The Bakers agree that serving has been "one of the most gratifying experiences" of their lives as they see fellow church members confront their addiction and take the necessary steps to curb it.

Their assignment is one of dozens of part-time mission positions that are filled not only by retired Latter-day Saints, but by many who work at full-time careers and seek a way to serve others outside their own congregations.

Elder Jeff Swinton, now an Area Authority Seventy for the church, was tapped eight years ago to start what has become known as the Inner-City Project in Salt Lake City. The program, which also functions in Ogden, is designed to help families in poverty become self-reliant by pairing them with missionaries who serve as teachers, counselors and role models.

"We ask missionaries to attend the ward to which they are assigned and become a member there," in the eyes of the congregation, he said, leaving behind assignments in their home wards. They work under the direction of an inner-city bishop, who assigns them to help people with "every conceivable need" from poor housing conditions, lack of access to medical, dental or mental health care, and under-employment to lack of transportation or adequate food and clothing.

The program now involves well more than 2,000 missionaries who can sign up to serve from six to 30 hours per week for six to 24 months, Elder Swinton said. Most are upper-50s couples whose children are grown, with one or both still working full time. "Many of them, for one reason or another, just can't leave town. I don't think we're depleting those who would otherwise serve" a full-time mission outside the state, he said.

While the program has a measurable impact on those served, "the real beneficiaries are the missionaries," he said, emotion filling his voice. "They experience frustration. It tests their patience and exposes them to things they've never imagined. . . . But they come to recognize how everyone is a brother and sister, and how, but for the grace of God, they might be under different circumstances."

Dean Walker, manager at LDS Employment Resource Service Center, said nearly 90 missionaries work with job seekers to help review their skills, determine training needs, provide mentoring and help them access community resources.

"Probably more than any- thing is, we're just instilling hope," Walker said. "Many don't feel there are resources out there and they won't qualify for anything. We want to turn that around."