On Top Of A Mountain

I got a chance to see a beautiful building on Wednesday...the Oakland Temple. It's the first California temple I have had a chance to visit, and it set the bar pretty high for the rest of them! What a magnificent structure!

This temple was announced in 1962 and ground was immediately broken for construction to commence. It took just over two years to build and was dedicated in November of 1964. It is the only temple with five pillars, and these particular pillars were designed with the ethnicity of the Oakland residents in mind. The temple was HUGE! Probably about the same size as the Mesa Temple that I posted pictures of a few weeks ago.

We went to the Visitor's Center to see an art display by Walter Rane. He was commissioned by the First Presidency to paint scenes from the Book of Mormon over the past few years. His work was breath-taking, and it was fun to get a narration by an art student/sister missionary. Such a neat spirit is felt on temple grounds!