President Gordon B. Hinckley of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints dedicated the Columbia River Temple, in Richland, WA on November 18, 2001. The temple serves more than 34,000 Latter Day Saints in southeast Washington and northeast Oregon.

     Temples are considered "Houses of the Lord" where Christ's teachings are reaffirmed through marriage, baptism and other sacred ordinances that unite families for eternity.