Kau Fakamoʻoni ʻo e Tohi ʻa Molomoná

ʻOku ʻasi he fuofua paaki ʻo e Tohi ʻa Molomoná, ha fakamoʻoni ʻe ua: ko e taha naʻe tohi ʻe ha kau fakamooni ʻe toko tolu, pea taha naʻe tohi ʻe ha toko valu. Ko e kau fakamoʻoni ʻe toko tolú (ʻŌliva Kautele, Tēvita Uitemā mo Māteni Hālisi), ne nau fakahaaʻi naʻe hā ange ha ʻāngelo ʻa e ʻOtuá kiate kinautolu ʻo fakaʻaliʻali ange ʻa e ʻū lauʻi peleti ʻo e Tohi ʻa Molomoná, pea ne nau ongona e leʻo ʻo e ʻEikí ʻi Heʻene folofola kuo fakahoko e ngāue liliu lea ʻa Siosefa Sāmitá “ʻi he meʻafoaki mo e mālohi ʻo e ʻOtuá.” Naʻe hoko ʻeni ʻi Sune 1829, ofi ki he ʻapi ʻo Pita Uitemā ko e  Lahí ʻi Feieti, Niu ʻIoke. Naʻe toe fakahaaʻi foki ʻe ha kau fakamoʻoni kehe ʻe toko valu (kau mēmipa ʻo e fāmili Sāmitá mo e Uitemaá),¹ naʻe fakaʻaliʻali ange kiate kinautolu ʻe Siosefa Sāmita ʻa e ʻū lauʻi peletí mo ne tuku ke nau takitaha “hiki hake” e koloa fakakuongamuʻá ni mo vakavakaiʻi hono ngaahi tongitongí. Naʻe aʻusia tonu foki ʻe ha niʻihi kehe ʻa e ʻū lauʻi peletí pe mamata tonu ʻi hono liliu ʻe Siosefa Sāmita e Tohi ʻa Molomoná.²

Ko hono tā valivaliʻi ʻo e fakahaaʻi ʻe Molonai e ʻū lauʻi peletí kia ʻŌliva Kautele, Tēvita Uitemā pea mo Siosefa Sāmita.

Kau Fakamoʻoni Kehe ki he ʻŪ Lauʻi Peletí

Naʻe manatu e kau mēmipa ʻo e fāmili Sāmitá, ki heʻenau tokoni ke fehikitaki holo pe fūfuuʻi e ʻū lauʻi peletí mei hono ngaahi filí. Naʻe talaange kimui ange ʻe he tuofefine siʻisiʻi ʻo Siosefa ko Kataliná ki hono husepānití, naʻe ʻi ai ha taimi naʻá ne feinga ai ke ʻunuakiʻi e ʻū lauʻi peletí naʻe ʻufiʻufiʻi ʻaki ha tupenu, mei he tafaʻaki ʻe taha ʻo ha tēpile ki he tafaʻaki ʻe tahá, ka naʻe fuʻu mamafa ia. Naʻe manatu e tokoua ʻo Siosefá naʻe mamata e fāmilí kotoa ki hono fua ʻe Siosefa e ʻū lauʻi peletí ʻi ha tangai mo ne fāfā ki ai ʻi he tupenú. Naʻe talaange ʻe ʻEma ko e uaifi ʻo Siosefá, ki hono fohá naʻá ne fā ʻo ongoʻi e tapatapa ʻo e ʻū lauʻi peletí, mo ne ueʻi hono laú, neongo naʻe teʻeki ai ha taimi naʻá ne mamata ai ʻi he ʻū lauʻi peletí. Naʻe ʻi ai ha taimi naʻe fakafehuʻi ai ʻa Lusi Meki Sāmita ʻe hono kaungāʻapi ko Sala Peletifooti Pāká, ʻo fekauʻaki mo e sio he ʻū lauʻi peletí. Fakatatau mo e fakamatala ʻa Pāká, naʻe tali ange ʻe Lusi, “naʻe ʻikai ko ha meʻa ia ke ne sio ai, ka kuó ne hiki ia ki ʻolunga mo ueʻi holo.”³ ʻIkai ngata aí, naʻe fai ʻe Tēvita mo Sione  C. Uitemā ha ngaahi ʻinitaviu he vahaʻa ʻo e taʻu 1877 mo e 1888, ʻo na fakahaaʻi ai ne hā ange ha ʻāngelo ki heʻena faʻeé ko Mele Uitemā, mo fakaʻaliʻali kiate ia ʻa e ʻū lauʻi peletí.⁴

Ko e Falalaʻanga ʻo e Kau Fakamoʻoni ʻe Toko Tolú

Neongo naʻe fakamamafaʻi ʻe he fakamatala ʻa e Kau Fakamoʻoni ʻe Toko Valú, ʻa e moʻoni ʻo e ʻū lauʻi peletí, ka naʻe ʻi ai ha fatongia makehe ʻo e Kau Fakamoʻoni ʻe Toko Tolú ke fakamoʻoniʻi naʻe tupu ʻenau aʻusia ko e kau fakamoʻoní pea mo hono liliu iá, tuʻunga pē ʻi he mālohi ʻo e ʻOtuá. Naʻe hanga ʻe ha fakahā ʻi  Sune 1829, ʻo ʻoange ki he Kau Fakamoʻoni ʻe Toko Tolú ha fakahinohino pau fekauʻaki mo ʻenau fakamoʻoniʻi e ʻū lauʻi peletí. Naʻe fekau ange ʻe he ʻEikí, “Fakamoʻoni kuo mou mamata ki ai, ʻo hangē foki ko e mamata ki ai ʻa ʻeku tamaioʻeiki ko Siosefa Sāmita ko e Siʻí; he kuó ne mamata ki ai ʻi hoku mālohí, pea kuo hoko ia koeʻuhí naʻá ne maʻu ʻa e tuí.” Naʻe toe fakamatalaʻi ʻe he fakahaá ʻo pehē “ko e meʻa ʻi hoʻomou tuí te mou lava ai ʻo mamata ki ai.”⁵ Ko ia, naʻe fakamoʻoni ai ʻa Tēvita Uitemā naʻá ne sio he ʻū lauʻi peletí ʻi he “meʻafoaki mo e mālohi ʻo e ʻOtuá.”

ʻI he 1838, naʻe tala ai ʻe ha mēmipa loto mamahi ʻo e Siasí ko Sitīveni Pēneti, naʻe fakaʻikaiʻi ʻe Māteni Hālisi ia naʻá ne mamata he ʻū lauʻi peletí “ʻaki hono mata fakanatulá.” ʻI hono lau ʻe Pēneti e fakalea ʻo e fakahaá, naʻá ne pehē ai ke mamata ʻaki e mālohi ʻo e ʻOtuá, ʻoku ʻuhinga iá naʻe sio pē e kau fakamoʻoní ia ʻi he ʻū lauʻi peletí “i ha mata-meʻa-hā-mai pe sioloto ki ai.” Naʻe ongoʻi ʻe Hālisi kuo ʻave hala ʻene leá pea naʻá ne feinga leva he vave tahá ke fakamaʻalaʻala ʻene muʻaki fakamatalá. ʻI heʻene feinga ko ia ke fakamatalaʻi e aʻusia fisifisimuʻa ko ʻení, fakatatau mo e lau ʻa Pēnetí, naʻa ne pehē naʻá ne sio he ʻū lauʻi peletí ʻo hangē “haʻane mamata ki ha kolo ʻi ha moʻungá.”⁶

Naʻe tui ha kau Kalisitiane tokolahi he kuonga ʻo Hālisí naʻe fakatuʻutāmaki pe faingataʻa ke mātā tonu e meʻa faka-ʻOtuá, ʻaki hotau ngaahi ongo fakaesinó. Naʻe aka e tui ko ʻení ʻi he ngaahi talanoa mei he Tohi Tapú. Hangē ko ʻení, ʻi he Fuakava Motuʻá, ko e kau ʻIsileli ko ia ne nau sio he puha ʻo e fuakavá taʻe fakamafaiʻi totonú, naʻe fakaʻauha kinautolu. Naʻe angamaheni ʻaki kapau ne ʻafio tonu e ʻOtuá ʻi ha feituʻu naʻe fai ia he tuʻa veilí pe ʻi ha konga ʻao ke maluʻi e mata ʻo kinautolu naʻe ʻikai mateuteu fakalaumālié.⁷ Naʻe fakapapauʻi mai ʻe ha taha ʻo e ngaahi fuofua fakahā ne fai kia Siosefa Sāmitá, he ʻikai lava ʻa e tangatá ʻo mamata ki he ʻOtuá “ʻi he kakanó,” taʻe te nau mate ai. Ka te nau lava ʻo mātā hono nāunaú ʻaki e “mata fakalaumālié,” kapau ne nau liliu pe “fakaakeʻi ia ʻe he laumālie ʻo e ʻOtuá.”⁸

Naʻe lau ʻe Māteni Hālisi e meʻa ne aʻusia ʻe he kau fakamoʻoní mo e ʻāngeló pea mo e lekooti fakakuongamuʻá, ko ha fehokotaki ia mo e langí, ʻo tatau tofu pē mo e ngaahi mata-meʻa-hā-mai ʻa Siosefa Sāmitá. ʻI heʻene ʻiloʻi ko ia e fakatokanga fefeka ʻa e folofolá, naʻá ne faʻa lea ai ʻo kau ki heʻene ongoʻi taʻefeʻunga he taimi naʻá ne mātā tonu ai e ʻū lauʻi peletí. ʻI he fakalau atu e taʻú, naʻá ne fakaʻaongaʻi ha ngaahi fakalea kehekehe ke fakamatalaʻi ʻaki e feʻiloaki fisifisimuʻa ko ʻení. ʻI he vivili atu ko ia ha kau fai ʻinitaviu ke ne fakamaʻalaʻala pe naʻá ne sio he ʻū lauʻi peletí, naʻá ne pehē naʻá ne fakatou sio ki ai ʻaki e “mata fakalaumālié,” ke fakamamafaʻi e tuʻunga pelepelengesi makehe mo toputapu ʻo e aʻusia ko iá, pea ʻaki foki hono ngaahi ongo fakaesinó.⁹ Naʻá ne vili kikihi he taimi ʻe taha, “Hangē ko hoʻo ʻi heni tonu ʻo mamata mai kiate aú, naʻe pehē tofu pē ʻeku mamata ki he ʻāngeló heʻene pukepuke e ʻū lauʻi peletí ʻi hono nimá.”¹⁰ Naʻe fakamatalaʻi pehē pē foki ʻe Tēvita Uitemā e tafaʻaki fakalaumālie mo fakatuʻasino ʻo e meʻa ne aʻusia ʻe he kau fakamoʻoní. Naʻá ne fakamatala ʻo pehē, “Ko e moʻoni ne mau ʻi he laumālié ʻi heʻemau mamata ki aí, he ʻoku ʻikai lava ʻe ha tangata ʻo mamata ki ha fofonga ʻo ha ʻāngelo, tukukehe pē ʻi he mata fakalaumālié, ka ne mau ʻi he sino foki, pea naʻe hā fakanatula e meʻa kotoa kiate kimautolu, ʻo hangē pē ko ha toe taimi kehe.”¹¹

Tā valivali ʻo Māteni Hālisi, ne fai ʻē Lewis A. Ramsey.

Naʻe fai ʻe he Tokotaha Takitaha ʻi he Kau Fakamoʻoni ʻe Toko Tolú, ʻenau fakamoʻoni ki he meʻa ne nau mamata ki aí ʻi ha fakamatala ne pulusi, ʻinitaviu pea mo ha ngaahi fetalanoaʻaki fakataautaha pē. ʻOku ʻikai hoko maʻu pē e ngaahi fakamatala ʻa e kau fakamoʻoní, ko ha maʻuʻanga fakamatala falalaʻanga. Naʻe hoko ha niʻihi ko e ola ʻo ha ngaahi ʻinitaviu ne fai ʻe ha kakai ne nau fakafepaki ki he ngaahi fakamatala ʻa e kau fakamoʻoní. Naʻe lekooti ha niʻihi ʻi ha ngaahi taʻu lahi hili hono fai ʻo e fakamoʻoní. Neongo naʻe kehekehe e fakaikiiki ʻo ʻenau fakamatalá, ka ne nau faitatau pē mo vāvāofi mo e fakahinohino ʻo e fakahaá.¹²

Neongo e ngaahi tō kehekehe ne hoko ʻi he vā ʻo e Kau Fakamoʻoni ʻe Toko Tolú mo Siosefa Sāmitá, ke nau mavahe fakafoʻituitui ai mei he Siasí (ne toe foki kimui ange ʻa Kautele mo Hālisi), ka naʻe hokohoko atu pē ʻenau fakapapauʻi ʻenau fakamoʻoní ʻi he toenga ʻo ʻenau moʻuí.¹³ Naʻe hanga ʻe he tokotaha takitaha ʻi he Kau Fakamoʻoni ʻe Toko Valú, ʻo toe fakapapauʻi ʻenau fakamoʻoni ne nau vakavakaiʻi e ʻū lauʻi peletí, neongo naʻe iku mavahe ha niʻihi kimui ange mei he Siasí. Naʻe hoko hono fakatahaʻi ʻenau ngaahi fakamoʻoni kuo fai he ngaahi taʻu lahi neongo e liliu honau ʻulungāngá kia Siosefa Sāmita mo e Siasí, ko ha fakamoʻoni mālohi ia ki he tuʻunga falalaʻanga ʻo e ngaahi fakamatala ne nau pulusi ʻi he Tohi ʻa Molomoná.

Ngaahi Maʻuʻanga Tokoni ʻa e Siasí

Larry E. Morris, “The Experience of the Three Witnesses: DC 17,” ʻi he Matthew McBride and James Goldberg, eds., Revelations in Context: The Stories behind the Sections of the Doctrine and Covenants (Salt Lake City: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 2016), 25–32.

Dallin H. Oaks, “The Witness: Martin Harris,” Ensign, May 1999, 35–37.

Robin Scott Jensen, “A Bit of Old String: Mary Whitmer’s Unheralded Contributions,” Treasures of the Collection series, Apr. 25, 2013, history.lds.org.

Ngaahi Maʻuʻanga Fakamatalá

ʻOku ʻoatu ʻe he pulusinga ko ʻení ha ngaahi fakamatala lahi ange fekauʻaki mo e tefito ko ʻení. ʻI hono tuku atu pe fakafehokotaki kimoutolu ki he maʻuʻanga tokoni ko ʻení, ʻoku ʻikai ke mau poupouʻi pe fakapapauʻi atu e kanotohí pe ngaahi fakakaukau ʻa e kau faʻu tohí.

Richard Lloyd Anderson, Investigating the Book of Mormon Witnesses (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1981).

Ngaahi Tefito Fekauʻakí: Liliu ʻo e Tohi ʻa Molomoná, Talanoa ʻa Māteni Hālisi mo e Ongo Tangata Potó, ʻĀngelo ko Molonaí

Ngaahi Fakamatalá

1. “Appendix 4: Testimony of Three Witnesses, Late June 1829,” josephsmithpapers.org; “Appendix 5: Testimony of Eight Witnesses, Late June 1829,” josephsmithpapers.org. Vakai foki, Joseph Smith, “History, 1838–1856, volume A-1 [23 December 1805–30 August 1834],” 24–26, josephsmithpapers.org. Ko e kau fakamoʻoni ʻe toko valú ko Kalisitiane Uitemā, Sēkope Uitemā, Pita Uitemā,  ko e Siʻí, Sione Uitemā, Hailame Peisi, Siosefa Sāmita ko e Lahí, Hailame Sāmita, pea mo Samuela  H. Sāmita.

2. Ki ha fakamatala ʻa e kau fakamoʻoní ki hono fai ʻo e liliu leá, vakai ki he “Book of Mormon Translation,” Gospel Topics Essays, topics.lds.org.

3. Janiece L. Johnson, “‘The Scriptures Is a Fulfilling’: Sally Parker’s Weave,” BYU Studies, vol. 44, no. 2 (2005), 116; ʻai ke fakaeonopooni e sipelá.

4. Vakai, Edward Stevenson, “The Thirteenth Witness to the Plates of the Book of Mormon,” Juvenile Instructor, vol. 24 (Jan. 1, 1889), 22–23; Andrew Jenson, Historical Record, vol. 7, nos. 8–10 (Oct. 1888), 621.

5. “Revelation, June 1829–E [DC 17],” in Revelation Book 2, 119–20, josephsmithpapers.org.

6. Stephen Burnett letter to Lyman Johnson, Apr. 15, 1838, in Letterbook 2, 64, josephsmithpapers.org.

7. Vakai, 1 Samuela 6:19–20; ʻEkesōtosi 19:7–24.

8. Mōsese 1:11; T&F 67:11. Vakai foki, ʻEta 12:19.

9. John Gilbert statement in “Mormon Leaders at Their Mecca,” New York Herald, June 25, 1893, 12. Vakai, Elizabeth Mott, “The Forbidden Gaze: The Veiling of the Gold Plates and Joseph Smith’s Redefinition of Sacred Space,” Neal A. Maxwell Institute, Summer Seminar on Mormon Culture, Working Papers, 2011.

10. Ole A. Jensen, quoted in J. M. Sjodahl, “The Credibility of the Witnesses,” Improvement Era, vol. 26, no. 11 (Sept. 1923), 975. Naʻe ʻinitaviu ʻe Ole A. Jensen ʻa Hālisi ʻi he 1875.

11. “Letter of David Whitmer to Anthony Metcalf, March 1887,” ʻi he David Whitmer Interviews: A Restoration Witness, Lyndon W. Cook, ed. (Orem, Utah: Grandin Books, 1991): 246–7.

12. Ke maʻu e ngaahi ʻinitaviu ʻo Tēvita Uitemā naʻe lekōtí, vakai ki he Lyndon W. Cook, ed., David Whitmer Interviews: A Restoration Witness (Orem, Utah: Grandin Book, 1991). Ki ha sīpinga ʻo e ngaahi ʻinitaviu ʻo Māteni Hālisí, vakai ki he “Mormonism—No. II,” Tiffany’s Monthly, vol. 5 (Aug. 1859), 163–70; “Martin Harris and the Book of Mormon,” Improvement Era, vol. 26, no. 10 (Sept. 1923), 980–81; “A Witness to the Book of Mormon,” Iowa State Register, Aug. 28, 1870; John A. Clark, “Gleanings by the Way: No. VII,” Episcopal Recorder, vol. 18, no. 25 (Sept. 12, 1840), 98–99; John H. Gilbert, “Memorandum, made by John H. Gilbert Esq, Sept. 8th, 1892 Palmyra, N.Y.,” Church History Library, Salt Lake City.

13. Naʻe tuʻusi ʻa ʻŌliva Kautele mei he Siasí ʻi he 1838, Māteni Hālisi ʻi he 1837, pea mavahe ʻa Tēvita Uitemā mei he Siasí ʻi he 1838. Naʻe toe papitaiso fakafoki mai ʻa Kautele ʻi he 1848; Naʻe toe papitaiso fakafoki mai ʻa Hālisi ʻi he 1870.