Amazwi oBuyiselo

Phakathi kwabo baninzi babaNgcwele ababehlanganela e-Ohio kwiminyaka ye-1830 kwakukho uPhebe Carter. Wazimanya neBandla kumantla-mpuma kwelaseMelika eminyakeni yakhe eyayiphakathi kumashumi amabini, nangona abazali bakhe bengazange. Yena waye wabhala kamva ngesigqibo sakhe sokuthuthela e-Ohio ukuya kuzimanyana nabaNgcwele:

“Abahlobo bam bakhwankqiswa luhambo lwam, nje ngam, kodwa kwakunento eyayindiqhuba. Intlungu kamama wam ekushiyeni kwam ikhaya yayingaphezu koko ndandinako ukukunyamezela; kwaye ukuba kwakungekho ngenxa yomoya owawungaphakathi kum kwakumele ukuba ndaye ndahexa ekugqibeleni. Umama wam wandixelela ukuba uxolele ukundibona ndingcwatywa kunokuba andibone ndisiya ngaphandle ndodwa kwihlabathi elingenantliziyo.

“‘[Phebe],’ watsho, ngokuncomekayo, ‘ingaba uya kubuyela kum ukuba ufumanisa ubuMormoni bubuxoki?’

“Ndaye ndaphendula, ‘ewe mama; ndiya kwenza njalo.’ … Impendulo yam yayithi qabu intlungu yakhe; kodwa oko kwaxabisa inkxalabo enkulu yokuba sisohlukana. Xa ixesha lafika lokuba ndinduluke zange ndilinge nokuba ndizithembe ekubeni ndivalelise; ngoko ndabhalela omnye nomnye undlela-ntle wam, ndiwushiya phezu kwetafile yam, ndehla ndibaleka kwaye ndatsibela kuyo inqwelo. Ngolo hlobo ndaishiya ikhaya lam lobuntwana endilithandayo ndiyo kudibanisa ubomi bam nabaNgcwele bakaThixo.”

Komnye waloomiyalezo yovaleliso, uPhebe wabhala:

“Bazali endibathandayo—okwangoku ndiza kushiya uphahla endizalelwe kulo okwexeshana … andazi ukuba kuya kubalixesha elingakanani—kodwa hayi ngaphandle kwemvakalelo yombulelo ngobubele endabufamana ukususela ebusaneni bam kude kube leli xesha—kodwa uMboneleli ubonakala eyalela ngolunye uhlobo ngoku kunoko bekululo. Masinikeleni zonke ezi zinto ezandleni zoMboneleli kwaye sibe nombulelo wokuba siye savunyelwa ukuba siphile ndawonye ixesha elide kangaka ngaphantsi kweemeko ezithandekayo njengoko senzile, sikholelwa ukuba yonke into iya kusebenzela ukulunga kwethu ukuba siyamthanda uThixo ngokugqithisileyo. Masiqondeni ukuba singathandaza kuThixo omnye oya kuyiva imithandazo enyanisekileyo yazo zonke izidalwa zakhe kwaye asinike oko kusilungeleyo thina. …

“Mama, ndiyakholwa ukuba kuyintando kaThixo ngam yokuba ndiye entshona kwaye ndiqinisekisiwe ukuba sekulithuba elide kunjalo. Ngoku indlela ivulekile… ; Ndiyakholwa ukuba ngumoya weNkosi owenze oko ngokwaneleyo kuzo zonke izinto. Awu ungaxhalabeli umntwana wakho; iNkosi iya kundithuthuzela. Ndiyakholelwa ukuba iNkosi iya kundikhathalela kwaye indinike oko kugqwesileyo. … Ndiyahamba kuba iNkosi yam iyandibiza—iwenze umsebenzi wam wacaca.”