The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS) recently broke ground for a new temple in Farmington, New Mexico. 

This will be the 280th church built by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, according to KOB 4. It is one of 20 new churches which are planned for spots around the world, including faraway countries such as Norway, Singapore, and South Africa.

“There are members of our church that have prayed for this for decades and for them to see this is, it’s a dream come true,” Anthony Perkins, a church elder from Salt Lake City, told KOB 4. “Someone said to me the other day that on their street there are several church members, and when it was announced they were out banging pots and pans and it was like Mardi Gras.” 

When completed, the temple will occupy approximately 25,000 square feet. It will available to 15,000 to 20,000 church members around the Four Corners, KOB 4 reported. It will be not only a place for worshipers to gather but also a community center for the area.

“We don’t bring in subcontractors from Salt Lake City, the church headquarters. We will use local subs, local landscapers; almost everything will be local,” Perkins said.

Construction on the church is scheduled to be finished within two to three years.