The following is excerpted from the Church Newsroom. To read the full article, CLICK HERE.
Residents of Westwater, a Diné (Navajo) community just outside Blanding City in southeastern Utah, are celebrating the electrification of their homes. An interlocal agreement promises to also bring them culinary water.
An appreciation event was held Friday, September 16, with leaders from the state of Utah, the Navajo Nation, Blanding City, the Navajo Tribal Utility Authority (NTUA), and San Juan County.
Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was present to show the Church’s support of the project. The Church made a US$500,000 contribution to the NTUA for the two-phase project.
“It’s beautiful to see those new power lines,” said Elder Uchtdorf. “I was told that before [the community was electrified] everyone tried to clean up their properties to make it a real occasion for when the light was turned on. The light was brought in, and I think that’s what we need to do — we need to bring light to people.”
Elder Uchtdorf also applauded the multiagency efforts to fund the project through various state and Navajo Nation resources.
“We are only adding to those [contributions] from the community,” the Apostle said. “The Church is so grateful when we can pitch in and help, and it shows when we counsel together we are all on the same team. I think if we move closer together and lift where we stand, no situation in the world could keep us from being successful.”
Under the agreement, water services will also be brought into the Diné community, with plans expected for completion in the spring of 2023. The project also procures a new deep-water well for Blanding City.
To read the full article, CLICK HERE.