Fresno California Temple Wiki

The Fresno California Temple was announced on January 8, 1999 via a letter to priesthood leaders in California. At the time, the First Presidency comprised Presidents Gordon B. Hinckley, Thomas S. Monson and James E. Faust. 27,000 Church members who lived within its district had been traveling to Oakland to attend a temple. The Fresno community received the temple with interest and support, evident in both the construction process and its open house attendance. ^[1]Church News Archives. “Church’s 99th Temple to Be Built in Fresno, Calif.” Church News, 11 Jan. 2024, www.thechurchnews.com/1999/1/23/23249381/churchs-99th-temple-to-be-built-in-fresno-calif.

California Temples at Time of Announcement

Announced

• –

Under Construction

• –

Dedicated

• San Diego California [1993]
• Oakland California [1964]
• Los Angeles California [1958]

Elder John B. Dickson, president of the North America West Area, presided over the groundbreaking ceremony on 20 March 1999.

“From the days of the sailing of the ship Brooklyn to San Francisco Bay in 1846 and the forced march of the Mormon Battalion, California has taken a key role in the history of the Church,” he said. “This is another of those great days.”

Elder Dickson said that since the Church’s organization in April 1830, it has begun to fill the whole earth. “We now find ourselves on the threshold of unprecedented growth and expansion,” he declared.

Speaking of the Book of Mormon, he continued: “What a blessing it is to have this other testimony of the Savior amidst the unbelief of the 20th and 21st centuries. Through these scriptures we have more fully come to understand that God is our Heavenly Father, that we dwelt with Him before this earth life and that part of His plan for our happiness was that a way be prepared for us to return to Him one day….

The temple was ready for a public open house just one year later on March 25-31 and April 3-4, 2000, the open house being closed Sunday March 26th, as well as April 1st and 2nd for General Conference. During the eight-day open house, more than 53,000 visitors toured the temple. Hap Cluff of the temple committee considered the well-attended open house to be a sign of positive community response.^[4] R. Scott Lloyd, “Fresno California Temple: Symbol of Growth in Fertile San Joaquin,” Church News, Apr. 22, 2000, Of his meeting with Mayor Patterson following the open house, Cluff said, “He spent most of the time asking me about what he learned here [during a tour of the temple] and talking about how nice it was.”^[5] R. Scott Lloyd, “Fresno California Temple: Symbol of Growth in Fertile San Joaquin,” Church News, Apr. 22, 2000,

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On April 9, 2000, 10,294 Church members attended four dedicatory sessions held in various rooms of the temple and filling the adjacent meetinghouse, where sessions were transmitted via closed-circuit television. In his dedicatory prayer, Church President Gordon B. Hinckley spoke of the expansion of the Church throughout the world: “Bless Thy cause and kingdom in all the earth. May it roll forth and grow with power and majesty. Open the doors of the nations where it cannot now be taught, that Thy great purposes may come to pass. We pray for all who serve in Thy kingdom in whatever capacity and wherever they may be, that happiness may grow in their hearts as they give of their time and strength to the advancement of Thy kingdom.”^[6] Fresno California Temple dedicatory prayer, in Church News, Apr. 22, 2000,

In his dedicatory prayer he petitioned, “Wilt Thou bless all who will serve within this sacred structure. They will come here to assist in bringing to pass Thy work and Thy glory, even the immortality and eternal life of man.”

In the verdant San Joaquin Valley of central California, the Fresno California Temple rises amidst manicured gardens and tropical trees in a residential area of northwest Fresno. Green trees and grassy fields cover the 2.2-acre site, with a parking lot and meetinghouse north of the building.

Cladding

The temple’s exterior finish is white Sierra granite quarried in Raymond, California. Its design features a single spire topped with a statue of the angel Moroni, a prophet from the Book of Mormon,

Windows

Each wall is brightened by rectangular art-glass windows in groups of three. The temple design is similar to that of over 30 smaller temples built in an effort to bring temples closer to Church members around the world.

Inside the temple are Two instruction rooms (two-stage progressive), two sealing rooms, and one baptistry, and a celestial room.

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