Ngo-2000–2009
Thandaza Njalo
Okthoba 2008

Thandaza Njalo

Igosa uDavid A. Bednar

WoMgwamanda wabaPhostoli abayiShumi naMbili

Umkhuleko sizuza kakhulu kuwo uma sibonisana neNkosi kukho konke esikwenzayo, ngesikhathi sizwakalisa ukubonga kwethu okusuka ezinhliziyweni, nangesikhathi sikhulekela abanye.

Kumyalezo wami emhlanganweni omkhulu owedlule weBandla ngangigxile kakhulu kumgomo wokucela ngokholo uma sikhuleka. Namhlanje ngifisa ukukhuluma ngemigomo emithathu engaphezulu engasisiza ukuba sizuze kakhulu uma sikhuleka, futhi ngikhulekela ukuba mina nani sithole usizo oluvela kuMoya oNgcwele ngesikhathi ngikhuluma.

Umgomo Wokuqala. Umkhuleko sizuza kakhulu kuwo uma sibonisana neNkosi kukho konke esikwenzayo (bheka ku-Alima 37:37).

Ukukubeka ngendlela elula, umkhuleko wukuxhumana noBaba oseZulwini okwenziwa ngamadodana namadodakazi Akhe asemhlabeni. “Masinyane nje emva kokuba sesazi ngeqiniso lobudlelwano esinabo noNkulunkulu (okungukuthi, uNkulunkulu unguBaba wethu, thina singabantwana bakhe), masinyane ukukhuleka kuba yinto yemvelo kithi futhi nesiyenza ngesazela” (Bible Dictionary, “Prayer,” 752) Siyalwa ukuba sikhuleke njalo kuBaba egameni leNdodana (bheka ku 3 Nefi 18:19–20). Sethenjiswa ukuthi uma sikucela ngeqiniso okulungile nokuhle futhi ngokuhambisana nentando kaNkulunkulu, singabusiseka, sivikeleke, futhi sithole ukuqondiswa (bheka ku 3 Nefi 18:20; Mf&V 19:38).

Isambulo yingesikhathi uBaba oseZulwini exhumana nabantwana Bakhe emhlabeni. Ngesikhathi sicela ngokholo, siyonikwa isambulo phezu kwesambulo, ulwazi phezu kolwazi futhi sazi izimfihlakalo nezinto zokuthula eziletha intokozo nempilo yaphakade (bheka Mf&V 42:61). Izimfihlakalo yilezo zinto ezingazeka futhi ziqondakale kuphela ngamandla kaMoya oNgcwele (bheka inkulumo ka Harold B. Lee enesihloko esithi, Ye Are the Light of the World [ngo-1974], 211).

Izambulo zikaBaba neNdodana zithunyelwa ngelungu lesithathu loMgwamanda waseZulwini, ngisho uMoya oNgcwele. UMoya oNgcwele ungufakazi futhi nesithunywa sikaBaba neNdodana.

Izifanekiso ezasetshenziswa nguNkulunkulu ngesikhathi edala umhlaba ziyasifundisa ukuze siqonde ukuthi singazuza kanjani ngesikhathi sikhuleka. Kwisahluko sesithathu sencwadi kaMose siyafunda ukuthi zonke izinto zadalwa ngokomoya ngaphambi kokuba zibe khona ngokwemvelo emhlabeni.

“Manje, bheka, ngithi kuwe, lezi yizizukulwane zezulu nomhlaba, ngesikhathi zidalwa, ngalelo suku mhla mina, iNkosi uNkulunkulu, ngenza izulu nomhlaba,

“Futhi zonke izitshalo zasendle zingakabi bikho emhlabeni, futhi nayo yonke imifino yasendle ngaphambi kokuba ikhule. Ngokuba mina, iNkosi uNkulunkulu, ngazidala zonke izinto, esengikhulume ngazo, ngokomoya, ngaphambi kokuba zibe khona ngokwemvelo ebusweni bomhlaba” (Mose 3:4–5).

Kulamavesi siyafunda ukuthi indalo ngokomoya yandulela indalo yemvelo. Ngokufanayo, umkhuleko wasekuseni esizuza kuwo ubaluleke kakhulu njengendalo yosuku ngokomoya—futhi wandulela indalo ngokwemvelo noma lokho esikwenzayo osukwini. Njengoba nendalo yemvelo yayixhumene futhi ilandela indalo ngokomoya, ngokufanayo imikhuleko esizuza kuyo yasekuseni neyantambama ixhumene futhi iyalandelana.

Ake ucabange nganasi isibonelo. Kungaba khona izinto kwisimilo sethu, kwesikwenzayo, noma ngokuphathelene nokukhula ngokomoya okudingeka sibonisane noBaba oseZulwini ngazo emkhulekweni wasekuseni. Emva kokuzwakalisa ukumbonga ngezibusiso esizitholile, siyamnxusa ukuba sibe nokuqonda, siqondiswe, futhi sinikwe nosizo ukuba sikwazi ukwenza izinto esingeke sikwazi ukuzenza ngamandla ethu wodwa. Njengesibonelo, ngesikhathi sikhuleka:

  • Singazindla ngalezo zikhathi lapho sikhulume kabi khona noma ngendlela engafanele kulabo esibathanda kakhulu.

  • Singavuma ukuthi sazi kangcono kunalokhu, kodwa noma kunjalo esikwenzayo kuvame ukungahambisani nalokho esikwaziyo.

  • Singazwakalisa ukuzisola ngobuthakathaka esinabo nokungafuni ngentshisekelo ukumsusa umuntu wemvelo kithi.

  • Singazimisela ukuba izimpilo zethu sizifanise nezoMsindisi ngokugcwele.

  • Singacela ukuba sithole amandla okuba senze kangcono.

Umkhuleko onjena uyingxenye ebaluleke kakhulu yokulungiselela usuku ngokomoya.

Ngokuhamba kosuku, sihlala sinomkhuleko ezinhliziyweni zethu ukuze sihlezi siholwa futhi sithola usizo njalo—ngisho njengoba no-Alima ayephawula ethi: “Yonke imicabango yakho yiqondise kuNkulunkulu” (Alima 37:36).

Sesiyaqaphela ukuthi ngalolusuku zikhona izikhathi lapho ngokujwayelekile sinomkhuba wokukhuluma kabi, kodwa asikwenzi lokho, noma sinomkhuba wokufikelwa wukucasuka, kodwa kungasifikeli. Sesiyalubona usizo namandla aphezulu futhi ngokuthobeka siyavuma ukuthi imikhuleko yethu iphenduliwe. Ngisho nangaleso sikhathi sisakukhumbula lokho, senza umkhuleko wokubonga ngaphakathi kithi.

Uma luphela usuku lwethu, siyaguqa futhi sibike kuBaba wethu ukuthi siqhube kanjani. Siyakubuyekeza konke okwenzekile osukwini bese sizwakalisa ukubonga okuvela ekujuleni kwezinhliziyo ngezibusiso nangosizo esilunikiwe. Siyaphenduka bese kuthi ngosizo lukaMoya weNkosi, sithole izindlela esingenza kangcono ngazo ngakusasa. Ngaleyo ndlela, umkhuleko wethu wakusihlwa wakhela phezu futhi ulandela owasekuseni. Futhi umkhuleko wethu wakusihlwa uphinde ube wukulungiselela owasekuseni esizuza kuwo.

Imikhuleko yasekuseni neyakusihlwa—ngokunjalo nayo yonke eminye imikhuleko emaphakathi—akwenzeki ukuthi ayihambelani, yehlukene; kodwa ixhumene nsuku zonke, masonto onke, zinyanga zonke, ngisho neminyaka yonke. Ngenye indlela sisifeza kanjena isexwayiso sokuba si “khuleke njalo” (NgokukaLuka 21:36; 3 Nefi 18:15, 18; Mf&V 31:12). Imikhuleko esizuza kuyo enjena isiza kakhulu ekutheni sithole izibusiso ezinkulu kakhulu uNkulunkulu azibekele abantwana Bakhe abathembekile.

Umkhuleko siyazuza kuwo ngesikhathi sikhumbula ubudlelwano bethu noNkulunkulu futhi sisinaka lesi sexwayiso:

“Khala kuNkulunkulu ukuze uthole konke ukuphila kwakho; yebo, konke ukwenza kwakho makube seNkosini, futhi noma ngabe uyakuphi makube seNkosini; yebo, yonke imicabango yakho yiqondise eNkosini; yebo, uthando lwenhliziyo yakho malube seNkosini ingunaphakade.

“Bonisana neNkosi kukho konke ukwenza kwakho, futhi iyokuqondisa ukuze uzuze; yebo, uma ulala phansi ebusuku lala phansi eNkosini, ukuze ikubheke ekulaleni kwakho; futhi uma uvuka ekuseni inhliziyo yakho mayigcwale ukubonga kuNkulunkulu; futhi uma uzenza lezi zinto, uyophakanyiswa ngosuku lokugcina” (Alima 37:36–37; kwengezwe ukugcizelela).

Umgomo Wesibili. Umkhuleko sizuza kakhulu kuwo ngesikhathi sizwakalisa ukubonga kwethu okusuka ezinhliziyweni.

Ngesikhathi sisebenza eNyuvesi yaseBrigham Young—e-Idaho, mina nomkami sasivame ukungenisa izihambi zabaneGunya eliKhulu eBandleni Lonke emzini wethu. Umndeni wethu wake wafunda isifundo esibalulekile ngokuzuza emkhulekweni ngesikhathi siguqe ndawonye ngobunye ubusuku ukuba sikhuleke nelungu loMgwamanda wabaPhostoli abayiShumi naMbili.

Ekuseni ngalolo suku sasaziswe ngokushona ngokuzuma kukamngani wethu, futhi esasikufisa kakhulu wukuba sikhulekele owayesele ayeganene naye nabantwana. Kwathi uma ngicela umkami ukuba kube nguye osiholayo ngomkhuleko, ilungu labayiShumi naMbili, lingazi ngalokhu okwenzekile, laba nombono wokuthi umkami makazwakalise ukubonga ngezibusiso esasizitholile kuphela angaceli lutho. Iseluleko sakhe sasifana nemfundiso ka-Alima efundisa amalungu eBandla lasendulo ukuba “bathandaze bangaphezi, futhi babonge kuzo zonke izinto” (Mosiya 26:39). Ngenxa yalesi sehlakalo esasivele ngokuzuma, ukucelela abangani bethu izibusiso ekuqaleni kithi kwakubonakala kuyinto ebalulekile kunokubonga ngezibusiso.

Ngokholo umkami wenza njengoba ayeyaliwe. Wambonga uBaba oseZulwini ngokuningi okwakukhumbuleka ngalomngani wethu esasikuzuzile ngokuba naye. Wazwakalisa ukubonga ngeqiniso ngoMoya oNgcwele onguMduduzi futhi wabonga nangezipho zikaMoya ezisisiza ukuba sikwazi ukubhekana nobunzima futhi sisize nabanye. Okukhulu kunakho konke, wazwakalisa ukubonga ngohlelo lwensindiso, ngomnikelo ohlawulayo kaJesu Kristu, ngoVuko Lwakhe, nangezimiso nezivumelwano zevangeli elibuyiselwe ezinika imindeni amandla ukuba ibe ndawonye ingunaphakade.

Ngalolo suku umndeni wethu wafunda isifundo esikhulu ngamandla okubonga ngomkhuleko esizuza kuwo. Ngenxa yalowo mkhuleko, umndeni wethu wabusiseka ngokuba nogqozi ngokuningi okwakubusa imiqondo yethu nokwakuhlupha izinhliziyo zethu. Safunda ukuthi ukubonga kwethu ngohlelo lwensindiso nangomsebenzi kaMsindisi ayethunywe wona kwasinika ukuqiniseka esasikudinga futhi saba nethemba lokuthi konke kwakuzoba kuhle ngabangani bethu. Sabuye sakwazi nokubona esasingakuboni ngokuphathelene nezinto okwakufanele sizikhulekele futhi sizicele ngokholo.

Miningi imikhuleko esengike ngayisho engizuze kuyo ngesikhathi ngizwakalisa ukubonga kunokucela. Njengoba sengibusisekile manje ukuba ngikhuleke nabaphostoli nabaphrofethi, phakathi kwalabaholi banamuhla beBandla loMsindisi ngithola kuwo isimilo esifanayo naleso seNduna uMoroni eNcwadini kaMormoni: lawa ngamadoda anezinhliziyo ezigcwele ukubonga kuNkulunkulu ngamalungelo amaningi nangezibusiso azinika abantu Bakhe (bheka ku Alima 48:12). Phezu kwalokho, abaphindaphindi amagama amaningi, ngokuba banikeziwe ukuthi bakhulekeleni, futhi bagcwaliswe ngesifiso (bheka ku 3 Nefi 19:24). Imikhuleko yabaphrofethi ifana neyabantwana ngendlela elula ngayo futhi inamandla ngenxa yokuthi bakhuleka ngeqiniso.

Ngesikhathi sisazama ukuzuza emikhulekweni esiyenzayo, masikhumbule ukuthi “akukho umuntu amona ngakho uNkulunkulu, noma akekho omunye ulaka lwakhe olumokhelekayo, ngaphandle kwalabo abangasivumi isandla sakhe kukho konke, futhi nabangayithobeli imiyalelo yakhe” (Mf&V 59:21). Make ngenze isiphakamiso sokuthi mina nawe izikhathi ngezikhathi masisho umkhuleko wokubonga kuphela. Ungaceli lutho; imiphefumulo yethu mayigcwale intokozo futhi sizame ukuzwakalisa ukubonga ngawo wonke amandla ezinhliziyo zethu.

Umgomo Wesithathu. Umkhuleko sizuza kakhulu kuwo uma sikhulekela abanye ngenhloso okuyiyo futhi nangeqiniso.

Ukunxusa uBaba oseZulwini ngezibusiso esizidingayo ezimpilweni zethu kuhle futhi kufanele. Kodwa, ukukhulekela abanye ngeqiniso, labo esibathandayo ngokunjalo nalabo abasisebenzisayo ngokusedelela, nakho kungumkhuleko obalulekile esingazuza kuwo. Njengoba ukuzwakalisa ukubonga njalo emikhulekweni yethu kukhulisa indlela yokuba sithole ukwambulelwa, ngokunjalo nokukhulekela abanye ngawo wonke amandla ethu kwandisa amandla okuba silizwe futhi silinake izwi leNkosi.

Sifunda isifundo esibaluleke kakhulu kuLehi eNcwadini kaMormoni. ULehi wasabela ngokholo mhla kuvela iziyalo nezexwayiso zabaphrofethi ngokuphathelene nokubhujiswa kweJerusalema. Wabe esekhuleka eNkosini “ngenhliziyo yakhe yonke, ethandazela abantu bakhe” (1 Nefi 1:5; kwengezwe ukugcizelela). Kuphendulwa lomkhuleko wentshisekelo, uLehi wabusiswa ngombono okhazimulayo kaNkulunkulu neNdodana Yakhe nangokubhujiswa kweJerusalema okuzayo (bheka ku 1 Nefi 1:6–9, 13, 18). Ngenxa yalokho, uLehi wajabula, futhi inhliziyo yakhe yonke yagcwaliswa ngenxa yezinto iNkosi eyayimbonise zona (bheka ku 1 Nefi 1:15). Ngicela uqaphele ukuthi lombono wavela kuphendulwa umkhuleko ngabanye hhayi ngenxa yokuzikhulekela.

UMsindisi uyisibonelo esihle kakhulu salowo okhulekela abanye ngenhloso okuyiyo. EMkhulekweni Wakhe omkhulu Wokuncengela owakhulunywa ngaphambi koNqamulezo Lwakhe, uJesu wabakhulekela abaPhostoli Bakhe nabo bonke abaNgcwele.

“Ngiyabakhulekela bona: angikhulekeli izwe kepha labo ongiphe bona, ngokuba bangabakho. …

“Angiceleli laba bodwa kepha nalabo abakholwa yimi ngezwi labo; …

“… ukuba uthando ongithande ngalo lube-kubo, nami ngibe kubo” (NgokukaJohane 17:9, 20, 26).

Ngesikhathi sobufundisi boMsindisi ezwenikazi laseMelika, wabayala abantu ukuba bazindle ngezimfundiso Zakhe futhi bakhulekele ukuziqonda. Wabelapha abantu, futhi wabakhulekela ekhuluma ulimi olwalungabhaleki (bheka ku 3 Nefi 17:1–16). Umkhuleko Wakhe waba namandla kakhulu: “Akekho noyedwa ongayicabanga intokozo eyagcwala imiphefumuo yethu ngesikhathi simuzwa esikhulekela kuBaba” (3 Nefi 17:17). Ake ucabange nje ukuthi kwakungaba njani ukuzwa uMsindisi womhlaba esikhulekela.

Ngabe esiganene nabo, abantwana bethu, namanye amalunga omndeni wethu nabo bayawezwa amandla emikhuleko yethu ngesikhathi sibakhulekela kuBaba ngezidingo nezifizo zabo ezithile na? Ngabe labo esibasizayo bayasizwa sibakhulekela ngokholo nangeqiniso na? Uma labo esibathandayo nesibasizayo bengakawezwa amandla emikhuleko yethu yeqiniso ngesikhathi sibakhulekela, manje sekuyisikhathi sokuphenduka. Ngesikhathi silandela isibonelo soMsindisi, imikhuleko yethu sizozuza ngempela kuyo.

Siyalwa ukuba si “khuleke njalo” (2 Nefi 32:9; iMf&V 10:5; 90:24)—“ngokuzwakala futhi nangezinhliziyo [zethu]; …phambi komhlaba nasesithe, phambi kwabantu nangasese” (Mf&V 19:28). Ngiyafakaza ukuthi umkhuleko sizuza kakhulu kuwo uma sibonisana neNkosi kukho konke esikwenzayo, ngesikhathi sizwakalisa ukubonga kwethu okusuka ezinhliziyweni, nangesikhathi sikhulekela abanye ngenhloso okuyiyo nangeqiniso.

Ngiyafakaza ukuthi uNkulunkulu uyaphila nokuthi uyayizwa futhi ayiphendule yonke imikhuleko yeqiniso. UJesu ungu Kristu, uMsindisi noMlamuleli wethu. Isambulo sikhona ngempela. Ukuphelela kwevangeli sekubuyiselwe emhlabeni kulesi sikhathi. Ngifakaza ngalokhu egameni elingcwele likaJesu Kristu, ameni.