Ko e Fānau Koā Au ʻa e ʻOtuá?

Fai ʻe ʻEletā Brian K. Taylor

ʻO e Kau Fitungofulú

ʻE lava fēfē ke tau takitaha aʻusia e mālohi ʻo e mahino kiate kitautolu hotau tuʻunga fakalangí? ʻOku kamata ia ʻi heʻetau fekumi ke ʻilo ʻa e ʻOtua ko ʻetau Tamaí.

Ne u toki ʻalu kimuí ni mo ʻeku fineʻeikí ʻo lotu ʻi homau falelotu maka motuʻá. ʻI hono tohoakiʻi au ʻe he fanga kiʻi leʻo ne vanavanaiki mei he loki Palaimeli tatau ne u ʻi ai ʻi he ngaahi taʻu lahi kuohilí, naʻá ku hū atu he tafaʻaki ki muí pea vakai ki ha kau taki tokanga ʻoku nau akoʻi e kaveinga ʻo e taʻu ní: “Fānau Au ʻa e ʻOtuá.”¹ Naʻá ku malimali ʻi heʻeku manatuʻi ha kau faiako faʻa kātaki mo ʻofa, ne nau faʻa sio mai kiate au lolotonga ʻemau ako hiva he taimi ko iá—ʻa e kiʻi tamasiʻi taʻemangoi ko ē ʻi he muiʻi seá—ʻo hangē ʻoku nau pehē mai, “Ko ha kiʻi tamasiʻi koā ia ʻa e ʻOtuá? Pea ko hai naʻá ne ʻomi ia ki hení?”²

ʻOku ou fakaafeʻi kitautolu takitaha ke fakaava hotau lotó ki he Laumālie Māʻoniʻoní, ʻa ia ʻoku “fakamoʻoni ʻe he Laumālie pē ko iá mo hotau laumālié, ko e fānau ʻa e ʻOtuá ʻa kitautolu.”³

ʻOku mahino pea mahuʻinga e akonaki ʻa Palesiteni Poiti K. Pēká: “Ko e fānau koe ʻa e ʻOtuá. Ko e tamai Ia ho laumālié. Kuo fāʻeleʻi fakalaumālie koe ki ha hako fakaʻeiʻeiki, ko e hako ʻo e Tuʻi ʻo e Langí. Fokotuʻu maʻu e foʻi moʻoni ko iá ʻi ho ʻatamaí pea pikitai ki ai. Neongo e ngaahi toʻu tangata lahi hoʻo ngaahi kui ʻi he moʻui fakamatelié, tatau ai pē pe ko e hā e matakali pe kakai ʻokú ke fakafofongaʻí, ʻe lava ke tohi e mape ʻo ho laumālié ʻi ha foʻi laine pē ʻe taha. Ko e fānau koe ʻa e ʻOtuá!”⁴

Naʻe fakamatalaʻi ʻe Pilikihami ʻIongi, “ʻI he taimi te ke … mamata ai ki heʻetau Tamaí, te ke mamata ki ha tokotaha kuó ke ʻiloʻi fuoloa, pea te Ne fāʻofua kiate koe, pea te ke mateuteu ke fekita kiate Ia.”⁵

Ko e Tau Lahi ke Maʻu e Tuʻunga Fakalangí

Naʻe ʻiloʻi ʻe Mōsese hono tukufakaholo fakalangí ʻi heʻene folofola mata-ki-he-mata mo e ʻEikí. Hili e aʻusia ko iá “naʻe haʻu ʻa Sētane ʻo ʻahiʻahiʻi [ia]” ʻi he olopoto, ka ʻi ha taumuʻa kovi ke taki halaʻi, mo fakaʻauha e tuʻunga ʻo Mōsesé, “ʻo pehē ange: ʻE Mōsese, ko e foha ʻo e tangata, ke ke hū kiate au. Pea … naʻe vakai atu ʻa Mōsese kia Sētane peá ne pehē ange: Ko hai koe? He vakai, ko e foha au ʻo e ʻOtuá.”⁶

ʻOku fakamanavahē hono tauʻi ʻo e tuʻunga fakalangí, ʻi he feinga taʻetūkua ʻa Sētane mo ʻene ngaahi taumuʻa ke fakaʻauha ʻetau tui mo e ʻilo ki hotau vā fetuʻutaki mo e ʻOtuá. ʻOku tau fakamālō pē kuo tāpuekina kitautolu ʻaki ha mahino taʻetoefehuʻia ki hotau tuʻunga moʻoní talu mei he kamataʻangá: “Pea naʻe folofola ʻa e ʻOtuá, Ke tau ngaohi ʻa e tangatá ʻi hotau tataú, mo ʻetau angá,”⁷ pea ʻoku fakahā ʻe he kau palōfita moʻuí, “Ko e toko taha fakafoʻituitui kotoa pē ko e foha mo e ʻofefine ia ʻo ha mātuʻa fakalangi, pea ʻi heʻene peheé, ʻoku maʻu ai ʻe he toko taha kotoa pē ha natula fakalangi pea mo ha ikuʻanga pau.”⁸

ʻOku tokoni hono ʻiloʻi fakapapau e ngaahi moʻoni ko ʻení⁹ ke tau ikunaʻi e ngaahi ʻahiʻahiʻí, tuʻutāmakí, mo e ngaahi mamahi kotoa pē.¹⁰ ʻI he taimi ne fehuʻi ai, “ʻE lava fēfē ke tau tokoni kiate kinautolu [ʻoku ʻi ai haʻanau ngaahi pole fakatāutahá]?” naʻe fakahinohino mai leva ʻe ha ʻAposetolo ʻa e ʻEikí ʻo pehē, “Akoʻi ange ko hai kinautolu mo ʻenau taumuʻá.”¹¹

“Ko e ʻIlo Maʻongoʻonga Taha ʻOku ou Maʻú”

Naʻe hoko e ngaahi moʻoni mālohi ko ʻení ko ha liliu moʻui ki hoku kaungāmeʻa ko Sení,¹² ʻa ia naʻá ne fakatupu ha fakatuʻutāmaki lahi ʻi he halá ʻi hono taʻu hongofulu tupú. Neongo naʻe fuʻu tōtuʻa hono mamahi fakatuʻasinó, ka naʻá ne ongoʻi ha mamahi lahi koeʻuhí naʻe mole e moʻui ʻa e fakaʻuli ʻe tahá. ʻOkú ne pehē, “Kuo mole atu ha faʻē ʻa ha taha, pea ko e kovi ia ʻaʻaku.” Naʻe toki tuʻu pē ʻa Seni, ʻi ha ngaahi ʻaho kimuʻa ʻo lau maʻuloto, “Ko e ngaahi ʻofefine kitautolu ʻo ʻetau Tamai Hēvaní, ʻokú Ne ʻofa ʻiate kitautolu,”¹³ pea kuó ne fehuʻia he taimí ni, “Te Ne ʻofa fēfē ʻiate au?”

ʻOkú ne pehē, “Ne mole atu ʻa e mamahi fakatuʻasinó, ka naʻe ʻikai te u fakakaukau ʻe sai e kafo fakaelotó mo fakalaumālié.”

Naʻe fūfuuʻi ʻe Seni e ngaahi ongo naʻá ne maʻú, kae hangē naʻe molé haʻane meʻá pea ʻikai toe mahuʻingaʻia ia ha meʻa. Hili ha taʻu ʻe taha, ʻi he faifai pea lava ke ne talanoa fekauʻaki mo e fakatuʻutāmakí, naʻe fakaafeʻi ia ʻe ha tokotaha faifaleʻi ne ueʻi fakalaumālie ke ne tohi ʻa e kupuʻi lea “Ko e fānau au ʻa e ʻOtuá” pea ke ne lea tuʻo hongofulu ʻaki ia he ʻaho.

Naʻá ne pehē, “Naʻe faingofua ke u tohi e ngaahi foʻi leá, ka naʻe ʻikai ke u lava ʻo lea ʻaki kinautolu. … Naʻe hoko ia ʻo moʻoni, pea naʻe ʻikai ke u tui ʻoku fie maʻu ʻe he ʻOtua ke u hoko ko haʻane fānau. Ne u tangutu pē mo tangi.”

Hili ha ngaahi māhina, naʻe faifai pea lava ʻe Seni ʻo fakahoko e ngāue ko iá ʻi he ʻaho kotoa pē. ʻOkú ne pehē, “Ne u ʻohake hoku lotó kotoa ʻo tautapa ki he ʻOtuá. … Naʻe kamata leva ke u tui ki he fakaleá.” Naʻe fakaʻatā ʻe he tui ko ʻení ke kamata fakaleleiʻi ʻe he Fakamoʻuí hono laumālie kafó. Naʻe ʻomi ʻe he Tohi ʻa Molomoná ha nonga mo ha loto-toʻa ʻi Heʻene Fakaleleí.¹⁴

Naʻe aofangatuku ʻe Seni ʻo pehē, “Naʻe ongoʻi ʻe Kalaisi hoku mamahí, mo e ongoʻi halaiá. Naʻá ku ongoʻi e ʻofa haohaoa ʻa e ʻOtuá pea naʻe teʻeki ke u aʻusia ha meʻa ongo mālohi pehē! Ko e ʻilo maʻongoʻonga taha ia ʻoku ou maʻú, ʻa ʻeku ʻiloʻi ko ia ko e fānau au ʻa e ʻOtuá!”

Fekumi ke ʻIlo ʻa e ʻOtua Ko ʻEtau Tamaí

Kāinga, ʻe lava fēfē ke tau takitaha aʻusia e mālohi ʻo e mahino kiate kitautolu hotau tuʻunga fakalangí? ʻOku kamata ia ʻi heʻetau fekumi ke ʻilo ʻa e ʻOtuá, ko ʻetau Tamaí.¹⁵ Naʻe fakamoʻoni ʻa Palesiteni Lāsolo M. Nalesoni ʻo pehē, “ʻOku hoko ha meʻa mālohi he taimi ʻoku fekumi ai ha kiʻi tamasiʻi ke ʻilo lahi ange kiate Ia mo Hono ʻAlo ʻOfaʻangá.”¹⁶

ʻOku tokoni ʻetau ako mo muimui ʻi he Fakamoʻuí ke tau ʻilo ai ʻa e Tamaí. “ʻI heʻetau hoko … ko e tatau tofu pē ʻo ʻEne [Tamaí],”¹⁷ naʻe akonaki ʻa Sīsū, “ʻOku ʻikai faʻa fai ʻe he ʻAló ha meʻa [ʻiate ia] pē, ka ko ia ʻokú ne mamata ʻoku fai ʻe he Tamaí.”¹⁸ ʻOku fakahā ʻe he folofola mo e ngāue kotoa pē ʻa Kalaisí ʻa e natula totonu ʻo e ʻOtuá mo hotau vā fetuʻutaki mo Iá.¹⁹ Naʻe akoʻi ʻe ʻEletā Sefilī R. Hōlani ʻo pehē, “ʻI he ʻasi ʻa e taʻataʻá ʻi he ava kotoa pē hono kilí, pea mo e tangi mamahi Hono fofongá, naʻe fekumi ʻa Kalaisi kiate Ia ʻa ia naʻá Ne kumi maʻu pē ki aí—ko ʻEne Tamaí.Naʻá Ne tautapa ʻo pehē ‘ʻApā, Tamai.”²⁰

Hangē ko e tautapa fakamātoato ʻa Sīsū ki Heʻene Tamaí ʻi Ketisemaní, naʻe pehē foki mo e fekumi ʻi he faʻa lotu ʻa e talavou ko Siosefa Sāmitá ʻi he 1820 ki he ʻOtuá ʻi he Vaoʻakau Tapú. Hili ʻene lau, “Ka ai hamou taha ʻoku masiva ʻi he potó, ke kole ʻe ia ki he ʻOtuá,”²¹ naʻe ʻalu ʻa Siosefa ʻo lotu.

Naʻá ne tohi ʻo pehē, “Naʻá ku tūʻulutui hifo ʻo kamata ke fakahā hake ʻa e ngaahi holi ʻo hoku lotó ki he ʻOtuá. …

“… Naʻá ku mamata ki ha pou maama feʻunga tonu mo hoku ʻulú. …

“… Naʻá ku sio ki he Tangata ʻe toko ua, ʻa ia ko hona ngingilá mo e nāunaú ʻoku ʻikai faʻa lava ke mafakamatalaʻi, ʻokú na tuʻu mai ʻi ʻolunga ʻiate au ʻi he ʻataá. Naʻe folofola mai ʻa e toko taha kiate au, ʻo ne ui au ʻaki hoku hingoá, ʻo ne tuhu ki he tokotahá ʻo pehē—[Siosefa,] Ko Hoku ʻAlo ʻOfaʻangá ʻeni. Fanongo kiate Ia!”²²

ʻI heʻetau muimui ki he ngaahi sīpinga ʻa e Fakamoʻuí mo e Palōfita ko Siosefá ʻi he fekumi fakamātoato ki he ʻOtuá, ʻe lava ke mahino kiate kitautolu ʻi ha founga matuʻaki moʻoni, hangē ko ia naʻe hoko kia Sení, ʻoku ʻafioʻi ʻe heʻetau Tamaí hotau hingoá pea ko ʻEne fānau kitautolu.

Ki he ngaahi faʻeé, tautautefito ki he ngaahi faʻē kei talavoú, ʻoku nau faʻa ongoʻi lōmekina mo faingataʻaʻia ʻi heʻenau feinga ke ohi hake ha “toʻu tangata ʻoku fakafepakiʻi e angahalá,”²³ ʻoua naʻa mou teitei fakasiʻia homou fatongia mahuʻinga ʻi he palani ʻa e ʻOtuá. ʻI he ngaahi taimi fakaloto-mafasiá—mahalo ʻi he taimi ʻokú ke tukufetuli holo ai mo e fānaú pea namu-paku mai ha meʻa mei he peitó ʻo mahino ai ko e kai efiafi fakaʻofoʻofa naʻá ke teuteú kuo paku iá—ʻai ke ke ʻilo ʻoku fakamāʻoniʻoniʻi ʻe he ʻOtuá ho ngaahi ʻaho faingataʻa tahá.²⁴ ʻOkú Ne fakapapauʻi mai ʻi he nonga, “ʻOua naʻá ke manavahē; he ʻoku ou ʻiate koe.”²⁵ ʻOku mau fakaʻapaʻapa atu ʻi hoʻomou fakahoko e ʻamanaki ʻa Sisitā Soi D. Sōnasi naʻá ne pehē, “ʻOku fie maʻu ke mahino ki heʻetau fānaú honau tuʻunga fakalangí.”²⁶

ʻOku ou fakaafeʻi kitautolu kotoa ke tau fekumi ki he ʻOtuá mo Hono ʻAlo ʻOfaʻangá. Naʻe pehē ʻe Palesiteni Nalesoni, “ʻOku ʻikai ha toe feituʻu ʻe toe mālohi mo mahino ange ai e ngaahi moʻoni ko iá ka ko e Tohi ʻa Molomonᔲ⁷ Fakaava hake hono ʻū lauʻi pēsí peá ke ʻilo ai ʻoku fai ʻe he ʻOtuá ʻa e “meʻa kotoa pē koeʻuhí ko [ʻetau] tuʻumālié mo e fiefiá”;²⁸ ʻokú Ne “ʻaloʻofa … tuai ke houhau, faʻa kātaki, pea angalelei lahi”;²⁹ pea ʻoku “tatau ʻa e kakai fulipē [kiate Ia].”³⁰ ʻI hoʻo ongoʻi mamahi, hē, ilifia, ʻita, lotomamahi, fiekaia, pe siva hoʻo ʻamanakí ʻi hono liʻekina koe ʻi he ngaahi faingataʻa ʻo e moʻuí³¹—fakaava e Tohi ʻa Molomoná, pea te ke ʻilo ai, “He ʻikai teitei liʻaki kitautolu ʻe he [ʻOtuá]. Kuo teʻeki ai ke Ne liʻaki, pe te Ne liʻaki kitautolu. He ʻikai ke Ne lava ia. ʻOku ʻikai ko Hono ʻulungāngá [ke fai pehē].”³²

ʻOku liliu ʻa e meʻa kotoa pē ʻi heʻetau ʻilo ʻetau Tamaí, tautautefito ki hotau lotó, ʻi hono fakapapauʻi mai ʻe Hono Laumālie angaʻofá hotau tuʻunga totonú mo hotau mahuʻinga lahi ʻi Hono ʻaó.³³ ʻOku ʻaʻeva fakataha ʻa e ʻOtuá mo kitautolu ʻi he hala ʻo e fuakavá ʻi heʻetau fekumi kiate Ia ʻo fakafou heʻetau tautapa ʻi he lotú, ngaahi fekumi he folofolá, mo e ngaahi faifeinga talangofuá.

Ko e ʻUlungaanga Fisifisimuʻa ʻo e ʻOtuá—Ko ʻEku Fakamoʻoní

ʻOku ou ʻofa ki he ʻOtua Mafimafí^{34 35} ʻa ia ʻokú Ne tangi fakataha mo kitautolu ʻi heʻetau mamahí, valokiʻi ʻi he faʻa kātaki ʻetau taʻeangatonú, pea fiefia ʻi heʻetau fekumi ke “liʻaki kotoa [ʻetau] ngaahi angahalá koeʻuhi ka [tau] ʻiloʻi [Iá].”³⁶ ʻOku ou hū kiate Ia, ʻa ia ko ha “tamai … ki he tamai maté,”³⁷ mo ha hoa kiate kinautolu kuo mālōlō honau hoá. ʻOku ou fakamoʻoni ʻi he loto houngaʻia, kuó u ʻiloʻi ʻa e ʻOtuá, ko ʻeku Tamaí, mo fakamoʻoni ki he haohaoa, ngaahi ʻulungaanga, mo “[Hono] ʻulungaanga fisifisimuʻá.”³⁸

Ko ʻeku lotu fakamātoató ke mahino moʻoni kiate kitautolu kotoa mo tau fakamahuʻingaʻi hotau “[tofiʻa fakaʻeiʻeiki]”³⁹ ko ha fānau ʻa e ʻOtuá ʻi heʻetau ʻilo Ia, “ko e ʻOtua moʻui pē taha, mo Sīsū Kalaisi, ʻa ia naʻá [Ne] fekaú”⁴⁰ ko ʻeku lotu fakamātoató ia ʻi he huafa ʻo Sīsū Kalaisí, ʻēmeni.

Maʻuʻanga fakamatalá

1. Vakai, Ko e Fokotuʻutuʻu ki he Taimi Feʻinasiʻaki ʻo e 2018: Ko e Fānau Au ʻa e ʻOtuá, lds.org/manual/primary.

2. Vakai, “Fānau Au ʻa e ʻOtuá,” Ngaahi Himi, fika 193.

3. Loma 8:16.

4. Boyd K. Packer, “To Young Women and Men,” Ensign, May 1989, 54.

5. Brigham Young, “Discourse,” Deseret News, Oct. 1, 1856, 235.

6. Mōsese 1:12–13; tānaki atu hono fakamamafaʻí.

7. Sēnesi 1:26.

8. “Ko e Fāmilí: Ko ha Fanongonongo ki Māmani,” Liahona, Mē 2017, 145.

9. Naʻe pehē ʻe Siosefa Sāmita, “Ko e ʻuluaki tefitoʻi moʻoni ia ʻo e ongoongoleleí ke tau ʻilo pau e ʻulungaanga ʻo e ʻOtuá” (mei he, King Follett sermon,” Apr. 7, 1844; ʻi he History of the Church, 6:305).

10. Vakai, ʻAlamā 36:3, 27.

11. Russell M. Nelson, ʻi he Tad R. Callister, “Our Identity and Our Destiny” (Brigham Young University devotional, Aug. 14, 2012), 1, speeches.byu.edu.

12. Naʻe liliu ʻa e hingoá.

13. “Kaveinga ʻa e Kau Finemuí,” Fakalakalaka Fakataautaha ʻa e Kau Finemuí (2009), 3, PersonalProgress.lds.org.

14. Vakai, 2 Nīfai 2; 6–9; Mōsaia 2–5; 14–16; ʻAlamā 7; 34; 39–42; Hilamani 14; 3 Nīfai 11; Molonai 7.

15. Naʻe akonaki e Palōfita ko Siosefa Sāmitá ʻo pehē, “Kapau he ʻikai mahino ki he tangatá ʻa e ʻulungaanga ʻo e ʻOtuá, ta ʻoku ʻikai ke nau ʻiloʻi ʻa kinautolu” (Ngaahi Akonaki ʻa e Kau Palesiteni ʻo e Siasí: Siosefa Sāmita [2007], 46).

16. Russell M. Nelson, “Ko e Tohi ʻa Molomoná: Ne Mei Fēfē Nai Hoʻo Moʻuí Ka Ne ʻIkai Ia?” Liahona, Nōvema 2017, 61.

17. Hepelū 1:3.

18. Sione 5:19.

19. Vakai, Jeffrey R. Holland, “The Grandeur of God,” Liahona, Nov. 2003, 70–73.

20. Jeffrey R. Holland, “The Hands of the Fathers,” Liahona, July 1999, 19.

21. Sēmisi 1:5.

22. Siosefa Sāmita—Hisitōlia 1:15–17.

23. Russell M. Nelson, “Ko ha Tautapa ki Hoku Tuofāfiné,” Liahona, Nōvema 2015, 97.

24. Vakai, “ʻE Kāinga Kuo Langa ha Tuʻunga,” Ngaahi Himí, fika 37, veesi 4.

25. ʻIsaia 41:10.

26. Joy D. Jones, in Marianne Holman Prescott, “2018 Primary Theme ‘I Am a Child of God’ Teaches Children Their Divine Identity,” Church News section of LDS.org, Jan. 5, 2018, news.lds.org.

27. Russell M. Nelson, “Ko e Tohi ʻa Molomoná: Ne Mei Fēfē Nai Hoʻo Moʻuí Ka Ne ʻIkai Ia?” 61.

28. Hilamani 12:2; vakai foki, 2 Nīfai 26:24.

29. Lectures on Faith (1985), 42.

30. 2 Nīfai 26:33.

31. ʻOku ou manako ʻi he talanoa mālie ʻo e tangata paionia matuʻotuʻa ʻa ia naʻá ne fakamoʻoni, hili ʻene aʻusia e kolosi ʻi he teleʻá: “Naʻa mau faingataʻaʻia ʻo mahulu ange ia ʻi ha meʻa kuó ke ʻosi aʻusia pea pekia ha tokolahi ko e mokosia mo e fiekaia, ka kuó ke ʻosi fanongo nai ki ha taha naʻe moʻui mei he kautaha ko iá naʻá ne hanu? Naʻe ʻikai ha taha ʻi he kautahá naʻe hanu pe hē pe mavahe mei he Siasí, he koeʻuhi naʻe fononga mai ʻa e tokotaha kotoa ʻaki ʻa e ʻiloʻilo pau ʻoku moʻui ʻa e ʻOtuá he naʻa mau hoko ʻo maheni mo ia ʻi heʻemau faingataʻaʻiá” (in David O. McKay, “Pioneer Women,” Relief Society Magazine, Jan. 1948, 8).

32. George Q. Cannon, “Remarks,” Deseret Evening News, Mar. 7, 1891, 4.

33. Vakai, Tokāteline mo e Ngaahi Fuakava 18:10.

34. Vakai, Ngāue 5:30; 22:14; “ʻOtua ʻo ʻEmau Ngaahi Tamai,” Ngaahi Himí, fika 78.

35. Mōsese 1:3; vakai, Fakahā 15:3; 21:22–23; 3 Nīfai 4:32; Tokāteline mo e Ngaahi Fuakavá 109:77; 121:4.

36. ʻAlamā 22:18.

37. Saame 68:5; vakai foki, Sēmisi 1:27.

38. Lectures on Faith (1985), 42.

39. “Fai Atu ʻa e Ngāué,” Ngaahi Himí, fika 58.

40. Sione 17:3.