Isibongozo kooDade Bam

NguMongameli Russell M. Nelson

UMongameli weQumrhu labaPostile Abalishumi Elinambini

Official portrait of Elder Russell M. Nelson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, 2004. Set apart as president of the Quorum on Wednesday, July 15, 2015 by President Thomas S. Monson.

Sifuna amandla enu, ukuguquka kwenu, ukuqiniseka kwenu, ukukwazi kwenu ukukhokela, ubulumko benu kunye namazwi enu.

Badala abathandekayo Rasband, uStevenson, noRenlund, thina, Abazalwane benu, siyanamkela kwiQumrhu LabaPostile Abalishumi Elinambini. Siyabulela kuThixo ngezityhilelo Yena azinika umprofeti waKhe, uMongameli Thomas S. Monson.

Bazalwane noodade, xa sasihlangene kwinkomfa yajikelele kwiinyanga ezintandathu ezidlulileyo, akukho namnye kuthi owayelindele utshintsho oluzayo olwaluza kutsala iintliziyo zeBandla liphela. UMdala L. Tom Perry uhambise umyalezo onamandla malunga nendima engenakuphikiswa yomtshato kunye nosapho ekucwangcisweni kweNkosi. Sothuka xa kwiintsuku nje ezimbalwa kamva, seva ngomhlaza owawuza kumthatha kuthi kungekudala.

Nangona impilo kaMongameli uBoyd K. Packer yayiye yehla, uqhubekile ngokuba “lijoni” emsebenzini weNkosi. Wayebuthathaka ngoTshazimpunzi odlulileyo, kodwa wayezimisele ukubhengeza ubungqina bakhe logama esenomphefumlo. Emva koko, kwiintsuku nje ezingama-34 emva kokudlula kukaMdala Perry, uMongameli uPacker naye wawela ngaphaya kwekhuselo.

Simkhumbule uMdala Richard G. Scott kwinkomfa yajikelele edlulileyo, kodwa siqwalasele kubungqina obunamandla boMsindisi awayebuphethe kwiinkomfa ezininzi zangaphambili. Kwaye kwiintsuku nje ezili-12 ezidlulileyo, uMdala Scott uye wabizelwa ekhaya kwaye wazimanya kwakhona nesithandwa sakhe uJeanene.

Ndibe nethamsanqa lokuba kunye nabo bonke aba Bazalwane ngeentsuku zabo zokugqibela, kubandakanya nokuhlangana namalungu weentsapho zikaMongameli uPacker kunye noMdala uScott ngaphambi nje kokuba badlule. Bekunzima kum ukukholelwa ukuba aba bahlobo bathathu baxabisekileyo, ezi zicaka zeNkosi zibalaseleyo, azisekho. Ndiyabakhumbula ngaphezu kokuba ndingatsho.

Njengokuba ndibonakalisile koku kuguquka okungalindelekanga kweziganeko, enye yeembonakalo eye yahlala nam yile ndiyibonileyo kubabafazi abasaphilayo. Kumile engqondweni yam yimifanekiso ezolileyo kaDade uDonna Smith Packer kunye noDade uBarbara Dayton Perry kwiibhedi zabayeni babo, bobabini abasetyhini abazaliswe luthando, yinyaniso, kunye nokholo olumsulwa.

Njengoko uDade Packer wayehleli ecaleni komyeni wakhe kwiiyure zakhe zokugqibela, wabhengeza olo xolo ludlula konke ukuqonda.¹ Nangona wayeqonda ukuba iqabane lakhe alithandayo laphantse iminyaka engama-70 liza kumka kungekudala, wabonisa ukuzola komfazi ozele lukholo. Wayebonakala eyingelosi, njengokuba wayekule foto yabo ekubingelelweni kweTempile yaseBrigham City Utah.

UMongameli kunye noDade Packer kwiTempile yaseBrigham City Utah

Ndabona olo hlobo lothando kunye nokholo oluvela kuDade Perry. Ukuzinikela kwakhe kumyeni wakhe nakwiNkosi kwakucacile, kwaye kwandichukumisa kakhulu.

UMdala kunye noDade Perry

Ngeeyure zokugqibela zabayeni babo nangokuqhubeka ukuza kuthi ga kulo mhla, aba basetyhini bathembekileyo babonakalise ukomelela kunye nesibindi esoloko sigcinwa ngabasetyhini abagcina umnqophiso.² Akunakwenzeka ukulinganisa impembelelo abanayo abo basetyhini, kungekuphela kwiintsapho kodwa nakwiBandla leNkosi, njengabafazi, noomama, noomakhulu; njengoodade noomakazi; njengootitshala neenkokeli; kwaye ngakumbi njengemizekelo kunye nabakhuseli abazinikeleyo bokholo.³

Oku kuyinyani kuwo onke amaxesha evangeli ukusukela ngemihla ka-Adam no-Eva. Nangona kunjalo abasetyhini beli xesha bahlukile kwabasetyhini balo nakweliphi na elinye ixesha kuba eli xesha lahlukile kwamanye.⁴ Lo mahluko uzisa amalungelo kunye noxanduva.

Umzobo kaMongameli Kimball

Kwiminyaka engamashumi amathathu anesithandathu eyadlulayo, ngo-1979, uMongameli uSpencer W. Kimball wenza isiprofeto esinzulu malunga nefuthe ababeza kuba nalo abasetyhini abagcina umnqophiso kwikamva leBandla leNkosi. Waprofeta: “Uninzi lolwando olukhulu oluzayo eBandleni ngemihla yokugqibela luza kuza kuba uninzi lwabasetyhini abalungileyo behlabathi … baza kutsalwa beze eBandleni ngamanani amakhulu. Oku kuya kwenzeka kwinqanaba lokuba abasetyhini beBandla babonakalise ubulungisa kunye nokuthetha ngokucacileyo ebomini babo nakwinqanaba lokuba abasetyhini baseBandleni babonwa njengabahlukileyo kwaye bahlukile—ngeendlela ezonwabileyo—kwabo basetyhini behlabathi.”⁵

Boodade bam abathandekayo, nina bangabalingane bethu ababalulekileyo ngesiqendu soququmbelo , umhla uMongameli Kimball awubona kwangaphambili ngulo wanamhlanje. Nina ningabasetyhini awababona kwangaphambili! Isidima senu, nokukhanya, nothando, nolwazi, nenkalipho, nesimilo, nokholo, kunye nobomi benu obulungileyo buza kutsalela abasetyhini abalungileyo behlabathi, kunye neentsapho zabo, eBandleni ngamanani angazange abonwe!⁶

Thina, bazalwana benu, sifuna amandla enu, ukuguquka kwenu, ukuqiniseka kwenu, ukukwazi kwenu ukukhokela, ubulumko benu kunye namazwi wenu. Ubukumkani bukaThixo abuphelelanga kwaye abunakuphelela ngaphandle kwabasetyhini abenza iminqophiso engcwele baze bayigcine, abasetyhini abanokuthetha ngamandla nangegunya likaThixo!⁷

UMongameli Packer ubhengeze:

“Sifuna abasetyhini abazilungiseleleyo nabasetyhini abakwaziyo ukuzilungiselela. Sifuna abasetyhini abanesakhono sokulawula abanokucwangcisa kwaye baqondise kwaye balawule; abasetyhini abanokufundisa, abasetyhini abanokuthetha. …

“Sidinga abasetyhini abanesiphiwo sokuqonda abanokujonga iimeko zehlabathi kwaye bafumane ezo, nokuba zithandwa kangakanani, azikho nzulu okanye ziyingozi.”⁸

Namhlanje, mandongeze ukuba sidinga abasetyhini abakwaziyo ukwenza izinto ezibalulekileyo zenzeke ngokholo lwabo kwaye bangabakhuseli abanesibindi bokuziphatha kunye neentsapho kwihlabathi eligula sisono. Sifuna abasetyhini abazinikele ekwaluseni abantwana bakaThixo kwindlela yomnqophiso eya ekuphakanyisweni; abasetyhini abaziyo ukufumana isityhilelo sobuqu, abawaqondayo amandla noxolo lwesipho sasetempileni; abasetyhini abakwaziyo ukubiza amandla ezulu ukukhusela nokomeleza abantwana neentsapho; abasetyhini abafundisa ngaphandle koloyiko.

Kubo bonke ubomi bam, ndisikelelwe ngabasetyhini abanjalo. Umfazi wam ongasekhoyo, uDantzel, wayengumfazi onjalo. Ndiya kusoloko ndinombulelo ngempembelelo etshintshe ubomi awayenayo kum kuzo zonke iinkalo zobomi bam, kubandakanya nemizamo yam yobuvulindlela kutyando lwentliziyo oluvulelekileyo.

Kwiminyaka engamashumi amahlanu anesibhozo eyadlulayo ndacelwa ukuba ndityande intombazana encinci, egula kakhulu ngenxa yesifo sentliziyo eyazalwa inaso. Umkhuluwa wakhe wayesweleke ekwimeko efanayo. Abazali bakhe bacengela uncedo. Ndandingenathemba malunga nesiphumo kodwa ndathembisa ukwenza konke okusemandleni am ukusindisa ubomi bakhe. Nangona ndandizamile, umntwana waye wasweleka. Emva kwexesha, kwa aba bazali bazisa enye intombi kum, emva koko ineenyanga nje ezili-16 ubudala, nayo izelwe inentliziyo engalunganga. Kwakhona, ngokwesicelo sabo, ndenza utyando. Naye lo mntwana wasweleka. Le lahleko yesithathu ibuhlungu kusapho olunye yandongamela emphefumlweni.

Ndagoduka ndibuhlungu. Ndaziphosa kwigumbi lokuhlala phantsi ndalila ubusuku bonke. UDantzel wahlala ecaleni kwam, emamele njengoko ndandiphindaphinda ukubhengeza ukuba andinakuze ndenze olunye utyando lwentliziyo. Ke, malunga nentsimbi ye-5:00 kusasa, uDantzel wandijonga kwaye ngothando wabuza, “Ugqibile ukulila? Nxiba ke. Buyela esibhedlele. Yiya emsebenzini! Kufuneka ufunde ngakumbi. Ukuba uyayeka ngoku, abanye kuya kufuneka befunde kabuhlungu oko wena sele ukwazi.

Owu, hayi indlela endandiyifuna ngayo imbono yomfazi wam, nokuzimisela, kunye nothando! Ndabuyela emsebenzini ndafunda ngakumbi. Ukuba kwakungekho ukukhuthazwa kukaDantzel okuphenjelelweyo, ngendingazange ndilandele utyando lwentliziyo evulekileyo kwaye ngendingazange ndikulungele ukwenza utyando ngo-1972 olwasindisa ubomi bukaMongameli uSpencer W. Kimball.⁹

Boodade, ingaba niyabuqonda ububanzi nomda wempembelelo yenu xa nithetha ezo zinto ziza entliziyweni nasengqondweni yenu njengoko zikhokelwa nguMoya? Umongameli obalaseleyo wengqokelela yamasebe wandixelela ngentlanganiso yebhunga lengqokelela yamasebe apho babesilwa nomcelimngeni onzima. Ngelinye ixesha, waqonda ukuba umongameli weSikolo Sabantwana sengqokelela yamasebe akazange athethe, wabuza ukuba ngaba unawo na amanye amanqaku. “Ewe, eneneni ndinawo,” utshilo emva koko wabelana ngengcinga eyatshintsha umkhomba–ndlela wentlanganiso. Umongameli wengqokelela yamasebe waqhubeka, “Njengokuba wayethetha, uMoya wandingqinela ukuba ulinikile ilizwi kwisityhilelo ebesisifuna njengebhunga.”

Boodade bam abathandekayo, nokuba lubizo luni na, nokuba zinjani iimeko zakho, sidinga iimbonakalo zenu, nokuqonda kwenu, kunye nempembelelo yenu. Sifuna ukuba nithethele phezulu kunye naphandle kumabhunga wamasebe kunye naweengqokelela zamasebe. Sifuna udade ngamnye otshatileyo ukuba athethe “njengoncedisayo kunye neqabane elipheleleyo”¹⁰ njengokuba umanyana nomyeni wakho ekulawuleni usapho lwakho. Nitshatile okanye ningatshatanga, nina boodade ninamandla okwahlula kunye nokuqonda okukhethekileyo enikufumene njengezipho ezivela kuThixo. Thina bazalwana asinakuyiphinda impembelelo yenu eyahlukileyo.

Siyazi ukuba esona senzo sikhulu nesokugqibela sayo yonke indalo yayikukudala umfazi!¹¹ Sidinga amandla enu!

Ukuhlaselwa kweBandla, nemfundiso yalo, kunye nendlela yethu yokuphila kuya kwanda. Ngenxa yoku, sidinga abantu ababhinqileyo abanengqiqo yokuqonda imfundiso kaKrestu kwaye abaya kusebenzisa olo lwazi ukufundisa nokunceda ukukhulisa isizukulwana esixhathisa isono.¹² Sifuna abasetyhini abanokubona inkohliso kuzo zonke iintlobo zayo. Sifuna abasetyhini abaziyo ukufikelela kumandla uThixo awenza ukuba afumaneke kubagcini bomnqophiso kwaye abavakalisa iinkolelo zabo ngokuzithemba nangothando lokwenene. Sifuna abasetyhini abanesibindi kunye nombono kaMama wethu u–Eva.

Boodade bam abathandekayo, akukho nto ibaluleke ngaphezu ebomini benu banaphakade kunokuguquka kwenu. Ngabafazi abaguqukileyo, abagcina umnqophiso—abafazi abanjengomfazi wam othandekayo uWendy—obomi babo bulungileyo buya kubonakala buqaqambe kwihlabathi eliwohlokayo kwaye abaya kuthi babonakale bahlukile kwaye bahlukile ngazo iindlela ezonwabileyo kakhulu.

Ke namhlanje ndiyabongoza noodade bam beBandla likaYesu Krestu labaNgcwele beMihla yokuGqibela ukuba banyathelele phambili! Thathani indawo yenu efanelekileyo neyimfuneko ekhayeni lenu, ekuhlaleni kwenu, nakubukumkani bukaThixo—ngaphezulu kunangaphambili. Ndiyanibongoza ukuba nizalisekise isiprofetho sikaMongameli Kimball. Kwaye ndiyanithembisa ngegama likaYesu Krestu ukuba xa nisenza njalo, uMoya oyiNgcwele uya kuyenza nkulu impembelelo yenu ngendlela engazange ibonwe!

Ndiyangqina ngobunyani beNkosi uYesu Krestu nangamandla aKhe akhululayo, nawahlawulelayo, kunye nawangcwalisayo. Kwaye njengomnye wabaPostile baKhe, ndiyanibulela, boodade bam abathandekayo, kwaye ndiyanisikelela ukuba niphakamise isiqu senu esipheleleyo, ukuzalisekisa umlinganiso wendalo yenu, njengokuba sihamba sibambene ngalo msebenzi ongcwele. Sisonke siya kunceda ekulungiseleleni umhlaba ukuBuya kweSibini kweNkosi. Ngale nto ndiyangqina, njengomzalwana wenu, egameni likaYesu Krestu, amen.

Izikhumbuzo

1. Bona AabaseFilipi 4:7.

2. Oku kubandakanya iinyembezi—ekugcineni umthetho wokulilela abo sibathandayo xa bephumelela kobu bomi (bona IMfundiso neMinqophiso 42:45).

3. Bona impembelelo kaRebheka ku-Isake nakunyana wabo uYakobi kwi Genesis 27:46; 28:1–4.

4. Bona uJoseph Fielding Smith, Answers to Gospel Questions, comp. Joseph Fielding Smith Jr., 5 vols. (1957–66), 4:166. Qaphela: Onke amaxesha okuhlanganisela angaphambili ayelinganiselwa kwicandelo elincinci lehlabathi kwaye apheliswa luwexuko. Ngokuchaseneyo, eli xesha lokuhlanganisela alizukulinganiselwa kwindawo okanye kwixesha. Liya kugcwalisa umhlaba kwaye lidibane nokuBuya kweSibini kweNkosi.

5. Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Spencer W. Kimball (2006), 222–23.

6. Xa ndandizalwa, amalungu eBandla ayengaphantsi kwama–600,000. Namhlanje angaphezulu kwezigidi ezili-15. Elo nani liza kuqhubeka lisanda.

7. UMongameli Joseph Fielding Smith waxelela oodade boMbutho wooMama, “Ningathetha ngegunya, kuba iNkosi ibeke igunya phezu kwenu.” Uye wathi uMbutho wooMama “unikwe amandla negunya lokwenza izinto ezininzi kakhulu. Umsebenzi abawenzayo wenziwa ngegunya elisulungekileyo” (“Relief Society—an Aid to the Priesthood,” Relief Society Magazine, Jan. 1959, 4, 5). Ezi zicatshulwa zikwacatshulwe nguMdala Dallin H. Oaks kwintetho yenkomfa, “The Keys and Authority of the Priesthood,” Ensign okanye Liyahona, Canzibe 2014, 51.

8. Boyd K. Packer, “The Relief Society,” Ensign, Nkanga 1978, 8; bona kwakhona M. Russell Ballard, Counseling with Our Councils: Learning to Minister Together in the Church and in the Family (1997), 93.

9. Bona uSpencer J. Condie, Russell M. Nelson: Father, Surgeon, Apostle (2003), 146, 153–56. Qaphela: Ngomnyaka ka–1964 uMongameli Kimball wandibekela bucala njengomongameli wengqokelela yamasebe kwaye wandisikelela ukuba amazinga okusweleka ayeyo kwehla kwimizamo yam yobuvulindlela kutyando lomthambo wesivalo sentliziyo. Kwakungekho namnye kuthi ngelo xesha owayesazi ukuba kwiminyaka esibhozo kamva, ndandiza kwenza utyando kuMongameli Kimball olwalubandakanya ukutshintshwa kwesivalo sakhe somthambo wentliziyo esingafanelekanga.

10. “Xa sithetha ngomtshato njengentsebenziswano, masithethe ngomtshato njengentsebenziswano epheleleyo. Asifuni abasetyhini bethu base-LDS ukuba babengabalingane abathulileyo okanye abalingane abasikelwe imida kuloo msebenzi wanaphakade! Nceda ube liqabane elenza igalelo kwaye nelipheleleyo” (Spencer W. Kimball, “Privileges and Responsibilities of Sisters,” Ensign, Nkanga 1978, 106)

11. “Zonke iinjongo zehlabathi nako konke okwakusemhlabeni kwakungazukuzalisekiswa ngaphandle komfazi—ilitye eliyintloko kwindalo yobubingeleli” (Russell M. Nelson, “Lessons from Eve,” Ensign, Nov. 1987, 87). “U-Eva waba yindalo yokugqibela kaThixo, isishwankathelo somsebenzi omangalisayo owawusele wenziwe ngaphambili” (Gordon B. Hinckley, “The Women in Our Lives,” Ensign okanye Liyahona, Nkanga 2004, 83).

12. Bona uRussell M. Nelson, “Children of the Covenant,” Ensign, Canzibe 1995, 33.