Ngo-2010–2019
Umsebenzi Womlando Womndeni Nowasethempelini: Ukuboshwa Nokwelashwa
Ngo-Ephreli 2018

Umsebenzi Womlando Womndeni Nowasethempelini: Ukuboshwa Nokwelashwa

IGosa uDale G. Renlund

WomGwamanda wabaPhostoli abaliShumi namBili

Uma siqoqa imilando yemindeni futhi siyela okhokho bethu ethempelini, uNkulunkulu ufeza izibusiso ezethenjisiwe ngasikhathi sinye nhlangothi zombili nesisitho.

Ubudlelwano bomndeni bungasilethela inzuzo kakhulu kodwa futhi nezinkinga empilweni. Iningi lethu selike labhekana noqhekeko oluthile emindenini yethu. Lolo qhekeko lwaba khona phakathi kwamaqhawe amabili okuBuyiselwa kweBandla likaJesu Kristu kulezi zinsuku zokugcina. UParley kanye no-Orson Pratt babezalwa ndawonye, bengamakholwa okuqala, futhi bengabaPhostoli ababegcotshiwe. Ngabanye babhekana nokuvivinywa kokholo lwabo kodwa bakwazi ukwedlula kulokho besenobufakazi obuqinile. Bobabili bazinikela kakhulu kulomsebenzi weqiniso.

Isithombe
UParley Pratt

Ngesikhathi besahlala eNauvoo, ubudlelwano babo baba bubi, kwaze kwagcina ngokuba babhekane ngeziqu phakathi kwabantu ngonyaka ka-1846. Kwakhula ukwehlukana phakathi kwabo isikhathi eside. UParley waqale wambhalela u-Orson ukuze baxazulule lokho kwehlukana, kodwa u-Orson akamphendulanga. UParley wagcina edikibala, ebona ukuthi babengaseyukuphinde baxhumane.1

Isithombe
U-Orson Pratt

Kwathi emva kweminyaka embalwa, ngoMashi 1853, u-Orson wezwa ngomsebenzi wokukhishwa kwencwadi eyayikhuluma ngezizukulwane zikaWilliam Pratt, ukhokho wabo wokuqala waseMelika. U-Orson waqala ukukhala “njengomntwana omncane” ngesikhathi ebona leligugu lomlando womndeni. Inhliziyo yakhe yagcwala uthando, futhi wathatha isinqumo sokubulungisa ubudlelwano bakhe nomfowabo.

U-Orson wabe esembhalela uPratt ethi, “Manje-ke mfowethu othandekayo, akekho noyedwa phakathi kwazo zonke izizukulwane zikaKhokho wethu, uLieutenant William Pratt, onomdlandla wokufuna izizukulwane zakhe njengathi.” U-Orson wayengomunye wabokuqala ukuqonda ukuthi abaNgcwele beziNsuku zokuGcina banesibopho sokuyifuna futhi bayiqoqe imilando yemindeni ukuze senzele okhokho bethu izimiso zokumelwa. Waqhubeka encwadini yakhe ethi: “Siyazi ukuthi uNkulunkulu wobaba bethu ube nesandla kukho konke lokhu. … Ngizocela uxolo ngokunganaki njengoba ngikubhalela. … Ngiyethemb’ uzongixolela.”2 Nakuba babenobufakazi obabuqinile, uthando ababenalo ngokhokho babo yilo olwaba yimbangela yokuba belaphe lokho kwehlukana, babophe amanxeba, futhi bafune ukuxolelana.3

Ngesikhathi uNkulunkulu esiyala ukuthi senze okuthile, imvamisa Usuke enezinhloso eziningi emqondweni Wakhe. Umsebenzi womlando womndeni nowasethempelini akusiwo owabafileyo kuphela kodwa futhi ubusisa nabaphilayo. Ku-Orson noParley, wabenza babuyisana. Umsebenzi womlando womndeni nowasethempelini wabanika amandla okuba belaphe lokho okwakudinga ukwelashwa.

Njengamalungu eBandla, sinomthwalo esinikwe wona nguNkulunkulu wokuba sifune okhokho bethu futhi siqoqe nemilando yemindeni. Lokhu kungaphezulu nje kokuba wumsebenzi wokuzilibazisa esikhuthazwa ukuba siwenze, ngoba izimiso zensindiso ziyadingeka kubo bonke abantwana baNkulunkulu.4 Kufanele sibakhombe okhokho bethu abafa bengazange bazithole izimiso zensindiso. Singenza izimiso ethempelini ngokubamela, futhi-ke okhokho bethu bangakhetha ukuzemukela lezo zimiso.5 Siyakhuthazwa futhi ukuba selekelele amalungu eBandla emawadini nasezikhonkwaneni ngokuphathelene namagama emindeni yawo. Kuyamangalisa kakhulu ukuthi, ngomsebenzi womlando womndeni nowasethempelini, singalekelela ukuba kuhlengwe abafileyo.

Ngesikhathi sibamba iqhaza emsebenzini womlando womndeni nowasethempelini, siyafaneleka futhi ukuba sithole izibusiso “zokwelashwa” ezethenjiswe ngabaphrofethi nabaphostoli.6 Futhi lezi zibusiso zimangalisa kakhulu ngenxa yomkhawulo wazo, ubunjalo bazo, nemiphumela yazo empilweni yasemhlabeni. Nalu uhlu lwalezi zibusiso:

  • Ukukhula kokumqonda uMsindisi nomnikelo Wakhe ohlawulayo;

  • Ukukhula kwethonya likaMoya oNgcwele7 ukuze sizizwe sinamandla futhi sinendlela esiyihambayo ezimpilweni zethu;

  • Ukukhula kokholo, ukuze ukuguqukela kuMsindisi kujule futhi kuhlale isikhathi;

  • Ukukhula kwekhono nokufuna ukufunda nokuphenduka8 ngenxa yokuqonda ukuthi singobani, sivelaphi, nokuba nombono ocacile wokuthi siyaphi;

  • Ukukhula kokuba nokuhlanzeka, nokungcweliseka, nokungafuni ukwenza izinto ngokweqile ezinhliziyweni zethu;

  • Ukukhula kwenjabulo ngenxa yokukhula kokuzwa uthando lweNkosi;

  • Ukukhula kwezibusiso zomndeni, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi isimo somndeni sinjani njengamanje, izolo, noma kusasa noma emangakanani amaphutha ngokubhaliweyo ngokwelamana emndenini;

  • Ukukhula kokuthanda okhokho nezihlobo, ukuze singabe sisazizwa sisodwa;

  • Ukukhula kwamandla okubona lokho okudinga ukwelashwa bese kuthi, ngosizo lweNkosi, silethe usizo kwabanye.

  • Ukwanda kokuvikeleka ezilingweni nasemandleni akhula ngamandla esitha; kanye

  • Nokwanda kosizo lokulungisa izinhliziyo eziphukileyo noma ezikhathazekileyo nokubopha amanxeba.9

Uma usuke wazikhulekela lezi zibusiso, bamba iqhaza emsebenzini womlando womndeni nowasethempelini. Ngesikhathi ukwenza lokho, imikhuleko yakho izophendulwa. Ngesikhathi abangasekho benzelwa izimiso, abantwana baNkulunkulu abasemhlabeni bayelashwa. Akumangalisi-ke ukuthi uMongameli uNelson, enkulunyweni yakhe yokuqala njengoMongameli weBandla, washo nokusho ethi, “Ukukhonza kwenu ethempelini ngokunjalo nosizo enilwenzela okhokho benu lapho kuzonibusisa ngokukhula kwesambulo somuntu siqu nokuthula futhi kuzokuqinisa ukuzinikela kwenu ukuba nihlale endleleni yesivumelwano.”10

Umphrofethi wasendulo naye wazibona ngaphambilini izibusiso zabaphilayo nabafileyo.11 Isithunywa sasezulwini sakhombisa uHezekeli umbono wethempeli linamanzi agelezela ngaphandle kwalo. Kwashiwo lokhu kuHezekeli:

“Lawa manzi [ayaphuma] … ehlele e-Araba, aye olwandle [olungenampilo] … , [futhi] kuphiliswe amanzi alo.

“Kuyakuthi konke okuphilayo okuswebezelayo kuphile ezindaweni zonke lapho ifika khona leyo mifula … ngokuba esefike khona lawa manzi, awolwandle ayakuphiliswa, kuphile konke lapho umfula ufika khona.”12

Kubili okufanele sikukhumbule ngalawa manzi. Okokuqala, nakuba lomfudlana wawungenayo engena kuwo, wakhula waba wumfula onamandla, owaba banzi futhi wajula ngesikhathi uqhubeka nokugeleza. Kukhona okufanayo nalokhu okwenzeka ngezibusiso ezivela ethempelini ngesikhathi abantu beboshwa njengemindeni. Kuba khona ukukhula okunenzuzo kuzo zonke izizukulwane ngesikhathi izimiso zokuboshwa zihlanganisa imindeni ndawonye.

Okwesibili, lomfula wawuvuselela konke owawukuthinta. Izibusiso zasethempelini nazo zinamandla amangalisayo okwelapha. Izibusiso zasethempelini zingelapha izinhliziyo nezimpilo kanye nemindeni.

Isithombe
Indodana kaBetty uTodd

Make ngenze isibonelo. Ngonyaka ka1999 insizwa igama layo kwakunguTodd yawa phansi ngenxa yomthambo ophukileyo engqondweni yayo. Nakuba uTodd nomndeni wakubo babengamalungu eBandla, babengavamile ukuza njalo enkonzweni, futhi akekho kubo owayeke wezwa izibusiso zasethempelini. Kwathi ngobusuku bokugcina bempilo kaTodd, unina uBetty, wayehlezi eceleni kombhede wakhe emphulula isandla ethi, “Todd, uma ngempela kufanele uhambe, ngiyethembisa ukuthi ngizoqiniseka ukuthi umsebenzi wakho wasethempelini uyenziwa.” Ngakusasa ekuseni, uTodd kwathiwa wayesefe ingqondo. Odokotela bafaka inhliziyo kaTodd esigulini sami, umuntu owayemangalisa igama lakhe kwakunguRod.

Kwathi sekuphele izinyanga ezimbalwa emva kokufakwa kwaleso sitho somzimba, uRod wazi ngomndeni walowo owayemuphe inhliziyo wase eqala ukubhalelana nabo. Kwathi sekuphele iminyaka emibili, unina kaTodd, uBetty, wamema uRod ukuba abe khona mhla eya ethempelini okokuqala. URod noBetty bahlangana okokuqala mathupha egunjini lesilestiyali leThempeli lase St. George e-Utah.

Kwathi emva kwalokho, uyise kaTodd––umyeni kaBetty––wadlula emhlabeni. Eminyakeni embalwa eyadlula, uBetty wamema uRod ukuba azomela indodana yakhe eyayingasekho ngesikhathi ithola izimiso zayo zasethempelini. URod wakwenza lokho ngokubonga, kwase kuthi lowo msebenzi wokumelwa waphelela egunjini lokuboshwa eThempelini lase St. George e-Utah. UBetty waboshwa kumyeni wakhe owayengasekho, eguqe e-altare maqondana nomzukulu wakhe owayemele umyeni wakhe. Egcwele izinyembezi zehla ngezihlathi, wabe eseqhweba uRod ukuba azoba nabo e-altare. URod waguqa eceleni kwabo, emele indodana kaBetty, uTodd, inhliziyo yakhe eyayisashaya esifubeni sikaRod. Umuphi wenhliziyo kaRod, uTodd, wabe eseboshwa kubazali bakhe iphakade lonke. Unina kaTodd wabe esesigcinile isethembiso ayesenze endodaneni yakhe eyayifa eminyakeni edlule.

Isithombe
URod noKim ngosuku lwabo lomshado

Kodwa lendaba ayipheli lapho. Kwathi sekuphele iminyaka eyishumi nanhlanu emva kokufakwa isitho senhliziyo, uRod wethenjiswa ukuganwa wase ecela mina ukuba ngenze umsebenzi wokubabopha eThempelini laseProvo e-Utah. Ngosuku lomshado, ngahlangana noRod nomakoti wakhe owayemangalisa, uKim, egunjini elaliseduze negumbi lokubhopha, lapho okwakulinde khona imindeni yabo nabangani. Emva komhlangano omfishane noRod noKim, ngabe sengibabuza ukuthi babenayo yini imibuzo.

URod wathi, “Yebo. Umndeni walowo owangipha inhliziyo ulapha nawo futhi bangathanda ukukwazi.”

Ngingakulindele lokho ngambuza ngathi, “Ngabe usho ukuthi balapha? Njengamanje?”

URod waphendula wathi, “Yebo.”

Ngase ngijika ngekhona ngawubiza lowomndeni ngaphandle kwegumbi lokubopha. UBetty, indodakazi yakhe, nomkhwenyana wakwakhe beza bazoba nathi. URod wabingelela uBetty ngokumanga, embonga ngokuza, wabe esengazisa kuye. URod wathi, “Betty, lona yiGosa uRenlund. Wayengudokotela owayenakekela inhliziyo yendodana yakho iminyaka.” Weza kimi ezonganga. Kwase kuthi emizuzwini eyalandela lapho, kwaba khona ukwangana nezinyembezi zenjabulo kuwo wonke umuntu.

Kwathi sesiziqoqile, sabe sesedlulela egunjini lokuboshwa, lapho uRod noKim baboshelwa khona lesi sikhathi nephakade lonke. URod, uKim, uBetty kanye nami singakufakazela ukuthi izulu laliseduze nathi, nokuthi kwakukhona nabanye ngalolo suku ababe nathi abase besidlulile isisitho sempilo yasemhlabeni ngaphambilini.

UNkulunkulu, ngokuhlakanipha Kwakhe okungenamkhawulo, uyawavala amanxeba abelaphe abantu nemindeni nakuba kwenzeke izehlakalo ezibanga usizi, ukulahlekelwa, nobunzima. Kwesinye isikhathi sivame ukuqhathanisa imizwa esiba nayo ethempelini nokulibona kancane izulu.13 Ngalolo suku eThempelini laseProvo e-Utah, lokhu okwashiwo ngu C.S. Lewis kwasho okuthile kimi: “[Abantu basemhlabeni] baye bakhulume lokhu mayelana nokuzwa ubuhlungu empilweni, ‘Ayikho injabulo yangomuso eyokukhokhela lokho,’ bengazi ukuthi uma iZulu selitholakele, liyokuguqula ngisho lobo buhlungu bube yinkazimulo. … Ababusisiweyo bayothi, ‘Asikaze sihlale ndawo ngaphandle kwaseZulwini.’”14

UNkulunkulu uzosiqinisa, asisize, futhi asisekele;15 futhi uzokungcwelisa konke ukukhathazeka kwethu.16 Uma siqoqa imilando yemindeni yethu futhi siyela okhokho bethu ethempelini, uNkulunkulu ufeza eziningi zalezi zibusiso ezethenjisiwe ngasikhathi sinye nhlangothi zombili nesisitho. Ngokufanayo, siyabusiseka ngesikhathi silekelela abanye emawadini nasezikhonkwaneni zethu ukuba bakwenze nabo lokho. Amalungu eBandla angahlali eduze nethempeli nawo ayazithola lezi zibusiso ngokubamba iqhaza emsebenzini womlando womndeni, beqoqa amagama okhokho babo ukuze kwenziwe izimiso zasethempelini.

Kodwa uMongameli uRussell M. Nelson wasexwayisa wathi: “Singezwa okuningi okusifaka ugqozi ngalokho abanye abakuzwile ngethempeli nangomlando womndeni. Kodwa kufanele kube khona esikwenzayo ukuze sizizwele thina injabulo.” Waqhubeka wathi, “Ngiyanimema ukuba ke nicabange ninomkhuleko ukuthi ngabe yimuphi umnikelo––ikakhulu umnikelo wesikhathi––eningawenza ukuze nenze umsebenzi wasethemelini nowomlando womndeni.”17 Ngesikhathi usemukela isimemo sikaMongameli uNelson, uzowuthola, uwuqoqele ndawonye, futhi uwuxhumanise umndeni wakho. Phezu kwalokho, izibusiso ziyogeleza zize kuwe nomndeni wakho njengomfula akhuluma ngawo uHezekeli. Uzothola ukwelashwa kulokho okudinga ukwelashwa.

U-Orson noParley Pratt bakuzwa ukwelashwa nokuboshwa kwamanxeba okulethwa wumsebenzi womlando womndeni nowasethempelini ekuqaleni kwalesi sikhathi. UBetty, umndeni wakhe, kanye noRod bakuzwa lokho. Nawe futhi ungakuzwa lokho. Ngomnikelo Wakhe ohlawulayo, uJesu Kristu ubanika bonke lezi zibusiso, abaphilayo nabafileyo. Ngenxa yalezi zibusiso, ngokungathekisa sizothola ukuthi, “asikaze sihlale ndawo ngaphandle kwaseZulwini.”18 Ngiyafakaza ngalokhu egameni likaJesu Kristu, amen.

Imithombo okuthathwe kuyo lemfundiso

  1. Bheka kuParley P. Pratt to Orson Pratt, May 25, 1853, Orson Pratt Family Collection, Church History Library, Salt Lake City; in Terryl L. Givens and Matthew J. Grow, Parley P. Pratt: The Apostle Paul of Mormonism (2011), 319.

  2. Orson Pratt to Parley P. Pratt, Mar. 10, 1853, Parley P. Pratt Collection, Church History Library, Salt Lake City; in Givens and Grow, Parley P. Pratt, 319.

  3. Okubaluleke kakhulu, u-Orson Pratt akagcinanga nje ngokwelekelela ukuba kukhishwe incwadi ekhuluma ngezizukulwane zikaWilliam Pratt, kodwa kwathi eminyakeni eyalandela, ngo-1870, yena nomndeni wakhe benza imibhabhadiso ngokumelwa engaphezulu kwezinkulungwane ezimbili namakhulu ayisithupha eNdlini yokweMbathiswa eSalt Lake City ukuze kusizakale abafileyo okwakukhulunywa ngabo encwadini (bheka kuBreck England, The Life and Thought of Orson Pratt [1985], 247).

  4. Bheka kuJoseph Smith, History of the Church, 6:312–13.

  5. Bheka incwadi yobuMongameli bokuQala enesihloko esithi, “Names Submitted for Temple Ordinances,” ngoFebruwari 29, 2012. Okhokho okulethwa amagama abo ukuze kwenziwe izimiso zasethempelini ngokumelwa kufanele babe nobuhlobo nalowo oletha lawo magama. Ngaso sonke isikhathi, amalungu eBandla mawangawalethi amagama avela emithonjeni engagunyaziwe, njengosaziwayo nalabo ababa yimihlatshelo yokushiswa ngokuBulawa kwesizwe samaJuda.

  6. Bheka kuDallin H. Oaks, “Family History: ‘In Wisdom and Order,’” Ensign, June 1989, 6–8; “In Wisdom and Order,” Tambuli, Dec. 1989, 18–23; D. Todd Christofferson, “The Redemption of the Dead and the Testimony of Jesus,” Ensign, Nov. 2000, 9–12; Liahona, Jan. 2001, 10–13; Boyd K. Packer, “Your Family History: Getting Started,” Ensign or Liahona, Aug. 2003, 12–17; Thomas S. Monson, “Constant Truths for Changing Times,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2005, 19–22; Henry B. Eyring, “Hearts Bound Together,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2005, 77–80; M. Russell Ballard, “Faith, Family, Facts, and Fruits,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2007, 25–27; Russell M. Nelson, “Salvation and Exaltation,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2008, 7–10; Russell M. Nelson, “Generations Linked in Love,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2010, 91–94; David A. Bednar, “The Hearts of the Children Shall Turn,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2011, 24–27; Richard G. Scott, “The Joy of Redeeming the Dead,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2012, 93–95; Quentin L. Cook, “Roots and Branches,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2014, 44–48; Thomas S. Monson, “Hastening the Work,” Ensign or Liahona, June 2014, 4–5; Henry B. Eyring, “The Promise of Hearts Turning,” Ensign or Liahona, July 2014, 4–5; David A. Bednar, “Missionary, Family History, and Temple Work,” Ensign, Oct. 2014, 30–35; Liahona, Oct. 2014, 14–19; Neil L. Andersen, “‘My Days’ of Temples and Technology,” Ensign, Feb. 2015, 28–35; Liahona, Feb. 2015, 26–33; Neil L. Andersen, “Sharing the Temple Challenge,” Family Discovery Day, Feb. 2015, LDS.org; Quentin L. Cook, “The Joy of Family History Work,” Ensign, Feb. 2016, 28–33; Liahona, Feb. 2016, 22–27; Gary E. Stevenson, “Where Are the Keys and Authority of the Priesthood?” Ensign or Liahona, May 2016, 29–32; Dieter F. Uchtdorf, “In Praise of Those Who Save,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2016, 77–80; Quentin L. Cook, “See Yourself in the Temple,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2016, 97–101; Dale G. Renlund, Ruth L. Renlund, and Ashley R. Renlund, “Family History and Temple Blessings,” Ensign, Feb. 2017, 26–31; Liahona, Feb. 2017, 34–39; Dallin H. Oaks and Kristen M. Oaks, “Connected to Eternal Families,” Family Discovery Day, Mar. 2018, LDS.org.

  7. Bheka IMfundiso neziVumelwano 109:15.

  8. Bheka IMfundiso neziVumelwano 109:21.

  9. Bheka kuBoyd K. Packer, “Balm of Gilead,” Ensign, Nov. 1987, 16–18; Jeremiah 8:22; 51:8.

  10. uRussell M. Nelson, “As We Go Forward Together,” Ensign or Liahona, Apr. 2018, 7.

  11. Bheka ku Hezekeli 40–47; IziHloko zemiBhalo eNgcwele, “Hezekeli.”

  12. Hezekeli 47:8–9.

  13. Bheka kuSpencer W. Kimball, “Glimpses of Heaven,” Ensign, Dec. 1971, 36–37.

  14. C. S. Lewis, The Great Divorce: A Dream (2001), 69.

  15. Bheka ku Isaya 41:10.

  16. Bheka iculo elithi “How Firm a Foundation,” Hymns, no. 85.

  17. Russell M. Nelson and Wendy W. Nelson, “Open the Heavens through Temple and Family History Work,” Ensign, Oct. 2017, 39; Liahona, Oct. 2017, 19.

  18. Lewis, The Great Divorce, 69.