LDS volunteers serve their missions at home

While an ever-increasing life-span and good health offer more options for their "golden years" than ever before, a growing number of Latter-day Saint baby boomers along the Wasatch Front are volunteering to serve missions for their church — thousands of them without leaving the comfort of their own homes.

Known worldwide for its pairs of proselyting missionaries in far-flung locales, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has focused a major effort in recent years on carving out volunteer service opportunities in Utah. And while top leaders will likely issue their usual plea for senior missionaries to serve full-time outside the state during the faith's 174th Semiannual General Conference this weekend, less publicized are the opportunities for Wasatch Front members to serve locally — anywhere from four to 30-plus hours per week.

Elder Merlin Baker and his wife, Marian, spend several hours each week listening to fellow Latter-day Saints who would otherwise be outside their sphere of friendship. As part-time missionaries with the LDS Family Services Addiction Recovery program, they preside at regular meetings for those struggling with alcoholism and drug addiction. The program features a modified 12-step curriculum that incorporates LDS teachings about the atonement of Jesus Christ.

Wearing the traditional black tags that identify them as LDS missionaries, they preside at the meetings, give a short lesson, and then listen as a "facilitator" — who is making his or her way back from addiction — conducts the meeting. Participants gather at LDS meetinghouses to share their thoughts, experiences and their belief in God.

The Bakers said they didn't know the program existed until they sought help for an addicted child. They attended one of several 90-minute sessions held locally every day of the week and found understanding and hope listening to others working to overcome addiction. After seeing the program in action, they volunteered to serve. Group meetings are held in several buildings all along the Wasatch Front.

Many Sundays, the Bakers spend their time explaining the program in LDS sacrament meetings when bishops request their services.

Because LDS doctrine eschews the use of alcohol or illegal drugs, Elder Baker said many LDS addicts and their families are "in denial and don't want the bishop or ward members to know" because the resulting social stigma singles them out. Yet based on Utah statistics, he estimates roughly 3 percent of members in an LDS ward of 400 are in need of substance abuse treatment.

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.