2010–2019
ʻIkai mo ha Toe ʻOtua Kehe
ʻOkatopa 2013


16:43

ʻIkai mo ha ʻOtua Kehe

ʻOku tau hanga nai ʻo tauhi e ngaahi meʻa ʻoku tau fakamuʻomuʻá pe ko e ngaahi ʻotuá, ʻi he ʻOtua ʻoku tau tala ʻoku tau hū ki aí?

ʻOku mahuʻinga e Fekau ʻe Hongofulú ki he tui fakalotu faka-Kalisitiane mo e faka-Siú. Ne foaki ʻe he ʻOtuá ki he fānau ʻo ʻIsilelí ʻo fakafou ʻi he palōfita ko Mōsesé, ʻoku fakahinohinoʻi mai ʻe he ʻuluaki fekau ʻe ua ʻo e ngaahi fekau ni ʻetau moihuú mo e meʻa ʻoku tau fakamuʻomuʻá. ʻI he ʻuluakí, ne fekauʻi ʻe he ʻEikí, “ʻOua naʻá ke maʻu mo au ha ʻotua kehe ʻi hoku ʻaó” (ʻEkesōtosi 20:3). Hili ha ngaahi senituli, ʻi hono fehuʻi kia Sīsū, “Ko e fekau fē ʻi he fonó ʻoku lahí?” Naʻá Ne tali, “Ke ke ʻofa ki [he ʻEiki] ko ho ʻOtuá ʻaki ho laumālié kotoa, mo hoʻo moʻuí kotoa, mo ho lotó kotoa (Mātiu 22:36–37).

ʻOku toe fakamatalaʻi lahi ange ʻe he fekau hono ua ʻo e Fekau ʻe Hongofulú ki he fakahinohino ko ia ke ʻoua naʻa toe maʻu mo ha ʻotua kehé pea talamai e meʻa ʻoku totonu ke fakamuʻomuʻa ʻi heʻetau moʻuí ʻi heʻetau hoko ko ʻEne fānaú. “ʻOua naʻá ke ngaohi kiate koe ha fakatātā, pe ha meʻa fakatatau ʻe taha ʻi ha meʻa ʻi he langí ʻi ʻolungá pe ha meʻa ʻoku ʻi he fonuá ʻi lalo ní (ʻEkesōtosi 20:4). ʻOku tānaki mau leva ʻe he fekaú, “ʻOua naʻá ke punou hifo koe kiate kinautolu, pe tauhi ki ai” (ʻEkesōtosi 20:5). Ne ʻikai ko hano tapui pē ʻo e ngaahi ʻotua tamapuá, ka ʻokú ne fakamatalaʻi ha meʻa mahuʻinga ke fakamuʻomuʻa ki ʻitāniti. ʻOku fakamatala ʻe Sihova ʻo pehē, “He ko au [ko e ʻEiki] ko ho ʻOtuá ko e ʻOtua fuaʻa au, … peá u fakahā ʻa e ʻaloʻofa … [kiate] kinautolu ʻoku ʻofa kiate au mo tauhi ʻeku ngaahi fekaú” (ʻEkesōtosi 20:5–6). ʻOku fuʻu mahino ʻa e ʻuhinga ʻo e fuaʻá. Ko hono ʻuhinga faka-Hepeluú ko e maʻu ha loto “ongoʻingofua mo … loloto” (ʻEkesōtosi 20:5, futinouti b). Ko ia ai ʻoku tau fakatupu houhau ki he ʻOtuá ʻi he taimi ʻoku tau “tauhi” ai ha ngaahi ʻotua kehe—ʻi he taimi ʻoku tau fakamuʻomuʻa ai e ngaahi meʻa kehé.1

I.

Ko e hā ha ngaahi meʻa kehe ʻoku tau fakamuʻomuʻa pea tau “tauhi” ʻo fakamuʻomuʻa ʻi he ʻOtuá—ʻo aʻu pē ki ha niʻihi anga fakalotu—ʻi hotau kuongá? Fakakaukau ki he ngaahi meʻá ni, ʻoku tau maheni kotoa mo kinautolu:

  • Ngaahi tukufakaholo fakafonua pe fakafāmili

  • Tonu fakapolitikale

  • Ngāue maʻuʻanga moʻuí

  • Koloa fakamatelié

  • Fekumi ki he fiefia fakamāmaní

  • Mālohí, tuʻungá, mo e ongoongoá

Kapau ʻoku ʻikai ha kaunga ʻo e ngaahi sīpingá ni ki ha taha ʻo kitautolu, mahalo ʻe lava ke tau fakakaukau ki ha niʻihi ʻoku nau fai ia. ʻOku mahuʻinga ange ʻa e tefitoʻi moʻoní ʻi he ngaahi sīpinga fakafoʻituituí. ʻOku ʻikai ko e tefitoʻi moʻoní pe ʻoku ʻi ai ha meʻa kehe ʻoku tau fakamuʻomuʻa. Ko e fehuʻi ʻoku ʻomi ʻe he fekau hono uá ko e “Ko e hā ʻa e meʻa ʻoku tau fakamuʻomuʻa tahá?” ʻOku tau hanga nai ʻo tauhi e ngaahi meʻa ʻoku tau fakamuʻomuʻá pe ko e ngaahi ʻotuá, ʻi he ʻOtua ʻoku tau tala ʻoku tau hū ki aí? Kuo ngalo ʻiate kitautolu ke muimui ki he Fakamoʻuí ʻa ia naʻá Ne akoʻi kapau ʻoku tau ʻofa ʻiate Ia, te tau tauhi ʻene ngaahi fekaú? (vakai, Sione 14:15). Kapau ko ia, kuo fulihi ʻa e ngaahi meʻa ʻoku totonu ke tau fakamuʻomuʻá ʻe he fakafiefiemālie fakalaumālié pea mo e ngaahi uʻa taʻe mapuleʻí ʻa ia ʻoku lahi ʻi hotau kuongá.

II.

Ki he kāingalotu ʻo e Siasí, ʻoku makatuʻunga e ngaahi fekau ʻa e ʻOtuá ʻi he ngaahi meʻa ʻoku ʻikai lava ʻo fakamavaheʻi mei he palani ʻa e ʻOtuá ki Heʻene fānaú—ʻa e palani maʻongoʻonga ʻo e fakamoʻuí. ʻOku faʻa ui e palani ko ʻení ko e “palani lahi ʻo e fiefiá” (ʻAlamā 42:8), ʻokú ne fakamatalaʻi hotau tupuʻangá mo e ikuʻangá ʻi heʻetau hoko ko e fānau ʻa e ʻOtuá—naʻa tau haʻú mei fē, ko e hā ʻoku tau ʻi heni aí pea ko ʻetau ʻalú ki fē. ʻOku fakamatalaʻi ʻe he palani ʻo e fakamoʻuí ʻa e taumuʻa ʻo e fakatupú pea mo e ngaahi tuʻunga ʻo e matelié, kau ai e ngaahi fekau ʻa e ʻOtuá, ʻa e fie maʻu ha Fakamoʻuí, mo e fatongia mahuʻinga ʻo e fāmilí ʻi he matelié mo e taʻengatá. Kapau he ʻikai ke hanga ʻe kitautolu kāingalotu kuo foaki mai ki ai e ʻilo ko ʻení ʻo fokotuʻu ʻetau ngaahi meʻa ke fakamuʻomuʻá ʻo fakatatau mo e palani ko ʻení, ʻoku tau ʻi ha tuʻunga fakatuʻutāmaki ʻo e tauhi ha ngaahi ʻotua kehe.

ʻOku ʻomi ki he Kāingalotú ʻe he ʻilo ki he palani ʻa e ʻOtuá ki Heʻene fānaú ha vakai makehe ki he nofomalí mo e fāmilí. ʻOku tonu hono ʻiloa kitautolu ko e Siasi ʻoku fakatefito ʻi he fāmilí. ʻOku kamata ʻetau fakakaukau fakalotú ʻi ha ongomātuʻa fakalangi, pea ko ʻetau fakaʻānaua māʻolunga tahá ke maʻu kakato e hakeakiʻi taʻengatá. ʻOku tau ʻilo ʻe toki malava pē ʻeni ʻi ha vā fetuʻutaki fakafāmili. ʻOku tau ʻilo ʻoku fie maʻu ʻa e mali ʻa e tangata mo e fefiné ki hono aʻusia e palani ʻa e ʻOtuá. Ko e malí ni pē te ne lava ʻo ʻomi ʻa e ʻātakai kuo tali ki he fāʻeleʻi mai ki he matelié pea teuteuʻi e kau mēmipa ʻo e fāmilí ki he moʻui taʻengatá. ʻOku tau vakai ki he malí pea mo hono fāʻeleʻi mo tanumaki ʻo e fānaú ko e konga ʻo e palani ʻa e ʻOtuá mo ha fatongia toputapu ʻo kinautolu kuo ʻoange ki ai e faingamālie ke fakahoko iá. ʻOku tau tui ko ʻetau fānaú mo hotau hakó ʻa e koloa mahuʻinga taha he māmaní mo langí.

III.

Koeʻuhí ko e meʻa ʻoku mahino kiate kitautolu ʻo kau ki he meʻa ʻe malava ʻe he fatongia taʻengata ʻo e fāmilí, ʻoku tau loto mamahi ʻi he fakaʻau ke tokosiʻi ange ʻa e fāʻelé mo e malí ʻi he ngaahi fonua ʻo e Hihifó ʻa ia ko honau hisitōlia fakafonuá ʻoku faka-Kalisitiane mo faka-Siu. ʻOku lipooti mai ʻe ha maʻuʻanga tokoni falalaʻanga e ngaahi meʻá ko ʻení:

  • Kuo aʻusia ʻe he ʻIunaiteti Siteití ʻa e peseti maʻulalo taha ʻo e fāʻelé ʻi hono hisitōliá,2 pea ʻi he ngaahi fonua ʻIulope lahi mo ha ngaahi fonua langalanga hake kehe, kuo ʻi lalo ʻa e fāʻelé ʻi he tuʻunga ko ia ʻoku fie maʻu kae lava ke tauhi e tokolahi honau kakaí.3 ʻOku tuʻu fakatuʻutāmaki ia ki he tuʻuloa e anga fakafonuá pea aʻu pē ki he ngaahi puleʻangá.

  • ʻI ʻAmeliká, ne hōloa e peseti ʻo e kakai lalahi kei talavou taʻu 18 ki he 29 ʻoku malí mei he peseti ʻe 59 ʻi he 1960 ki he peseti ʻe 20 ʻi he 2010.4 Ko e ʻavalisi ʻo e taʻu ki he fuofua malí kuo aʻu ia ki he māʻolunga taha ʻi he hisitōliá: 26 ki he kakai fefiné pea meimei 29 ki he kakai tangatá.5

  • ʻI he ngaahi fonua mo e anga fakafonua lahi (1) kuo fakaʻau ke hoko e fāmili angamaheni ʻo ha faʻē mo ha tamai mali mo ha fānau ko ha meʻa makehe kae ʻikai ko e meʻa angamahení, (2) kuo fakaʻau ke lahi ange e fili ʻa e kau finemui tokolahi ke tulifua ki he ngāueʻanga maʻuʻanga moʻuí kae ʻikai ke mali pea fāʻeleʻi ha fānau, pea (3) kuo fakaʻau ke mōlia e fatongia mo e fakakaukau ko ia ʻoku fie maʻu e tamaí.

ʻI he lotolotonga e ngaahi ākenga fakahohaʻa ko ʻení, ʻoku tau toe ʻiloʻi ko e palani ʻa e ʻOtuá maʻa ʻene fānaú kotoa pea ʻoku ʻofa ʻa e ʻOtuá ki Heʻene fānau kotoa, ʻi he feituʻu kotoa.6 ʻOku pehē ʻi he ʻuluaki vahe ʻo e Tohi ʻa Molomoná ʻo kau ki he ʻOtuá, “ʻoku tōfuhia ʻa e kakai kotoa pē ʻo māmaní ʻi ho māfimafí, mo hoʻo angaleleí, mo hoʻo ʻaloʻofá” (1 Nīfai 1:14). ʻOku pehē leva ʻe ha vahe kimui ange “kuó ne foaki taʻetotongi [ʻa ʻene fakamoʻuí] ki he kakai fulipē” pea ʻoku “maʻu faingamālie ʻa e kakai fulipē, ʻo tatau ʻa e tangata taki taha, pea ʻoku ʻikai taʻofi ha taha” (2 Nīfai 26:27–28). ʻOku akoʻi ai ʻe he folofolá ko hotau fatongia ke angaʻofa pea faʻa foaki (ʻofa) ki he kakai kotoa pē (vakai, 1 Tesalonaika 3:12; 1 Sione 3:17; T&F 121:45).

IV.

ʻOku tau fakaʻapaʻapaʻi e tui fakalotu ʻa e kakai kotoa pē, ʻo aʻu pē kiate kinautolu tokolahi ʻoku nau pehē ʻoku ʻikai ke nau tui ʻOtuá. ʻOku tau ʻilo ʻe tokolahi ha niʻihi he ʻikai tui tatau mo kitautolu koeʻuhí kuo foaki kiate kinautolu e mālohi faka-ʻOtua ke filí, ka ʻoku tau ʻamanaki ʻe fakaʻapaʻapaʻi tatau ʻe he niʻihi kehé ʻa ʻetau tui fakalotú pea maʻu e mahino ʻoku hanga ʻe heʻetau tuí ʻo ʻai ke tau fai ha ngaahi fili mo ha tōʻonga ʻo kehe meiate kinautolu. Hangē ko ʻení, ʻoku tau tui ko e konga mahuʻinga ʻo ʻEne palani ʻo e fakamoʻuí, kuo fokotuʻu ʻe he ʻOtuá ha tuʻunga moʻui taʻengata ke fakahoko pē ʻa e fetuʻutaki fakasekisuale ʻa ha tangata mo ha fefine kuó na mali.

Ko e mālohi ko ia ke fakatupu ha moʻui fakamatelié ko e mālohi hakeakiʻi māʻolunga taha ia kuo foaki ʻe he ʻOtuá ki Heʻene fānaú. Ne fai e tuʻutuʻuni ki hono fakaʻaongaʻí ʻe he ʻOtuá ʻi he ʻuluaki fekau kia ʻĀtama mo ʻIví (vakai, Sēnesi 1:28), ka ne ʻi ai mo e ngaahi fekau mahuʻinga kehe ne fai ke tapui hono ngāue hala ʻakí (vakai, ʻEkesōtosi 20:14; 1 Tesalonaika 4:3). ʻOku fakamatalaʻi ʻa e fakamamafa ʻoku tau fai ki he fono ʻo e angamaʻá ʻi he mahino ko ia ʻoku tau maʻu ki he taumuʻa ʻo hotau mālohi ke fakatupú ʻi hono aʻusia e palani ʻa e ʻOtuá. Makehe mei he haʻi ʻo e mali ʻa ha tangata mo ha fefine, ko e angahala pea fakafepaki ki he palani ʻa e ʻOtuá ki hono hakeakiʻi ʻo ʻEne fānaú ʻo ka fakaʻaongaʻi mavahe mei ai e mālohi ke fakatupú ʻi ha faʻahinga founga pē.

ʻOku fakamatalaʻi ʻe heʻetau pikitai ki he fono ʻo e angamaʻá ʻa ʻetau tukupā ki he sīpinga ko ia ʻo e malí ne kamata ʻia ʻĀtama mo ʻIvi pea kuo tukuʻau mai ko e sīpinga ʻa e ʻOtuá ki he vā fetuʻutaki fakatupu ʻa hono foha mo e ʻofefine pea ki hono lehilehiʻi ʻo ʻEne fānaú. Meʻamālie he ʻoku tau tui tatau mo ha ngaahi siasi pe kautaha kehe ki he natula mo e mahuʻinga ko ia ʻa e malí, ʻoku makatuʻunga e niʻihi ʻi he tokāteline fakalotu pea niʻihi ʻi he meʻa ʻoku nau pehē ʻe lelei taha ki he sosaietí.

ʻOku hanga ʻe heʻetau ʻilo ki he palani ʻa e ʻOtuá ki Heʻene fānaú7 ʻo fakamatalaʻi e ʻuhinga ʻoku tau hohaʻa ai ki he tokolahi ʻo e fānau ʻoku fāʻeleʻi tuʻutāmakí—ʻa ia ko e peseti ʻe 41 ʻo e fāʻele kotoa he ʻIunaiteti Siteití8—pea kuo tupu lahi ʻa e niʻihi ʻoku nofo fakamalí kae ʻikai malí ʻi he vaeuaʻi senituli kuo ʻosí. ʻI he taʻu ʻe nimangofulu kuo hilí, ko e kiʻi peseti siʻi pē ʻo e ngaahi mali ʻuluakí ne nofo fakamali pea toki malí. Ko ʻeni kuo peseti ʻe 60.9 Pea ʻoku fakaʻau ke tali ʻeni, kae tautautefito ki he toʻu tupú. Ne ʻilo he savea ne toki fai ko e peseti ʻe 50 nai e toʻu tupú ʻoku nau pehē ko e fāʻele tuʻutāmakí ko ha “tōʻonga moʻui ʻaonga.”10

V.

ʻOku lahi e teke fakapolitikale mo fakasōsiale ki ha liliu fakalao mo ha tuʻutuʻuni ke fokotuʻu ha ngaahi tōʻonga moʻui ʻoku fepaki mo e fono ʻa e ʻOtuá ki he angamaʻá pea fehangahangai mo e natula taʻengata mo e taumuʻa ʻo e malí mo e fakafanaú. Kuo hanga ʻe he fakahāhā ko ʻení ʻo fakamafaiʻi e mali ʻa e tangata mo e tangatá, fefine mo e fefiné ʻi ha ngaahi siteiti mo e fonua kehekehe. ʻOku fakatupu ʻeni ha puputuʻu pe fakaʻuhinga ke tatau e faikehekehe ʻi he tangatá mo e fefiné ʻoku mahuʻinga ke aʻusia e palani lahi ʻo e fiefia ʻa e ʻOtuá.

ʻOku ʻomi ʻe heʻetau mahino ki he palani ʻa e ʻOtuá mo ʻEne tokāteliné ha vakai taʻengata pea ʻikai fakaʻatā ke tau tukunoaʻi e tōʻonga moʻui ko iá pe fakatonuhiaʻi ko hono fakangofua ʻe he laó. ʻOku ʻikai ke tau tatau mo ha toe kautaha ʻo lava ke liliu ʻenau tuʻutuʻuní pea mo ʻenau tokāteliné, ʻoku fakapapauʻi ʻetau tuʻutuʻuní ʻe he ngaahi moʻoni ʻa e ʻOtuá kuo ʻiloʻi he ʻikai toe lava ʻo liliú.

ʻOku fakahaaʻi ʻe heʻetau tefito ʻo e tui hono hongofulu mā uá ʻetau tui ke fakaongoongo ki he maʻu mafai fakapuleʻangá pea ʻi he “talangofua, fakaʻapaʻapaʻi, mo poupou ki he laó.” Ka he ʻikai lava ʻe he lao ʻa e tangatá ʻo ʻai ke angamaʻa ʻa e meʻa kuo fakahā ʻe he ʻOtuá ʻoku ʻikai angamaʻá. Ko e tukupā ki heʻetau meʻa mahuʻinga tahá—ke ʻofa mo tauhi ki he ʻOtuá—ʻoku fie maʻu ke tau vakai ki Heʻene fonó ke hoko ko hotau tuʻunga ʻulungāngá. Hangē ko ʻení, ʻoku tau kei ʻi he fekau fakalangi ke ʻoua naʻa feʻauaki pe tono neongo ʻoku ʻikai kei hoko ʻeni ko ha hia ʻi he lao ʻo e siteiti pe fonua ʻoku tau nofo aí. ʻI he meʻa tatau, ʻoku ʻikai liliu ʻe hono fakalao ʻo e “mali ʻa e tangata mo e tangata pe fefine mo e fefiné” ʻa e fono ʻa e ʻOtuá ki he malí pe ko ʻEne ngaahi fekaú pea mo hotau tuʻunga ʻulungaanga fekauʻaki mo iá. ʻOku tau kei fuakava ke ʻofa ki he ʻOtuá pea tauhi ʻEne fekaú pea fakaʻehiʻehi mei he tauhi ki he ngaahi ʻotua mo e meʻa kehe ʻoku tau fakamuʻomuá—ʻo aʻu ki he meʻa ʻoku manakoa ʻi hotau taimí mo hotau feituʻú.

Mahalo he ʻikai maʻu ha mahino kiate kitautolu ʻi heʻetau tukupā ko ʻení, pea tukuakiʻi ai kitautolu ki he laulanu, fakafaikehekeheʻi, pe pau ke matuʻuaki hono fakatangaʻi ʻetau totonu ke fakahaaʻi tauʻatāina ʻetau tui fakalotú. Kapau ko ia, ʻoku ou pehē ʻoku totonu ke tau manatuʻi e meʻa ke fakamuʻomuʻa taha—ke tauhi ki he ʻOtuá—pea hangē ko hotau kau paionia kimuʻá, ʻo vilitaki atu ʻi he mālohi tatau ne nau fakahaaʻí.

ʻOku ʻaonga ha akonaki ʻa Palesiteni Tōmasi S. Monisoni ki he meʻá ni. ʻI ha konifelenisi peheni he taʻu ʻe 27 kuohilí, naʻá ne fakahaaʻi mālohi: “Tau lototoʻa ke fakafepakiʻi e meʻa ʻoku manakoá, mo lototoʻa ke taukaveʻi e tefitoʻi moʻoní. ʻOku ʻomi ʻe he loto toʻá, kae ʻikai moʻulaloá ʻa e hōifua ʻa e ʻOtuá. ʻOku hoko ʻa e loto toʻá ko ha ʻulungaanga lelei ʻoku moʻui mo fakaʻofoʻofa, kapau he ʻikai ke ngata hono lau ia ko ha loto fiemālie ke mate ngali tangata, ka ko ha loto fakapapau foki ia ke moʻui taau. Ko e tokotaha ko ia ʻoku hinga ngofua ki he koví, ʻa e taha ʻoku manavahē ke fai e meʻa ʻokú ne ʻilo ʻoku totonú koeʻuhí he ʻikai loto ki ai e niʻihi kehé pe te nau fakaʻalumaʻaki ia. Manatuʻi ʻoku ʻi ai ha meʻa ʻoku manavahē ki ai e kakai kotoa, ʻoku loto toʻa foki mo kinautolu ʻoku nau fehangahangai mo e manavaheé ʻi he anga fakaʻeiʻeikí.”11

ʻOku ou lotua ke ʻoua naʻa tau tuku ke hanga ʻe he ngaahi faingataʻa fakataimi ʻo e matelié ʻo ʻai ke ngalo ʻiate kitautolu ʻa e ngaahi fekau maʻongoʻongá pea mo e ngaahi meʻa kuo ʻomi ʻe hotau Tupuʻangá mo e Fakamoʻuí ke fakamuʻomuʻá. Kuo pau ke ʻoua naʻa tuku hotau lotó ki he ngaahi meʻa ʻo e māmaní pea holi ki he fakaʻapaʻapa ʻa e kakaí (vakai, T&F 121:35) kae tuku ai ʻetau feinga ke aʻusia hotau ikuʻanga taʻengatá. ʻOku ʻi ai ha fatongia pau ʻo kitautolu ʻoku ʻilo ki he palani ʻa e ʻOtuá ki Heʻene fānaú—ʻa kitautolu kuo tau fai ha fuakava ke kau atu ki aí. Kuo pau ke ʻoua naʻa tau teitei afe mei he fakaʻānaua māʻolunga tahá, ke aʻusia e moʻui taʻengatá.12 Kuo pau ke ʻoua naʻa tau teitei fakavaivai ʻa e meʻa ʻoku tau fakamuʻomuʻá—ke ʻoua naʻa toe ʻi ai ha ʻotua kehe pea ʻoua ʻe tauhi ki ha toe meʻa ʻe fakamuʻomuʻa ʻi he ʻOtua ko e Tamaí pea mo Hono ʻAló, ko hotau Fakamoʻuí, ʻa Sīsū Kalaisi.

Fakatauange ke tokoniʻi kitautolu ʻe he ʻOtuá ke mahino ʻa e ngaahi meʻa ke fakamuʻomuʻá pea ke mahino ia ki he niʻihi kehé ʻi heʻetau fekumi ke tulifua ki ai ʻi ha founga fakapotopoto mo ʻofa, ko ʻeku lotú ia ʻi he huafa ʻo Sīsū Kalaisí, ʻēmeni.

Maʻuʻanga Fakamatalá

  1. Vakai, ki ha sīpinga, Tokāteline mo e Ngaahi Fuakava 124:84.

  2. Vakai, Joyce A. Martin and others, “Births: Final Data for 2011,” National Vital Statistics Reports, vol. 62, no. 1 (June 28, 2013), 4; Gloria Goodale, “Behind a Looming Baby Bust,” Christian Science Monitor Weekly, Feb. 4, 2013, 21, 23.

  3. Vakai, Population Reference Bureau, “2012 World Population Data Sheet,” www.prb.org/Publications/Datasheets/2012/world-population-data-sheet/data-sheet.aspx.

  4. Vakai, D’Vera Cohn mo ha niʻihi kehe, “Barely Half of U.S. Adults Are Married—a Record Low,” Pew Research Center, Social and Demographic Trends, Dec. 14, 2011, available at www.pewsocialtrends.org/2011/12/14/barely-half-of-u-s-adults-are-married-a-record-low; “Rash Retreat from Marriage,” Christian Science Monitor, Jan. 2 and 9, 2012, 34.

  5. U.S. Census Bureau, “Estimated Median Age at First Marriage, by Sex: 1890 to the Present,” maʻu ʻi he www.census.gov/population/socdemo/hh-fam/ms2.xls.

  6. Vakai, Dallin H. Oaks, “All Men Everywhere,” Liahona, May 2006, 77–80.

  7. Vakai, Dallin H. Oaks, “The Great Plan of Happiness,” Ensign, Nov. 1993, 72–75.

  8. Vakai, Martin, “Births: Final Data for 2011,” 4.

  9. Vakai, The State of Our Unions: Marriage in America, 2012 (2012), 76.

  10. Vakai, The State of Our Unions, 101, 102.

  11. Thomas S. Monson, “Courage Counts,” Ensign, Nov. 1986, 41.

  12. Vakai, Dallin H. Oaks, “Holi ʻo e Lotó,” Liahona, Mē 2011, 42–45.