ʻI he konga ki muʻa ʻo e 1940 tupú, naʻe ako Tohi Tapu ʻeku ongo mātuʻá mo e Kau Fakamoʻoni ʻa Sihová. Naʻe ʻikai ke hoko atu ʻa e ako ko iá, ka naʻe kei hokohoko atu pē hono maʻu ʻe heʻeku faʻeé ʻa e tatau ʻo e makasini Watchtower mo e Awake! ʻI he 1950 naʻe fakahoko ha fakataha-lahi fakavahaʻapuleʻanga ʻi he Kolo Niu ʻIoké, pea naʻe tali ʻe hoku fāmilí ʻa e fakaafe ke kau ki ai.

ʻI he hili pē iá, ko Tokoua Lawrence Jeffries naʻá ne kamata ʻaʻahi mai kiate kimautolu. Naʻá ne feinga ke tokoniʻi au. ʻI he kamatá, naʻe ʻikai ke u loto-tatau mo ia ʻi he fekauʻaki mo e tuʻu-ʻatā ʻa e Kau Fakamoʻoni ʻa Sihová mei he ngaahi meʻa fakapolitikalé mo e ngāue fakakautaú. Naʻá ku fakakikihi kapau ʻe fakafisi ʻa e taha kotoa ʻi ʻAmelika ke ʻalu ʻi he taú, ʻe haʻu ʻa e ngaahi filí ʻo puleʻi ʻa e kotoa ʻo e fonuá. Naʻe fakaʻuhinga anga-kātaki ʻa Tokoua Jeffries: “ʻOkú ke pehē ko e hā ʻe fai ʻe Sihova ko e ʻOtuá kapau ko e kakai kotoa ʻi ʻAmeliká te nau tauhi kiate ia pea haʻu ʻa e filí ke ʻohofi kinautolu?” Ko ʻene fakamatala felāveʻi mo iá pea fekauʻaki mo e ngaahi ʻīsiu kehe naʻá ne tokoniʻi au ke u sio ko ʻeku fakakikihí naʻe taʻeʻuhinga. Naʻe langaʻi ai ʻeku mahuʻingaʻiá.

Naʻá ku fakamoleki ʻa e laui houa ʻi hono lau ʻa e ngaahi ʻīsiu motuʻa ange ʻo e Watchtower mo e Awake! ʻa ia naʻe tauhi ʻe heʻeku faʻeé ʻi he fale tukuʻanga meʻá. ʻI he faai atu ʻa e taimí, naʻá ku ʻiloʻi ko e moʻoní naʻá ku akó, ko ia naʻá ku tali ʻa e tuʻuaki ako Tohi Tapu ʻa Tokoua Jeffries. Naʻá ku toe kamata maʻu maʻu pē ʻa e ngaahi fakatahá. Naʻe fakafonu ʻa e moʻoní ʻi hoku lotó, pea naʻá ku hoko ko ha tokotaha malangaʻi ʻo e ongoongo leleí. Naʻe liliu ʻeku ngaahi taumuʻá ʻi heʻeku mahinoʻi “ko e ʻaho lahi ʻo Sihová [naʻe] ofi.” (Sēf. 1:14) ʻI he ʻikai fakahangataha ʻeku tokangá ki he ʻunivēsití, naʻá ku loto ke  tokoniʻi ʻa e niʻihi kehé ke nau ako ʻa e moʻoni Fakatohitapú.

Naʻá ku ʻosi mei he kolisí ʻi Sune 13, 1956, pea ʻi ha ʻaho ʻe tolu mei ai, naʻá ku papitaiso ʻi ha ʻasemipilī fakasēketi. Naʻe ʻikai ke u teitei ʻiloʻi ʻe lahi fau ʻa e ngaahi tāpuaki te u maʻu mei he līʻoa ʻeku moʻuí ki he ako mo e faiako fekauʻaki mo Sihová.

ʻI he māhina ʻe ono hili ʻeku papitaisó, naʻá ku hoko ko ha tāimuʻa tuʻumaʻu. Ko e Kingdom Ministry ʻo Tīsema 1956 naʻe fakakau ai ʻa e kupu “ʻE Lava Ke Ke Ngāue ʻi ha Feituʻu ʻOku Lahi Ai ʻa e Fiemaʻú?” Ko e fakaafe ko ení naʻá ku kau foki mo au ki ai. Naʻá ku loto ke tokoni ʻi he feituʻu naʻe tokosiʻi ai ʻa e kau malangaʻi ʻo e ongoongo leleí.​—Māt. 24:14.

Naʻá ku hiki ki Edgefield, South Carolina. Naʻe toko fā pē ʻa e kau malanga ʻi he fakatahaʻanga ko iá. Naʻe toko nima ʻaki au. Naʻa mau fai ʻa e ngaahi fakatahá ʻi he loki ʻi muʻa ʻi he fale ʻo ha tokoua. ʻI he māhina taki taha, naʻá ku fakamoleki ʻa e houa ʻe 100 ʻi he ngāue fakafaifekaú. Naʻá ku femoʻuekina ʻi he takimuʻa ʻi he ngāue fakamalangá pea fakahoko mo e ngaahi konga ʻi he fakatahá. Ko e meʻa fakatupu tokangá, ko e lahi ange ʻa e meʻa naʻá ku faí, ko e lahi ange ia ʻeku ako fekauʻaki mo Sihová.

Ko ha fefine ʻe taha naʻá ku ako Tohi Tapu mo ia naʻe ʻi ai ʻene fale mate ʻi Johnston, ko ha kiʻi kolo ʻi ha laui maile mei he feituʻu naʻá ku nofo aí. Naʻá ne anga-ʻofa ʻo ne fakaʻatā ke u ngāue konga-taimi pea tuku ke mau ngāueʻaki ha kiʻi fale ki he fakatahá.

Ko Tokoua Jolly Jeffries, ʻa e foha ʻo e tokoua naʻe ako mo aú, naʻá ne hiki mai mei Brooklyn, Niu ʻIoke, pea hoko ko hoku hoa tāimuʻa. Naʻá ma nofo ʻi ha kiʻi taulani naʻe ʻomai ʻe ha tokoua.

Ko e vāhenga ʻi he Tongá naʻe māʻulalo. Naʻá ma maʻu ha tola ʻe ua pe tolu ʻi he ʻaho ngāue ʻe taha. ʻI he taimi ʻe taha, naʻá ku fakamoleki ʻa e kiʻi koini naʻe toé ke fakatau mai ha meʻakai mei he falekoloá. ʻI heʻeku hū atu ki tuʻá, naʻe fakaofiofi mai ha tangata ʻo ʻeke mai: “ʻOkú ke fiemaʻu ngāue? Te u totongi atu ʻa e tola ʻe taha ʻi he houa.” Naʻá ne ʻomai ha ngāue ʻaho ʻe tolu ke fakamaʻa ha feituʻu langa. Naʻe hā mahino naʻe tokoniʻi au ʻe Sihova ke u nofo pē ʻi Edgefield. Ka naʻá ku ʻalu ki he fakataha-lahi fakavahaʻapuleʻanga ʻi he 1958 ʻi he Kolo Niu ʻIoké.

ʻI he ʻaho hono ua ʻo e fakataha-lahí, naʻe ʻi ai ha meʻa makehe naʻe hoko. Naʻá ku fetaulaki mo Ruby Wadlington, ʻa ia naʻá ne ngāue ko ha tāimuʻa tuʻumaʻu ʻi Gallatin, Tennessee. Koeʻuhi naʻá ma maʻu ʻa e mahuʻingaʻia tatau ʻi he ngāue fakamisinalé, naʻá ma maʻu ʻa e fakataha ki Kiliati ʻi he fakataha-lahi ko iá. Ki mui ai, naʻe kamata ke ma fetohiʻaki. Pea naʻe fakaafeʻi au ke u fai ha malanga maʻá e kakaí ʻi Gallatin. Naʻá ku puke ʻa e faingamālie ko iá ke kole mali kiate ia. Naʻá ku hiki ki he fakatahaʻanga ʻa Ruby, pea naʻá ma mali ʻi he 1959.

ʻI heʻeku taʻu 23, naʻe fakanofo au ko e sevāniti ʻa e fakatahaʻangá (ʻoku ui he taimí ni ko e sea ʻo e kulupu ʻo e kau mātuʻá) ʻi Gallatin. Ko ʻemau fakatahaʻangá naʻe fuofua ʻaʻahi mai ki ai ʻa Charles  Thompson ko ha ʻovasia sēketi. Naʻá ne taukei lahi; neongo ia, naʻá ne ʻeke mai pe ko e hā ʻeku fakakaukau fekauʻaki mo e fiemaʻu ʻa e fanga tokouá pea mo e founga naʻe tokangaʻi ai ʻe he kau ʻovasia sēketi kehé ʻa e ngaahi meʻa ko iá. Naʻá ku ako meiate ia ʻoku lelei ke ʻeke ʻa e ngaahi fehuʻi pea maʻu ʻa e ngaahi moʻoniʻi meʻá kotoa ki muʻa ke ngāue ki ha meʻa.

ʻI Mē 1964, naʻe fakaafeʻi au ke kau ʻi he Ako Fakafaifekau ʻo e Puleʻangá māhina ʻe taha naʻe fai ʻi South Lansing, Niu ʻIoke. Ko e fanga tokoua naʻa nau fakahoko ʻa e ako ko ení naʻa nau fakatupulekina ʻiate au ha holi mālohi ke ako lahi ange pea ke tupulekina ko ha tokotaha fakalaumālie.

Naʻá ku maʻu mo Ruby ha fakaafe ke kau ʻi he ngāue fakasēketí ʻi Sanuali 1965. Naʻe vaheʻi kimaua ki ha sēketi naʻá ne kāpui ha feituʻu lahi, mei Knoxville, Tennessee, ʻo meimei aʻu atu ki Richmond, Virginia. Naʻe kau ai ʻa e ngaahi fakatahaʻanga ʻi North Carolina, Kentucky mo West Virginia. Naʻá ku ngāue pē ki he ngaahi fakatahaʻanga ʻuliʻulí koeʻuhi ʻi he taimi ko iá naʻe hokolahia ai ʻa e lau-lanú ʻi he fakatonga ʻo ʻAmeliká, ko ia naʻe ʻikai lava ke fakataha fakatahataha ʻa e kau ʻuliʻulí mo e kau pālangí. Naʻe ʻikai loko maʻu ʻe he fanga tokouá ha meʻa fakamatelie, pea naʻa mau ako ke vahevahe ʻa e meʻa naʻa mau maʻú mo e faʻahinga masivá. Ko ha ʻovasia sēketi fuoloa naʻá ne akoʻi mai ha lēsoni mātuʻaki mahuʻinga: “Hoko ko ha tokoua. ʻOua te ke ʻalu ki ha fakatahaʻanga ʻo hangē ko koe ʻa e pulé. ʻE lava ke ke tokoniʻi kinautolu kapau te nau vakai atu ko honau tokoua koe.”

Lolotonga ʻema ʻaʻahi ki ha kiʻi fakatahaʻanga ʻe taha, naʻe kamata ako ʻa Ruby mo ha kiʻi fefine naʻe ʻi ai ʻene kiʻi taʻahine taʻu taha. ʻI he taimi naʻe ʻikai lava ai ha taha ʻi he fakatahaʻangá ke fakahoko ʻa e akó, naʻe fai ia ʻe Ruby fakafou ʻi he faitohí. ʻI heʻema ʻaʻahi hokó, naʻe haʻu ʻa e fefiné ki he fakatahá kotoa. ʻI he taimi naʻe hiki ki ai ha ongo tuofāfine tāimuʻa makehe, naʻá na hokohoko atu ʻa e akó, pea naʻe vave ʻene papitaisó. ʻI ha taʻu ʻe 30 ki mui ai ʻi he 1995, ʻi he Pēteli Patterson, naʻe haʻu ha kiʻi finemui ʻo fakafeʻiloaki ia kia Ruby. Ko e taʻahine ia ʻa e fefine naʻe ako mo Ruby. Ko e taʻahiné mo hono husepānití naʻá na kau ʻi he kalasi hono 100 ʻo e Akoʻanga Kiliatí.

Ko ʻema sēketi hono uá naʻe ʻi Fololita lotoloto. ʻI he taimi ko ení naʻá ma fiemaʻu ha meʻalele, ko ia naʻá ma fakatau mai ha meʻalele ʻi ha totongi maʻamaʻa ʻaupito. Kae kehe, ʻi he ʻuluaki uiké, naʻe maumau ʻa e pamu vaí. Naʻe ʻikai ke ʻi ai ha paʻanga ke ngaahi ʻaki. Naʻá ku tā ki ha tokoua naʻá ku ʻiloʻi te ne malava ʻo tokoni mai. Naʻá ne fekau ha taha ʻo ʻene kau ngāué ke haʻu ʻo ngaahi ʻa e meʻalelé pea naʻe ʻikai ke ne tali ke totongi ia. Naʻá ne pehē mai pē, “Kuo ʻosi totongi ia.” Naʻe aʻu ʻo ne ʻomai mo ha paʻanga ko ha meʻaʻofa! Ko ha fakatātā fakaʻofoʻofa ia ʻo e anga hono tokangaʻi ʻe Sihova ʻene kau sevānití. Naʻe fakamanatu mai ai ke ma nima-homo ki he niʻihi kehé.

ʻI he taimi kotoa pē naʻá ma ʻaʻahi ai ki ha fakatahaʻanga, naʻá ma nofo ʻi he ʻapi ʻo e fanga tokouá. Ko hono olá, naʻá ma maʻu ʻa e ngaahi kaumeʻa tuʻuloa. ʻI he ʻaho ʻe taha, naʻe kei ʻi he taipé ha līpooti ʻa e fakatahaʻangá naʻe teʻeki ke ʻosi ʻeku taipeʻi. ʻI heʻeku foki atu ʻi he efiafí, naʻá ku ʻiloʻi ko e kiʻi tamasiʻi taʻu tolu ʻa e fāmili naʻá ma nofo aí naʻá ne ʻosi fakaʻosi ʻe ia ʻa e līpōtí. Naʻá ku fakamataliliʻi ia fekauʻaki mo e meʻá ni ʻi ha ngaahi taʻu lahi.

ʻI he 1971, naʻá ku maʻu ha tohi ʻo vaheʻi au ke ngāue ko ha ʻovasia fakavahe ʻi he Kolo Niu ʻIoké. Naʻá ma ʻohovale! ʻI heʻema hiki ki aí, naʻá ku taʻu 34 pē. Naʻe talitali loto-māfana au ʻe he fanga tokouá ko ʻenau fuofua ʻovasia fakavahe ʻuliʻulí.

ʻI he tuʻunga ko ha ʻovasia fakavahe, naʻá ku fiefia ʻi he faiako fekauʻaki mo Sihova ʻi he fakaʻosinga uike taki taha ʻi ha ʻasemipilī fakasēketi. Ko e tokolahi ʻo e kau ʻovasia sēketí naʻa nau taukei lahi ange ʻiate au. Ko e taha ʻo kinautolu naʻá ne fakahoko ʻa e malanga ʻi heʻeku papitaisó. Ko ha tokoua ʻe taha, ko Theodore Jaracz, ʻa ia ki mui ai naʻá ne hoko ko ha mēmipa ʻo e Kulupu Pulé. Naʻe tokolahi foki mo e fanga tokoua taukei naʻa nau ngāue ʻi he Pēteli ʻi Brooklyn. Naʻá ku houngaʻia lahi ʻi hono ʻai au ʻe he kau ʻovasia sēketí mo e kau Pētelí ke u ongoʻi fiemālié. Naʻá ku fakamoʻoniʻi tonu ai ko e kau tauhi-sipi anga-ʻofa eni naʻa nau falala ki he Folofola ʻa e ʻOtuá pea poupou mateaki ki he kautahá. Ko ʻenau anga-fakatōkilaló naʻá ne ʻai ke faingofua ʻeku ngāue ko ha ʻovasia fakavahé.

ʻI he 1974 naʻe vaheʻi ʻe he Kulupu Pulé ha kulupu ʻe taha ʻo e kau ʻovasia sēketí ki he ngāue fakavahé, pea naʻá ku toe ngāue ko ha ʻovasia sēketi​—ʻi he taimi ko ení ʻi South Carolina. Ko e meʻa fakafiefia ki he fanga tokouá, ʻi he taimi ko iá ko e ngaahi fakatahaʻangá mo e ngaahi sēketí naʻe ʻikai ke toe fakamavahevaheʻi ʻa e kau ʻuliʻulí mo e kau pālangí.

ʻI he konga ki mui ʻo e 1976, naʻe vaheʻi au ki ha sēketi ʻi Siōsia ʻi he vahaʻa ʻo Atlanta mo Columbus. ʻOku ou manatuʻi lelei hono fakahoko ʻa e malanga putu ʻo ha fānau ʻuliʻuli ʻe toko nima naʻa nau mate ʻi hano tutu ʻe ha niʻihi honau falé. Naʻe tokoto falemahaki ʻa e faʻeé koeʻuhí naʻá ne lavea lahi. Naʻe ʻaukolo mai ʻa e Kau Fakamoʻoni ʻa Sihová, fakatouʻosi ʻa e ʻuliʻuli mo e pālangi, ki he falemahakí ke fakafiemālie ki he ongo mātuʻá. Naʻá ku vakai ki he mahulu atu ʻa e ʻofa ʻa e fanga tokouá. Ko e manavaʻofa peheé ʻe lava ke ne tokoniʻi ʻa e kau sevāniti ʻa e ʻOtuá ke nau fekuki mo e ngaahi tuʻunga faingataʻa tahá.

ʻI he 1977 naʻe kole mai ke ma ʻalu ki he Pēteli ʻi Brooklyn ke tokoni ʻi ha poloseki ʻi ha ngaahi māhina siʻi. ʻI he taimi naʻe mei kakato ai iá, ko ha mēmipa ʻe toko ua ʻo e Kulupu Pulé naʻa mau fakataha pea ʻeke mai pe te u loto-lelei mo Ruby ke ngāue tuʻumaʻu ʻi Pēteli. Naʻá ma tali ʻa e fakaafé.

ʻI he taʻu ʻe 24, naʻá ku ngāue ʻi he Potungāue Ngāué, ʻa ia ʻoku faʻa fetaulaki ai ʻa e fanga tokouá mo e ngaahi fehuʻi pelepelengesi mo fihi. ʻI he faai mai ʻa e ngaahi taʻú, kuo tokonaki ʻe he Kulupu Pulé ʻa e tataki ʻoku fehoanaki mo e ngaahi tefitoʻi moʻoni Fakatohitapú. ʻOku ngāueʻaki eni ko e makatuʻunga ki hono tali ʻo e ngaahi fehuʻí, ka ʻoku toe hoko ia ko e makatuʻunga ki hono akoʻi ʻo e kau ʻovasia sēketí, kau mātuʻá mo e kau tāimuʻá. Ko e ako ko ení kuó ne tokoniʻi ʻa e tokolahi ke nau tupu fakalaumālie. Kuo hoko ia ko ha fakakoloa ki he kautaha ʻa Sihová.

Mei he 1995 ki he 2018, naʻá ku ʻaʻahi ki he ngaahi ʻōfisi vaʻa kehekehe ko ha fakafofonga ʻo e ʻuluʻi ʻapitangá, ʻa ia naʻe ui ki muʻa ko e ʻovasia sone. Naʻá ku fakataha mo e Kōmiti Vaʻá, kau Pētelí mo e kau misinalé ke fakalototoʻaʻi mo tokoniʻi kinautolu. ʻI he tafaʻaki ʻe tahá, ko au mo Ruby naʻe langa hake maʻu pē kimaua ʻe he ngaahi hokosia naʻe vahevahe mai kiate kimauá. Ko e fakatātaá, naʻá ma ʻaʻahi ki Luanitā ʻi he 2000. Naʻe maongo loloto kiate kimaua ʻa e fanongo ki he founga naʻe hao ai ʻa e fanga tokouá mo e fāmili Pētelí ʻi he fakaʻauha fakafaʻahinga ʻi he 1994. Naʻe mole ʻa e ngaahi ʻofaʻanga ʻo e tokolahi. Neongo ʻa e meʻa naʻa nau kātekiná, naʻe fakahāhā ʻe he fanga tokoua ko iá ʻa e tui, ʻamanaki mo e fiefia.

ʻOkú ma taʻu 80 tupu he taimí ni. ʻI he taʻu ʻe 20 kuo maliu atú, kuó u ngāue mo e Kōmiti Vaʻa ʻi ʻAmeliká. Naʻe ʻikai ʻaupito ke u ako ʻi ha ʻunivēsiti; neongo ia, kuó u maʻu ʻa e ako māʻolunga tahá meia Sihova mo ʻene kautahá. Kuo teuʻi heni au ke akoʻi ʻa e moʻoni Fakatohitapú ki he niʻihi kehé ʻa ia ʻe lava ke nau maʻu ʻaonga tuʻuloa mei ai. (2 Kol. 3:5; 2 Tīm. 2:2) Kuó u sio ki he founga hono tokoniʻi ʻe he pōpoaki ʻo e Tohi Tapú ʻa e kakaí ke fakaleleiʻi ʻenau moʻuí pea ke fakatupulekina ha vahaʻangatae mo honau Tokotaha-Fakatupú. (Sēm. 4:8) Ko au mo Ruby ʻoku hokohoko atu ʻema fakalototoʻaʻi ʻa e niʻihi kehé, ʻi ha faingamālie pē ʻokú ma maʻu, ke nau koloaʻaki ʻa e monū ʻo e ako fekauʻaki mo Sihová pea akoʻi ʻa e moʻoni Fakatohitapú ki he niʻihi kehé​—ʻa e monū lahi taha ʻe lava ke maʻu ʻe ha sevāniti ʻa Sihova!