Ithempeli eliNgcwele

Ziningi izizathu ezingenza umuntu afune ukuza ethempelini. Nokubukeka kwalo ngaphandle kunika izizathu zenkolo ezigxilileyo. Lokhu kusobala kakhulu ngaphakathi kwezindonga zakhona. Ngaphezu komnyango ukuya ethempelini kubonakala uphawu lokuhlonipha “Ubungcwele eNkosini.” Uma ungena noma kuliphi ithempeli elibusisiwe, usendlini yeNkosi.

Emathempelini, amalungu eBandla afanelekile angathatha inxenye ezimiselweni ezihlengayo neziphakame kakhulu kunazo zonke ezike zavezwa ebantwini Lapho, emgujweni ongcwele, umuntu uyahlanzwa futhi agcotshwe futhi afundiswe futhi athole izibusiso zethempeli futhi ahlanganiswe. Futhi uma sesithole lezibusiso ngokwethu, singaphatha umsebenzi walabo abangaseko abashona bengazange bathole lelothuba. Emathempelini izimiso ezingcwele zenzelwa abaphilayo kanye nabafileyo ngokunjalo.

Ukufundisisa kahle umbhalo ongcwele kuveza ukuthi iNkosi ayizange itshele zonke izinto kubantu. Kwakukhona izidingo ezazibekiwe ezazidingeka kuqala ukuze uthole ulwazi olungcwele. Umgubho wethempeli ungena ngaphansi kwalesigaba.

Asixoxi ngezimiselo ezingcwele zasethempelini ngaphandle kwamathempeli. Kwaku ngeyona inhloso ukuthi ulwazi lwemigubho ehambelana nemithetho yasethempelini inikezwe ingcosana ezoqiniseka ukuthi abanye abasoze baluthole lolwazi. Eqinisweni, kwehlukile. Ngamandla amakhulu sinxusa wonke umphefumulo ukuba ube nelungelo futhi uzilungisele ukuthola ulwazi lwasethempelini. Labo abake baya ethempelini bafundiswe ngokuphelele: Ngelinye ilanga wonke umphefumulo ophilayo futhi wonke umphefumulo oke waphila uzothola ithuba lokuzwa ivangeli futhi alithathe noma alichithe kanye nalokho ithempeli elikuthembayo. Uma lelithuba lichithwa, lokhu kuchithwa makube ukuzikhethela komuntu.

Izimiso kanye nokugubha okuhambelana nomthetho ongcwele wethempeli ulula. Mihle. Zingcwele. Kugcinwa kuyimfihlo ngaphandle kokuthi kunikezwe labo abangazilungiselenga. Ukufuna ukwazi akuwona amalungiselelo. Ukuzihlupha ngokuba nolwazi olujulile ngokwakho akuwona amalungiselelo. Ukulungiselela imithetho engcwele kufaka izitebhisi ezisemqoka: ukholo, uguquko, ukubhabhadiswa, ukuqiniswa, ukufaneleka, ukukhula nokuba nesithunzi esifanele lowo ozayo ngokubizwa njengesivakashi endlini yeNkosi.

Bonke abalungileyo futhi bayavumeleka ngazozonke izindlela bangangena ethempelini, labo bazokwaziswa ngamalungungelo nangezimiso ezingcwele.

Uma usubona ukubaluleka kwezibusiso zasethempeleni kanye nobungcwele bomthetho wezimiso ezenziwa ethempelini uzonqikaza ukubuza mayelana namabanga aphezulu abekwe yiNkosi okungena ethempelini lakhe elingcwele.

Kumele uphathe incwadi egunyaziwe ukuze ungene ngaphakathi ethempelini. Lencwadi egunyaziwe kumele isayindwe ama-ofisa anemvume ebandleni. Yilabo abalungileyo okufanele baye ethempelini kuphela. uBhishobhu wakho wendawo noma umongameli wegatsha nguyena onelungelo lokuhlola imininingwane yokufaneleka kwakho ngaphambi kokuba uthole imimiselo yakho yasethempelini. Lokhu kuphonswa ngemibuzo kubalulekile impela, ngokuba kungumcimbi wokuhlola kanye nesisebenzi esigcotshisiwe seNkosi ngephethini yempilo yakho. Uma kukhona okungahambi kahle empilweni yakho, ubhishobhi uzokusiza ukuba ukulungise lokho. Ngalendlela, ungamemezela ngokukhululeka noma ungasizwa ulungisa ukufaneleka kwakho ukuze ungene ethempelini ngemvume yeNkosi.

Ukuphonswa ngemibuzo kubaukuze uthole incwadi egunyaziwe yasethempelini yenziwa ngasese phakathi kukabhishobhu kanye nelunga leBandla elibhekene nalokhu. Lapha ilungu libuzwa imibuzo ethungathayo mayelana nokuziphatha kwakhe, ukufaneleka, kanye nokuthembeka kwakhe eBandleni kanye nezikhulu eziphethe. Umuntu kumele avume ukuthi yena uhlanzekile ngokwenhliziyo futhi ugcina Izwi Lobuhlakani, uyakhokha okweshumi ngokupheleleyo, uphila ngedlela ehambelana nezimfundiso zankonzo, futhi akatholakali ehlangana noma enozwelo nombutho noma namaqembu wabahlubukile. uBhishobhu utshelwa ukuthi kumele aphathe lezindaba ngokuyimfihlo ngemibuzo ebhekiswe kulowo nalowo ophonswa ngemibuzo ngokuba kubaluleke kakhulu.

Izimpendulo ezamukelekile emibuzweni kaBhishobhu yizo ezenza ukuba kutholakale ukufaneleka komuntu ukuba athole incwadi yokungena ethempelini. Uma lowo ocelayo angagcini imithetho noma kunento angayilungisanga ngempilo yakhe edinga ukuba akulungisa lokho, kubalulekile ukuba abonise inguquko yeqiniso ngaphambi kokuba incwadi egunyaziwe yokungena ethempelini ikhishwe.

Emva kokuba ubhishobhu asiphonse ngemibuzo, umongameli westeki ngokunjalo uzokuphonsa ngemibuzo phambi kokuba uthole imimiselo engcwele yethempeli.

Ngaphambi kokuba uye ethempelini okokuqala ngqa, noma mhlawumbe emva kokuthi usuye kaningi, kuzokusiza ukuba wazi ukuthi imfundiso ethempelini yenziwa ngezimpawu. iNkosi, uThisha oMkhulu, wanikeza kakhulu izimfundiso zakhe ngalendlela.

Ithempeli liyisikole esikhulu. Yindlu yokufundela. Emathempelini ungcinwa ngandlela thize ukuze kube yindawo efaneleke ukufundisa ngezinto ezijulileyo ezingcwele.Umufi uElder John A. Widtsoe weKhoramu yabaPhostoli abayishumi nambili bekungumongameli enyuvesi futhi eyisifundiswa esaziwayo emhlabeni. Ubenokuzotha okukhulu ngomsebenzi wasethempelini futhi ngelinye ilanga washo wathi:

“Imimiselo engcwele yasethempelini imboze uhlelo lokusindiswa, njengoba lufundiswa njalo-njalo ngabaholi beBandla, futhi ichaza izinto ezinzima ukuba ziqondwe. Akukho kusonteka noma ukugobeka ekufakeni izifundiso ehlelweni oluphakeme lwensindiso. Umcabango ophelele wezibusiso eziphakamileyo zethempeli yizona ngxoxo mpikiswano yezimiso zethempeli eziyiqiniso. Ngaphezu kwakho konke, loluphando oluphelele lolubanzi okuthatha elichaza ngohlelo lwevangeli, kwenza ukudumisa ethempeli kube yenye yezindlela ezisemqoka zokunandisa ukukhumbula mayelana ngohlelo lonke lwevangeli” (“Ukudumisa Ithempeli,” Utah Genealogical and Historical Magazine, Apr. 1921, 58).

Uma uzoya ethempelini futhi ukhumbule ukuthi kufundiswa ngophawu, angeke uhambe ngomoya omuhle ese upheme ngaphandle kokuthi bumqondo wakho uvuleke, uzwe sengathi ulwazi lwakho olukhulile ezintweni zimoya. Uhlelo lokufundisa luhle kakhulu. Luyakhuthaza. INkosi Yona ngokwayo, uThisha Omkhulu, wafundisa abafundi Bakhe ngemifanekiso—indlela yokukhuluma ukukhombisa izinto eziwuphawu ezingahle zibenzima ukuziqonda.

Ithempeli ngokwalo liba wuphawu. Uma uke wabona enye lamathempeli ebusuku, likhanyise ngokuphelele, uyazi ukuthi kubukeka kahle kanjani. Indlu yeNkosi, imbozwe ngokukhanya, imile igqamile ebumnyameni, iba nguphawu lwamandla futhi nenkuthazo yevangeli likaJesu Krestu elime njengesibani emhlabeni ocwilela ebumnyameni.

Ngokungena ethempelini, ushintsha izimpahla zakho ezijwayelekile ugqoke izingubo ezimhlophe zasethempeleni. Lokhu kushintshwa kwezingubo kwenziwa ekamelweni okugqoka, lapho wonke umuntu unikezwa isikhiye selokha nendawo yokwembatha eyimfihlo yakhe kuphela. Ethempelini indlela yokugqoka enesizotha igcinwa ngokucophelela. Ngenkathi ubeka izimpahla zakho elokheni, ushiya konke okungokwakho kanye nemicabango nakho konke okukuphazamisayo lapho. Uphuma kulendawo yokwembatha encane esithekile wembethe ezimhlophe, futhi uzizwa ufana futhi ulingana, nalabo abakhona eduzane nawe abagqoke ngokufana.

Labo benu ababheke ukushada ethempelini bangahle bafune ukwazi ukuthi kuzokwenzekani. Asicaphuni amagama okuhlanganiswa ingunaphakade(umshado) isimiso esingcwele ngaphandle kwethempeli, kepha singachaza ikamelo lokuhlanganisa ingunaphakade njengendawo enhle ekhithiweyo, ethulile futhi engaphazamisi lutho emoyeni, futhi ingcwele ngenxa yemisebenzi engcwele eyenzelwa khona.

Ngaphambi kokuba abashadikazi beze e-altharini bezokwenza isimiso sokuhlanganiswa, kuyinhlanhla yalawo ophethe ukuba abelule, nabashadikazi ukuba bathole ukwelulekwa okuthile. Lokhu ngeminye yemicabango yabashadikazi abancane bangahle bakuzwe emcimbini onjengalona.

“Namuhla usuku lwakho lomshado. Uphakathi kwesimo somshado wakho. Amathempeli akhiwa njengendawo engcwele yemithetho enjengalena. Asikho emhlabeni. Izinto zasemhlabeni azisebenzi lapha futhi azikuba namthelele otheni phezu kwalokho esikwenzayo lapha. Siphumile ngaphandle emhlabeni sangena ethempelini leNkosi. Lokhu kuwusuku olubalulekile kakhulu ezimpilweni zethu.

“Wazalwa, wabizelwa emhlabeni, ngabazali abakulungiselele umzimba oyindlu la umoya wakho uzophila khona. Omunye nomunye wenu ubhabhadisiwe. Ukubhabhadiswa, isimiso esingcwele, kuwuphawu olukhombisa ukuhlanzeka, uphawu lokufa kanye nokuvuka, uphawu lokuza phambili empilweni entsha. Ukuphenduka kungaguqula uhlelo ngokwengqondo futhi nokuthethelelwa kwezona. Isidlo seNkosi kuyimvuselelo sesivumelwano sokubhabhadisa, futhi singakwenza, uma siphilela sona, ukubuyiswa kokuthethelelwa kwezono zethu.

“Wena, mkhwenyana, uyewagcotshwa ukuba ngumpristi. Uyewaqala ngokunikezwa Ubupristi bukaAroni phezu kwakho futhi ngiyethemba ukuthi uze waqhubekela phambili kuwowonke amahhovisi emva kwalokho—idekhoni, uthisha, nompristi. Ngakho-ke lwafika usuku lapho utholakale ulungile ukuthola ubupristi bukaMelkhezedekhi. Lobo bupristi, ubupristi obuphezulu, buthathwa njengobupristi obungcwele bukaNkulunkulu noma ubupristi obungcwele emva kwendlela yokungcweliswa beNdodana kaNkulunkulu, (bona Alima 13:18; Helamani 8:18; Izimfundo Nemimiselo 107:2–4). Unikezwe ihhovisi kubupristi. Manje sewuyi gosa.

“Omunye nomunye wenu uthole izibusiso zethempeli. Kulesosibusiso sethempeli uthole amandla anesitjalo esingunaphakade. Kepha zonke lezizinto, ngomqondo owodwa, ziyisenzo futhi zilungiselela ekufikeni kwakho e-altharini ukuze nihlanganiswe njengomyeni kanye nonkosikazi okwesikhathi futhi ingunaphakade. Manje seningumndeni, nikhululekile ekudalweni kwempilo, nokuthola ithuba ngokuthandaza nangokuzinikela ukuletheni abantwana emhlabeni nokubakhullisa nokubanakekela kahle ngendlela yokuphila emhlabeni; ukubabona beza ngelinye ilanga, njengoba nina nizile, ukuzobamba iqhaza kulezimiso ezingcwele zethempeli.

“Niza ngokukhululeka futhi nitholakale nifanelekile. Ukwamukelana komunye nomunye esivumelwaneni somshado kungumsebenzi omkhulu kakhulu, lona ophatha izibusiso ezingakaleki.”

Uma singaqonda kokubili umlando kanye nemfundiso yomsebenzi wasethempeli, kumele siqonde ukuthi amandla okuvala ayini. Kumele sibone, okungenani engxenyeni ethile, ukuthi zibalulekile kangakanani izihluthulelo eziyigunya kulowo obiziweyo kaNkulunkulu ukuba asebenzise.

“Ngenkathi uJesu efika ngasogwini lwaseCaesarea Philippi, wabuza abafundi bakhe, wathi, abantu bathi Mina Ndodana yomuntu ngingubani? …

“Futhi uSimon Peter waphendula wathi, Ungu Krestu, iNdodana kaNkulunkulu ophilayo.

“uJesu waphendula wathi kuye, Ubusisekile wena, Simon Bar-jona: ngokuba inyama negazi akuzange kuvezwe kuwe, kepha uBaba wami waseZulwini.

“Futhi ngithi kini, Wena unguPetro, futhi phezu kwalelilitshe ngizokwakha ibandla lami; futhi amasango esihogo angeke avimbele lutho.

“Futhi ngizoninika izihluthulelo zombuso wezulu: futhi noma yini ozoyibopha emhlabeni izobishwa nasezulwini: futhi noma yini enizoyikhulula emhlabeni iyobe ikhululiwe ezulwini” (uMatewu 16:13, 16–19).

uPetro nguyena owayezophatha izikhiye. uPetro wayezophatha amandla zokubopha, lelogunya lalowo obiziweyo kaNkulunkulu eliphethe amandla okubopha noma ukuvala emhlabeni noma ukukhulula emhlabeni futhi kuyoba njalo nasemazulwini. Lezizikhiye ngezikaMongameli weBandla—kumprofethi, imboni, kanye nomambululi. Lawo mandla angcwele okuvala aseBandleni manje. Akukho okuthathwa ngomcabango ojulile nobungcwele njengalabo abaziyo ukubaluleka okukhulu kwalegunya. Akhukho okuphathekayo okusondele kakhulu. Kunamadoda ambalwa akhethelwe ukuba negunya lamandla okuvala emhlabeni nanoma ngasiphi isikhathi—yilelo nalelothempeli elinabafowethu abanikezwe amandla okuvala. Akekho ongayithola ngaphandle kokunikezwa ngumprofethi, imboni, kanye nomambuli kanye noMongameli weBandla likaJesu Krestu Labangcwle Lezinsuku Zokugcina.

Umprofethi uJoseph Smith weyebuzwa njalo lombuzo othi ‘“Singenke sasindiswa na ngaphandle kokuba sidlule kuzozonke izimiso, njalo njalo?’ Ngizo phendula, Cha, hhayi insindiso epheleleyo. uJesu wathi, ‘Ziningi izindlu ekhaya likaBaba, futhi ngizoya ngiyonilungiselela indawo.’ [Bona uJohane 14:2.] Indlu ekukhulunya ngayo lapha bekufanele iguqulwe ibe ngumbuso; noma ngubani oyewenyukela endlini ephakemeyo kumele alandele umthetho wasemazulwini, kanye nomthetho wonke ngokunjalo” (in Umlando weBandla, 6:184).

Amathempeli ayisizinda samandla somoya weBandla. Kumele sikulindele lokho ukuthi isitha sizozama ukuphazamisana nathi njengeBandla kanye nomunye nomunye wethu njengoba sifuna ukuba yingxenye kulomsebenzi ongcwele futhi okhuthazayo. Umsebenzi wasethempelini uletha amandla wokumelana nokuzanyazanyiswa ngoba angumnyombo wamandla kamoya Kwabangcwele Bezinsuku Zokugcina futhi naseBandleni lonke.

Ethempelini laseLogan Utah ukubusisweni kwetshe eliyisisekelo, uMongameli uGeorge Q. Cannon, owayenguMongameli Wokuqala, wenza lesitatimende:

“Lonke itshe eliyisisekelo elibekwa ethempelini, futhi lonke ithempeli eliphelile ngendlela eyenziwe yiNkosi ivezelwe ubuPristi obungcwele, kwehlisa amandla kaSatane emhlabeni bese ekhulisa amandla kaNkulunkulu kanye nobuNkulunkulu, anyakazisa amazulu ngamandla amakhulu ngasesandleni sethu abiza izibusiso zaboNkulunkulu baphakade, nalabo abahlala phambi kwabo” (e “Thempelini laseLogan,” Millennial Star, Nov. 12, 1877, 743).

Uma amalunngu ebandla ekhathazekile noma izinqumo ezinzima zibekwa phezu kwemiqondo yabo, kuyinto evamisile kubona baye ethempelini. Kuyindawo enhle lapho singamukisa khona izinkinga. Ethempelini singathola umbono kamoya. Lapho, senza umsebenzi wethempeli, “singaphandle komhlaba.”

Kwesinye isikhathi imiqondo yethu ihlaselwa yizinkinga futhi kunezinto eziningi ezibanga umsindo ukuze zinakwe kanye nokuthi asikwazi ukucabanga kahle futhi nokubona kahle. Ithempelini intuthu yokuvimba ibukeka yehlile, inkungu kanye nodlame lubukeka luphakeme, futhi singa “bona” izinto esingazange sizibone phambilini futhi sithole indlela kwizinkinga zethu esingazange sizazi ngaphambili.

iNkosi izosibusisa uma sivakashela isimiso esingcwele somsebenzi wamathempeli. Izibusiso lapho ngeke zincishiswe kumsenbenzi wethu wasethempelini. Sizobusiswa kukho konke esikwenzayo.

Awukho umsebenzi ongaphezu ovikelayo kuleliBandla kunomsebenzi wasethempelini kanye nokuthola ulwazi ngomlando womndeni okuyiwo osisizayo. Awukho umsebenzi kamoya ongcwelisa njengalo. Awukho umsebenzi osinika amandla angaka. Awukho umsebenzi odinga ibanga eliphezulu lokulunga.

Imisebenzi yethu ethempelini isemboza ngesiviko kanye nokuvikeleka, uwedwa nomasingabantu.

Ngakho-ke yiza ethempelini—yiza futhi uzothatha izibusiso zakho. Kungumsebenzi ongcwele.