Naʻe fanauʻi au ʻi he 1927 ʻi ha kiʻi kolo ofi ki Chicago, Illinois, ʻAmelika. Ko e tangataʻeikí mo e fineʻeikí naʻe ʻi ai ʻena fānau ʻe toko nima—ko Jetha, Don, ko au, Karl, mo Joy. Naʻa mau fakapapauʻi kotoa ke tauhi ʻaufuatō kia Sihova. Ko Jetha naʻá ne ʻalu ki he kalasi hono ua ʻo Kiliatí ʻi he 1943. Ko Don, Karl, mo Joy naʻa nau ʻalu ki he Pēteli ʻi Brooklyn, Niu ʻIoké, ʻi he 1944, 1947, mo e 1951. Ko ʻenau faʻifaʻitakiʻanga leleí, pea pehē ki heʻeku ongo mātuʻá, naʻe maongo moʻoni kiate au.

Ko e tangataʻeikí mo e fineʻeikí ko e ongo lau Tohi Tapu ʻa ia naʻá na ʻofa ki he ʻOtuá pea uhuʻi ʻa e ʻofa ko iá ʻiate kimautolu fānaú. Kae kehe, ko e tangataʻeikí naʻe mole ʻene falala ki he ngaahi siasí ʻi he hili ʻene ngāue ko ha sōtia ʻi ʻIulope lolotonga ʻa e Tau I ʻa Māmaní. ʻI he fakamālō heʻene foki moʻui mai ki ʻapí, naʻe pehē ange ʻe he fineʻeikí: “Karl, ta ʻalu ki he lotú ʻo hangē ko ia naʻá ta anga ki aí.” Naʻe tali ange ʻa e tangataʻeikí: “Te u lue ʻo ʻave koe, ka heʻikai ke u hū au ki loto.” Naʻá ne ʻeke ange: “He ko e hā?” Naʻá ne tali ange: “Lolotonga ʻa e taú, ko e kau faifekau mei he siasi tatau ka naʻa nau kau mai ʻi he faʻahi ʻe tahá naʻa nau tāpuakiʻi ʻa e kau sōtiá mo ʻenau ngaahi meʻataú! Naʻe kau ʻa e ʻOtuá ki he ongo faʻahí fakatouʻosi?”

Ki mui ai lolotonga ʻa e ʻalu ʻa e fineʻeikí ki he lotú, naʻe ʻaʻahi mai ha toko ua ʻo e Kau Fakamoʻoni ʻa Sihová ki homau ʻapí. Naʻá na tuʻuaki ki he tangataʻeikí ʻa e tohi tokoni ki he ako Tohi Tapú voliume ʻe ua ko e Light, ʻa ia naʻe lāulea ai ki he tohi ʻa Fakahā. Naʻe mahuʻingaʻia ai ʻa e tangataʻeikí peá ne tali. ʻI he sio pē ʻa e fineʻeikí ki he ongo tohí, naʻá ne kamata lau ia. ʻI he ʻaho ʻe taha, naʻá ne sio ki ha tohi ʻi he nusipepa fakalotofonuá naʻe fakaafeʻi ai ʻa e faʻahinga naʻe mahuʻingaʻiá ki ha ako Tohi Tapu ʻo ngāueʻaki ʻa e ongo tohi Light. Naʻá ne ʻalu ki ai. ʻI heʻene aʻu atú, naʻe fakaava mai ʻe ha fefine taʻumotuʻa ʻa e matapaá. Naʻe toʻo hake ʻe he fineʻeikí ʻa e tohi ʻe taha, peá ne ʻeke ange, “ʻOku mou ako eni ʻi heni?” Ko e talí? “ʻIo. Kātaki, hū mai.” ʻI he uike hono hokó, naʻe ʻave ʻe he fineʻeikí ʻa kimautolu fānaú, pea ʻi he hili iá naʻa mau ʻalu maʻu pē ki ai.

ʻI ha fakataha ʻe taha, naʻe kole mai ʻe he faiakó ke u lau ʻa e Saame 144:​15, ʻa ia ʻoku pehē ai ko e faʻahinga ʻoku lotu kia Sihová ʻoku nau fiefia. Ko e konga tohi ko iá naʻe maongo kiate au, pea  pehē ki ha ongo veesi kehe ʻe ua—ko e 1 Tīmote 1:​11, ʻa ia ʻoku pehē ai ko Sihová ko e “ʻOtua fiefiá,” mo e ʻEfesō 5:​1, ʻa ia ʻoku enginaki mai ai ke tau “hoko ko e kau faʻifaʻitaki ki he ʻOtuá.” Naʻá ku fakamulituku ʻoku totonu ke u maʻu ʻa e fiefiá ʻi he meʻa ʻe lava ke u fai maʻa hoku Tokotaha-Fakatupú pea fakamālō kiate ia ki he monū ke fai peheé—ko e ongo foʻi moʻoni ia naʻe mātuʻaki mahuʻinga ki heʻeku moʻuí.

Ko e fakatahaʻanga ofi tahá naʻe kilomita ʻe 32 (maile ʻe 20) mei Chicago. Neongo ia, naʻa mau ʻalu ki ai, pea ko ʻeku ʻilo fekauʻaki mo e Tohi Tapú naʻe tupulaki. ʻOku ou manatuʻi ha taimi ʻe taha naʻe ʻoange ai ʻe he faiakó kia Jetha ke ne tali. ʻI he fanongo kiate iá, naʻá ku fakakaukau: ‘Naʻá ku ʻiloʻi ʻa e foʻi talí. Naʻe tonu ke u hiki hoku nimá.’ Naʻe kamata leva ke u teuteu pea fai ʻa e ngaahi tali pē ʻaʻaku. Ko e mahuʻinga angé, naʻá ku tupulaki fakalaumālie fakataha mo e toenga ʻemau fānaú. Naʻá ku papitaiso ʻi he 1941.

ʻOku ou manatuʻi lelei ʻa e fakataha-lahi ʻi he 1942 ʻi Cleveland, Ohio. Laka hake ʻi he ngaahi feituʻu ʻe 50 ʻi ʻAmelika naʻa nau kau ki ai fakafou ʻi he telefoní. Naʻe nofo homau fāmilí ʻi he ngaahi tēniti ʻi ha “kolo taulani” ofi ki ai ʻa ia naʻe fokotuʻutuʻu ʻe hotau fanga tokouá. Ko e uhouhonga ia ʻo e Tau II ʻa Māmaní, pea naʻe fakautuutu ʻa hono fakafepakiʻi ʻa e Kau Fakamoʻoni ʻa Sihová. ʻI he efiafí, naʻá ku sio ki ha kulupu ʻo e fanga tokouá ʻoku tau pē ʻenau meʻalelé ʻo hanga ki tuʻa. Naʻa nau ʻosi felotoi ke ʻi ai ha taha ʻi he meʻalele taki taha ke leʻo ʻi he poó kotoa. Ka ʻi ai ha faʻahinga fakaʻilonga ʻo ha fakatuʻutāmaki, ko e fanga tokouá te nau fakamoʻui ʻa e māmá ke fakapopongi ʻa e mata ʻo e kau ʻohofí pea hooni ʻa e meʻalelé. Ko e niʻihi kehé te nau lele atu leva ke tokoni. Naʻá ku fakakaukau, ‘Ko e kakai ʻa Sihová ʻoku nau mateuteu lelei ki he meʻa kotoa!’ ʻI heʻeku tuipaú, naʻá ku mohe fiemālie, pea naʻe ʻikai ke hoko ha fakatuʻutāmaki.

Hili ha ngaahi taʻu ki mui ai, ʻi he fakakaukauloto ki he fakataha-lahi ko iá, naʻá ku ʻiloʻi ko ʻeku faʻeé naʻe ʻikai ke hā meiate ia ha loto-moʻua pe manavahē. Naʻá ne falala kakato kia Sihova mo ʻene kautahá. ʻE ʻikai ʻaupito ke ngalo ʻiate au ʻene faʻifaʻitakiʻanga leleí.

Ki muʻa siʻi ʻi he fakataha-lahi ko iá, naʻe hoko ʻa e fineʻeikí ko ha tāimuʻa tuʻumaʻu. Ko ia naʻá ne tokanga makehe ki he ngaahi malanga ʻoku lāulea ki he ngāue taimi-kakató. ʻI heʻemau foki ki ʻapí, naʻá ne pehē, “Te u saiʻia ke hokohoko atu ʻeku ngāue tāimuʻá, ka heʻikai lava ke u fai ia pea mo tokangaʻi lelei hotau ʻapí ʻi he taimi tatau.” Naʻá ne kole mai leva pe te mau tokoni ange. Naʻa mau tala ange ʻio, ko ia naʻá ne vaheʻi mai kiate kimautolu taki taha ha loki ʻe taha pe ua ke fakamaau ki muʻa he kai pongipongí. Hili ʻemau mavahe ki he akó, te ne vakaiʻi pe kuo maau e falé peá ne ʻalu atu leva ʻi he ngāue fakafaifekaú. Ko ha fefine femoʻuekina ia, ka naʻe ʻikai ʻaupito ke ne fakaliʻeliʻaki ʻene fānaú. ʻI heʻemau foki mai ki ʻapi ʻi he kai hoʻataá mo e tuku ʻa e akó, naʻá ne ʻi ai maʻu pē kiate kimautolu. Ko e ngaahi ʻaho ʻe niʻihi ʻi he tuku ʻa e akó, naʻa mau ʻalu fakataha mo ia ʻi he ngāue fakafaifekaú, ʻa ia naʻe tokoni ia ke mau mahinoʻi ʻa e ʻuhinga ʻo e hoko ko ha tāimuʻá.

Naʻá ku kamata tāimuʻa ʻi hoku taʻu 16. Neongo naʻe teʻeki ai ke hoko ʻa e tangataʻeikí ko ha Fakamoʻoni, naʻá ne mahuʻingaʻia ke sio pe naʻe fēfē ʻeku ngāue fakafaifekaú. ʻI he efiafi ʻe taha, naʻá ku tala ange neongo ʻeku feinga mālohí, kuo teʻeki ai ke u maʻu ha tokotaha naʻe loto ke ako Tohi Tapu. ʻI he kiʻi  tuʻu ʻa e talanoá, naʻá ku ʻeke ange, “Te ke loto-lelei pē ke ta ako?” Naʻá ne kiʻi fakakaukau peá ne tali mai, “ʻOku ʻikai ke u fakakaukau ki ha ʻuhinga lelei ke u taʻefai pehē ai.” ʻIo, ko ʻeku fuofua ako Tohi Tapú ko ʻeku tamaí. He monū ē ko ia!

Naʻá ma ako ʻa e tohi “The Truth Shall Make You Free.” ʻI he fakalakalaka ʻema akó, naʻá ku fakatokangaʻi ko e tangataʻeikí naʻá ne tokoniʻi au ke u hoko ko ha tokotaha ako mo ha faiako lelei ange. Ko e fakatātaá, ʻi he efiafi ʻe taha hili ʻema lau ha palakalafi, naʻá ne pehē mai: “ʻOku ou sio ki he meʻa ʻoku leaʻaki ʻe he tohí. Ka ʻoku anga-fēfē hoʻo ʻiloʻi ʻoku moʻoni ʻa e tohí?” Naʻe ʻikai ke u mateuteu ki ai, ko ia naʻá ku pehē ange, “Heʻikai ke u lava ʻo fakamoʻoniʻi atu ia he taimí ni, ka ʻi heʻeta ako hokó, te u maʻu ha tali ki ai.” Pea naʻá ku maʻu ia. Naʻá ku maʻu ha ngaahi veesi ke poupouʻiʻaki ʻa e poini naʻá ma lāulea ki aí. Hili iá, naʻá ku teuteu lelei ange ki heʻema akó, ʻo u ako ke fai ha fekumi. Naʻe tokoni ia ki heʻeku tupu fakalaumālié pea pehē ki heʻeku tamaí. Naʻá ne ngāueʻaki ʻa e meʻa naʻá ne akó peá ne papitaiso ʻi he 1952.

Naʻá ku mavahe mei ʻapi ʻi heʻeku taʻu 17. Naʻe hoko ʻa Jetha a ko ha misinale, pea naʻe ngāue ʻa Don ʻi he Pētelí. Naʻá na fakatou ʻofa ʻi hona vāhenga-ngāué, pea naʻe mātuʻaki fakalototoʻa ia kiate au. Ko ia naʻá ku tohi kole ki he Pētelí mo e Akoʻanga Kiliatí pea tuku ʻa e meʻá ki he toʻukupu ʻo Sihová. Ko e olá? Naʻe fakaafeʻi au ki Pēteli ʻi he 1946.

ʻI he faai mai ʻa e ngaahi taʻú, kuó u maʻu ʻa e ngaahi vāhenga-ngāue kehekehe ʻi Pēteli, ko ia naʻe lahi ʻa e ngaahi meʻa foʻou naʻe lava ke u ako. Ko hono moʻoní, ʻi he taʻu ʻe 75 ʻo ʻeku ʻi he Pētelí, naʻe akoʻi ai au ki he founga ke tokoni ki hono faʻu ʻa e ʻū tohí pea mo e ngāue faka-ʻakaunitení. Naʻá ku toe ako foki ki he fehūʻaki koloá. Kae hiliō he meʻa kotoa, naʻá ku fiefia ʻi he ako fakalaumālie hokohoko naʻe tokonaki ʻe he Pētelí fakafou ʻi he lotu pongipongí mo e ngaahi malanga makatuʻunga ʻi he Tohi Tapú.

Naʻá ku toe ako mei hoku tokoua siʻisiʻí, ʻa Karl, ʻa ia naʻá ne haʻu ki he Pētelí ʻi he 1947. Ko ha tokotaha ako mo ha faiako lelei ʻaupito ia ʻo e Tohi Tapú. ʻI he taimi ʻe taha naʻá ku kole ange ke ne tokoni mai ki ha malanga naʻe vaheʻi mai ke u fakahoko. Naʻá ku fakamatala kia Karl kuó u tānaki ha ngaahi fakamatala lahi ka naʻá ku fāinga mo e founga ke ngāueʻaki ai iá. Naʻá ne taki au ki he solovaʻangá ʻaki ha foʻi fehuʻi ʻe taha, “Joel, ko e hā hoʻo kaveingá?” Naʻá ku mahinoʻi ʻene ʻuhingá—ngāueʻaki pē ʻa e fakamatala ʻoku feʻungamālié pea tuku leva ʻa e toengá. Naʻe ʻikai ʻaupito ke ngalo ʻiate au ʻa e lēsoni ko iá.

Ke hoko ʻo fiefia ʻi he Pētelí, naʻe fiemaʻu ke mau kau kakato ki he ngāue fakafaifekaú, pea ʻe lava ke  iku atu ia ki ha ngaahi hokosia fakalototoʻa. Ko ha hokosia ʻe taha ʻoku ou manatuʻi lelei naʻe hoko kei efiafia ʻi he Bronx ʻi Niu ʻIoke. Naʻá ku ʻaʻahi mo ha tokoua ki ha fefine ʻa ia naʻá ne tali ki muʻa ʻa e Taua Leʻo mo e ʻĀ Hake! Naʻá ma fakafeʻiloaki kimaua, ʻo pehē, “ʻI he efiafí ni ʻokú ma tokoniʻi ʻa e kakaí ke nau ako ha ngaahi meʻa fakatupu langa hake mei he Tohi Tapú.” Naʻá ne tali mai, “Kapau ʻoku fekauʻaki mo e Tohi Tapú, mo hū mai.” Naʻá ma lau pea lāulea ki ha ngaahi konga Tohi Tapu ʻe niʻihi fekauʻaki mo e Puleʻanga ʻo e ʻOtuá pea mo e māmani foʻou ka hoko maí. ʻOku hā mahino naʻe maongo moʻoni ia kiate ia, he naʻá ne fakaafeʻi mai ha niʻihi ʻo hono ngaahi kaumeʻá ke kau fakataha mo kimautolu ʻi he uike hokó. Naʻá ne hoko ki mui ai mo hono husepānití ko e kau sevāniti faitōnunga ʻa Sihova.

Naʻe talu ʻeku kumi ki ha hoa mali ʻi he taʻu nai ʻe 10 ki muʻa ke u fetaulaki mo hoku uaifí. Ko e hā naʻá ne tokoniʻi au ke u maʻu ha uaifi leleí? Naʻá ku fakakaukau ʻi he faʻa lotu ki he fehuʻi, ‘Ko e hā ʻoku ou loto ke fai ʻi he hili ʻema malí?’

Hili ʻa e fakataha-lahi ʻi he 1953 ʻi he Yankee Stadium, naʻá ku fetaulaki mo ha tuofefine ko Mary Aniol. Ko ia mo Jetha naʻá na ʻi he kalasi hono ua ʻo Kiliatí, pea ko Mary ʻa e kaungāmisinale ʻa hoku tuofefiné. ʻI he loto-vēkeveke, naʻe talanoa mai ʻe Mary ʻa hono ngaahi vāhenga-ngāue fakamisinale ʻi he Kalipiané pea mo e ngaahi ako Tohi Tapu naʻá ne fakahoko ʻi he faai mai ʻa e ngaahi taʻú. ʻI heʻema maheni lelei angé, naʻá ma fakatokangaʻi tā naʻá ma tuli ki he ngaahi taumuʻa fakalaumālie tatau. Naʻe tupulaki ʻema feʻofaʻakí, pea naʻá ma mali ʻi ʻEpeleli 1955. ʻI he ngaahi founga lahi, naʻe hoko moʻoni ʻa Mary ko ha meʻaʻofa meia Sihova pea ko ha faʻifaʻitakiʻanga ke faʻifaʻitaki ki ai. Naʻá ne fiefia ʻi ha vāhenga-ngāue pē naʻe ʻoange kiate ia. Naʻá ne ngāue mālohi, tokanga loto-moʻoni ki he niʻihi kehé, pea fakamuʻomuʻa maʻu pē ʻa e ngaahi meʻa ʻo e Puleʻangá. (Māt. 6:33) Naʻá ma ngāue fakasēketi ʻi he taʻu ʻe tolu, pea ʻi he 1958, naʻe fakaafeʻi kimaua ki Pēteli ko ha ongo meʻa mali.

Naʻá ku ako ha meʻa lahi meia Mary. Ko e fakatātaá, ʻi he kamata ʻema nofo malí, naʻá ma fili ke lau fakataha ʻa e Tohi Tapú, ʻo lau ʻa e veesi ʻe 15 nai ʻi he taimi taki taha. Hili hono lau ʻe ha taha ʻo kimaua ha konga, te ma fakamatalaʻi ʻa e ngaahi vēsí pea lāulea ki he founga ke ngāueʻaki ai ia ʻi heʻema moʻuí. Naʻe faʻa talanoa mai ʻe Mary ʻa e meʻa naʻá ne ako ʻi Kiliatí pe ʻi heʻene ngāue fakamisinalé. Ko e ngaahi fetalanoaʻaki ko ení naʻá ne ʻomai kiate au ʻa e vavanga pea tokoniʻi au ke fakalakalaka ʻeku ngaahi malangá pea mo e ngaahi fakalototoʻa fakafoʻituitui ʻoku ou ʻoatu ki he fanga tuofāfiné.—Pal. 25:11.

Naʻe mate siʻoku ʻofaʻanga ko Mary ʻi he 2013. He fakaʻamua ē ʻe au ke toe sio kiate ia ʻi he māmani foʻoú! ʻI he lolotonga ní, ʻoku ou fakapapauʻi ke hokohoko atu ʻeku akó, ʻo falala kia Sihova ʻaki hoku lotó kotoa. (Pal. 3:​5, 6) ʻOku ou maʻu ʻa e fakafiemālie mo e fiefia ʻi he fakakaukau atu ki he meʻa ʻe fai ʻe he kakai ʻa Sihová ʻi he māmani foʻoú. ʻE kau moʻoni ki ai ʻa e ako mei hotau Faiako Maʻongoʻongá pea toe ako foki ʻo fekauʻaki mo ia! ʻIo, ʻoku ʻikai ha lea ʻe feʻunga ke u fakamālō kiate ia ʻi he meʻa kotoa kuó ne akoʻi mai kiate aú pea ki he ngaahi fakahāhā ʻo ʻene ʻofa maʻataʻatā.