Dedication of the Farmington New Mexico Temple
Just 50 miles east of the Four Corners Monument, the only part of the United States where four states intersect, stands a monument where heaven and earth intersect: the Farmington New Mexico Temple. “This sacred house of the Lord testifies more than any other place of the immortality of the soul and that life continues beyond the veil,” said Elder Neil L. Andersen of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, who dedicated the temple on Sunday, Aug. 17, 2025.
After arriving at the site on an enchanting, sunny morning, Elder Andersen walked down a line of about 200 to shake hands and express his love for their attendance. “I love these people. They have been dedicated and devoted,” he said of Farmington Latter-day Saints. “It is an unbelievable blessing to think that here in the beauty of the desert, suddenly you see this sacred house of the Lord.”
Accompanying Elder Andersen at the dedication were his wife, Sister Kathy Andersen; Elder Jose L. Alonso, a General Authority Seventy and president of the Church’s United States Southwest Area, and his wife, Sister Rebeca Alonso; Elder Steven R. Bangerter, a General Authority Seventy and executive director of the Temple Department, and his wife, Sister Susan Bangerter; and Presiding Bishop Gérald Caussé and his wife, Sister Valérie Caussé.
Although “evil is increasing in the world around us,” Elder Andersen testified that “in this holy house, we will make ourselves ready” for the Lord to return. “As you have faith in Him and do your very best, He will lift you from your burdens, your difficulties and your weaknesses and prepare you for His return and the eternal life that awaits you.”
Elder Alonso said “the temple will be a beacon of hope and unity for the entire community — a spiritual anchor that invites all to feel the love of the Savior. In a time when the world is increasingly divided and troubled, the house of the Lord will offer peace, connection and divine purpose.”
Elder Bangerter referred to Farmington as a place the Lord has grown deeply rooted families in the gospel. The Lord’s house is “a place of convergence,” Elder Bangerter said, where people bring their values and traditions — like Native American members of the Church in the area — and are met with ordinances and covenants. “We see oneness in a most beautiful way here.”
Bishop Caussé first came to know the area while presiding at a stake conference in nearby Kirtland, New Mexico. He was struck by the quiet majesty of the desert landscape, he said, but even more so by the faith and devotion of the Saints in the region. “The blend of origins and cultures has created a strong, resilient foundation upon which The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has taken root and flourished.”
In the 1970s, a local stake president, President Marlo Webb, was tasked to select a lot for a stake center to be built. He decided on a 7-acre plot of land. Although it was twice as large as it needed to be, and despite discussion about selling off a portion, President Webb felt strongly impressed to keep the entire parcel.
Fast-forward five decades, the site comfortably holds both a house of the Lord and an adjacent stake center. “The Lord had marked this land for His house long before the Saints knew why,” said Elder Alonso. “It is a powerful reminder that God prepares the way in advance and that our faith today often opens the path for blessings tomorrow.”
At the time the old meetinghouse was demolished, Grant Allred — who would later be Farmington New Mexico Stake president — had been serving as bishop in the building. “There was a tiny, tiny part of me that was sad to see it torn down,” he said. “It was a very sacred place for me. But in the same breath, the thought of now having a temple sit in that same space is a beautiful progression.”
Angie McDaniel — of the Rio Vista Branch (Spanish), Bloomfield New Mexico Stake — saw enthusiasm for the temple throughout her entire community, member and nonmember alike. A first grade teacher, McDaniel worked at a school just a short walk from the temple. One day during a morning routine, a boy waved his arm and called out, “Señora McDaniel, don’t forget about the temple.”
She recounted: “I was so surprised that I asked him, ‘Which temple?’ He replied, ‘The one up the street — before it opens, everyone can go in.’ It was a blessing to be able to attend the open house with this little boy and his grandmother.”
Dedicatory prayer excerpt: “Let this, Thy house, be a sanctuary of peace, a refuge from the distractions of the world. We pray that here in this holy temple the incomparable value of each individual, each son or daughter of God, will be counted greater than all the treasures of the world, allowing the goodness of each disciple to shine in splendor beyond any consideration of cultural identity, personal prosperity or worldly notoriety.”
Read the dedicatory prayer of the Farmington New Mexico Temple here.
Timeline of the Farmington New Mexico Temple
A temple was announced for Farmington, New Mexico, on April 4, 2021, by Church President Russell M. Nelson. A year later, on April 30, 2022, Elder Anthony D. Perkins of the Seventy presided over the temple’s groundbreaking ceremony.
After a public open house from July 17 to Aug. 2, 2025, the Farmington New Mexico Temple was dedicated Aug. 17, 2025, by Elder Neil L. Andersen of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.
Architecture and Design of the Farmington New Mexico Temple
The Farmington New Mexico Temple is a single-story structure of 29,066 square feet, with a Portuguese white granite exterior. Bronze fencing surrounds the 6.63-acre site, with a meetinghouse sharing the grounds.
Inside the building, patterns and detailing draw upon local Native American influence, like Native American feather patterns, organic chevron and diamond running patterns, geometric line work and stepped pyramid shapes. Design motifs also include inspiration from native flora, like the piñon pine cone and the globemallow flower.
Carpeting includes muted turquoise, honey gold, cream and beige hues, with rugs exhibiting vibrant colors like coral, turquoise, green, orange and warm creams. Lighting fixtures are made of crystal, brass and resin, with the bride’s room featuring a Murano glass chandelier and vanity. Doors and millwork were crafted from sapele wood.
Interior Photos of the Farmington New Mexico Temple
