Thursday morning was foggy and crisp as several members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints gathered to watch the tower go up on the new Modesto Temple.
Located at 4300 Dale Road, the temple will be the 10th in California and is expected to open in early 2026. “We’ve had the tower in two sections for quite a while,” said Modesto North Stake President Dave Neilson. “We were waiting for the time when we could have everybody come and witness the large crane.”
The crane placed the tower frame, section upon section, atop the building as members of the community looked on. In attendance were Kathy and Tracy Walker of Modesto, who said they were overwhelmed with gratitude and amazement.
“I never dreamed I would see a temple built here in my lifetime,” Kathy Walker said as she teared up. “We believe that this is the house of the Lord, that he is there in our midst and it gives us strength. To see this being built is just amazing.”
Her husband, Tracy, added that they were both happy to have a temple in town so they would no longer have to journey to the temple in Oakland. “It’s a beacon, drawing people in from Lodi, Merced, Tracy, and even the mountains,” he said of the temple under construction, “It’s a beacon of hope.”