Ko e Ngaahi ʻOfefine Kitautolu ʻo ʻEtau Tamai Hēvaní

Ko e uike kotoa pē ʻoku lau ai ʻe he kau finemui ʻi he funga māmaní ʻa e kaveinga ʻo e Kau Finemuí. Neongo pe ko e hā e lea fakafonuá, ka ko e taimi kotoa ʻoku ou fanongo ai ki he ngaahi leá ni: “Ko e ngaahi ʻofefine kitautolu ʻo ʻetau Tamai Hēvaní, ʻokú Ne ʻofa ʻiate kitautolu pea ʻoku tau ʻofa ʻiate Iá,”¹ ʻoku fakapapauʻi mai ʻe he Laumālié ki hoku lotó ʻoku nau moʻoni. ʻOku ʻikai ngata ʻi heʻene fakapapauʻi mai hotau tuʻungá—ko hai kitautolú—ka ʻokú ne toe talamai ko hai ʻoku ʻAʻana kitautolú. Ko e ngaahi ʻofefine kitautolu ʻo ha tokotaha kuo hakeakiʻi!

Kuó u feʻiloaki ʻi he fonua mo e konitinēniti kotoa mo ha kau finemui loto falala, pōtoʻi lea, fonu ʻi he māmá, fakaleleiʻi ʻe he ngāue mālohí mo e faingataʻá, pea ʻoku nau maʻu ha tui haohaoa mo mahino. ʻOku nau angamaʻa. Ko ha kau tauhi fuakava ʻoku “tuʻu ko e kau fakamoʻoni ʻo e ʻOtuá ʻi he taimi kotoa pē pea ʻi he meʻa kotoa pē, pea ʻi he feituʻu kotoa pē.”² ʻOku nau ʻiloʻi ko hai kinautolu pea ʻoku ʻi ai honau fatongia mahuʻinga ke fakahoko ʻi hono langa e puleʻanga ʻo e ʻOtuá.

ʻI heʻeku ʻi he kolisí, ne u kau ki he Kau Faiva Fakavahaʻa-Puleʻanga ʻa BYU. Ne maʻu ʻe heʻemau kulupú ʻi ha faʻahitaʻu māfana ʻe taha ha faingamālie makehe ke ʻaʻahi ki he ngaahi misiona ʻi ʻIulopé. Ko ha taimi faingataʻa ʻeni kiate au he naʻe taʻe ʻamanekina e mālōlō ʻeku tangataʻeikí ʻi ha ngaahi māhina siʻi kimuʻa. Lolotonga ʻemau ʻi Sikotilaní, ne u ongoʻi tuēnoa peá u loto foʻi. Ne mau faiva ʻi ha falelotu he pō ko iá, pea hili ʻemau fakaʻaliʻalí, ne mau foki ki he ʻapi fakamisioná. ʻI he kamata ke u lué, ne u vakai atu ki ha foʻi maka ne tuku he veʻe ʻā ʻi ha ngoue ne tauhi lelei. Ne u lau ʻa e ngaahi leá ni, “Ko e hā pē ho fatongiá, fai ia ʻaki ho lelei tahá.” Ne tō loloto e ngaahi leá ki hoku lotó he taimi ko iá peá u ongoʻi ʻoku ala hifo e mālohi ʻo e langí ʻo ʻomi ha pōpoaki. Ne u ʻiloʻi ʻoku ʻafioʻi au ʻe ha Tamai Hēvani ʻofa. Ne u ongoʻi ʻoku ʻikai ke u tuēnoa. Ne u tuʻu ʻi he ngoue ko iá ʻo tangi. “Ko e hā pē ho fatongiá, fai ia ʻaki ho lelei tahá.” Ne fakafoʻou ʻe he ngaahi lea ko iá ʻa ʻeku fakakaukau ʻoku ʻafioʻi au ʻe he Tamai Hēvaní mo ʻiai ʻEne palani ki heʻeku moʻuí, pea ne tokoni e laumālie ne u ongoʻí ke mahino ʻoku mahuʻinga ʻa hoku fatongiá.

Ne u toki ʻilo ne hanga ʻe he ngaahi leá ni ʻo fakalotolahiʻi e palōfita ko Tēvita O. Makeí lolotonga ʻene hoko ko ha faifekau kei talavou ʻi Sikotilaní. Naʻá ne fakatokangaʻi e ngaahi leá ni ʻi ha maka ʻi ha fale, ʻi ha taimi fakaloto foʻi ʻi heʻene ngāue fakafaifekaú, pea naʻe fakaivia ia ʻe he ngaahi lea ko iá. Hili ha ngaahi taʻu mei ai, ne holoki ʻa e falé, peá ne fetuʻutaki ke ʻomi e fuʻu maká ʻo fokotuʻu ʻi he ngoue he ʻapi fakamisioná.³

ʻI heʻetau hoko ko e ngaahi ʻofefine ʻo e ʻOtuá, ʻoku tau makehe pea kehekehe hotau tūkungá mo ʻetau ngaahi aʻusiá. Ka ʻoku mahuʻinga ʻa hotau fatongiá—he ʻoku taumahuʻinga. ʻE ngali taʻeoli, siʻisiʻi, faingataʻa, pea ngali maʻulalo he taimi ʻe niʻihi ʻa ʻetau tokoni fakaʻaho ʻo e lehilehiʻí, akoʻí, mo tokangaʻi e niʻihi kehé, ka ʻi heʻetau manatuʻi ʻa e ʻuluaki laine ko ia ʻo e kaveinga ʻo e Kau Finemuí—“Ko e ngaahi ʻofefine kitautolu ʻo ʻetau Tamai Hēvaní, ʻokú Ne ʻofa ʻiate kitautolu”—ʻe hoko ai ha liliu ʻi hotau vaá mo ʻetau talí.

Ne toki mālōlo ʻa ʻeku faʻē fakaʻofoʻofa taʻu 92. Naʻá ne mavahe atu mei he māmaní ʻo hangē ko ʻene moʻuí—ʻo fakalongolongo pē. Ne ʻikai hoko ʻene moʻuí ʻo hangē ko ʻene palaní. Ne mālōlō hono husepānití, ʻa ʻeku tamaí, ʻi hono taʻu 45, ʻo tuku ai ʻeku faʻeé mo ha fānau ʻe toko tolu—ko au mo hoku ongo tuongaʻané. Naʻá ne nofo uitou ʻi ha taʻu ʻe 47. Naʻá ne faiako ʻaho pea faiako tā piano he poʻulí ke tokoniʻi homau fāmilí. Naʻá ne tauhi ʻa ʻene tangataʻeikí, ʻa ʻeku kui tangata ne toulekeleka ne mau kaungāʻapí. Naʻá ne fakapapauʻi ne mau ako kotoa he ʻunivēsití. Naʻá ne talamai kuo pau ke fai ia ke mau lava ʻo “tokoni.” Naʻe ʻikai ke ne teitei lāunga. Naʻá ne tauhi ʻene ngaahi fuakavá, pea koeʻuhí naʻá ne fai ia, naʻá ne omi ai ʻa e mālohi ʻo e langí ke faitāpuekina homau ʻapí pea ʻomi mo ha ngaahi mana. Naʻá ne falala ki he mālohi ʻo e lotú, lakanga fakataulaʻeikí, mo e ngaahi talaʻofa ʻo e fuakavá. Naʻá ne faivelenga ʻi heʻene ngāue ki he ʻEikí. Ne fakamālohia kimautolu fānaú ʻe heʻene mateakí. Naʻá ne toutou fakamanatu ʻa e folofola: “Ko au, ko e ʻEikí, ʻoku ou haʻisia, ʻo ka mou ka fai ʻa e meʻa ʻoku ou lea ʻakí; ka ʻo ka ʻikai te mou fai ʻa ia ʻoku ou lea ʻakí, ʻoku ʻikai hamou talaʻofa.”⁴ Ko ʻene motó ia, pea naʻá ne ʻilo ʻoku moʻoni ia. Naʻe mahino ki ai e ʻuhinga e hoko ko ha taha tauhi fuakavá. Ne ʻikai ke ʻiloa ia ʻe māmani. Ne ʻikai ke ne fie maʻu ia. Naʻá ne ʻiloʻi ko hai ia pea mo ia ʻoku ʻAʻana iá—ko ha ʻofefine ʻo e ʻOtuá. Ko e moʻoni ʻe lava ke pehē ne fakahoko lelei ʻe heʻemau faʻeé ʻa hono fatongiá.

Naʻe lea ʻa Palesiteni Kōtoni B. Hingikelī ʻo kau ki he houʻeiki fafiné mo e ngaahi faʻeé ʻo pehē:

“Ka ʻoku totonu ke ʻoua naʻa ngalo ʻiate kitautolu ʻa e ivi ʻo e kakai fefiné. … Ko e ngaahi faʻeé ʻoku nau maʻu e mālohi lahi taha ʻi he moʻui ʻenau fānaú. … Ko e ngaahi faʻeé ʻoku nau fafangaʻi mo lehilehiʻi hake kinautolu ʻi he ngaahi hala ʻo e ʻEikí. ʻOku mahuʻinga taha honau mālohí. …

“… Ko kinautolu ʻa e kau fakatupu ʻo e moʻuí. Ko kinautolu ʻoku nau lehilehiʻi hake ʻa e fānaú. Ko kinautolu ʻa e kau faiako ʻo e kau finemuí. Ko hotau ngaahi hoa ia ʻe ʻikai te tau lava ʻo liʻakí. Ko hotau kaungā ngāue ia ʻi hono langa hake ʻo e puleʻanga ʻo e ʻOtuá. Hono ʻikai mahuʻinga honau fatongiá, pea hono ʻikai fakaofo ʻenau tokoni ʻoku faí.”⁵

ʻE lava fēfē ke hanga ʻe ha faʻē pe tamai ʻo fakatō ʻi heʻena tama fefiné ʻa e moʻoni fakaʻeiʻeiki mo taʻengata ko e ngaahi ʻofefine kitautolu ʻo e ʻOtuá? ʻE fēfē haʻatau tokoniʻi kinautolu ke nau ʻalu atu mei he māmaní ki he puleʻanga ʻo e ʻOtuá?

ʻI ha māmani ʻoku hōloa ai e moʻui angamaʻá, ʻoku fie maʻu ʻe he kau finemuí ha kau fafine mo e tangata ke “tuʻu ko e kau fakamoʻoni ʻo e ʻOtuá ʻi he taimi kotoa pē pea ʻi he meʻa kotoa pē, pea ʻi he feituʻu kotoa pē.” Kuo teʻeki ke ʻi ai ha taimi ʻe mahuʻinga ange ai ʻo hangē ko e taimi ní. ʻOku fie maʻu ʻe he kau finemuí ha faʻē mo ha kau fai fakahinohino ʻoku nau hoko ko ha sīpinga ʻo e fefine angamaʻá. Ngaahi faʻē, ʻoku mahuʻinga ho vā fetuʻutaki mo hoʻo tama fefiné, pea pehē ki hoʻo tā sīpingá. ʻOku fakahaaʻi hoʻo ʻofa mo fakaʻapaʻapaʻi ʻene tangataʻeikí, lakanga fakataulaʻeikí, mo hono fatongia fakalangí ʻi he ngaahi tōʻonga fakakaukau mo e ʻulungaanga hoʻo tama fefiné.

Ko e hā ʻa e fatongia kuo pau ke tau “fakahoko leleí”? ʻOku mahino ʻa e fanongonongo ki he fāmilí:

“Tuʻunga ʻi ha palani fakalangi, ʻoku ʻa e ngaahi tamaí ai, ke nau puleʻi honau fāmilí ʻi he ʻofa mo e māʻoniʻoni pea ko honau fatongiá ke tokonaki ʻa e ngaahi fie maʻu ʻo e moʻuí pea mo ha maluʻi maʻa honau ngaahi fāmilí. Ko e tefitoʻi fatongia ʻo e ngaahi faʻeé ke lehilehiʻi hake ʻa ʻenau fānaú. ʻI he ngaahi fatongia toputapú ni, ʻoku haʻisia ai ʻa e ngaahi tamaí mo e ngaahi faʻeé ke nau fetokoniʻaki ko ha kaungā-ngāue tuʻunga tatau. …

“ʻOku mau fakatokanga atu ko e niʻihi fakafoʻituitui ko ia ʻoku nau maumauʻi ʻa e ngaahi fuakava ʻo e angamaʻá, ʻa kinautolu ʻoku nau ngaohi koviʻi ʻa e mali pe fānaú pe ʻoku ʻikai ke nau fakahoko honau ngaahi fatongia fakafāmilí, te nau tuʻu ʻi ha ʻaho ʻo fai ha fakamatala ʻi he ʻao ʻo e ʻOtuá.”⁶

ʻI he sosaieti fakalilifu ʻo e kuonga ʻo Molomoná, naʻá ne tangi laulau he naʻe toʻo mei he kakai fefiné ʻa e meʻa ʻoku mahuʻinga mo lelei taha ʻi he meʻa kotoa peé—ʻa honau angamaʻá mo e anga māʻoniʻoní.⁷

ʻOku ou toe fakaongo atu ha ui ke foki ki he angamaʻá. Ko e angamaʻá ko e ivi mo e mālohi ia ʻo e ngaahi ʻofefine ʻo e ʻOtuá. ʻE fēfē nai e māmaní kapau ʻe toe fakafoki ʻa e angamaʻá—ʻa e sīpinga ʻo e ngaahi fakakaukaú mo e ʻulungāngá ʻoku fakatefito ʻi he ngaahi tuʻunga ʻulungāanga maʻa mo haohaoá⁸—ki hotau sosaietí ko ha meʻa ʻe mahuʻinga moʻoni? Kapau ne siʻi ange e angaʻuli, ponokalafí, mo e ngaohikoviá, ʻe siʻi ange nai e mali veté, moʻui mamahí, mo e loto mamahí? ʻE hanga nai ʻe he mītiá ʻo hiki hake mo faitokonia kae ʻikai ʻikai holoki pe tukuhifo e ngaahi ʻofefine mahuʻinga ʻo e ʻOtuá? Kapau ne mahino ki he faʻahinga ʻo e tangatá kotoa ʻa hono mahuʻinga ʻo e lea ko ia “Ko e ngaahi ʻofefine kitautolu ʻo ʻetau Tamai Hēvaní,” ʻe fēfē nai e vakai mo e fakakaukau ki he houʻeiki fafiné?

ʻI he ngaahi taʻu kuo hilí, ʻi he ofi ke ʻosi hono langa ʻo e Senitā Konifelenisí ni, ne u hū mai ki he fale toputapú ni ʻi he fakafaletoló kuó u tui ha tatā mo ha matasioʻata maluʻi, mateuteu ke vekiume ʻa e kāpeti ne u tokoni mo hoku husepānití ke folá. Ko e feituʻu ko ia ʻoku tuʻu ai e tuʻunga malangá ne tuʻu ai ha mīsini louta ʻo fetuku kelekele, ne matolu e efú he falé ni. ʻI heʻene toka e efú, ne toka ia ʻi he kāpeti foʻoú. Ko ʻeku tafaʻakí ko hono vekiume ia. Ko ia ai ne u vekiume, vekiume pea mo vekiume. Hili ha ʻaho ʻe tolu, kuo vela e kiʻi vekiumé ia!

Ne tā mai hoku husepānití ʻi he hoʻatā kimuʻa pea fai e fuofua konifelenisi he fale fakaʻofoʻofa ko ʻení. Ne te u ke ne fola e laʻi kāpeti fakaʻosí—ʻi lalo ʻi he tuʻunga malanga fakahisitōliá ni.

Naʻá ne ʻeke mai, “Ko e hā e potufolofola te u hiki he tuʻa ʻo e laʻi kāpeti ko ʻení?”

Peá u pehē ange, “Mōsaia 18:9: ‘Tuʻu ko [ha fakamoʻoni] ʻo e ʻOtuá ʻi he taimi kotoa pē, pea ʻi he meʻa kotoa pē, pea ʻi he feituʻu kotoa pē.’”

ʻI he māmani fonu faingataʻá ni, ko e meʻa ʻeni ʻoku fai ʻe he kau finemui mo e houʻeiki fafine ʻo e Siasi ko ʻení. Ko ha ivi takiekina kinautolu ki he leleí. ʻOku nau angamaʻa mo hoko ko ha faʻifaʻitakiʻanga, poto mo faʻa ngāue. ʻOku nau fakahoko ha liliu he ʻoku nau kehe. ʻOku nau fakahoko lelei honau fatongiá.

ʻI he ngaahi taʻu kuo hilí, naʻá ku vekiume e kāpetí ni—ʻo feinga ke fakahoko lelei hoku fatongiá—ne ʻikai ke u ʻilo ʻe ʻi ai e ʻaho te u tuʻu ai ʻi he kāpeti ʻo e tuʻunga malangá ni.

ʻI he ʻahó ni, ʻi heʻeku hoko ko ha ʻofefine ʻo e ʻOtuá, ʻoku ou tuʻu ko ha fakamoʻoni ʻokú Ne moʻui. Ko Sīsū ʻa e Kalaisí. Ko Ia hotau Huhuʻí. Te u foki ʻo nofo mo Ia koeʻuhí ko ʻEne feilaulau taʻengata mo fakaleleí—kuo ʻosi siviʻi, haohaoa pea silaʻi ko ha fāmili taʻengata. Te u fakahīkihiki Ia ʻi he faingamālie ke u hoko ko ha fefine, uaifi, pea mo ha faʻeé. ʻOku ou fakamoʻoni ʻoku tataki kitautolu ʻe ha palōfita ʻa e ʻOtuá, Palesiteni Tōmasi S. Monisoni, pea ʻoku ou fakamālō ko e kau tangata angatonu kuo nau tāpuakiʻi ʻeku moʻuí ʻaki e lakanga fakataulaʻeikí. Pea te u fakamālō maʻu pē ko e mālohi ʻoku ou maʻu ʻi he mālohi fakaivia ʻo e Fakalelei taʻefakangatangata ʻa e Fakamoʻuí ʻi he hokohoko atu ʻeku feinga ke “fakahoko lelei [hoku] fatongiá.” ʻI he huafa ʻo Sīsū Kalaisí, ʻēmeni.