Thandaza Rhoqo

UMdala David A. Bednar

WeQumrhu labaPostile Abalishumi Elinambini

Umthandazo ubanentsingiselo engakumbi njengoko sicebisana neNkosi kwizenzo zethu, njengoko sivakalisa umbulelo wethu ophuma entliziyweni, kwaye nanjengoko sithandazela abanye.

Umyalezo wam kwinkomfa yajikelele edlulileyo ubugxile kumgaqo wevangeli wokucela ngokholo emthandazweni. Namhlanje ndifuna ukuxoxa ngemigaqo emithathu eyongezelelweyo enokunceda emithandazweni yethu ukuba ibenentsingiselo engakumbi, kwaye ndithandazela uncedo loMoya oyiNgcwele ubenam kunye nani.

Umgaqo #1. Umthandazo ubanentsingiselo engakumbi njengoko sicebisana neNkosi kuzo zonke izenzo zethu (bona Alma 37:37).

Xa kubekwa ngokulula, umthandazo ulunxibelelwano noBawo oseZulwini oluphuma koonyana nakwiintombi zaKhe emhlabeni. “Xa sinokufunda ubudlelwane bokwenene ngokukhawuleza esime kubo ngakuThixo (okubizwa, uThixo nguTata wethu, kwaye thina singabantwana bakhe), ngoko xa umthandazo uba ngowendalo nowemvelo kwindima yethu” (Bible Dictionary, “Prayer,” 752). Siyalelwa ukuba sithandaze rhoqo kuBawo egameni loNyana (bona 3 Nifayi 18:19–20). Siyathenjiswa ukuba sithandazela ngokunyanisekileyo oko kulungileyo noko kuhambelana nentando kaThixo, singasikelelwa, sikhuselwe, kwaye sikhokelwe (bona 3 Nifayi 18:20; IMfundiso&neMinqophiso 19:38).

Isityhilelo lunxibelelwano olusuka kuThixo luye ebantwaneni baKhe emhlabeni. Njengoko sicela ngokholo, singafumana isityhilelo phezu kwesityhilelo kunye nolwazi phezu kolwazi size sibenokwazi iimfihlelo nezinto zoxolo ezisizisela uvuyo nobomi obungunaphakade (bona IMfundiso& neMinqophiso 42:61). Iimfihlelo zezozinto ezingaziwa qha kwaye ziqondwe ngamandla oMoya oyiNgcwele (bona Harold B. Lee, Ye Are the Light of the World [1974], 211).

Izityhilelo zikaBawo noNyana zigqithiswa ngelungu lesithathu lobuThixo, nkqu uMoya oyiNgcwele. UMoya oyiNgcwele ulingqina kunye nesithunywa sikaYise noNyana.

Iindlela ezisetyenziswa nguThixo ekudaleni umhlaba kuyimfundiso ekusincedeni ukuba siqonde ukuba singawenza njani umthandazo ubenentsingiselo. Kwisahluko sesithathu sencwadi kaMoses sifunda okokuba zonke izinto zazidalwe ngokwasemoyeni ngaphambi kokuba zidalwe ngokwendalo emhlabeni.

“Kwaye ngoku, qaphela, ndithi kuwe, okokuba ezi zizizukulwana zamazulu nezomhlaba, xa zazidaliwe, kuwo umhla Mna, iNkosi uThixo, ndenza amazulu nomhlaba,

“Kwaye onke amatyholo asendle engekaveli emhlabeni, nayo yonke imifuno yasendle ingekantshuli. Kuba mna, iNkosi uThixo, ndadala zonke izinto, ezo ndithethe ngazo, ngokwasemoyeni, phambi kokuba zibe sendalweni phezu kobuso bomhlaba” (Moses 3:4–5).

Siyafunda kule miqolo ukuba indalo yasemoyeni yandulela indalo yasenyameni. Ngendlela efanayo, umthandazo wasekuseni onentsingiselo uyinxalenye ebalulekileyo kwindalo yasemoyeni yemini nganye—kwaye wandulela indalo yasenyameni okanye ukwenzeka kokwenene kwemini. Njengoko indalo yasenyameni inxulunyaniswa nenkqubeko yendalo yasemoyeni, ngoko ke imithandazo yasekuseni nangorhatya enentsingiselo inxulunyaniswa kwaye iyinkqubeko yomnye nomnye.

Cingisisa ngalo lo mzekelo. Kusenokuba khona izinto kwisimilo sethu, kwimpatho yethu, okanye ephathelele nokukhula kwethu kwasemoyeni ekufuneka sicebisane ngayo noBawo oseZulwini emthandazweni wasekuseni. Emveni kokuvakalisa umbulelo ofanelekileyo ngeentsikelelo esizifumeneyo, siye sicele ukuqonda, isikhokelo, kunye noncedo lokwenza izinto esingenakuzenza ngamandla wethu wodwa. Ngokomzekelo, njengoko sithandaza, sisenako uku:

• Qwalasela kuloo mathuba xa sithe sathetha rhabaxa okanye ngokungafanelekanga kwabo sibathanda kakhulu.

• Qaphela ukuba sazi kangcono kunoku, kodwa asisoloko sisenza ngokuhambelana noko sikwaziyo.

• Kubonisa ukuzisola ebuthathakeni bethu kwaye nasekungakhuphini umntu wemvelo ngokunyanisekileyo ngakumbi.

• Zimisela ukumilisa indlela ebomini bethu emva koMsindisi ngokupheleleyo ngakumbi.

• Cela amandla amakhulu wokwenza kwakunye nawokuba ngcono.

Umthandazo onjalo uyindima esisitshixo ekulungiseleleni kwasemoyeni kosuku lwethu.

Njengoko imini iqhubeka, sigcinela umthandazo entliziyweni yethu uncedo oluqhubekayo kunye nesikholelo—nkqu njengoko uAlma ecebisile: “Iingcinga zakho zonke mazithunyelwe eNkosini” (Alma 37:36).

Siyaqaphela ngale mini ethile ukuba kunamathuba apho siqhele ukubanomkhuba wokuthetha rhabaxa, kwaye singakwenzi oko; okanye sisenokuhendeka ukuba sibenomsindo, kodwa singenzi njalo. Sicalula uncedo lwasezulwini kunye namandla kwaye ngokuzithoba siyaziqaphela iimpendulo emithandazweni yethu. Nkqu nakweloo thuba lokuqaphela, sinikela umthandazo ozolileyo wombulelo.

Ekupheleni kwemini yethu, siyaguqa kwakhona sibike ingxelo ebuyela kuBawo wethu. Siyajonga kwakhona iziganeko zemini kwaye sivakalise umbulelo ophuma entliziyweni ngeentsikelelo nangoncedo esilufumanayo. Siyaguquka kwaye, ngoncedo loMoya weNkosi, sichonga iindlela esingenza ngazo nesinokubangcono ngazo ngomso. Ngoko ke umthandazo wethu wangorhatya uyakha kwaye uyinkqubela yomthandazo wethu wasekuseni. Kwaye umthandazo wethu wangorhatya uba sisilungiselelo somthandazo wasekuseni onentsingiselo.

Imithandazo yasekuseni neyangokuhlwa—kunye nayo yonke imithandazo ephakathi koko—ayizoziganeko ezinganxulumenanga nefihlakeleyo, yona inxulumene kunye imini nganye kwaye kwiimini, nakwiiveki, nakwiinyanga, nkqu nakwiminyaka. Oku kuyinxalenye yokokuba sizalisekisa kanjani isibongozo sezibhalo sokuba “sithandaze rhoqo” (Luka 21:36; 3 Nifayi 18:15, 18; IMfundiso& neMinqophiso 31:12). Imithandazo enjalo enentsingiselo iluncedo ekuzuzeni iintsikelelo eziphezulu uThixo azigcinele abantwana baKhe abanyanisekileyo.

Umthandazo uba nentsingiselo njengoko sikhumbula ubudlelwane bethu noThixo Osenyangweni kwaye sigcine isibongozo sokuba:

“Khala kuThixo ngayo yonke inkxaso yakho; ewe, izenzo zakho zonke mazibe seNkosini, kwaye naphina apho uyakhona makube seNkosini; ewe, iingcinga zakho zonke mazithunyelwe eNkosini; ewe, uthando lwentliziyo yakho malubekwe eNkosini ngonaphakade.

“Cebisana neNkosi kuzo zonke izenzo zakho, kwaye iya kukhokelela kokulungileyo; ewe, xa ulala phantsi ebusuku lala phantsi eNkosini, ukuze ikwaluse ekulaleni kwakho; kwaye xa uvuka kusasa intliziyo yakho mayizale yimibulelo kuye uThixo; kwaye ukuba uyazenza ezi zinto, uya kuphakanyiselwa phezulu ngomhla wokugqibela” (Alma 37:36–37; ugxininiso longezelelwe).

Umgaqo #2. Umthandazo ubanentsingiselo engakumbi njengoko sivakalisa umbulelo wethu ophuma entliziyweni.

Ngelixa lenkonzo yethu eBrigham Young University–Idaho, mna noDade Bednar sasidla ngokwamkela Amagosa Asemagunyeni Jikelele ekhayeni lethu. Usapho lwethu lwaye lwafunda isifundo esibalulekileyo esimalunga nomthandazo onentsingiselo njengoko sasiguqa sithandaza ngolunye urhatya nelungu leQumrhu labaPostile Abalishumi Elinambini.

Kwangethuba ngaloo mini mna noDade Bednar saziswa ngokufa okungalindelekanga komhlobo osenyongweni, kwaye umnqweno wethu wesiquphe yayikukuthandazela umlingane nabantwana ababeswelekelwe. Njengoko ndandimema inkosikazi yam ukuba ithandaze, ilungu laBalishumi Elinambini, owayengazi ngentlungu, waye ngenceba wacebisa okokuba uDade Bednar avakalise iintsikelelo ezifunyenweyo qha kwaye angaceli nto kwaphela. Ingcebiso yakhe yayifana nomyalelo kaAlma kumalungu weBandla lamandulo wokuba “bathandaze bangayeki, kwaye nokokuba banike imibulelo kuzo zonke izinto” (Mozaya 26:39). Ngokwentlungu le ingalindelekanga, ukucelela abahlobo bethu iintsikelelo ekuqaleni kwakubonakala kuthi ngathi kungxamisekile kakhulu kunokuvakalisa umbulelo.

UDade Bednar waye waphendula ngokholo kwisikhokelo awayesifumene. Waye wabulela uBawo oseZulwini ngamava anentsingiselo nawakhumbulekayo walo mhlobo osenyongweni. Waye wanxibelelana ngombulelo onyanisekileyo ngoMoya oyiNgcwele njengoMthetheleli kunye nangezipho zoMoya ezithi zisenze sikwazi ukujongana nobunzima kwakunye nokunceda abanye. Okubaluleke kakhulu, waye wavakalisa umbulelo ngecebo losindiso, ngedini lentlawulelo kaYesu Krestu, ngoVuko lwaKhe, kwakunye nangemimiselo neminqophiso yevangeli ebuyisiweyo ethi yenze iintsapho zikwazi ukuba kunye ngonaphakade.

Usapho lwethu lwaye lwafunda kuloo mava isifundo esikhulu ngamandla ombulelo emthandazweni onentsingiselo. Ngenxa kwakunye nangawo loo mthandazo, usapho lwethu lwasikelelwa ngempembelelo ngemiba embadlwana eyayisezingqondweni zethu neyayizamisa kwiintliziyo zethu. Saye safunda okokuba umbulelo wethu wecebo lolonwabo nowomsebenzi woMsindisi wosindiso wabonelela isiqinisekiso esiyimfuneko kwaye komeleza nokuzithemba kwethu okokuba konke kwakuya kuba kuhle ngomhlobo wethu osenyongweni. Saye safumana nengqiqo malunga nezinto ekwakumele sizithandazele kwaye nekwakumele sizicele ngokholo.

Eyona mithandazo enentsingiselo nenomoya endakhe ndayiva yayiqulathe iimvakaliso ezininzi zombulelo kunye nezicelo ezimbalwa, ukuba zazikhona. Njengoko nam ndisikelelekile ngokuba ndithandaze nabapostile nabaprofeti, ndifumana ngaphakathi kweenkokheli zanamhlanje zeBandla loMsindisi uphawu olufanayo oluchaza uKhapteni Moronayi eNcwadini kaMormoni: la ngamadoda antliziyo zawo zidumbe ngumbulelo kuThixo ngamalungelo awodwa amaninzi nangeentsikelelo athi Yena azibeke phezu kwabantu baKhe (bona Alma 48:12). Kwaye abaphindaphindi mazwi maninzi, kuba bakutyhilelwe oko mabakuthandazele, kwaye bazele lulangazelelo (bona 3 Nifayi 19:24). Imithandazo yabaprofeti ifana neyabantwana ngobulula bayo kwaye inamandla ngenxa yokunyaniseka kwayo.

Njengoko sizama ukwenza imithandazo yethu ibenentsingiselo, kumele sikhumbule ukuba “akukho nto umntu athi akhathaze uThixo ngayo, okanye akukho nanye into enokuphembelela umsindo wakhe, ngaphandle kwabo bangasivumiyo isandla sakhe kwizinto zonke, baze bangayithobeli imiyalelo yakhe” (IMfundiso& neMinqophiso 59:21). Mandincome okokuba ngamaxesha namaxesha mna nawe sinika umthandazo apho siye sibulele qha kwaye sivakalise umbulelo. Asiceli kwanto tu; ngokulula nje sivumela imiphefumlo yethu ivuye kwaye nokuba izame ukunxibelelana ngokuxabisa ngawo onke amandla eentliziyo zethu.

Umgaqo #3. Umthandazo ubanentsingiselo engakumbi njengoko sithandazela abanye ngenjongo yokwenene nangentliziyo enyanisekileyo.

Ukubongozela uBawo oseZulwini iintsikelelo esizinqwenelayo ebomini bethu kulungile kwaye kufanelekile. Nangona kunjalo, ukuthandazela abanye ngokunyanisekileyo, bobabini abo sibathandayo nabo basigxekayo, yinxalenye ebalulekileyo yomthandazo onentsingiselo. Ukuvakalisa nje umbulelo rhoqo ngakumbi emithandazweni yethu kwandisa umzila wesityhilelo, ngoko ke ukuthandazela abanye ngawo onke amandla emiphefumlo yethu kwandisa izinga lethu lokuva nokumamela ilizwi leNkosi.

Sifunda isifundo esibalulekileyo emzekelweni kaLihayi eNcwadini kaMormoni. ULihayi waye waphendula ngokholo kumyalelo wesiprofeto nakwizilumkiso ezimalunga nentshabalalo yeYerusalem. Yena wathandaza eNkosini “ngentliziyo yakhe yonke, ethandazela abantu bakhe” (1 Nifayi 1:5; ugxininiso longezelelwe). Kwimpendulo emthandazweni onamandla, uLihayi waye wasikelelwa ngombono oqaqambileyo kaThixo noNyana waKhe kunye nowentshabalalo yeYerusalem (bona 1 Nifayi 1:6–9, 13, 18). Ngenxa yoko, uLihayi waye wabanovuyo, kwaye nentliziyo yakhe yayizele ngenxa yezinto awayeziboniswe yiNkosi (bona 1 Nifayi 1:15). Nceda uqaphele okokuba umbono weza njengempendulo kumthandazo wabanye kwaye hayi njengesiphumo sesicelo sokwakha isiqu sakhe okanye sesikhokelo sakhe.

UMsindisi ungumzekelo ogqibeleleyo wokuthandazela abanye ngenjongo yokwenene. EMthandazweni weNtethelelo waKhe omkhulu owatshiwo ngobusuku obabuphambi koKubethelelwa kwaKhe emnqamlezweni, uYesu waye wathandazela abaPostile baKhe kunye nabo bonke abaNgcwele.

“Mna ndicelela: andiceleli lona ihlabathi, ndicelela abo undinike bona; ngokuba bengabakho. …

“Andiceleli ke aba bodwa, ndicelela nabo baya kukholwa kum ngelizwi labo; …

“…ukuze uthando ondithande ngalo lube kubo, nam ndibe kubo” (Yohane 17:9, 20, 26).

Ngelixa lolungiselelo loMsindisi kwilizwekazi iMelika, Yena wayalela abantu ukuba bazicinge nzulu iimfundiso zaKhe kwaye bathandazele ingqiqo. Yena waphilisa abagulayo, kwaye Yena wathandazela abantu esebenzisa ulwimi olungenako ukubhalwa (bona 3 Nifayi 17:1–16). Ifuthe lomthandazo waKhe lalinzulu: “Akukho namntu unokuqiqa ngovuyo olwazalisa imiphefumlo yethu ngelixa sasimva esithandazela kuBawo” (3 Nifayi 17:17). Yibanomfanekiso-ngqondweni wokokuba kwakunokuba njani ukuva uMsindisi wehlabathi esithandazela.

Ingaba abalingane bethu, abantwana bethu, kunye namanye amalungu weentsapho zethu bayawava na amandla wemithandazo yethu esiyinikela kuBawo sisenzela iimfuno zabo ezithile neminqweno yabo? Ingaba abo sibancedayo basiva sibathandazela ngokholo nangokunyaniseka? Ukuba abo sibathandayo nabo sibancedayo abakayiva impembelelo yemithandazo yethu enyanisekileyo esibenzela yona, ngoko ke ixesha lokuguquka lingoku. Njengoko silinganisa umzekelo woMsindisi, imithandazo yethu iya kuba nentsingiselo ngakumbi.

Siyalelwa ukuba “sithandaze rhoqo” (2 Nifayi 32:9; IMfundiso& neMinqophiso 10:5; 90:24)—“ngelizwi elivakalayo ngokunjalo nasezintliziyweni [zethu]; … phambi kwehlabathi ngokunjalo nasemfihlakalweni, esidlangalaleni ngokunjalo nangasese” (IMfundiso& neMinqophiso 19:28). Ndiyangqina ukuba umthandazo ubanentsingiselo engakumbi njengoko sicebisana neNkosi kwizenzo zethu, njengoko sivakalisa umbulelo wethu ophuma entliziyweni, kwaye nanjengoko sithandazela abanye ngenjongo yokwenene nangentliziyo enyanisekileyo.

Ndiyangqina ukuba uBawo oseZulwini uyaphila kwaye Yena uyayiva aze ayiphendule imithandazo yethu enyanisekileyo. UYesu unguKrestu, nguMsindisi noMlamleli wethu. Isityhilelo siyinyaniso. Ukuzaliswa kwevangeli kubuyisiwe emhlabeni nakweli xesha lokuhlanganisela. Ndingqina ngokunjalo egameni elingcwele leNkosi uYesu Krestu, amen.