An interfaith friendship developed decades ago between Latter-day Saints and members of the Sikh faith in northern California is continuing to blossom.
On Saturday, Aug. 3, more than 200 youth and 75 adults of the Roseville California Stake of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints participated in a youth conference event that involved visiting a number of venues in the Yuba City area.
The city in California is home to one of the largest Sikh populations outside of India. One highlight came when the group visited the Sikh Temple Gurdwara, a short distance from the Church’s Feather River California Temple.
During the visit, a member of the Sikh faith explained the values, practices and commonalities shared by Sikhism and the Church.
Elder Mark A. Bragg, a General Authority Seventy and president of the Church’s North America West Area, attended and spoke at the event. A Sikh leader bestowed an honorary sash on Elder Bragg to symbolize unity and mutual respect between the two faith communities.
Elder Bragg described one memorable moment as the group sat in the Sikh temple, according to an article on ChurchofJesusChrist.org.
“There was a lot of conversation, although not too loud, while we were waiting. Then a family entered and went to the front to bow down and worship,” he said. “Immediately, the youth sensed the sacred nature of what was happening, and the temple fell completely silent. The reverence for the sacred activity impressed the Sikh priests and many commented on it to me after the meeting. They were appreciative and grateful for the visit and for the reverence that was demonstrated by those wonderful youth.”
After, members of the Sikh faith provided a meal for the Latter-day Saint young people, who then assisted with cleaning tables and windows at the Sikh temple to help prepare for the Nagar Kirtan festival in November, a celebration of scripture that attracts thousands from the community and features a parade from the Sikh temple to the Church’s Feather River temple.
The friendship between the Latter-day Saints and Sikh community has roots in the early 1970s.
Mehar Tumber and his family, devout Sikhs, owned a piece of land and used it to grow peaches.
Tumber was not looking to sell the property — but did so willingly when Church representatives asked about its availability for the purpose of building a house of worship. Tumber was known as a man of great spirituality and faith.
The property was first used for a stake center, which was later removed to make way for the Feather River California Temple, dedicated in October 2023. Another meetinghouse was built next door.
The relationship has also been strengthened through family history. The Church has been invited to host a family history booth at the Sikh festival in Yuba City.
“We have been blessed in this area with a great and loving friendship with our Sikh neighbors,” Elder Bragg said. “They were incredibly supportive in our efforts to build a house of the Lord in Yuba City. They set a high standard for providing meals to those in need. It was great for our youth to see how those of different faiths can come together and bless one another and the community.”
