SAN FERNANDO BRANCH

The San Fernando Branch is truly a fortress of history for the Saints here. 'The Branch was organized to facilitate the growing number of members from South Trinidad who had to travel a lengthy distance to to get to Port of Spain Sunday meetings.

Under the direction of A. Dean Jeffs, the West Indies Mission President at that time, the Branch was established at Lucy Payne's home in Gill St., San Fernando. Elder George Evans, a senior missionary, was called as the first Branch President in 1987. Lucy Payne describes her joy of the event,

"For some of the meetings we rented a yellow tent. The sun got the best of us and bleached our skins. At the time, Lyndon Babb, Peggy Harvey, Sr.Khan, and the Rogers family, along with us and a few others that I cannot remember were present. It is a wonderful feeling to see the Church get 'on its feet' in San Fernando. As an organized Branch, our first missionaries were Elders Hardester from the U.S.A. and Champaginne from England."

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Sr. Payne kept a lot of records on some of these events. Sr. Rookmin Khan was the first person baptized after the Branch was established. She later died on the 24th November, 1993.

After the Evans left, many other missionary couples served as Branch Presidents, Some of these couples were; Rulon and Erma Brown, Sherrod and Marian Smith, Frank and Jean Christensen, Robert and Krista Kendall and lastly, Pres. Adolph H. Bellamy, the present Branch President, is also the first local to hold that position in the South.

Circular Rd. and Court St. San Fernando, were meeting places for the members as the Branch expanded. Court St. was a time of huge numbers of people being baptized into the Church. They were then blessed with their own chapel on Hobson St., San Fernando. This the first chapel built for the Mormons in Trinidad and Tobago. The chapel is in its first phase and as membership increases, the second phase will be undertaken. At present, adequate teaching space is available with a basketball court as well. Each Branch has its stalwart members, some of which I had the opportunity to converse with on past activities and in preparing for this book.

LUCY J. PAYNE and ELIZABETH ROGERS (formerly Dopson) and families now reside in the San Fernando Branch. Sr. Payne is the Branch's Historian and Sr.Rogers is the Teacher development coordinator. These two Sisters are of great strength to the Branch and have given of themselves as tools in God's 'work shop' for the building of His Kingdom. They have helped me greatly with the major history in the chapter headed 'In The Beginning' as well as details of the San Fernando leaders and members. An article about Sr. Payne was once put in the Church News by Rulon Brown, one of the Branch Presidents. Sr. Payne recounts some of her own personal experiences,

" I visited Utah, U.S.A., in 1991 and stayed with Rulon and Erma Brown. My mission was to go to the Salt Lake Temple and be sealed to my deceased husband, James, for time and all eternity. It was beautiful, spiritual and memorable. I met strangers in the temple who said to me that my husband's spirit would be there waiting for me."

(It is important to note that Mormons believe that the death of a person only leaves the body dead, but the spirit of the individual lives on. Not to haunt or destroy or act like some scary ghost, but to await a chance to receive sacred ordinances that allow them to move on into the eternal worlds ahead. Thus, a person can be baptized on behalf of someone who died many years ago, who did not get the privilege to be baptized while on Earth. We can see how the Lord misses no one in His great plan)

"Every effort it took to reach this holy place was now really worth it and confirmed to me, upon hearing that statement. I will always be thankful to the Browns and Smiths, who encouraged me all the way and were present at the temple."

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Sr. Payne was also granted a special privilege to meet Elder M Russel Ballard of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, by appointment arranged for her by Elder Brown. Sr. Payne loves the Gospel and often studies the autobiographies of modern Prophets and leaders. Anyone eager to know more about other activities and happenings during the early days of the Church in Trinidad and Tobago would find it very satisfying to speak with Sisters Rogers, Payne, Borde, and Pres. Raphael. On many occasions, I've been very impressed with the spiritual power of Sr. Liz Rogers' testimony, any one listening can learn something that would strengthen their own faith in Jesus Christ.

"Over the last 21 years, my testimony has grown tremendously. The principles and precepts of the Gospel have set my course in life. I have obtained faith in the Great Creator and that has inclined me to want to know what would please Him --DO IT! I believe God answers prayers and He is constantly aware of our every need, for He loves us unconditionally. The truthfulness of the Gospel brings great joy to my heart. I know that Christ lives and through His atoning sacrifice, all people can receive the free gift of resurrection. I know the Book Of Mormon is true and if we adhere to its principles, we will reign and live joyously with our Heavenly Father. It is my prayer that he will help us to improve our talents to equip ourselves for work in His cause. I pray we can fulfill our destiny as children of God, striving to be like Him, serving one another, and building Zion here in Trinidad."

Sr. Rogers works as a school teacher. A miracle related to me by Sr. Rogers and Sr. Payne, was the story of Reds Maharaj. Red's entire family, including himself, joined the Church. Sometime later he was working on a building when he accidentally fell and was almost given up for dead. Sr. Payne recounts,

"I was Relief Society President at the time, and I felt it my duty to visit Br. Maharaj at the hospital. My friend, a nurse, and I found Br. Maharaj helpless on a stretcher in a small waiting room. We spoke and prayed with him. I told him to keep praying while my friend and I tried to make him as comfortable as possible. The following day we went to the hospital again and were told - that's it for him, no hope! (referring to Reds dying soon). Elder Frank Christensen gave him a priesthood blessing and he started to respond slowly but surely. Today he is a walking miracle and doctors could not believe it."

Special thanks to these two Sisters in their continued work and may the Lord bless them as they remain faithful to the end.

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