Latter-day Saints in Port Hedland Australia Rely on the Lord and Each Other During Pandemic

Members of a small congregation of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Western Australian town of Port Hedland have been through a great deal these past few months, as they, like people the world over, have been impacted by COVID-19.

One of their challenges was that worship services have been cancelled for health and safety reasons. That means that these believers cannot assemble for worship, fellowship and to participate in the ordinance of the sacrament (similar to communion in some other Christian faiths).

According to Te Aroha Wyllie, a local Church member, “We waited patiently for the sacrament.”

“It was a difficult time,” she says, “as we experienced unprecedented changes in the branch [congregation].”

“Firstly, the closure of our chapel, our missionaries left Hedland and the void created was widening as the pandemic took hold of the world. However, we listened to the counsel from our dear Prophet President Russell M. Nelson and waited for relief. We stayed steadfast, prayed fervently, fasted obediently and strengthened our homes."

Wyllie continued: “Sadly, several sisters like myself who do not have [a priesthood-holder] in our homes continued to wait. We yearned to hear the Lord’s sacrament and to partake of his sacred ordinance. Every Sunday, we participated in the Zoom programme [with other local Latter-day Saints], connected with our beloved missionary couple and members of the branch.”

“Meanwhile the weeks went by and there seemed to be no light at the end of the tunnel. However, the Lord was mindful of our needs and eventually respite came as COVID-19 was contained in Western Australia. The restrictions were lifted and it allowed [a small group] to be in a house at one time.”

This meant that a fellow Church member, Peter Bezemer, was able to visit and administer the sacrament ordinance in the Wyllie home.

“My granddaughters, son and I met for the first time and we waited patiently,” Te Aroha says.

“Brother Bezemer brought the spirit of the sacrament with him. They adhered to the ordinance and blessed the bread and water in remembrance of the body and blood of Jesus Christ and it was administered accordingly.”

She adds, “The next four weeks, Peter and Joseph faithfully visited and served the sacrament to twelve saints in three different homes.”

For Te Aroha Wyllie, “the pandemic might have created havoc throughout the world but in our small branch, it has brought us closer together, as we waited patiently for the Lord’s sacred ordinance, his sacrament.