September 7th, 2025, 2pm MDT
Farmington, New Mexico – Neva Irving remembers touring the Albuquerque New Mexican Temple in an open house many times before dedicating on March 5, 2000.
When the temple was offered and she could no longer enter, she felt “before left.”
“It opened my eyes because when they closed the door and couldn’t get in anymore, I felt so left behind, like I was left behind,” she said. “I decided I never wanted to feel this way again, so I worked to get my temple recommended.”
On another occasion, Irving and her husband were scheduled to attend Snowflake Arizona Temple, but arrived early for the session. They explored selling local yards and decided to lose their way of time. Back, they were informed that the session was full. Once again, Irving felt left behind and decided not to feel that way again.
Irving, a 61-year-old Latter-day Saint of Navajo descent, sitting outside the Farmington New Mexico Temple on Saturday, August 16th, is no longer left behind. She is the current temple recommended holder and is active in Shiplock Ward.
“This temple is a miracle for all of us who live in remote areas,” she said. “It’s a place that brings peace to me. …I need it, I can feel peace and know that I am not alone, so I know that I am the Son of God. When I am alone, I can come here and feel the presence of my Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.”
Irving, who is now serving as the young women presidency in the stake, spoke about the temple, her journey of faith, and why the Lord’s new home means so much to her in a church news interview.
“What kind of life is it?”
Irving was born in Shiplock, New Mexico and grew up in a small community called Thanosty. She said her parents were alcoholics and when they divorced her sister took care of Irving, her brother and sister.
Irving’s family was introduced to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints by full-time missionaries that his father always invited. He was baptized, sometimes with his children in trucks and drove to the nearest branch to attend Sunday services.
Shortly after she was baptized at the age of 11, Irving took part in a church-sponsored student placement programme in India. She said that her experience living with the Latter-day Holy Family in Woods Cross, Utah, marked a major cultural change for her as a young girl, but that was also a blessing as she learned how to pray with a basic understanding of the gospel.
As experiences in the placement programme vary for participants, Irving said she lived with a good family who helped her raise her with the Gospel. “I remember feeling peaceful there,” she said. “They were so loving and accepted me as one of them.”
Get testimony
Irving said that gospel testimony has gradually grown – “Peace by piece” and “Little by piece” – over the years through many experiences:
When she was a teacher of the gospel doctrine and “studyed, prepared, and prayed.” When she attended a general conference in Salt Lake City and gained witness that the church had been led by the Prophet of God. Many times when she paid her ti minute and received the unmistakable blessing.
The bishop asked Irving to talk about prayer topics multiple times during her life as a single mother who raised two boys. After the third time she thought, “He really needs to think I need prayer help. Maybe I’m not praying enough.”
A few years later, the bishop revealed that the reason he frequently asked her to speak about prayer was his perception of his dedication to prayer as a single parent raising two boys.
“He knew I was always on my prayer lap,” she said. “I have obtained a prayer testimony.”
Despite her best efforts, both sons have lost the gospel path and are no longer active in the church. She clings to hope if she remains honorable and if her sons will one day return, she will maintain her temple covenant.
“I really believe it and I believe they’ll come back and take our family to the temple,” Irving said.
Miracles and blessings
Before the Farmington New Mexico Temple was built, members travelled to either Albuquerque New Mexico or Monticello Utah Temple. Irving did his best to attend the Lord’s house every month, depending on the time and the resources to go.
When President Russell M. Nelson unveiled the Farmington temple in April 2021, Irving somehow missed it. As her phone began to buzz with messages and social media posts, she realized something important had happened. She felt overwhelmed when she checked the news.
“It was a miracle for me,” she said. “It was really a real comfort to me that we can have temples when we think we have enough faithful saints in our area.”
During the open house in Farmington, she felt richly blessed.
Despite the demand that her son’s children not impose her faith, he agreed that Irving would take her 15-year-old grandson on a tour of the temple. My grandson, who wanted to attend, thoroughly enjoyed the experience.
“He said, ‘Grandma, I felt something good there. It’s a good place,” she said. “Yes,” I told him, ‘That’s a good place.’ ”
Irving also took her three granddaughters to an open house where she had a similar spiritual experience. One of the girls told her parents, “I want to start going to this church. I want to know more about this church that Grandma goes to.”
Irving wants to help connect her granddaughter with the young female class in the ward where she lives.
Temple and family history work
Irving performed temple work for various families, including her parents, aunt, nephew, and great grandmother.
However, it is a difficult task for non-Navajo speakers, and written records are limited. One cousin also asked Irving not to do temple work for some families as he is affiliated with another church.
“It’s very difficult,” she said. “Every time I tried to find a name I bumped into a wall.”
Irving knows that doing temple work for his ancestors improves his temple experience, so he wants to find and utilize more resources to work in family history. She spoke about her spiritual experiences in which her aunt felt she had accepted the work done on her behalf.
“It’s difficult, but you can do it, and in the end it’s coming,” Irving said.
