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Summarized by Kent Larsen
Fresno Temple Draws 50,000 Visitors
(Tours of temple offered)
Fresno CA Bee 31Mar00 D1
FRESNO, CALIFORNIA -- The open house for the Fresno California
attracted a total of more than 50,000 visitors over the past weekend,
according to a member of the temple committee. Committee member Jeff
Boswell told the BYU Daily Universe that the more than 50,000
visitors came during the open houses' six days. "The temple is having
a profound influence in the community. Many non-members attending the
open house have decided to take the missionary discussions and join
the church, so powerful was the temple experience," Boswell said.
All the local television stations in Fresno ran stories on the
Temple, and the local Fresno Bee newspaper ran a front-page story.
The coverage even led some local clergy to re-evaluate their views of
Mormons, "One pastor (at the Fresno open house) noted that for too
long his denomination has been passing along half-truths and
misconceptions about Mormonism, and it is time it stopped," Boswell
said.
The Fresno Temple is one of four in California. It is scheduled to be
dedicated on April 9th. One of the new smaller temples, it has 11,000
square feet of floor space and cost approximately $5 million to build.
See also:
Over 95,000 visit new temples in California, Oregon
BYU NewsNet 5Apr00 D1
By Joe Hollenbaugh: NewsNet Staff Writer
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