Ko e Lakanga Fakataulaʻeiki ʻo ʻĒloné

L. Tom Perry

Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

Ko e lakanga fakataulaʻeiki ʻoku mou maʻú ko ha meʻafoaki makehe ia, ʻoku foaki tonu mai ʻe he ʻEikí. Fakaʻaongaʻi, fakamāʻoniʻoniʻi pea moʻui taau mo ia.

ʻI heʻeku lea he konifelenisi lahi he taʻu ʻe 25 kuohilí, ne u fakafeʻiloaki ai ha tokoni ne ʻi hoku tafaʻakí. Ko hoku mokopuna tangata lahí. Naʻá ne toki maʻu e lakanga taulaʻeiki faka-ʻĒloné pea naʻe fakanofo tīkoni. Ne u pehē ko ha faingamālie ia ke u lea kiate ia ʻo kau ki he mahuʻinga hono maʻu e Lakanga Taulaʻeiki Faka-ʻĒloné.

Ne u pehē ange ki hoku mokopuná:

“ʻOku ʻikai ke u fuʻu fiefia he tūkunga ʻo e māmani ʻokú ke tupu hake ai mo e kau talavoú ʻi hoʻo hoko ʻo fatu-tangatá. Neongo ʻoku ʻi ai ha niʻihi ʻiate kimautolu kuo mau matuʻotuʻa mo maʻu ha ivi tākiekina lahi he māmaní, ka ʻoku ou tui kuo mau tōnounou ʻi heʻemau tuku ke hoko e ngaahi tūkunga lolotongá ʻi māmaní. ʻOku mou ʻi ha tuʻunga kuo pau ke mou feohi ai mo ha tokolahi ne ʻikai ke tupu hake mo ha mahino pe fakaʻapaʻapaʻi e ngaahi tuʻunga ʻulungāanga tukufakaholó. Ko ia ʻoku faingataʻa mo fakalilifu ange ai e mālohi fakatoʻu meʻá.

“Kuo mau ʻomi ki ʻapi e letioó, mo e televīsoné. Neongo ʻoku lava ke ʻomi ʻe he ngaahi meʻá ni ha fakafiefia ʻoku leleí, ka ʻoku ʻikai ʻomi ʻe he konga lahi e meʻa ʻoku tau fanongo mo mamata aí ha tataki fakalaumālie mo ha fakalotolahi ki he kau talavoú. Ko hono moʻoní, ʻoku maʻulalo ʻaupito e meʻa ʻoku faʻú. ʻOku malava ʻe haʻo kamosi pē ha meʻa ʻi ʻapi ke ne fakaʻauha hoʻo ongoʻi ʻoku tonu pe hala ha meʻá” (“I Confer the Priesthood of Aaron,” Ensign, Nov. 1985, 46).

Ko e lahi ange ko ia e liliú, ko e fakautuutu ange ai pē ia ʻene tataú—tukukehe ʻa e tekinolosiá. ʻOku ou fie ʻeke ki he kau talavou ʻo e Lakanga Taulaʻeiki Faka-ʻĒloné pe ʻoku nau ʻilo e kalamafoní. Ko kinautolu ʻoku ʻikaí, ko ha meʻa ia ne mau faʻa ō ʻo tā he loki talanoá ke tau fanongo hiva ai. Vakai ange ki aí,—naʻe pau ke mau ō ki ai, ka naʻe ʻikai ke toʻotoʻo holo.

Ne u toe akoʻi foki ki hoku mokopuna tangata ko Talí ha lēsoni ʻe fā ʻo fakatefito ʻi he talanoa ʻo Taniela he Fuakava Motuʻá. Ne u talaange ki ai ke (1) tauhi hono sinó ke moʻui lelei mo maʻa; (2) fakatupulaki hono ʻatamaí mo fakapotopoto; (3) toʻa mo fakaʻehiʻehi mei he ʻahiʻahi ʻoku fonu ʻi he māmaní: pea (4) falala ki he ʻEikí, tautautefito kapau ʻokú ke fie maʻu ʻEne maluʻí.

Ne u fakaʻosi ʻeku faleʻi kia Talí ʻaki e ngaahi leá ni: “He ʻikai teitei motuʻa e ngaahi talanoa ko ʻeni mei he folofolá. ʻE fakafiefia ia kiate koe ʻi hoʻo lau ia ko ha tīkoni, akonaki, taulaʻeiki, faifekau, faiako fakaʻapi, palesiteni fakakōlomu pe ko ha fatongia pē ʻe ui koe ʻe he ʻEikí ke ke fai. Te nau akoʻi koe ke ke tui, lototoʻa, ʻofa ki ho kāingá, loto falala pea falala ki he ʻEikí” (Ensign, Nov. 1985, 48).

ʻOku ou fiefia ke lipooti atu kuo tauhi pau ʻe Tali e tukupā ne u ʻoange he taʻu ʻe 25 kuohilí. Naʻá ne maʻu kimui ange e Lakanga Taulaʻeiki Faka-Melekisētekí, ngāue fakafaifekau lelei pea ʻoku lolotonga hoko ko ha palesiteni ʻo e kōlomu ʻo e kaumātuʻá, pea ko ha tamai foki ki ha ʻōfefine fakaʻofoʻofa.

ʻOku lahi ha ngaahi liliu kuo hoko he taʻu ʻe uofulu mā nima kuohilí. Ko e meʻa ʻe taha kuo hokó, ko e tutupu hake hoku makapuna tokolahí pea ʻi ai ʻenau fānaú. ʻI he faʻahitaʻu māfana ko ʻení ne u tuʻu takatakai ai mo ha kau maʻu lakanga fakataulaʻeiki ʻo hilifaki hoku nimá ʻi he ʻulu ʻo hoku mokopuna ua tangata lahi tahá kae foaki ange ʻe heʻene tamaí ʻa e Lakanga Taulaʻeiki Faka-ʻĒloné. Neongo ʻoku ʻikai ʻi hoku tafaʻakí hoku mokopuna uá he ʻahó ni, ka ʻoku ou fie lea kiate ia mo kimoutolu kotoa kau talavou lelei ʻoku maʻu Lakanga Taulaʻeiki Faka-ʻĒloné.

Ko ha tāpuaki makehe ke maʻu e Lakanga Taulaʻeiki Faka-ʻĒloné. Kuo tohi he hisitōliá e ʻaho nāunauʻia ne toe fakafoki mai ai e lakanga fakataulaʻeikí ki he māmaní ʻo foaki ai ki he tangatá e totonu ke fakafofongaʻi e ʻOtuá ʻi hono fai ʻo e ngaahi ouau toputapu ʻo e lakanga fakataulaʻeikí. Ne aʻu atu ʻa ʻŌliva Kautele he ʻaho 5 ʻo ʻEpeleli 1829 ki he ʻapi ʻo Siosefa Sāmitá ʻi Hāmoni, Penisilivēnia. Naʻe fehuʻi ʻe ʻŌliva ki he Palōfita ko Siosefa Sāmitá fekauʻaki mo ʻene liliu e lekooti fakakuonga muʻa ko e Tohi ʻa Molomoná. ʻI heʻene tui ki he natula fakalangi ʻo e ngāué ni, ne loto ai ʻa ʻŌliva ke hoko ko ha tangata tohi ʻi hono fakakakato e liliú. Ne vave ʻaupito hono fai ʻo e liliú ʻi he hoko ʻa ʻŌliva ko e tangata tohí.

ʻI he ʻaho 15 ʻo Mē 1829, ne ʻosi aʻu ʻa Siosefa mo ʻŌliva ki he 3 Nīfaí. Ne na fiefia lahi ʻi he hisitōlia ʻo e ʻaʻahi ʻa e Fakamoʻui kuo toetuʻú ki he hemisifia Hihifó pea mo ʻEne akonaki fekauʻaki mo e papitaisó. ʻI heʻena lau e 3 Nīfaí, naʻe kamata ke na fifili ki he papitaisó. Ko e hā e founga papitaiso ʻoku tonú pea ko hai naʻá ne maʻu e mafai ke fai e ouau toputapu mo fakamoʻui ko ʻení? Naʻá na kumi ki ha tali ki he fehuʻi fakatokāteline mahuʻinga ko ʻení. Ne nau pehē ke na lotua ha tali pea ne na ō ki ha feituʻu ofi pē he matāfanga ʻo e Vaitafe Sesikuehaná. Ne na ʻohake hona lotó pea naʻe fakaava mai ʻa e langí kiate kinaua. Ne hā mai ha ʻāngelo ʻo ne fakafeʻiloaki ange ko Sione Papitaiso ia mo ne talaange kia Siosefa mo ʻŌliva ʻokú ne ngāue ʻo fakatatau mo e fakahinohino ʻa Pita, Sēmisi mo Sione ʻoku māʻolunga ange honau lakanga fakataulaʻeikí. vakai, Hisitōlia—Siosefa Sāmita 1:72).

“Naʻá ne hilifaki hono nimá ki hona ʻulú mo ne pehē ange: ʻI he huafa ʻo e Mīsaiá, ʻoku ou foaki kiate kimoua ʻa hoku ongo kaungā-tamaioʻeiki, ʻa e Lakanga Fakataulaʻeiki ʻo ʻĒloné, ʻa ia ʻokú ne maʻu ʻa e ngaahi kī ʻo e tauhi mai ʻa e kau ʻāngeló, pea mo e ongoongolelei ʻo e fakatomalá, pea mo e papitaiso ʻi he fakaukú ke fakamolemole ʻa e ngaahi angahalá; pea ʻe ʻikai pē toe ʻave ʻeni mei māmani ʻo aʻu ki hono toe fai ʻe he ngaahi foha ʻo Līvaí ha feilaulau ki he ʻEikí ʻi he māʻoniʻoni” (T&F 13:1).

Ne toe fakamanatu ʻe ʻŌliva e meʻa ne hokó ʻo ne pehē: “Toe fakakaukau angé … ki he fiefia lahi ne ma ongoʻi mo ʻema ʻohovale ʻi heʻema punou, … ʻo maʻu e Lakanga Fakataulaʻeiki Māʻoniʻoní meiate iá” (Hisitōlia—Siosefa Sāmita 1:71, footnote).

Naʻe toe fakafoki mai ki he māmaní e mālohi mo e nāunau ʻo e Lakanga Taulaʻeiki Faka-ʻĒlone māʻoniʻoní hili ha laui senituli e tatali e faʻahinga ʻo e tangatá ke toe fakafoki mai e mafai ʻo e ʻOtuá. ʻOku tau ako mei he vahe 107 ʻo e Tokāteline mo e Ngaahi Fuakavá, ki he ʻuhinga ʻoku ui e lakanga fakataulaʻeiki siʻi angé ko e Lakanga Taulaʻeiki Faka-ʻĒloné:

“ʻOku ui ʻa e lakanga fakataulaʻeiki hono uá ko e Lakanga Fakataulaʻeiki ʻo ʻĒloné, koeʻuhí he naʻe foaki ia kia ʻĒlone mo hono hakó, ʻi honau ngaahi toʻu tangatá kotoa pē.

“Ko e ʻuhinga ʻoku ui ai ia ko e lakanga fakataulaʻeiki siʻi angé koeʻuhí he ko e konga ia ʻo e lakanga fakataulaʻeiki lahi angé, pe ko e Lakanga Taulaʻeiki Faka-Melekisētekí, pea ʻokú ne maʻu ʻa e mālohi ke ngāue ʻi he ngaahi ouau fakatuʻasinó. …

“Ko e mālohi mo e mafai ʻo e lakanga fakataulaʻeiki siʻi angé, pe ko e Lakanga Taulaʻeiki Faka-ʻĒloné, ke maʻu ʻa e ngaahi “kī ʻo e tauhi mai ʻa e kau ʻāngeló pea ke ngāue ʻi he ngaahi ouau fakatuʻasinó, ʻa e mataʻitohi ʻo e ongoongoleleí, ʻa e papitaiso ʻo e fakatomala ki he fakamolemole ʻo e ngaahi angahalá, ʻo fehoanaki mo e ngaahi fuakavá mo e ngaahi fekaú” (T&F 107:13–14, 20).

ʻOku ʻikai ngata pē hono maʻu ʻe he kau talavou ʻo e Lakanga Taulaʻeiki Faka-ʻĒloné ʻa e mālohi mo e mafai ke fakafofongaʻi e ʻEikí ʻi honau ngaahi fatongia fakataulaʻeikí, ka ʻoku nau maʻu foki mo e ngaahi kī ki he tauhi mai ʻo e kau ʻāngeló.

ʻE kau talavou ʻo e Lakanga Taulaʻeiki Faka-ʻĒloné, ʻoku ou fakamoʻoni ʻoku haʻisia e ʻEikí ki ha fuakava molumalu ke faitāpuekina hoʻomou moʻuí ʻo fakatatau mo hoʻomou faivelengá. Kapau te mou fanongo ki he leʻo fakatokanga ʻo e Laumālie Māʻoniʻoní mo muimui ki Heʻene tatakí, ʻe faitāpuekina kimoutolu ʻaki e tauhi mai ʻa e kau ʻāngeló. ʻE tānaki mai ʻe he tāpuakí ni ha poto, ʻilo, mālohi mo e nāunauʻia ki hoʻo moʻuí. Ko ha tāpuaki pau ʻeni kuo talaʻofa mai ʻe he ʻEikí.

ʻI he ngaahi māhina siʻi kuohilí, ne u maʻu ha faingamālie ai ke ʻalu ki ha houalotu ʻaukai mo fakamoʻoni. Naʻe fakamoʻoni ai ha ʻetivaisa ʻo e lakanga Taulaʻeiki Faka-ʻĒloné. Ne ʻomi ʻe heʻene fakamoʻoní ha loto houngaʻia foʻou ʻo e ʻuhinga ki ha tokotaha maʻu Lakanga Taulaʻeiki Faka-ʻĒlone hono maʻu e ngaahi kī ʻo e tauhi mai ʻa e kau ʻāngeló.

Naʻe fakamatalaʻi ʻe he ʻetivaisá ni e niʻihi ʻo e ngaahi meʻa kuó ne aʻusiá mo e lakanga taulaʻeiki faka-ʻĒlone he uōtí he pongipongi ko iá.ʻI heʻene lue ki he lotú naʻá ne fakatokangaʻi ha ongo tīkoni ʻokú na ō mo e sila ʻaukaí ki he ʻapi ʻo e kāingalotú. Naʻá ne mālieʻia heʻena teunga lelei ki he lotú mo ʻena fakahoko fakalongolongo mo fakaʻeiʻeikí hona fatongiá. Naʻá ne ʻalu fakataha mo ha ongo taulaʻeiki ke ʻave e sākalamēnití ki ha ʻapi maʻá e kau tangata faingataʻaʻia fakaesino mo fakaʻatamaí. Ko e fuofua faingamālie ʻeni ke ʻaʻahi ai e ongo talavoú ni ki he ʻapí pea naʻe fakatokangaʻi ʻe he ʻetivaisá e founga fakaʻapaʻapa mo tokanga ne na fai ʻaki ʻena ngāué.

Ne vahevahe mai leva ʻe he ʻetivaisá ha meʻa ne ongo ki hono lotó he naʻe fakamanatu ange ʻe ha taha ʻo e ongo taulaʻeikí ʻa e ʻuhinga ʻo e hoko ko ha faifekau moʻoni ʻo Sīsū Kalaisí —ʻa ia ko ha ʻāngelo tauhi. ʻI hono tufa ʻe he taulaʻeikí e vaí ki he fakatahaʻangá, naʻá ne aʻu mai ki ha tangata ne fokoutua he Down’s Syndrome. Ne ʻikai lava ai e tangatá ʻo toʻo e ipú mei he lāulaú ke ne inu. Ne vave e fakakaukau ʻa e taulaʻeikí ni. Naʻá ne puke e mui ʻulu ʻo e tangatá ʻaki hono nima hemá kae lava ke ne tangutu lelei hake ʻo inu peá ne toʻo ʻaki hono nima toʻomataʻú ha ipu mei he laulaú ʻo mono fakalelei atu ia ki he loungutu ʻo e tangatá. Ne hā mai e houngaʻia he fofonga ʻo e tangatá —ko ha fōtunga ʻo ha taha kuo tokoniʻi ʻe ha taha kehe. Ne hoko atu leva e ngāue ʻa e taulaʻeiki kei talavoú ni ʻo tufa ʻa e vaí ki he haʻofangá.

Ne fakahaaʻi ʻe he ʻetivaisá ʻi heʻene fakamoʻoní ʻa e ongo naʻá ne maʻu he momeniti ko iá. Naʻá ne pehē ne tangi fakalongolongo pē heʻene fiefia mo ʻene ʻiloʻi ʻoku ʻi he tūkunga lelei e Siasí ʻi he ngāue ʻa e kau talavou tokanga mo talangofua ko ʻeni ʻo e Lakanga Taulaʻeiki Faka-ʻĒloné.

Naʻe pehē ʻe Palesiteni ʻEselā Tafu Penisoni: “ʻOmai ha talavou kuó ne tauhi ʻene moʻui angamaʻá mo ʻalu maʻu pē ki heʻene ngaahi fakataha faka-Siasí. ʻOmai ha talavou kuó ne fakaongoongoleleiʻi hono lakanga fakataulaʻeikí mo ikuna e pale Fatongia ki he ʻOtuá pea ko ha ʻĪkale ʻo e Sikautí. ʻOmai ha talavou kuo ʻosi mei he seminelí pea ʻi ai haʻane fakamoʻoni mālohi ki he Tohi ʻa Molomoná. ʻOmai kiate au ha talavou pehē pea te u ʻoatu ha talavou te ne lava ʻo fai ha ngaahi mana maʻá e ʻEikí ʻi he malaʻe ngāue fakafaifekaú pea ʻi he toenga ʻo ʻene moʻuí” (“To the ‘Youth of the Noble Birthright,’” Ensign, May 1986, 45).

ʻE ngaahi mātuʻa ʻo e kau talavou mo e kau finemui lelei ko ʻení, ʻoku mau fakatukupaaʻi kimoutolu ʻaki ha fatongia toputapu ko hono akoʻi ki hoʻomou fānaú ʻa e ngaahi tokāteline ʻo e lakanga fakataulaʻeiki māʻoniʻoní. Kuo pau ke ʻilo kei siʻi ʻe hoʻomou fānaú ʻa e tāpuaki ʻo hono maʻu e lakanga fakataulaʻeiki taʻengata ʻo e ʻEikí mo e meʻa kuo pau ke nau fai fakafoʻituitui ke maʻu ai e ngaahi tāpuaki ko ʻení.

Kau pīsope, ʻoku mou maʻu e ngaahi kī ʻo e lakanga fakataulaʻeikí ke tokangaʻi e kau talavou ʻo e Lakanga Taulaʻeiki Faka-ʻĒloné, ke fakataha alēlea mo kinautolu pea mo akoʻi ange honau ngaahi fatongia fakataulaʻeikí. Kātaki kae fakapapauʻi ʻoku moʻui taau e talavou takitaha ke ne maʻu e Lakanga Taulaʻeiki Faka-ʻĒloné pea mahino kiate ia e ngaahi tufakanga mo e tāpuaki te ne maʻu ʻi heʻene maʻu e lakanga fakataulaʻeikí. Tokoni ke nau ako ke fakamāʻoniʻoniʻi e lakanga fakataulaʻeikí he taimí ni ʻaki hono ʻoange ha ngaahi ngāue mahuʻinga ke nau fai mo tokoniʻi ke nau tokoni mo tauhi ki he niʻihi kehé.

Kau talavou, ʻoku ou fakatukupaaʻi kimoutolu ke langa hoʻomou moʻuí ʻi ha fakavaʻe ʻo e moʻoní mo e angatonú. Ko e fakavaʻe pē ia te ne matuʻuaki e haʻahaʻa ʻo e moʻuí ni mo kātaki ʻo aʻu ki he taʻengatá. Ko e lakanga fakataulaʻeiki ʻoku mou maʻú ko ha meʻafoaki makehe ia, ʻoku foaki tonu mai ʻe he ʻEikí. Fakaʻaongaʻi, fakamāʻoniʻoniʻi pea moʻui taau ke maʻu ia. ʻOku ou fakaʻamu ke mou ʻilo ʻoku ou maʻu ha fakamoʻoni makehe mo fakatāutaha ki hono mālohí. Kuó ne faitāpuekina ʻeku moʻuí ʻi ha ngaahi founga lahi.

ʻOku ou fakatukupaaʻi kimoutolu ke fakapapauʻi te mou fakaʻapaʻapaʻi e tāpuaki maʻongoʻongá ni mo teuteu atu ki he tuʻunga takitaha ʻo e Lakanga Taulaʻeiki Faka-ʻĒloné—ʻa e tīkoní, akonakí mo e taulaʻeikí. Teuteuʻi kimoutolu ki he tāpuaki maʻongoʻonga hono maʻu ʻo e Lakanga Taulaʻeiki Faka-Melekisētekí, ʻa ia ʻe fie maʻu ke mou taau ke maʻu kimuʻa pea mou ngāue fakafaifekau taimi kakató. ʻOku fie maʻu ʻe he ʻEikí ke mou teuteuʻi kimoutolu ki Heʻene ngāué, tautautefito ki he fatongia kāfakafa te mou maʻu ke malanga ʻaki ʻEne ongoongoleleí. ʻOku ou palōmesi atu kapau te mou teuteu ke maʻu ʻa ʻEne lakanga fakataulaʻeiki māʻoniʻoní, te Ne lilingi hifo ha ngaahi tāpuaki ki homou ʻulú. Ko ʻeku fakamoʻoní ʻeni ʻoku ʻoatu kiate kimoutolú ʻi he huafa ʻo hotau ʻEiki mo e Fakamoʻui ko Sīsū Kalaisí, ʻēmeni.