Hisitōlia ʻo e Siasí
Tōmasi S. Monisoni

Tōmasi S. Monisoni

Naʻe hoko ʻa Tōmasi S. Monisoni ko e Palesiteni hono 16 ʻo e Siasí mei Fēpueli 2008 ʻo aʻu ki heʻene pekia ʻi Sānuali 2018. Naʻe fāʻeleʻi ia kia Kelētisi Konitī Monisoni mo G. Sipenisā Monisoni ʻi he 1927 pea tupu hake i Sōleki Siti, pea tokolahi mo hono kāinga naʻe nofo pē ʻi he feituʻu tatau. Naʻe kau ʻi heʻene tupu haké ʻa e ngaahi faʻahitaʻu māfana ʻi he Kenioni ʻo Polovó ʻi he fakatonga ʻo Sōlekí, ʻa ia ne fakatōloloto ai kiate ia ha ʻofa moʻoni ki natula mo e ngaahi ʻekitivitī ʻoku fai ʻi tuʻá. Hili ʻene ʻosi mei he ako māʻolungá ʻi he 1944, naʻe fehangahangai ʻa Tōmasi mo ha ngaahi fili matuʻaki mahuʻinga, ʻi he fakaikuiku ʻo e Tau Lahi ʻa Māmani Hono II. Naʻá ne ʻamanaki ʻe ui mai ia ki he vaʻa fakakautaú ʻi hono taʻu 18, ko ia ai ʻi he ʻosi hono taʻu ʻuluaki ʻi he kolisí ʻi he ʻUnivēsiti ʻo ʻIutaá, naʻá ne hū ki he Tau Tahi Talifaki ʻa e ʻIunaiteti Siteití. Neongo naʻe ʻosi vave pē ʻa e taú hili ʻene hū ki he sōtiá, ka naʻe hoko ʻene hū ki he vaʻa fakakautau ʻi Seni Tieko, Kalefōniá ko ha meʻa ke liliu ai ʻene moʻuí. ʻI heʻene foki ki Sōleki Siti ʻi he 1946, naʻe toe hoko atu ʻene akó ʻo maʻu hano mataʻitohi BA ʻi he malaʻe ʻo māketi fakapisinisí hili ha taʻu ʻe ua mei ai.

Tōmasi S. Monisoni

Ko Tōmasi S. Monisoni ʻi hono teunga Tautahí lolotonga ʻene ngāue ʻi Seni Tieko, Kalefōnia ʻi he 1945.

Lolotonga ʻene ʻi he kolisí mo hono ngaahi taʻu ʻi he vaʻa fakakautaú, naʻe fetaulaki mo kaumeʻa ai ʻa Tōmasi mo Falanisesi Sionesoni. Naʻá na mali ʻi he 1948. Naʻá na fakatou ngāue, naʻe pule ʻa Tōmasi ʻi he tafaʻaki tuʻuaki ʻa e Deseret News pea hoko ʻa Falanisesi ko ha sekelitali faivahe ʻi he falekoloa lahi ko e J. C. Penney. Naʻe kei taʻu 22 pē ʻa Tōmasi pea kuo lava ha māhina ʻe 19 ʻo ʻene nofo-malí, pea ui ia ke ne hoko ko e pīsope ʻi he Uooti Onongofulu Mā Fitu ʻo Sōlekí, ʻa ia naʻe kau ki ai ha kau mēmipa ʻe toko tahaafe tupu, ko e tokolahi ʻo kinautolu naʻe nofo masiva pe fiemaʻu hano tokangaʻi makehe. Naʻe tukutaha ʻene tokangá ʻi heʻene ngāue fakapīsope ʻi he taʻu ʻe nimá ki he kau fafine tokolahi naʻe uitou ʻi he uōtí, ʻa ia naʻá ne tokanga lahi kiate kinautolu ʻi he toenga ʻo ʻene moʻuí.

Naʻe uiuiʻi ʻa Tōmasi S. Monisoni ʻi he 1959 ke ne tokangaʻi ʻa e Misiona Kānatá. Naʻe mavahe atu e fāmili Monisoní fakataha mo ʻena fānau kei valevale ʻe toko ua ko Tomu mo Ané mei honau ʻapi foʻoú ʻi he feituʻu ki ʻuta ʻo Sōleki Sití ki he hetikuota ʻo e misioná ʻi Tolonitoó. Hili ha māhina ʻe ono ʻo ʻenau tūʻutá, naʻe talitali lelei ʻe Tōmasi mo Falanisesi ʻena fānau fika tolú, ko Kalake. Naʻe fakakake ʻe he fāmili Monisoní ʻa e ngāue fakafaifekau ʻi he ʻēliá, ‘o tautefito ki hono fakatupulaki ha fengāueʻaki lahi ange mo e kau mēmipa fakalotofonua ʻo e Siasí pea mo e kau faifekaú ʻa ia ne nau ngāue lolotonga e ngaahi taʻu ʻe tolu ʻo ʻenau fua fatongiá. Naʻe hoko hono fokotuʻu ʻo e fuofua siteiki ʻi he fakahahake ʻo Kānatá ʻi he 1960 ke toe langa ai ha ngaahi ʻapisiasi fakalotofonua lahi ange, ʻa ia naʻe poupouʻi ʻe he fāmili Monisoní pea nau fokotuʻutuʻu he taimi ʻe niʻihi.

Tōmasi S. Monisoni

Ko Tōmasi S. Monisoni ʻi he fakatahaʻanga ʻo e konifelenisi lahí ʻokú ne tatali ki hono fakahā mai kuo uiuiʻi ia ki he Kōlomu ʻo e Kau ʻAposetolo ʻe Toko Hongofulu Mā Uá, ʻaho 4 ʻo ʻOkatopa 1963.

ʻI he 1963, ʻi he taʻu 36 ʻa Tōmasi S. Monisoní, naʻe ui ai ia ki he Kōlomu ʻo e Kau ʻAposetolo ʻe Toko Hongofulu Mā Uá. Naʻe hoko ʻene ngāue fakaʻaposetoló ʻi he taimi naʻe tupu tokolahi ʻaupito ai e mēmipāsipí mo e ngāue fakavahaʻapuleʻanga ʻa e Siasí. Naʻe lahi ʻaupito e folau ʻa ʻEletā Monisoni ke tokoni ʻi he ngaahi fakatahaʻanga lotu fakavahaʻapuleʻangá, fakahinohinoʻi e kau mēmipá mo e kau faifekaú, fokotuʻu ha ngaahi ʻiuniti foʻou, fakatapui ha ngaahi ʻapisiasi, mo fakahoko ha ngaahi polokalama. ʻI he vahaʻa ʻo e 1968 mo e 1990, naʻe kau ʻi hono ngaahi fatongia ʻi he ngāue ʻa e Siasí ʻi ʻIulopé ʻa e Kāingalotu ne nofo ʻi he Lepapulika Faka-Temokalati ʻo Siamané, ko ha puleʻanga naʻe mavahe mei he fakahihifo ʻo ʻIulopé ʻa ia naʻe leʻohi fefeka ʻaupito hono kauʻāfonuá pea naʻe faʻa ui pē ko e “Puipui Ukameá.” Naʻe fakahaaʻi ʻe ʻEletā Monisoni ʻene ngāue mateaki ki he Kāingalotu ʻi Siamane Hahaké lolotonga e vahaʻataimi ʻo e Tau Fakapolitikalé, mo faʻa foua e ngaahi tūkunga faingataʻa fakapolitikalé kae lava ke ne ngāue fakaetauhi hangatonu ki he kakaí. Mei he 1968 ki he 1985, naʻe hoko ʻa ʻEletā Monisoni ko e sea ʻo e Kōmiti Ako Tohi Tapú, naʻe ui kimui ko e Kōmiti Pulusi ʻo e Folofolá, pea naʻá ne fakaʻaongaʻi ʻene taukei fakapalōfesinale ʻi he faipulusí ke faʻu ai ha pulusinga foʻou mo fakaikiiki ʻo e Tohi Tapú, Tohi ʻa Molomoná, Tokāteline mo e Ngaahi Fuakavá, mo e Mataʻitofe Mahuʻingá. Ko e toenga ʻo ʻene ngāue fakaeʻaposetolo hili ʻa e 1985 naʻe ʻilo ʻaki ia ʻene hoko ko ha tokoni tuʻo tolu ʻi he Kau Palesitenisī ʻUluakí, kia Palesiteni ʻEselā Tafu Penisoni, Hauati W. Hanitā, mo Kōtoni B. Hingikelī.

Hili e pekia ʻa Palesiteni Hingikelī ʻi he 2008, naʻe fakanofo mo vaheʻi ʻa Palesiteni Monisoni ko e Palesiteni ʻo e Siasí. ʻI he kamata mai ʻa e senituli 21, naʻe hokohoko atu e tupulaki ‘a e mēmipasipi ʻo e Siasí ʻi he māmaní, ʻo ʻomi ai ha ngaahi faingamālie mo ha ngaahi pole foʻou ke fenāpasi mo e ngaahi liliu fakavahaʻapuleʻangá. Naʻe tataki ʻe Palesiteni Monisoni ʻa e Siasí ʻi ha ngāue lahi ange fakaemāmani lahi mo ngāue fakataha mo ha ngaahi tui fakalotu kehekehe. ʻI he 2008, naʻá ne fokotuʻutuʻu ʻa hono fakakau mai ʻa hono “tokangaekina ʻo e masivá mo e faingataʻaʻiá” ki he misiona ʻa e Siasí. ʻI he 2012, naʻá ne fanongonongo ai ʻa hono “Fakavaveʻi e Ngāue ʻo e Fakamoʻuí” ko ha ngāue naʻá ne fakalahi atu e ngāue fakafaifekaú mo e ngaahi ʻekitivitī fakalotofonuá, fakakau e mītia fakasōsialé, mo e ngaahi polōseki ngāue ʻofá. Naʻá ne tataki ʻi he meimei taimi tatau ha liliu lahi ki he founga ngāué: ʻe lava ke fakaongoongoleleiʻi e houʻeiki tangatá ke ngāue fakafaifekau ʻi honau taʻu 18 kae ʻikai ko e taʻu 19 pea ʻe lava ke fakaongoongoleleiʻi e houʻeiki fafiné ke nau ngāue fakafaifekau ʻo kamata mei honau taʻu 19 kae ʻikai ko e taʻu 21. Naʻe hiki lahi ʻaupito ʻa e tokolahi ʻo e kau faifekaú mei he toko 59,000 ki he tokolahi tahá ko e toko 88,000 ʻi loto pē he taʻu ʻe ua mei hono fanongonongó. Naʻe toe fakamamafaʻi foki ʻe Palesiteni Monisoni ʻa e langa temipalé mo e ʻalu ki he temipalé. Lolotonga ʻene takí, naʻá ne fanongonongo ha temipale foʻou ʻe 45, ko ha fuʻu hiki lahi ia mei he temipale ʻe 124 naʻe lolotonga ngāue ʻi he taimi naʻá ne hoko ai ko e Palesiteni ʻi he 2008.

ʻI he taʻu hono nima ʻo ʻene ʻi he kau palesitenisií, naʻe tauhi ʻe Palesiteni Monisoni hono uaifi ko Falanisesí lolotonga ʻene tokoto falemahakí koeʻuhí ko e hōloa ʻene moʻui leleí ʻi he fakaʻau ke ne motuʻá. Naʻe mālōlō ʻa Falanisesi ʻi hono taʻu 85, ka ko ia ʻa e “maama kamo ʻo e ʻofá, manavaʻofá mo e fakalotolahí” ʻi he fāmili Monisoní. Neongo e ngaahi fakangatangata fakaesino ʻo Palesiteni Monisoni koeʻuhí ko hono taʻu motuʻá, ka naʻá ne kei kau atu pē ki he konifelenisi lahí mo e ngaahi fakataha fakatakimuʻá ʻi he taʻu ʻe nima hono hokó. ʻI heʻene mālōlō ʻi he ʻaho 2 ʻo Sānuali 2018 ʻi hono taʻu 90, naʻe manatua lahi ʻa Palesiteni Monisoni ko ha faifekau, takimuʻa, tokotaha lea, mo e tamai ʻofeina. Naʻe fakavikivikiʻi ʻe Palesiteni Lāsolo M. Nalesoni ʻa Palesiteni Monisoni ʻi heʻene fetongi iá, ʻo pehē kuó ne tuku mai ha “tukufakaholo ʻo e tupulakí”: ʻi he taʻu ʻe 54 fakakātoa ʻo ʻene ngāué talu mei hono fakanofo ia ko ha ʻAposetoló, naʻe sio tonu ʻa Palesiteni Monisoni ki he tupu ʻa e Siasí mei he kau mēmipa ʻe toko 2.1 milioná ke meimei aʻu ki he toko 16 miliona, mei he kau faifekau ʻe toko 5,700 ki he toko 70,000 tupu, mei he temipale ʻe 12 ki he 159. Naʻe pehē ʻe Palesiteni Nalesoni, “Ka neongo kotoa ʻeni, naʻe fakatefito pē tokanga ʻa Palesiteni Monisoní ʻi he fakafoʻituituí. Naʻá ne fakamanatu mai kiate kitautolu ke tau ʻʻOatu ha kiʻi tohi ki haʻo kaungāmeʻa kuo ʻikai ke ke tokanga ki ai,’ ʻFāʻofua ki hoʻo fānaú,’ ʻLea ke lahi ange ʻaki ʻa e “ʻOku ou ʻofa atú,”’ ʻFakahaaʻi maʻu pē hoʻo fakamāloó,’ pea ʻʻOua ʻaupito naʻa tuku ha palopalema ʻoku fiemaʻu ke solova, ke mahuʻinga ange ia ʻi ha taha ke ʻofaʻi.’”

Ki ha fakamatala lahi ange fekauʻaki mo e moʻui ʻa Tōmasi S. Monisoní, vakai ki he ngaahi vitiō Prophets of the Restoration ʻi he history.ChurchofJesusChrist.org pe ʻi he polokalama Gospel Library.

Ngaahi Tefito Fekauʻakí: Ko e Langa Temipalé, Tau Fakapolitikale, Tupulaki ʻa e Ngāue Fakafaifekaú, Church Growth, Pīsope

  1. Heidi S. Swinton, To the Rescue: The Biography of Thomas S. Monson (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 2010), 22, 52, 60–62, 82, 84–87, 93–94, 96, 106–7. Vakai ki he Tefito: Tau Lahi ʻa Māmani Hono II.

  2. Swinton, To the Rescue, 109.

  3. Swinton, To the Rescue, 131–32; Thomas S. Monson, “The Bishop—Center Stage in Welfare,” Ensign, Nov. 1980, 89–91.

  4. Vakai ki he Tefito: Pīsope.

  5. Vakai ki he Tefiti: Tupulaki ʻa e Ngāue Fakafaifekaú.

  6. Vakai, Thomas S. Monson, Faith Rewarded: A Personal Account of Prophetic Promises to the East German Saints from the Journal of Thomas S. Monson (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1996). Vakai foki ki he Tefito: Tau Fakapolitikale.

  7. Swinton, To the Rescue, 368–70, 530. Vakai ki he Tefito: Ngaahi Liliu ki he Tohi ʻa Molomoná.

  8. Vakai ki he Tefito: Fetongi ʻo e Kau Taki ʻo e Siasí.

  9. Vakai ki he Tefito: Church Growth, Fakaemāmani Lahi.

  10. Minute entry, First Presidency meeting, Aug. 29, 2008, cited in Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Thomas S. Monson (Salt Lake City: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 2020), 40–41.

  11. Vakai ki he Tefito: Ko e Langa Temipalé.

  12. “Frances J. Monson, Wife of President Thomas S. Monson, Passes Away,” Newsroom, May 17, 2013, newsroom.ChurchofJesusChrist.org.

  13. Russell M. Nelson, “We Are Better Because of Him,” Ensign, Feb. 2018 (supplement, In Memoriam: President Thomas S. Monson), 29–30.