FARMINGTON, New Mexico — For Elder Anthony D. Perkins, a General Authority Seventy who grew up in Farmington, New Mexico, the city’s recently dedicated temple is a manifestation of the Lord’s blessings for good people.
“When I think about the faith of the people in the Four Corners region, it’s not just our own Church members,” said Elder Perkins. He recalls most of his high school friends regularly went to church and were devoted in the religion they practiced. “It’s a good place for people to have faith.”
The Farmington New Mexico Temple was dedicated on Sunday, Aug. 17, by Elder Neil L. Andersen of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. Here’s how people of faith in the Four Corners area have prepared for this house of the Lord.
Faith in the future of Farmington
Elder Perkins attributes many spiritually defining moments to his young life — enriching gospel learning in seminary, yearly trips with ward members to the Manti Utah Temple, youth leaders encouraging him to serve a mission.
Farmington is also where he met his wife when they were 13. “My wife and I went to seminary together, and then we had our wedding reception there,” he said. “The Church was a key part of our life growing up in Farmington.”
Starting in the 1950s, Farmington transformed from a farming town into a booming economic hub with the oil, gas and coal companies. Although power production isn’t what it used to be and many are losing faith in Farmington as an economic force, “the temple is evidence of our faith in the future of Farmington and that portion of the United States,” said Elder Perkins.
Christlike love as ‘the main focus of our mission’
When President ’Aiveni Taufa and his wife, Sister Sulieti Taufa, started as leaders of the New Mexico Farmington Mission leaders in mid-2024, the temple was already under construction. Born in Tonga, the mission leaders have since seen the house of the Lord as a focus for their mission when preparing people to be baptized.
Even before its dedication, “this is the Lord’s house, and they felt that already, and they wanted to learn more,” said President Taufa of nonmember visitors in the open house. “That was the key for them: They felt the love of the Savior as they were there.”
Sister Taufa recounted: “I told the missionaries, ‘There were 48,000 people that came through the temple. What if 1% of those 48,000 were nonmembers? That’s 480. We need to find them.’ And they all agreed.”
Seeing the joy of visitors to the open house reminded Sister Taufa of Doctrine and Covenants 18:16: “If your joy will be great with one soul that you have brought unto me into the kingdom of my Father, how great will be your joy if you should bring many souls unto me!”
In addition to missionaries’ efforts, the temple is here because of the local members’ love and testimony of the gospel of Christ, said President Taufa. “That’s why we’re having those blessings now.”
He added: “We told the missionaries, ‘When you’re going to members’ houses ..., show gratitude for them because of their faith, hard work, sharing the gospel and living the gospel here.’”
The couple also tells the missionaries to look at everyone with Christlike love, said Sister Taufa. “When we look at these people, they just look like our grandmas and grandpas, nephews and nieces.”
Their missionaries often show this love through lending manual service. “There’s a lot of axes, there’s a lot of firewood, there’s a lot of water hauling. This mission is a little bit different than others.”
The elders and sisters serve “because they love the people,” he said. “That’s what it comes down to — giving them a helping hand in the work they need to do. And as they chop the wood, they’re able to speak to them and show them what they’re doing and tell them who they are, where they’re from, and they build that relationship with them.”
Christlike love is “the main focus of our mission,” said Sister Taufa. “They love the people, and that’s a great blessing for us.”
Applauding the missionaries for their diligence, President Taufa said they find joy by losing themselves in the mission work. “It doesn’t matter how far it is, it doesn’t matter how hot it is. They go out there, and they share the gospel, and they chop the wood, help them with water. We’re just so grateful for them, their dedication and their desire to go.”
Preparing to attend the house of the Lord
As temple preparation instructors in the Redmesa Ward, Durango Colorado Stake, DeRon and Jill Gillen often visited Farmington with ward members to see progress on temple construction. “It was always a very special and Spirit-filled experience to attend the temple site,” said Jill Gillen.
Now with an operating house of the Lord just a half hour away, “I am confident that temple attendance will increase with the closer proximity to this temple,” said DeRon Gillen. “Going forward, I know this temple will be important to our ward members.”
Jill Gillen said that “to go to the temple with a trusted friend or family member strengthens those relationship bonds as you share testimony with one another of the truthfulness of this gospel.”
She added: “Now from almost any part of San Juan County, New Mexico, you can look and see the impressive temple standing like a beacon, calling people to the Lord.”
