SAN FERNANDO BRANCH
The Members

Ramdaye Bell Maharaj baptized on the 7th January, 1990. She's the owner of a roti shop in South. She has served as a Sunday School teacher, Young Women President and currently as the Branch's Librarian and management teacher. Sr. Maharaj counts her branch's members as having,

"A feeling of love towards one another. Everyone makes you feel like you belong."

In sharing her testimony with me, Sr.Maharaj said,

"The Gospel is the greatest thing that could happen to me. As a teacher, I feel I cannot give enough to my students in telling them about Jesus Christ. I want to be an example and do as Christ would have done."

Michael Andrew Rupa was baptized on the 1st May, 1990. His occupation is a welder. He is the 1st Counselor in the Branch Presidency. He has served a long time and has seen many leaders who have blessed the lives of the membership. Speaking of these leaders, he said,

"Since I've been a member of this Church, my life has been richly blessed by my Heavenly Father. I really don't know if I'm a blessing to the Branch, but I do all within my power to set the right example just as the other leaders try to do the same."

In serving the Lord faithfully, Rupa added,

"One thing I do, is give of my time to each individual member, so that they know they can depend on me."

The youth are also very active in the Branch. One such young man is Vijay Patel, aged 18.

"I feel that I have progressed in being more spiritual because of the Church. I believe without struggles in our daily lives, there would be no progress, for strength comes as we endure our trials through Jesus Christ ",

said Vijay, who plans to serve a full-time mission one day. One full-time missionary presently serving in San Fernando, described the Saints there as,

"The most loving and dedicated people I've been privileged to meet throughout the Caribbean", said Elder John Lawson.

ADOLPH H. BELLAMY was called as the first local Branch President of the San Fernando Branch on the 17th January, 1992. Adolph works as a diesel-field pump technician in his own business. His wife, Vilma, the current Relief Society President, also keeps intact all the aspects of business administration. In sharing his conversion with me, Adolph said,

"Some full-time missionaries came knocking on the door of our home. I curiously let them in my home as I was interested in what they had to say. The discussions brought new light to me and I became delighted with the idea of becoming a member of the Church. The Book Of Mormon was of special significance to me and it played a major part in my decision to be baptized."

Receiving the call as Branch President is not a 'light' responsibility as Pres. Bellamy describes,

"I feel accountable to God in my actions and example. I try to magnify my service, which I realize is constantly related to the progress of the Branch."

In meeting with Pres. Bellamy he described himself as a very simple and down to earth person, who does not make a 'big hassle about anything'. Yet, he is ready to learn and put into practice those things that are taught to him by his priesthood leaders.His main goal as the President is to have all the members unified in love and work so that there would be progression as a whole. In his testimony to me, he said,

"I know the Gospel of Jesus Christ is true, He lives and is the foundation for that which I believe."

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Mavis Manool, a member of the Branch, who served her mission in Santiago Dominican Republic from June 1993 to December, 1994. She now speaks Spanish fluently as a result. Mavis described her service in that part of the Lord's vineyard as being,

"Honorable and an opportunity to see many lives changed because of the Gospel as well as I developed myself spiritually."

Mavis serves as the 1st Counselor in the Young Women's Presidency. As to that calling, she said,

"I share with the young women what I've learned, so that they too can develop themselves as serving adults for the Lord and their Country."

Austin Peter Mendoza was baptized on the 12th March, 1988. He served as Branch Clerk, Sunday School teacher and First Counselor in the Branch Presidency. He now serves as the Executive Secretary and Activities Chairperson. Br. Mendoza remembers the Branch moving up from only nine members to its 340 members to date. He has worked with all the Branch Presidents so far, and has gained a lot of experience thereby. He described the membership's progress as "excellent!" Gary Ishmael and Lyndon Raphael were the ones who helped Br. Mendoza become a member of the Church.

Arnold Adrian Ali has served as the Young Men's Advisor, Youth Sunday School teacher, and now serves as a 2nd Counselor in the Elders Quorum Presidency. He loves the Branch's activities, especially the one called the, 'Western Roundup', which commemorated the Pioneer Celebrations worldwide. Arold exclaimed,

"It made the members aware of the pioneering efforts based on 'The Truth Restored', a book published by the Church about the Mormons trek to Utah from the Eastern States, and (also) the San Fernando Branch's own pioneers. Dedicated leaders took a lot of time and effort in planning it so that things would go well."

Pamela Alison Persad was baptized on the 28th September, 1990. She was called as 2nd Counselor in Relief Society a month after her baptism. She was later called as 1st Counselor and teacher in that same auxiliary. Sr. Persad now serves as the local Church Public Affairs Director for Trinidad and Tobago and as a Sunday School teacher in her own Branch. She has many talents and uses her vast knowledge to build the kingdom. She was the first woman in Trinidad and Tobago to become manager of a bank. She has owned a TV production company and did script writing. She currently works as a drug and abuse counselor and CO-manages several companies as a Secretary / Director. In expressing her feelings about the Church's public image, she said,

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"We've come a long way from the time I had joined the Church till now. The distorted anti-Mormon literature and negative newspaper articles, gave the Church bad publicity. The population got the wrong impression of the Church from what they read and heard on the street. I lost my friends as a result. They could not comprehend why I would want to be devoted to such a 'controversial' church, but as I started to bear my testimony to them they began to respect and admire my fortitude. People are generally more genial towards us now."

In speaking with Sr. Persad, I was surprised of her extraordinary experiences (even defying medical science) that showed God's hand in molding her life. Her sincerity and desire to know the truth from God, led Pamela right up to baptism despite enormous dilemmas. However, as Sr. Persad has proved, 'opposition only makes way for opportunity'. Most of her family are now involved in the Church and she, like many others, works to establish Zion here. In viewing some of her meeting agendas, I noticed the wide range of activity she is involved in with her call in Church publicity. To name a few; TV broadcasting, welfare services, distributing clothes (240,000lbs), helping orphanages, newspaper reviews, meetings with government officials, etc. I told Sr. Persad she should write an autobiography in due course.

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