On May 22, 2005, the San Antonio Mormon Temple was officially presented to the public with a beautiful dedication by the fifteenth president of the Latter Day Saints, Gordon B. Hinckley. This 5.5-acre site at the top of the hill at Stone Oak Parkway and Hardy Oak is the perfect location for the single-spire design, as onlookers from miles around can see the classic golden rendition of the Angel Moroni perched atop the tower. With a granite exterior finish, the 16,800 square foot church contains two ordinance rooms and two sealing rooms. The temple was the fourth built in Texas, following the ones built in Dallas, Houston, and Lubbock.

Groundbreaking and dedication of the site took place in March of 2003, and on September 21st of the next year, the striking, thirteen-foot, gold-leaf statue of the angel was installed atop the temple, coinciding with the 181st anniversary of the first appearance of the Angel Moroni to the prophet Joseph Smith in the 1820s. The Angel Moroni watches over the temple today, and according to the Temple's website, " it is not unheard of for the statue to be struck by lightning during a thunderstorm just like a lightning rod, due to its height and conductivity. "

The decision to build the 120th operating LDS Temple here in San Antonio was based on the area's growing Mormon population. At the onset of construction, there were about 9,000 worshipers who would have had to drive over 200 miles to the nearest temple in Houston. As their numbers grew to over 12,000 in just less than a decade, LDS members were ecstatic to have a temple of their own. Today, it serves about 45,250 members living in an area spanning from Waco to Brownsville.

The inside of the Temple is furnished with red-stained African Cherrywood and adorned in gold leaf ornamentation. Stained glass windows filter in the bright San Antonio sun through slightly muted, desert-like colors unique to the landscape of the area. The windows, crafted by Utah artist Tom Holdman are complimented by an intricate mural sprawling across one of the inside walls. The mural, painted by San Antonio artist Keith Bonds, depicts the life of Jesus. The Temple is a work of art in and of itself, and a unique landmark for the Stone Oak area.