babusisiwe kuzo zonke izinto, ezesikhashana kanye nezikamoya; futhi uma bebambelele ekwethembekeni kuze kube sekugcineni bemukelwa ezulwini, ukuze ngalokho bahlale noNkulunkulu esimweni sokuthokoza okungenakuphela. O khumbulani, khumbulani ukuthi lezi zinto ziyiqiniso; ngokuba iNkosi uNkulunkulu izikhulumile.”¹⁴

Ngiyazi ukuthi uNkulunkulu uyayizwa imikhuleko yethu.¹⁵ Ngiyazi ukuthi njengoBaba owazi konke, onothando, imikhuleko yethu uyiphendula ngokupheleleyo, nangokuhlakanipha Kwakhe okungenamkhawulo, futhi nangezindlela eziyoholela ekutheni sizuze futhi sibusiseke ekugcineni. Ngiyafakaza ngalokhu egameni likaJesu Kristu, amen.