UBungqina boMprofeti uJoseph Smith
UMprofeti uJoseph Smith amazwi akhe ngokuza ngaphambili kweNcwadi kaMormoni angala:
“Ngorhatya lwama … shumi amabini ananye kaSeptemba [1823] … Ndenza umthandazo nesibongozo kuThixo uSomandla. …
“Ndisathandaza njalo kuThixo, ndabona ukukhanya kuvela egumbini lam, okwathi kwaqhubeka ukukhula lada igumbi lakhanya ngaphezulu kunemini emaqanda, kwa oko kwavela isiqu somntu ecaleni komandlalo wam, simi emoyeni, kuba iinyawo zaso zazingafikanga emgangathweni.
“Sasinxibe isambatho esiwaku-waku sinobumhlophe nobuhle obumangalasiyo. Yayibubumhlophe obungaphaya kwabo nabuphina emhlabeni endakha ndabubona; kwaye andikholwa ukuba ingakhona into emhlabeni enokwenziwa ikhangeleke inobumhlophe obugqithisileyo kangako nokubengezela. Izandla zaso zazi ze, kwa neengalo zaso, sikancinane entla kwesihlahla; kananjalo, neenyawo zaso zazi ze, njengemilenze yaso, sikancinane entla kwamaqatha. Intloko yaso kwa nentamo nazo zazi ze. Ndabanako ukufumanisa ukuba sasingenazo ezinye izinxibo kuso ngaphandle nje kwesi sambatho, njengoko sasivulekile, ukuze ndibenako ukubona esifubeni saso.
“Yayingesosambatho saso kuphela esasimhlophe ngokugqithisileyo, kodwa nesiqu saso sonke sasinobuqaqawuli obugqithisileyo obungaphaya kokuchazwa, kwaye imbonakalo yobuso baso okwenene ifana nombane. Igumbi lalikhanya ngokugqithisileyo, kodwa lalingakhanyi kakhulu njengoko kwakhawuleza kwanjalo macala onke esiqu saso. Xa ndandiqala ukusijonga, ndandisoyika; kodwa uloyiko lwakhawuleza lwemka kum.
“Sandibiza ngegama, saza sathi kum, sisisithunywa esithunyelwe kum sivela ebusweni bukaThixo, nokokuba igama laso sasinguMoronayi; kuba uThixo wayenomsebenzi afuna ukuba ndiwenze; nokokuba igama lam liya kwaziwa ngokulungileyo nangobubi phakathi kwazo zonke izizwe, izalamane, neelwimi, okanye libe liya kuthethwa kunye ngokulungileyo nokubi phakathi kwabo bonke abantu.
“Sathi kukho incwadi eselugcinweni, ebhalwe phezu kwamacwecwe egolide, enika ingxelo yabemi bamandulo beli lizwekazi, nemvelaphi apho babephuma khona. Sathi kanjalo iVangeli yanaphakade epheleleyo yayiqulathwe kuyo, njengoko yaziswa nguMsindisi kubemi bamandulo;
“Kanjalo, okokuba kwakukho namatye amabini kwizakhelo zesilivere—kwaye la matye, abotshelelwe kwintsimbi eyingcina-sifuba, enza into ebizwa ngokuba yiYurim neTumim—agcinwe kunye namacwecwe; kwaye ukuba nawo, nokusetyenziswa kwala matye kwakuthetha oko konyulelwe ‘iimboni’ kumaxesha amandulo, nokuba uThixo wayewalungiselele zona ngenxa yenjongo yokuguqula incwadi. …
“Kwakhona, sandixelela, okokuba xa ndiwafumana loo macwecwe sithethe ngawo—kuba ilixa lokuba ndiwazuze alikazaliseki—andifanelanga kuwabonisa nawuphina umntu; nayo intsimbi eyingcina-sifuba eneYurim neTumim; kuphela nje kwabo endiya kuyalelwa ukuba ndibabonise; ukuba ndenze njalo ndiya kutshatyalaliswa. Ngeli lixa sasincokola nam malunga namacwecwe, kwavuleka umbono engqondweni yam ukuze ndiyibone indawo apho amacwecwe ayegcinwe kuyo, yaye icace ngokupheleleyo nangokwahlukileyo kangangokuba ndayazi indawo kwakhona xa ndayindwendwela.
“Emva kolu qhagamishelwano, ndabona ukukhanya egumbini kusiya kuqokelelana ngokukhawuleza macala onke akhe umntu owayethetha nam, kwaye kwaqhubeka ukwenzeka njalo lada igumbi lasala limnyama kwakhona, ngaphandle nje emacaleni onke akhe; xa, kwathi ngephanyazo ndabona, ngokungathi, kuvuleka umjelo ngqo ezulwini, waye wenyuka wade waya uphela, laza igumbi lasala linjengoko belinjalo ngaphambi kokuba oku kukhanya kwasezulwini kwenze imbonakalo yako.
“Ndalala apho ndicinga ngesi sehlo sikhethekileyo, ndaye ndimangalisiwe kakhulu ngendikuxelelwe sesi sithunywa singaqhelekanga; xa, ndiphakathi ezingcingeni zam, ngesiqhuphe ndafumanisa okokuba igumbi lam kwakhona laliqalisa ukukhanyiswa, kwaza ngephanyazo, kwabangathi, kwasona eso sithunywa sasezulwini kwakhona sasisecaleni komandlalo wam.
“Saqalisa, saza kwakhona sacengceleza kwa izinto njengoko besenzile kutyelelo lwaso lokuqala, kungekho nowona mncinane umahluko; sithe ekubeni senze njalo, sandazisa ngezigwebo ezikhulu ezazisiza phezu komhlaba, ngokuphanziswa okukhulu ngendlala, ikrele, nobhubhane; nokokuba ezi zigwebo zihlungisayo ziya kuza emhlabeni kwesi sizukulwana. Sakuba sizicengcelezile ezi zinto, saphinda sanyuka njengoko besenzile ngaphambili.
“Ngesi sihlandlo, lwalunzulu kakhulu uluvo olwaba sengqondweni yam, bade babaleka ubuthongo emehlweni am, ndaza ndalala ndonganyelwe kukukhwankqiseka koko ndathi kunye ndakubona kwaye ndakuva. Kodwa oko kwaba ngummangaliso kum xa kwakhona ndabona kwa isithunywa ecaleni komandlalo wam, kwaye ndasiva sibalisa okanye sindiphinda-phindla kwa izinto njengaphambili; saza songeza isilumkiso kum, sindixelela okokuba uSathana uya kuzama ukundihenda (ngenxa yemeeko zobuhlwempu bosapho lukabawo), ukuba ndizuze amacwecwe ngenjongo yokuzuza ubutyebi. Sandalela ukukwenza oku, sisithi okokuba maze ndingabi nenye injongo elawulayo ekuzuzeni amacwecwe ngaphandle kokuzukisa uThixo, kwaye maze ndingaphenjelelwa nasesiphina isizathu ngaphandle kokwakha ubukumkani Bakhe; kungenjalo andiyi kuwafumana.
“Emva kolu tyelelo lwesithathu, saphinda kwakhona sanyukela ezulwini njengangaphambili, ndaza kwakhona ndasala ndizikisa ukucinga ngokungaqheleki koko bekusandula ukundehlela; xa phantse ngequbuliso emva kokuba isithunywa sasezulwini sathi senyuka ukusuka kum isihlandlo sesithathu, yakhala inkuku, ndaza ndafumanisa okokuba kuza ukusa, ngako oko ingxoxo yethu makube yathatha bonke obo busuku.
“Kufutshane emva koko ndaphakama kumandlalo wam, ndaza, njengesiqhelo, ndaya kwenza imisebenzi yemini eyimfuneko; kodwa ekuzameni ukusebenza njengamanye amaxesha, ndazifumana ndiphelelwe ngamandla ngokokude ndingabinako ukwenza nantoni na. Ubawo, owayesebenza ecaleni kwam, waphawula okokuba kukho okungalunganga kum, waza wandiyalela ukuba ndigoduke. Ndaqalisa ndinenjongo yokuya endlwini; kodwa, ekuzameni ukunqumla umbiyelo ndiphuma entsimini apho sasikhona, amandla am aphela tu, ndaza ndawa emhlabeni ndingenakuzinceda, kwaye kangangethutyana ndandingekho zingqondweni zayo nayiphina into.
“Into yokuqala endinokuyikhumbula yaba lilizwi lithetha nam, lindibiza ngegama. Ndakhangela phezulu, ndaza ndabona kwa isithunywa simi ngentla kwentloko yam, sijikelezwe kukukhanya njengangaphambili. Saphinda ke sacengceleza konke esibe sikucengceleze kum kubusuku obudlulileyo, kwaye sandiyalela ukuba ndiye kubawo kwaye ndimchazele ngombono nemiyalelo endithe ndayifumana.
“Ndathobela; ndabuyela kubawo entsimini, ndaze ndambalisela wonke umxholo. Wandiphendula ngokuthi kokukaThixo, waza wandixelela ukuba mandihambe kwaye ndenze njengoko ndiyalelwe sisithunywa. Ndayishiya intsimi, kwaye ndaya kuyo indawo isithunywa ebesindixelele ukuba amacwecwe agcinwe kuyo; kwaye ngenxa yokucaca kombono endandinawo ngayo, ndayazi indawo kwangoko nje ukuba ndifike kuyo.
“Kufuphi nedolophana yaseManchester, eOntario khawunti, eNew York, kumi induli enkulu ngokomlinganiselo, neyona iphakamileyo ngaphezu kwayo nayiphina engingqini. Kwicala lasentshonalanga lale nduli, kungekude nencopho, phantsi kwelitye elikhulu ngomlinganiselo, kwakulele amacwecwe, egcinwe kwityesi yelitye. Eli litye lalingqingqwa kwaye lingqukuva kumbindi okwicala elingaphezulu, kwaye linokuncipha ukuya emiphethweni, ukuze umbindi walo ubonakale ngaphezu komhlaba, kodwa umphetho macala onke wawugqunyelelwe ngumhlaba.
“Ekubeni ndiwususile umhlaba, ndafumana isixhathiso sokunqika, endasifaka ngaphantsi komphetho welitye, ndaza ngokusebenzisa amandla nje kancinane ndaliphakamisa. Ndakhangela ngaphakathi, ndaza ndabona khona apho ngokwenene amacwecwe, iYurim neTumim, nentsimbi eyingcina-sifuba, njengoko kwakuchaziwe sisithunywa. Ityesi leyo zazilele kuyo yayakhiwe ngokulalisa amatye kunye ngokohlobo oluthile lwesamente. Kumphantsi wetyesi kwakulaliswe amatye amabini exwesisiwe etyesini, kwaye kula matye kwakulele amacwecwe nezinye izinto kunye nawo.
“Ndenza inzame yokokuba ndiwakhuphe, kodwa sandalela isithunywa, ndaza kwakhona ndaziswa okokuba lalingekezi ilixa lokuwazisa ngaphambili, lingekazi kufika, kude kube yiminyaka emine ukusuka ngelo xesha; kodwa sandixelela okokuba kuya kufuneka ndize kuloo ndawo kanye ngqo emva konyaka ukusuka kwelo lixa, nokokuba siya kudibana nam apho, nokokuba kufuneka ndiqhubeke ndisenza njalo lide lifike ilixa lokuzuza amacwecwe.
“Ngokunxulumene, njengoko ndandiyalelwe, ndaya ekupheleni konyaka ngamnye, kwaye ngexesha ngalinye ndandifumana kwa isithunywa esinye silapho, kwaye ndizuze umyalelo nengqiqo kuso kwiindibano ngazinye zethu, ndihlonela oko iNkosi yayiza kukwenza, nakanjani na nangaluphina uhlobo ubukumkani bayo obabuza kuqhutywa ngalo kwimihla yokugqibela. …
“Ethubeni lafika ilixa lokuzuza amacwecwe, iYurim neTumim, nentsimbi eyingcina-sifuba. Ngomhla wamashumi amabini anesibini kaSeptemba, kowewaka elinamakhulu asibhozo anamashumi amabini anesixhenxe, ndakuba ndiyile njengesiqhelo ekupheleni komnye unyaka kwindawo leyo ayegcinwe kuyo, kwa isithunywa esinye sasezulwini sawanikela kum nalo myalelo: okokuba aya kuba ngumthwalo wam; okokuba ukuba ndithe ndaphulukana nawo ngokungakhathali, okanye nangaluphina uhlobo lwam lokungabi nankathalo, ndiya kusikelwa ngaphandle, kodwa ke ukuba ndithe ndasebenzisa zonke iinzame zam ukuwalondoloza, side sona, isithunywa, size kuwaphuthuma, aya kukhuselwa.
“Kwakamsinyane ndawufumana unobangela wokuba ndizuze umyalelo ongqongqo kangako wokuba ndiwagcine ekhuselekile, nokokuba kungani isithunywa sathi, ekubeni ndikwenzile oko kwakufuneka esandleni sam, siya kuwaphuthuma. Kuba kwakamsinyane nje ukuba kwaziwe ukuba ndinawo, kwathi kwasetyenziswa awona mandla ngakumbi ukuwahlutha kum. Bonke ubuchule obabunokucingwa basetyenziswa ukuphumeza loo njongo. Intshutshiso yabakrakra ngakumbi kwaye yababuhlungu kunangaphambili, nezihlwele zazisoloko ziphaphile ukuze zibe nokuwahlutha kum ukuba kunokwenzeka. Kodwa ngobulumko bukaThixo, ahlala ekhuselekile ezandleni zam, ndada ngawo ndabe ndikuphumezile oko kwakufuneka esandleni sam. Xa, ngokwezicwangciso, isithunywa sasiwaphuthuma, ndawanikezela kuso; kwaye aselugcinweni lwaso kude kube yile mini, elusuku lwesibini kuMeyi, iwaka elinamakhulu asibhozo namashumi amathathu anesibhozo.”
Malunga nengxelo ephelele ngakumbi, bona iMbali—kaJoseph Smith kwiPerile yeXabiso eliKhulu.
Imbali yamandulo ethe yaziswa ngaphambili isuka emhlabeni njengezwi labantu lithetha ukusuka eluthulini, kwaye lwaguqulelwa kwintetho yale mihla ngesipho namandla kaThixo ngokungqinwa sisiqinisekiso sobuNyulu, yaqala ukupapashwa ehlabathini ngesiNgesi ngonyaka we-1830 njenge The Book of Mormon.