2010–2019
Tafoki ki he Tohí, Tafoki ki he ʻEikí
ʻOkatopa 2016


15:6

Tafoki ki he Tohí, Tafoki ki he ʻEikí

ʻOkú ke lava nai ʻo sio ki he hoko ʻa e Tohi ʻa Molomoná ko e maka-tuʻu-loto ʻo hoʻo moʻuí, ko e uho ia ho ivi fakalaumālié?

Mary Elizabeth Rollins

ʻOku ou fakakaukauloto atu ki ha fakafanongo pe sio mai ʻa kimoutolu toʻu tangata kei tupu haké, ki he fakataha konifelenisí ni mei ha feituʻu pē ʻi he māmaní. ʻOku ou fie vahevahe mo kimoutolu ha talanoa moʻoni ʻe lava ke hoko ko ha sīpinga mo ha lēsoni. ʻE lava ke ʻasi ai e founga ke tau toe ofi ange ai ki he ʻEikí pea maʻu ha mālohi lahi ange ke matuʻuaki ʻaki e ʻahiʻahí.

Ko e talanoa ʻeni ki ha kiʻi taʻahine naʻe nofo ʻi Niu ʻIoke, naʻe mālōlō ʻene tamaí ʻi he ngoto ha vaka ʻi ha vaitafe, ʻoku teʻeki ai hoko hono taʻu tolú. Naʻa nau hiki leva mo ʻene faʻeé mo hono tuongaʻane lahí ke nau nofo fakataha mo e tokoua ʻenau faʻeé mo hono mali. HIli e aʻu ki ai e fāmilí, naʻe omi ha kau faifekau mo ha kāingalotu ʻo ha kiʻi siasi foʻou ne toki fokotuʻu, ki honau koló mo e ongoongo nāunauʻia ʻo e ongoongolelei kuo Toe Fakafoki maí. Ne nau fai ha talanoa mālie ki hano ʻomi ʻe ha ʻāngelo ha lekooti fakakuongamuʻa ki ha talavou ko Siosefa Sāmita, ko ha lekooti kuó ne liliu ʻi he mālohi ʻo e ʻOtuá. Ne ʻosi mamata fakatouʻosi ʻa ʻŌliva Kautele mo Sione Uitemā ki he ʻū lauʻi peleti ne tohi tongi ai e lekooti fakakuonga muʻá, pea naʻe pukepuke ʻe Uitemā ʻo ne fakamoʻoniʻi ʻa e ʻū lauʻi peletí ʻi hono nimá. Ne toki pulusi pē ʻa e lekooti ko ʻení pea naʻe haʻu ʻa Misa Uitemā mo e tohí. Ko e hingoa foki ʻo e tohí, ko e Tohi ʻa Molomoná.

ʻI he taʻu 12 ʻa Melé, naʻá ne fanongo ai ki he talanoa ʻa e kau faifekaú ʻo kau ki he tohí, pea naʻá ne maʻu ha ongo makehe. Neongo ko e Tohi ʻa Molomoná naʻe matolu pea lahi hono ʻū pēsí, ka naʻe fakaʻamu ʻe Mele ke ne lau ia. ʻI he mavahe ʻa Misa Uitemaá, naʻá ne ʻoange ha tatau ʻe taha ʻo e tohí kia Misa ʻAisake Moli, ko ha kaungāmeʻa ʻo e fāmili ne nofo ai ʻa Melé pea ko ha taki ʻo e siasi foʻoú honau feituʻú.

Naʻe tohi ʻe Mele kimui ʻo pehē: “Ne u ʻalu ki ʻapi ʻo [Misa Molí] ʻo kole ange ke u sio muʻa he Tohí; [naʻá ne] hili ia hoku nimá pea ʻi heʻeku sio ki aí, ne u ongoʻi ha loto holi ke u lau ia, pea ʻikai ke u faʻa fakamaʻumaʻu ka u kole ange ke u ʻalu muʻa mo ia ʻo lau.… Naʻe tali ange ʻe he tangatá… naʻe ʻikai hano taimi ke ne lau ia ka ko e niʻihi pē he kau takí kuo sio ai, ka ne u kole fakamātoato ange ko ia naʻá ne pehē mai, ʻtaʻahine, kapau teke fakafoki mai e tohí kimuʻa he kai pongipongi ʻapongipongí, te ke ʻalu mo ia.’”

Mary Elizabeth Rollins reading

Naʻe lele ʻa Mele ki honau ʻapí pea naʻe maʻu ʻe he tohí ʻene tokangá peá ne ʻā he poó kakato ʻo lau ia. ʻI he pongipongi hono hokó, ʻi heʻene ʻalu ke fakafoki e tohí, naʻe pehē ange ʻa Misa Moli, “Mahalo naʻe ʻikai lahi ha meʻa ne ke lau ai ē” pea “ʻoku ʻikai ke u tui te ke lava ʻo fakamatalaʻi mai ha foʻi lea ai.” Naʻe tuʻu hangatonu hake ʻa Mele ʻo ne lau maʻuloto atu e veesi ʻuluaki ʻo e Tohi ʻa Molomoná. Naʻá ne fai ange leva ʻa e talanoa ki he palōfita ko Nīfaí. Naʻe tohi ʻe Mele kimui ange ʻo pehē, “Naʻá ne sio fakamamaʻu mai mo ʻohovale peá ne pehē mai, ʻtaʻahine, ʻalu mo e tohí ʻo lau ke ʻosi, kau talitali pē.’”

ʻI ha kiʻi taimi nounou mei ai, naʻe ʻosi e tohí hono lau ʻe Mele pea ko e fuofua tokotaha ia ke ne lau e tohí ʻo ʻosi. Naʻá ne ʻiloʻi naʻe moʻoni pea naʻe haʻu ia mei he Tamai Hēvaní. ʻI heʻene tafoki ki he tohí, naʻá ne tafoki ai ki he ʻEikí.

ʻI ha māhina ʻe taha mei ai, naʻe ʻaʻahi mai ha taha makehe ki hono ʻapí. Ko e meʻa ʻeni naʻe tohi ʻe Mele ʻo kau ki he ʻaho fakangalongataʻa ko iá: “ʻI he sio mai ʻa [Siosefa Sāmita] kiate aú, naʻá ne sio fakamamaʻu mai. … Hili ha momeniti ʻe taha pe ua … naʻá ne ʻomi ha tāpuaki maʻongoʻonga maʻaku … pea naʻá ne meʻaʻofa mai e tohí, peá ne pehē te ne ʻoange kia Misa Moli ha tatau ʻe taha … Ne mau ongoʻi kotoa ko ha tangata ia ʻa e ʻOtuá, he naʻá ne lea ʻi he mālohi, ko ha taha ʻokú ne maʻu e mafaí.”

Naʻe mātā ʻe he finemuí ni, ʻa Mele ʻIlisapesi Lōlini, ha ngaahi mana kehe ʻi heʻene moʻuí pea ne puketuʻu maʻu pē ʻene fakamoʻoni ki he Tohi ʻa Molomoná.1 ʻOku makehe e talanoá ni kiate au he ko hoku mehikitanga nimá ia. Ne fakafou ʻi he sīpinga ʻa Melé, fakataha mo e ngaahi aʻusia heʻeku moʻuí, ʻa ʻeku ako ʻoku ʻikai ʻaupito fuʻu kei siʻi ha taha ia ke ne fekumi pea maʻu ha fakamoʻoni fakatāutaha ki he Tohi ʻa Molomoná.

Ko e Maka-tuʻu-loto ʻo Hoʻo Fakamoʻoní

ʻOku ʻi ai ha lēsoni fakatāutaha maʻau ʻi he talanoa kia Melé. Ko kimoutolu kau talavou, kau finemui mo e fānau, te mou lava ʻo takitaha maʻu e ongo tatau mo ia naʻá ne maʻú. ʻI hoʻo lau e Tohi ʻa Molomoná mo lotu ʻi he loto holi ke ʻiloʻi hono moʻoní, te ke lava foki ai ʻo maʻu ʻa e ongo tatau ʻi ho lotó mo e ongo naʻe maʻu ʻe Melé. Te ke ʻilo foki ai ʻi hoʻo tuʻu ko ia ko ha fakamoʻoni ki he Tohi ʻa Molomoná, te ke ongoʻi mo e laumālie fakapapau tatau. ʻE lea atu e Laumālie Māʻoniʻoní ki ho lotó. Te ke ongoʻi ʻa e laumālie fakapapau tatau he taimi te ke fanongo ai ki heʻenau vahevahe ʻenau fakamoʻoni kau ki he Tohi ʻa Molomoná. ʻE lava ke tataki koe ʻe he kau fakamoʻoni fakalaumālie takitaha ko ʻení, ke hoko e Tohi ʻa Molomoná ko e maka-tuʻu-loto ʻo hoʻo fakamoʻoní.

Kau fakamatalaʻi atu. Naʻe hanga ʻe he Palōfita ko Siosefa Sāmitá, ʻa ē naʻá ne liliu e Tohi ʻa Molomoná ʻi he meʻafoaki mo e mālohi ʻo e ʻOtuá, ʻo fakamatalaʻi e Tohi ʻa Molomoná ko e “tohi totonu taha ia ʻi he ngaahi tohi kotoa pē ʻi he māmaní, pea ko e maka-tuʻu-loto ia ʻo ʻetau tui fakalotú.”2

Talu mei hono fuofua paaki ʻo e Tohi ʻa Molomoná ʻi he 1830, kuo laka hake he ngaahi tatau ʻe 174 miliona kuo pulusi ʻi ha lea fakafonua kehekehe ʻe 110, pea ʻoku ʻasi ai e kei hoko ʻa e Tohi ʻa Molomoná ko e maka-tuʻu-loto ʻo ʻetau tui fakalotú. Ka ko e hā nai e ʻuhinga ʻo e meʻá ni kiate kimoutolu fakatāutahá?

The keystone is the very center

ʻI he lea fakatufungá, ko e maka-tuʻu-lotó ko e maka tefito ia ʻi ha ʻāleso hūʻanga. Ko e foʻi maka ia ʻi loto mālié taupotu taha ki ʻolunga he ʻālesó. Ko e foʻi maka mahuʻinga tahá ia ʻi he ngaahi maká kotoa he ʻokú ne pukepuke ʻa e ʻālesó, ke ʻoua naʻa holofa. Pea ko e faʻunga ia ʻokú ne fakapapauʻi mai ʻe lava ke fai ha hū ʻi he hūʻanga ʻi laló.

Keystone in an arch

ʻI he tafaʻaki ʻo e ongoongoleleí, ko ha meʻafoaki mo ha tāpuaki ia mei he ʻEikí ke kei hoko ʻa e maka-tuʻu-loto ʻo ʻetau tui fakalotú, ko ha meʻa ʻoku tau lava ʻo ala ki ai mo pukepuke ʻo hangē ko e Tohi ʻa Molomoná, ʻi hoʻo pukepuke mo lau iá. ʻOkú ke lava nai ʻo sio ki he hoko ʻa e Tohi ʻa Molomoná ko e maka-tuʻu-loto ʻo hoʻo moʻuí, ko e uho ia ho ivi fakalaumālié?

Naʻe tānaki mai ʻa Palesiteni ʻEselā Tafu Penisoni ki he ngaahi akonaki ʻa Siosefa Sāmitá. Naʻá ne pehē: “ʻOku ʻi ai ha founga ʻe tolu ʻoku hoko ai e Tohi ʻa Molomoná ko e maka-tuʻu-loto ʻo ʻetau tui fakalotú. Ko e maka-tuʻu-loto ia ʻo ʻetau fakamoʻoni kia Kalaisí. Ko e maka-tuʻu-loto ia ʻo ʻetau tokāteliné. Ko e maka-tuʻu-loto ia ʻo ʻetau fakamoʻoní.

Naʻe toe tānaki mai ʻa Palesiteni Penisoni ʻo pehē: “ʻOku akoʻi mai ʻe he Tohi ʻa Molomoná kiate kitautolu ʻa e moʻoní [mo ne] fakamoʻoni ʻo kau kia Kalaisi. … ʻOku ʻi ai ha mālohi he tohí ʻoku kamata ke tafe mai ki hoʻo moʻuí he momeniti te ke kamata ako fakamātoato ai ʻa e tohí. Te ke maʻu ha mālohi lahi ange ke matuʻuaki e ʻahiʻahí. … Te ke maʻu e mālohi ke nofo maʻu ai he hala hangatonu mo fāsiʻí.”3

Ko ʻEku Fakamoʻoni Fakatāutahá

Naʻe hoko e Tohi ʻa Molomoná ko e maka-tuʻu-loto ʻeku fakamoʻoní ʻi ha ngaahi taʻu lahi, pea fakafou ʻi ha ngaahi aʻusia lahi. Ko ha aʻusia ʻe taha naʻe fatu ai ʻeku fakamoʻoní, naʻe hoko ia heʻeku kei ngāue fakafaifekau ʻi hoku ʻuluaki ʻēliá: Kumamoto, Siapani. Ne ma malanga uiui mo hoku hoá mei he fale ki he fale. Ne u feʻiloaki mo ha kuifefine naʻá ne fakaafeʻi kimaua ki hono falé, naʻe ui ko ha genkan he lea faka-Siapaní. Naʻá ne ʻomi hama inu he naʻe ʻafu e ʻaho ko iá. Ne ʻikai fuoloa ʻeku ʻi Siapaní, pea ne toki ʻosi pē ʻeku lau e Tohi ʻa Molomoná pea kamata ke u lotua fakamātoato pe naʻe moʻoni ia.

Naʻe ʻikai fuʻu sai ʻeku lea faka-Siapaní he naʻá ku kei foʻou ki Siapani. Ko hono moʻoní, naʻe ʻikai ke u tui naʻe mahino ki he fefiné ni ia ha konga lahi ʻo e meʻa ne u leaʻakí. Naʻe kamata ke u akoʻi ia ʻo kau ki he Tohi ʻa Molomoná, mo fakamatalaʻi ange ʻa e founga hono maʻu ʻe Siosefa Sāmita mei ha ʻāngelo ha lekooti ne tongitongi ʻi ha ʻū lauʻi peleti pea mo e founga ʻene liliu ia he mālohi ʻo e ʻOtuá.

ʻI heʻeku fai ange ʻeku fakamoʻoni ko e Tohi ʻa Molomoná ko e fakamoʻoni ia ʻe taha ʻo Sīsū Kalaisí, ne u maʻu ha ongo mālohi, fakataha mo ha ongoʻi māfana ʻo e fakafiemālié mo e nonga ʻi hoku lotó, ʻa ia ʻoku fakamatalaʻi ʻe he folofolá, ko ha ongo “māfana ʻa ho lotó ʻi loto ʻiate koe.”4 Naʻe fakapapauʻi mai ʻe he ongo ko ʻení ʻi ha founga mālohi moʻoni, ko e Tohi ʻa Molomoná ko e folofola moʻoni ia ʻa e ʻOtuá. ʻI he taimi ko iá, ne fuʻu mālohi e ongo ne u maʻú ne kamata ke lelenoa pē hoku loʻimatá heʻeku talanoa faka-Siapani ki he fefiné ni. Kuo teʻeki ai ngalo ʻiate au e ongo ne u maʻu he ʻaho makehe ko iá.

Ko Hoʻo Fakamoʻoni Fakatāutahá

Te mou takitaha lava ʻo maʻu ha fakamoʻoni fakatāutaha ki he tohí ni! ʻOku mou ʻiloʻi koā naʻe hiki ʻe Tohi ʻa Molomoná maʻamoutolu—pea mo homou kuongá? Ko e tohí ni ko e taha ia ʻo e ngaahi tāpuaki ʻo e moʻuí ʻi he meʻa ʻoku tau ui ko e kuonga fakakōsipeli ʻo e kakato ʻo e ngaahi kuongá. Neongo naʻe hiki ʻe Tohi ʻa Molomoná ʻe ha kau tangata he kuonga muʻá naʻe ueʻi fakalaumālie—ʻa ia ko e tokolahi ai ko ha kau palōfita—ka naʻe ʻikai ke nau maʻu mo e kakai he kuonga ko iá, ʻa e tohí kakato. ʻOku faingofua pē ke ke maʻu he taimí ni e lekooti toputapu naʻe fakamahuʻingaʻi, tali lelei pea mo fakatolonga ʻe ha kau palōfita, kau taulaʻeiki mo ha kau tuʻí! ʻOku mou monūʻia ke pukepuke ʻi homou nimá ʻa hono kakato ʻo e Tohi ʻa Molomoná. Ko e meʻa ʻoku mālié, ko e mamata mai ha taha ʻo e kau palōfita he Tohi ʻa Molomoná, ko Molonai, ki hotau kuongá---ki homou kuongá. Naʻá ne mamata kiate koe ʻi ha vīsone, ʻi he taʻu ʻe laungeau kuohilí! Naʻe tohi ʻe Molonai ʻo pehē:

“Vakai, kuo fakahā mai ʻe he ʻEikí kiate au ʻa e ngaahi meʻa maʻongoʻonga mo fakaofo ʻo kau … ki he ʻaho ko ia ʻe hoko mai ai ʻa e ngaahi meʻá ni,” ʻuhingá ki he Tohi ʻa Molomoná, “ʻiate kimoutolu.

“Vakai, ʻoku ou lea kiate kimoutolu ʻo hangē ʻoku mou ʻi hení, ka ʻoku ʻikai. Kae vakai, kuo fakahā ʻa kimoutolu kiate au ʻe Sīsū Kalaisi, pea ʻoku ou ʻiloʻi hoʻomou ngaahi ngāué.”5

ʻOku ou fie fai atu ha tukupā ke tokoni atu ke hoko ai e Tohi ʻa Molomoná ko e maka-tuʻu-loto ʻo hoʻo fakamoʻoní. Ne u toki ʻilo kimuí ni ko e ngaahi fonua lahi ʻi he māmaní, ʻoku fakamoleki ai ʻe he kakai kei talavoú ha meimei houa ʻe 10 he ʻaho takitaha he sio TV, komipiutá pea mo e telefoni smartphone.6 ʻI hoʻo fakakaukau ki he meʻá ni, te ke fie fai nai ha kiʻi liliu siʻi? Te mou fetongi nai ha niʻihi ʻo e taimi ko iá, tautautefito ki he taimi ʻi he mītia fakasōsialé, ʻInitanetí, keimí, pe televīsoné, ʻaki haʻamou lau e Tohi ʻa Molomoná? Kapau ʻoku tonu e ngaahi savea ne u lau ki aí, te ke lava pē koe ʻo maʻu ha taimi ke ke ako fakaʻaho ai e Tohi ʻa Molomoná neongo kapau ko ha miniti pē ʻe 10 he ʻaho. Te ke lava ʻo ako ʻi ha founga ke ke fiefia ai pea mahino kiate koe—ʻi hoʻo device pe ko e tohí pē. Naʻe toki fakatokanga mai ʻa Palesiteni Lāsolo M. Nalesoni, “ʻOku ʻikai totonu ke tau teitei ʻai e lau ʻo e Tohi ʻa Molomoná ke hangē ha ngāue faingataʻá, hangē ko hano folo ha folo ha faitoʻo ʻoku kona pea fakatonuki kuo lava ia.”7

Youth reading the Book of Mormon
Child reading the Book of Mormon

Ki he fānau kei iiki angé, te ke lava ʻo lau ia mo hoʻo mātuʻá, kuí pe taha ʻokú ke ʻofa ai. Kapau ʻe faingataʻa ha vahe, veesi pe konga tohi ʻo ke foʻi ai he lautohí, hoko atu ki he konga hokó ʻo fai pehē ai pē. ʻOku sioloto atu ki haʻamou muimui he sīpinga ʻa Melé. ʻOku ou sioloto atu ki haʻamou kumi loto vekeveke ha taimi mo ha feituʻu lōngonoa ke lau ai e Tohi ʻa Molomoná. ʻOku ou sioloto atu ki haʻo maʻu e talí, ongoʻi hano tataki koe, pe maʻu haʻo fakamoʻoni pē ʻaʻau ki he Tohi ʻa Molomoná pea mo Sīsū Kalaisi. ʻI hoʻo tafoki ki he tohí, ko hoʻo tafoki ia ki he ʻEikí.

Looking to the book

Te ke lau e tohi pelepelengesí ni pea te ke fetaulaki ai mo ho Fakamoʻui ʻofeiná, ʻa e ʻEiki ko Sīsū Kalaisí, ʻi he meimei peesi kotoa pē. ʻOku fakafuofua ʻoku meimei fakaʻaongaʻi Hono huafá ʻi he ʻavalisi ko e veesi ʻe 1.7 kotoa pē.8 Naʻa mo Kalaisi tonu ē naʻá Ne fakamoʻoniʻi ʻa hono moʻoní ʻi he ngaahi ʻaho fakaʻosí ni Heʻene folofola, “Pea hangē ʻoku moʻui ʻa homou ʻEikí mo homou ʻOtuá ʻoku moʻoni ia.”9

ʻOku ou fakafetaʻi ko e fakaafe pea mo e talaʻofa naʻe fai ʻe he ʻEikí ʻi he palōfita ko Molonaí ki he taha kotoa pē ʻo kimoutolu—pea ki he taha kotoa ʻokú ne lau e Tohi ʻa Molomoná. ʻOku ou fakaʻosi ʻaki ʻa e fakaafé ni mo e talaʻofa pea tānaki atu mo ʻeku fakamoʻoní: “Pea ʻi hoʻomou maʻu ʻa e ngaahi meʻá ni [ʻa e Tohi ʻa Molomoná], ʻoku ou fie naʻinaʻi kiate kimoutolu ke mou kole ki he ʻOtua, ko e Tamai Taʻengatá, ʻi he huafa ʻo Kalaisí, pe ʻoku ʻikai ke moʻoni ʻa e ngaahi meʻá ni; pea kapau te mou kole ʻi he loto-fakamātoato, mo e loto-moʻoni, ʻo maʻu ʻa tui kia Kalaisi, te ne fakahā ʻa hono moʻoní kiate kimoutolu, ʻi he mālohi ʻo e Laumālie Māʻoniʻoní.”10

ʻOku ou fakamoʻoni ki hono Toe Fakafoki mai ʻo e ongoongoleleí ʻi he ngaahi ʻaho fakaʻosí ni pea mo e hoko ʻa e Tohi ʻa Molomoná ko ha fakamoʻoni tonu ʻo e Fakafoki mai ko iá. Hangē ko hono ueʻi ʻe he tohí ni ha kiʻi taʻahine taʻu 12 ke ne tali ʻa e ongoongolelei ʻo Sīsū Kalaisi kuo toe fakafoki maí ʻi he meimei senituli ʻe ua kuohilí, ʻe hanga ʻe he ngaahi moʻoni te ke maʻu hení ʻo langaki hake mo fakalotoa koe ʻi he founga tatau pē. Te nau fakamālohia hoʻo tuí, fakafonu hoʻo moʻuí ʻaki ha maama pea mo teuteuʻi koe ki ha kahaʻu he ʻikai faʻa malava ke mahino kiate koe.

Te ke maʻu ʻi he tohí, ʻa e ʻofa taʻefakangatangata mo e ʻaloʻofa taʻemafakamatalaʻi ʻa e ʻOtuá. ʻI hoʻo feinga ke muimui ki he ngaahi akonaki ʻo e tohí, ʻe lahi ange hoʻo fiefiá, tupulaki hoʻo mahinó pea ʻe ʻoatu ai mo e ngaahi tali ʻokú ke fekumi ki ai ki he ngaahi faingataʻa ʻo e moʻui fakamatelié. ʻI hoʻo tafoki ki he tohí, ko hoʻo tafoki ia ki he ʻEikí. Ko e Tohi ʻa Molomoná ko e folofola ia ʻa e ʻOtuá kuo fakahā mai. Ko ʻeku fakamoʻoní ia, ʻaki e kotoa hoku lotó mo e laumālié, ʻi he huafa ʻo Sīsū Kalaisí, ʻēmeni.

Maʻuʻanga fakamatalá

  1. Vakai, “Mary Elizabeth Rollins Lightner,” Utah Genealogical and Historical Magazine, July 1926, 193–95.

  2. Talateu ʻo e Tohi ʻa Molomoná.

  3. Ezra Taft Benson, “The Book of Mormon—Keystone of Our Religion,” Ensign, Nov. 1986, 5, 7.

  4. Tokāteline mo e Ngaahi Fuakava 9:8.

  5. Molonai 8:34–35.

  6. Vakai, American Academy of Pediatrics, “Media and Children,” aap.org.

  7. Russell M. Nelson, “Strengthen the Shepherds” (address given at the general conference leadership meetings, Sept. 28, 2016).

  8. Vakai, Susan Easton Black, Finding Christ through the Book of Mormon (1987), 16–18.

  9. Tokāteline mo e Ngaahi Fuakava 17:6.

  10. Luke 10:4; vakai foki ngaahi veesi 3, 5.