Ground Broken for Feather River California Temple  

Leaders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints held a small groundbreaking ceremony for the Feather River California Temple in Yuba City, California, on Saturday, July 18, 2020. Attendance at the ceremony was limited because of current COVID-19 social guidelines. 

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Elder Paul H. Watkins, an Area Seventy, presided at the ceremony and offered the dedicatory prayer.  

The Feather River California Temple will be 38,000 square feet and built at 1470 Butte House Road in Yuba City, California. The temple, which will stand on the same ground as the recently razed Yuba City California Stake Center, will have a new meetinghouse and distribution center next to it. 

“Only months ago, a stake center held its last meeting on this site,” said Elder Watkins as he opened the groundbreaking service, “and since then, the Yuba City stake members and many leaders and the groundbreaking committee have worked very hard to prepare this ground for this event today.” 

In the dedicatory prayer, Elder Watkins prayed, “for the surrounding community that they will see and know that this temple is a blessing to them.” Elder Watkins asked for a blessing, stating that “ancestors of those who are not . . . members . . . in this area will have an increased influence upon their families here on earth.” 

“As the temple foundation is poured, and the walls are placed, and the roof is formed, let us all revitalize our foundational faith in apostles and prophets with Jesus Christ being our chief cornerstone,” prayed Elder Watkins.  

Elder Watkins was joined by his wife Dena, along with Peter Hall and his wife Melody, co-chairs of the Feather River California Temple groundbreaking committee. 

At the service, Sister Watkins shared her thoughts on the importance of having a temple close by the youth in Yuba City. 

“I hope that the youth here will take advantage of this closer temple and be able to go to the temple and have their own sacred spiritual experience,” said Sister Watkins. 

The Feather River California Temple was first announced by Church President Russell M. Nelson in October 2018. The temple will be the eighth temple in California following the Fresno, Los Angeles, Newport Beach, Oakland, Redlands, Sacramento and San Diego Temples. 

Latter-day Saints consider temples to be the “house of the Lord” and the most sacred places of worship on the earth. Temples are not the same as the Church’s meetinghouses. All are welcome to attend Sunday worship services and other weekday activities in a meetinghouse. In temples, Latter-day Saints participate in sacred ceremonies, such as marriage, that unite families beyond death.