History of the Service Mission

Promoting Self-Reliance Among The Poor And Needy Of The Salt Lake Valley:
A Ten-Year History of the LDS Salt Lake Inner City Mission
  Compiled by Garth Mangum

 

Theme: Inasmuch as ye have done it unto the least of these, my brethren, ye have done it unto me. (Matthew 25:40)

Purpose: The Inner City Mission is organized and functions for the purpose of assisting the poor and needy under the direction of bishops by teaching principles of self-reliance, temporal and spiritual, and seeking to bring souls unto Christ.

 

Table of Contents

Chapter 1: The Spirit of Christ in the Inner City
Chapter 2: The Bird's Eye View: From the Top Down
Chapter 3: The Worm's Eye View: From the Bottom Looking Upward
Chapter 4: Continued Development of the Inner City Project
Chapter 5: The Storehouse of Specialists and Community Resources
Chapter 6: Inner City Vignettes
Chapter 7: The Scriptural and Historical Base
Chapter 8: Outcomes, Lessons and Implications
References

 

Chapter 1

The Spirit of Christ in the Inner City

How can a Latter-day Saint couple serve a third world mission, follow divine admonition to remember the poor who they know to be their spirit siblings, and still go home at night to a clean bed and never go a week without seeing their grandchildren? After ten years of active service in the Salt Lake LDS Inner City Project, over 4500 residents of the Salt Lake Valley now know the answer to that question. More important, some 28,000 families, living in poverty and need in the heart of latter-day Zion, know what it means to be helped toward self-reliance in an atmosphere of brotherly–and sisterly--love. Let us tell you what happened. First, one typical grass roots example:

The Fourth Ward of the Liberty Stake

It is autumn 1995. Primary President Audrey Bryant knocks on the door of one room of a former motel beside a freeway in the Salt Lake inner city. She does so with trepidation because she understands that another of the 15 rooms beside her is a drug house. But as a volunteer leadership missionary from a suburban stake serving in the Salt Lake inner city Fourth Ward and called to be Primary president, a position she has filled before in a quite different prosperous and orderly suburban setting, she has been told there are children living here who are now her responsibility. She hears a querulous, "who's there?" from inside and an unkempt woman partially opens the door and peers out. Her eyeglasses are coated over, her teeth are almost black, her hair is disheveled and her clothes are wrinkled and old.

Audrey is not allowed in on that morning but later enters into a single room with wall-to-wall beds for six people–two parents and four boys–and 13 cats. An 18 month-old child lies in a crib, never having crawled because there is no crawl space. The family has lived in that room for 12 years. The father has been steadily employed at the same place for all of those years, riding a bicycle 15 miles a day to and from work, but earns only $7 an hour bringing in an annual income more than $5000 under the official federal poverty threshold for a family that size. The mother has scrubbed the family's clothes in the bathtub for all of those years. The sons are ages 14, 10, 7 and 18 months. The 14-year-old hardly ever comes home, preferring to "hang out" at the mall and stay with friends wherever a bed is available. The 7 year-old has been injured–struck by a hit and run driver–and never adequately treated. The cats are there to chase the rodents but add their pungent odor to the atmosphere.

Alerted by his new Primary president, Bishop Gordon Larsen, a retired airline pilot and former World War II fighter pilot, visits the family and resolves to see that infant walk. He assigns another suburban missionary couple, Richard and Marjorie Wright, as home and visiting teachers. It takes some weeks to win the confidence of the family–years for the 14 year-old. But Marjorie, who has been a beautician, takes the wife/mother to her home, cuts and styles her hair, finds her other clothes and encourages her to spruce up. An optometrist is persuaded to provide her first new glasses in 15 years. The Wright's family dentist volunteers, with gentle persuasion, to fix her teeth. A pretty lady still in her thirties emerges and begins to feel surges of hope.

The husband/father is slower to trust the Wrights, but gradually he lets accountant, salesman and businessman Richard help him develop a budget. The family pays $350 a month for their one room apartment. The family has "maxed out" three credit cards and is faced with payments toward heavy interest without making a dent in the principal. Working through a credit consolidation agency, the credit card company is persuaded to waive the interest and accept regular but low payments on the principal. A collection agency is trying to collect $1,500 in hospital bills resulting from the child's hit-and-run injuries. Richard visits the University of Utah Hospital and the Primary Children's Hospital and persuades them to waive their bills as charitable contributions since no one in the family was at fault. Reaching out to community resources, state and local government authorities are contacted. Three federal and two state low-income housing programs are identified and jointly applied. A retired real estate agent volunteers to hunt for a house meeting the requirements of those programs and the needs of the family. A three-bedroom house in a better part of the inner city is identified. It is over 100 years old and isn't currently up to code but it has possibilities. The Wright's son is a remodeling contractor. He volunteers his own labor and oversees the volunteered labor of Fourth Ward members and the leadership missionaries until the legal requirements are met. Authorities representing federal and state housing authorities work their magic and a 40 year mortgage emerges covering principle, interest (1%), taxes and insurance for the same $350 the family has been paying for rent of the single room.

Nothing can be moved from the old apartment for fear of bringing contaminant insects. Friends and families of ward members and service missionaries are solicited for furniture contributions and a bishop's order to Deseret Industries fills in the gaps. The wife/mother is taught to operate a washer and dryer. The sons walk through the house closing doors and feeling privacy for the first time in their lives. The husband/father owns a car, which has not run for years. An auto mechanic volunteers his time and the bishop pays for the parts to get it running. Able now to get to and from work in a few minutes, the husband/father takes an additional part-time job. With volunteer medical analysis and assistance the baby learns to walk and the injured boy improves. When all of the children are in school, the wife/mother goes to work part-time at the Welfare Square Bishops' Storehouse but is always at home when the children leave and return from school. With increased self-confidence, the husband/father finds another job at better pay and soon no longer needs the second job.

Twelve years pass. Substantially influenced by the mentoring by the Wrights, these are the 2007 circumstances: With encouragement from the Wright's, the father changes jobs and earns $14 an hour with the opportunity of becoming manager of his department. The mother returns to being a stay-at-home Mom. The younger brothers grow up in church activity The oldest son graduates from high school; joins the Marines; is among the earliest serving in Iraq; returns; marries; finishes two years of college in North Carolina while completing his enlistment; they live with the Wrights during his last semesters and graduation from the University of Utah; becomes active in the Church; he and his wife and their two children are sealed in the temple; he uses the GI bill to attend a law school in Oregon from which he is scheduled to graduate in December 2007. He is the major influence in his younger brothers' lives and encourages them to get educated and leave behind the poverty they have known all of their lives up to now. The second son graduates from high school and enrolls at the Salt Lake Community College. The third is a senior in high school and the youngest is in junior high. All are earning excellent grades. The family is now not only self-reliant but looks for opportunities within their means to help others.

This is only one story of many which will be told about experiences in that Liberty 4th Ward and in many other Salt Lake Valley LDS wards as that pioneering effort grew into a valley-wide initiative. How did all of this come about? Who came looking, why and what were the results? Could and should it happen elsewhere? The following chapters will answer those questions. In them, we will provide a history of the Salt Lake Inner City Project of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. In doing so, we will demonstrate how the Holy Ghost works from the top down and from the bottom up, as well as permeating the entire scene when listened to appropriately.

Chapter 2

The Bird's Eye View: From the Top Down

While leadership missionaries were working from the bottom up in the Fourth Ward of the Liberty Stake, as we shall see in Chapter 3, Utah North Area President Alexander B. Morrison was coming on the scene with a yearning heart and an open mind. A Canadian, he believes that a special consciousness of poverty emerged from his childhood and youth experiencing poverty on an Alberta farm while observing a mother who fed all of the wandering depression era hoboes while referring to Paul's instruction to the Hebrews that they "Be not forgetful to entertain strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares." (Hebrews 13:2) An international health expert and LDS convert, he has deep exposure to the poverty and suffering of Africans as well as Canadians and Americans. Becoming LDS Area President in Northern Utah in 1996, he looks out over Salt Lake City and says to himself, "This is our city. Let's take it back!" meaning from the poverty, crime and other maladies typical of American inner cities. How he chose to do so and what happened afterwards is what this book is about.

Morrison Background and Commitment.

An LDS convert at age 20, Alexander Morrison obtained bachelors and master's degrees from the University of Alberta and the University of Michigan and a doctorate in a combination of public health-related fields from Cornell University. He returned to Canada, becoming Assistant Deputy Minister of National Health and Welfare for the entire nation before moving to the University of Guelph in Ontario as professor and chairman of the Food Sciences Department. While there, he was chosen as a member of the World Health Organization where he chaired a number of advisory committees, including one on research and training in tropical diseases. The latter assignment aroused a lasting interest in Africa, causing him to become deeply involved in health and poverty issues throughout that continent, including several visits there, and unknowingly preparing him for subsequent LDS Church service there. He became the first recipient of the David M. Kennedy Service Award from the Kennedy International Center at the Brigham Young University in 1984. Alexander Morrison was called to the First Quorum of Seventy in 1987 and assigned as counselor in the area presidency, which was then responsible for LDS activity in the United Kingdom, Ireland and much of Africa. His 1987-1990 LDS experience in Africa added to his previous studies and led to his 1990 book on the gospel in Africa, The Dawning of a Brighter Day. [1]Alexander B. Morrison, The Dawning of a Brighter Day: The Church in Black Africa (Salt Lake: Deseret Book, 1990)

Assigned 1991-94, first as counselor and next as president of the North America Southeast Area, Morrison began the preliminary efforts, which were to lead directly to his initiation three years later of the Salt Lake Inner City Project. He recognized that the predominately minority and low-income members in the inner city of Atlanta, Georgia were being under-served at the tips of the pie slice-shaped wards of the Atlanta Stake. He formed a district consisting of three-predominately black, one Hispanic and one Vietnamese branches, all under resident leadership, placing the district under the oversight of Georgia Atlanta Mission president, fellow Canadian Everett Paulin. A new black convert with a Masters of Business Administration, Daryl Blount, was hired to oversee a newly conceived Welfare Resource Center in that district, assisted by a handful of missionary couples from Utah. The director and the missionary couples accomplished much good on behalf of the inner city's poor, as long as their missions lasted, but the local members in the surrounding wards did not become involved. As Elder Morrison puts it, "the poor had to adjust to the rich rather than the rich having to adapt to and serve the poor." That lesson was an important one for Elder Morrison and other future leaders of the Salt Lake Inner City Project who happened upon the Atlanta scene–Loy and Sylvia Despain on a full-time basis for three months and Garth Mangum sporadically for evaluation purposes, as noted in Chapter 3.

Assigned to the Utah North Area as councilor in 1994 and Area President in 1995, Elder Morrison determined to apply the lifelong lessons of his public health experience and the African and Atlanta experiences. As he wrote in his 1997 book, Zion:

Light in the Darkness...all men, everywhere, are my brothers, and all women, my sisters. I am tied to each of them by the bonds of kinship. When they bleed, I hurt; when they weep, I mourn. Their pains and sorrows must become mine...only to the extent that we are willing to "bear one another's burdens...and...mourn with those that mourn;...and comfort those who stand in need of comfort" can we ever become a Zion people of God.[2]Alexander B. Morrison, Zion: A Light in the Darkness (Salt Lake City, Deseret Book Company, 1997). Related thoughts are expressed in his 2002 Deseret Book, His Name Be Praised: Understanding Christ’s Ministry and Mission.

As he returned to his first Utah assignment in 1994, he not only had in mind his own Atlanta experiences, but also became aware of explorations by Church Welfare Department staff in the inner cities of New York, Detroit, and Philadelphia which, in retrospect, confirmed that no meaningful progress was possible without the involvement and leadership of the local church membership. He then observed an inner city effort emerging in Ogden, which had been initiated at the stake president level, focused on urban blight with a major concern for preserving the temple and its surroundings, but was still concerned with family well being. Its 1994-96 activities would have a major impact on his considerations concerning Salt Lake City.

Ogden Inner City Project

In January 1992, Elder Charles Didier, Counselor in the Utah North Area Presidency, had authorized the presidents of the Ogden East, South Ogden, Ogden Burch Creek and Ogden Weber Heights Stakes, as "giver stakes," to call up to 10-12 couples to serve as special service missionaries in the Mount Ogden Stake as "receiver stake." the selected couples from the giver stakes were to be assigned to fellowship, activate and reactivate members of that receiver stake. Working within the framework of established mission, stake and ward organizations, they were to be assigned tasks such as:

• Assist families to improve the way they met their temporal and spiritual needs
• Teach domestic skills such as improving the quality of meals to satisfy the family's economic and nutritional needs
• Teach families financial planning, budgeting, insurance, resource conservation, etc.
• Teach basic domestic skills such as personal hygiene, how to maintain a clean and healthy home environment through family cooperation, the importance of first aid principles and emergency preparedness
• Help families learn how to conduct family home evening, foster personal and family spiritual growth, study the scriptures and accept calls to serve in the Church
• Provide assistance to family members having difficulty with school subjects or needing to upgrade employment
• Encourage other members to assist with fellowshipping and friend shipping responsibilities
• Participate with proselyting missionaries in teaching follow-on lessons to new members or less active members
• Participate in stake and ward activities to assist stake and ward leaders in inviting all to come unto Christ
• Assist stake and ward leaders in developing and implementing effective ways to accomplish the three dimensions of the mission of the Church: preaching the gospel, perfecting the saints and redeeming the dead
• Be aware of church, community, and government programs that can provide assistance to the distressed [3]Minutes of 16 January 1992 meeting at Ogden Utah Mt. Ogden Stake Offices

Assigned as a councilor in the Utah North Area Presidency in 1994 and becoming Area President in 1995, Alexander Morrison was able to observe and influence the metamorphous of that five stake effort into a long-term plan to review and change inner city and west side ward and stake boundaries so as to more nearly equalize burdens of welfare loads, family structure, inactivity, and lack of leadership, refurbish Church properties including that surrounding the temple, reduce chronic abuses in the administration of the Church welfare program and improve partnerships with other community organizations. There was organized in February 1996 by the Utah North Area Presidency an Ogden Inner-City Welfare Committee consisting of 24 stakes divided into four subcommittees consisting of stake presidents and stake Relief Society presidents: Resource Development and Assignment, Missionary/Volunteer Training, Temple and Property Enhancement, and Government Interface. [4]8 September 1996 Ogden Inner-City Welfare Committee Report and interviews with September 2007 officers Six of those stakes were designated target stakes with the others assisting to find solutions to the problems of the target stakes and especially those of 16 troubled wards and branches within those stakes. The Ogden project is cited here because of its influence in the initiation of the Salt Lake Inner City Project, but it merits its own history. Substantial efforts continue to this day (2007) with the number of Church service missionaries involved varying from 40 to 75 and a continuing commitment to improving neighborhood environment, including refurbishing of houses and yards, as well as membership reactivation, family rehabilitation, and an emphasis on individual self-reliance.

Back to the Salt Lake Inner City

Observing the emerging Ogden program. Elder Morrison requested research concerning the Salt Lake inner city. Five Area Authority Seventies, Wayne Peterson, Brent Black, Donald Doty, Craig Vincent and Harold Brown (who was also director of LDS Social Services) undertook the assignment as a task force. Addressing the presidents of the Salt Lake, Cannon, Central, Liberty, Park, Pioneer, Riverside, Rose Park, Rose Park North and Wells Stakes in a letter dated 27 December 1995, Elder Morrison called meetings which occurred in January and February of 1996. From those meetings, the task force concluded that many of the meetinghouses in the inner city were old, dilapidated, inadequate, unsightly, and inaccessible to the handicapped and without adequate parking, serving as an additional reason for younger members moving to the suburbs. They noted an aging membership, rising numbers of widows and other single sisters and inadequate numbers of active priesthood holders, in part attributable to the renting of housing to university students who preferred on-campus stakes and wards. The increasing numbers of homeless, the introduction of homeless shelters, the rising welfare needs and the growing incidence of gangs and crime were all discussed. Also discussed were the need for new buildings, the calling of suburban members to attend inner city ward s, the realignment of stake boundaries to provide east/west inclusion, a requirement that students not living on campus not attend university wards, that branches be formed in the homeless shelters, neighborhood watch programs for anti-gangs and anti-prostitution, and other possibilities but no conclusions were reached. Further study was recommended. [5]December 27, 1995 letter, Wayne Peterson to stake presidents, February 18, 1996 minutes, August 26, 1996 Report from the Salt Lake City Inner-city Task Force

With all of this background and while being exposed to the Church Welfare Services Department offices in the neighboring building and apprised of conditions, programs and services being provided throughout the Utah North Area, Elder Morrison met Welfare Services Department employee Loy Despain and was told of developments in the Salt Lake Fourth Ward. From those and other exposures, Elder Morrison resolved that what became the Inner City Project was both needed and doable. For the next step of the initiation process, let's turn to Jeffrey Swinton whom Elder Morrison would call to lead the project.

Jeffrey and Heidi Swinton

"My involvement began with a phone call on the 28th of June 1996 from Elder Morrison who explained some of his concerns for the inner city of Salt Lake City. He suggested that there were a great number of problems which needed to be addressed and he wanted to create a program that would save the inner city of Salt Lake without spending a dime of Church money while utilizing the volunteer resources primarily of members of the Church throughout the valley. He called me to direct it and be its priesthood leader.... When I asked Elder Morrison in that initial phone conversation where I should start and what I should do, his response was that I would figure it out."[6]The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Historical Department, the James Moyle Oral History

Program, Interviewee: Jeff Swinton, Interviewer: Blake Miller, 23 November 1999But in that reminiscence, Swinton does not point out that, as President of the Salt Lake Central Stake, he had been in attendance at those January and February task force meetings and was probably aware of the pending task force report. In fact, on 9 January 1996, following that first task force meeting, he had written to the task force members commenting on nearly every aspect of what would be in the report, as well as other concerns, from the vantage point of his own wards.

Jeffrey Swinton was an appropriate call for the Salt Lake inner city assignment. Having recently completed law school, having married Heidi and while preparing to move to a new suburban home for the birth of their first child, he was called to serve as bishop of a singles ward in the Salt Lake Central Stake in the late 1970s. Since he was not a resident of that stake, he was called as a Church-service missionary in order to accept the bishop assignment. The Salt Lake Central Stake was temporary home to many students from many areas around the valley, state and nation. But a University Stake was the provider of wards for students, both single and married, who either lived in university housing on campus or chose not to attend their resident wards. The singles ward to which Jeffrey Swinton had been called as bishop was one of four non-student singles wards in the Salt Lake valley. Singles could drift in and out and choose whether or not to attend, but most of those who attended regularly were residents of the Salt Lake Central, Liberty, Park, Sugarhouse and Wells Stakes, which some 20 years later would become participants in the LDS Inner City Project.

As the new Bishop Swinton would later reminisce:

Over the years I can recall only one of the typically 450 members of that ward who lived at home with parents. All of the others lived alone or with roommates. I was younger than the majority of the ward members, most of them being in their thirties while I was still in my twenties. They were not students preparing for the life ahead. Many were preparing to merely cope. Either they had already graduated or that opportunity, as well as many others, had long since passed them by. Fortunately, we also had a group of spiritually mature single people who stayed with me to the end. They knew they were needed and shared in the reciprocal blessings my family was enjoying.

Soon the Swintons had purchased a home in the more prosperous eastern portion of the Central Stake, bringing their firstborn and having three more children during their eight years of service in that singles ward. Then-Bishop Swinton further reminisces:

Our oldest son was nine years old before he realized that most primary classes in the Church really do have more than one child in them." But he also reminisces: "With no family to turn to, most of the members of my ward sought counsel from me. Many of them were truly needy people. Many members wanted me to be their doctor, psychiatrist, social worker, employment specialist, bail bondsman, financial planner, tutor, father, brother, friend and spiritual adviser. I was trained only as a lawyer. I conducted over 5,000 interviews during those eight years. During one two month period in a bleak winter, I responded to cries from a number of distraught members during or following 17 suicide attempts. My friends openly wondered why I did not ask to be released. The answer was simple. I loved it. I couldn't imagine my life without the opportunity to be part of theirs. I was blessed beyond measure and still bask in the joy of those eight years. [7]Excerpted from remarks of Jeffrey Swinton at various subsequent training sessions for service missionaries called to serve in the Inner City Project

Jeffrey Swinton subsequently served as counselor in the stake presidency and then as president of the Salt Lake Central Stake and still resident of the Salt Lake inner city, though at its most prosperous boundary. Elder Alexander Morrison obviously heeded the promptings of the spirit when he chose President Jeffrey Swinton to design and then direct what would become the Salt Lake LDS Inner City Project.

Designing the Project

Following the 28 June 1996 call to Stake President Swinton, Elder Morrison wrote to 45 stake presidents within the Pioneer, Bonneville and Holladay Welfare Regions, informing them of the forthcoming project and asking them to be prepared to provide Church-service missionaries and other assistance to support it. Stake president and Pioneer regional chairman Jeffrey Swinton was to serve as Project Director but part-time, continuing his law practice for sustenance. Loren G. Burton, the recently retired Superintendent of the Granite School District, was asked by Elder Morrison to serve as full-time Executive Director of the project. Principles to be followed in the forthcoming project were laid out in a 27 August 1996 letter from Elder Morrison to President Swinton:

A few comments may help you as you further develop the concept: (1) We must be very careful to be led by the doctrine and long-established principles, sheltering all we do under the Welfare Service umbrella. We do not need a new program; we need to apply already established principles. (2) Avoid adding administrative layers; make maximum use of Regional Welfare Committees. (3) Start modestly and let the program unfold naturally over time and with experience. We can't afford false steps. In this work, the adage to "measure twice and cut once" certainly applies. It may not be advisable to have large numbers of committees initially. I suggest perhaps three would be enough at the start. (4) We must make maximum use, on a Church service basis, of the time and talent of members living in the stakes involved. We have a great reservoir of strength in them.

President Swinton and Elder Burton met in September 1996 with the 45 relevant Salt Lake Valley stake presidents, their stake Relief Society presidents and the chairs of the bishops' welfare counsels from each stake who committed to call Church-service missionaries to serve in inner city wards when called upon to do so. The two also traveled to Ogden to observe the efforts underway in that inner city and their initial planning reflected that experience.

An executive committee was formed consisting of the project director, the executive director, the three stake presidents who were the regional chairs of the three most relevant welfare regions and three additional stake presidents chosen to chair a Self-Reliance Committee, a Youth Committee and a Neighborhood Committee. A 30 October 1996 "evolutionary draft" of "guiding principles for the Salt Lake Inner City Project" is entitled "Becoming the Zion People of God" with a declared purpose being "by applying the welfare principles of consecration and cooperation within and beyond our own neighborhoods, we can enhance the spiritual and temporal lives of the people in Salt Lake City, Utah."[8]Jeffrey C. Swinton and Loren G. Burton, “The Salt Lake Inner City Project Under the direction of the Presidency of the Utah North Area, Becoming the Zion People of God,” 30 October 1996

The guiding principles discussion begins

Our intent, under the direction of priesthood leaders, is to soften the barriers of stake and ward boundaries and pool welfare resources for all who reside in Salt Lake City. We are to insure that the priesthood directs, guides and gives leadership in the work. We desire to make maximum use, on a Church service basis, of the time and talents of missionaries living within the stakes involved. The direction of the Project should be in harmony with long established principles of the Church Welfare Services umbrella and, where possible, make maximum use of existing Regional Welfare Committees. Needs are to be identified by those who live in the inner city and experience the problems. All efforts to assist should focus upon building self-reliance within those receiving assistance. Priesthood quorums and the Relief Society should assume a major role in providing assistance. There should be common understanding and agreement on the use of fast offering funds by all who assist the project. A teaching model should be developed which will allow all who will be involved in providing services to obtain a vision and learn the objectives of the Project. Inviting members to reflect upon their covenants, they may become more Christ-like as they expand their venue for service to others. Some projects initiated by the Committee may involve one-time assignments for large numbers of volunteers to focus on a specific need. The main thrust of the Project, however, will be to create and implement long-lasting plans aimed at solving problems, increasing self-reliance and fostering a spirit of consecration.

In retrospect, it is interesting that a history of the forthcoming project was contemplated but never pursued.

If others in the future, both within the Salt Lake Valley and elsewhere in the world are to benefit from our experience, an accurate and unabridged history must be maintained, along with supporting documentation. Written accounts will be solicited from all participants and appropriately catalogued for access as the Project continues. Some material will be used in the newsletter, which will also be an integral piece in the history. Statistical data, trends, news articles, reports, letters, pictures and any important material will be preserved. A contemporary chronological history will be written as it unfolds so that memories do no alter or forget what occurred. Accuracy and honesty will be required if others are to truly learn from our mistakes and our successes. A person will be called to assist in this responsibility.

Each of the three committees—self-reliance, youth and neighborhood—were to study the problems, determine the needs, identify resources, prioritize an approach and implement plans. A long list of concerns was derived for each committee and for the Church-service missionaries to be called. The Self-Reliance Committee concerns ranged from self-reliance plans to homemaking skills, parent-child and husband-wife relationships, employment training and a list of the topics, which would later comprise the Storehouse of Specialists, the development of which was specified. The Youth Committee ranged from "latch-key support" to potential Eagle Scout projects. The Neighborhood Committee concerns ranged from gang awareness training, reducing vagrancy and cleaning homes and yards to providing support to homeless shelters and encouraging the development of new low-income housing. A list of "hands-on" services which the expected Church-service missionaries were to provide included "shadow leadership," assisting in home and visiting teaching, assisting bishops in screening welfare needs and recipients and assisting in leadership in homeless shelters, detention facilities and retirement facilities. A forthcoming baseline measurement followed by periodic assessments of performance and progress, a communicating newsletter, and a "continuous, accurate and unabridged" history were promised. Recipient stakes were to contribute $100 each to establish a fund for out-of-pocket expenses.

Don Herrin, Professor of Family and Consumer Studies at the University of Utah was released from service as councilor in the inner city Granite Park Stake presidency to serve as Director of Needs Assessment and Evaluation for the forthcoming project. Not only was he an expert in researching relevant issues, but also he and his wife had chosen to live in an inner city housing project, rather than the East Bench suburbs, as did most of his colleagues, that they might more deeply familiarize themselves with the realities of his chosen field of study. Professor Herrin prepared a 40 question research questionnaire concerning family needs, other member needs, leadership capacity, physical facilities, crime and youth gang activities, welfare needs, residential needs and the need for and expected usefulness of outside help within the inner city wards, asking each need to be ranked from one meaning no need to five representing extreme need. Every ward in ten Salt Lake stakes—Salt Lake, Cannon, Central, Liberty, Park, Pioneer, Riverside, Rose Park, Rose Park North and Wells—was addressed at the end of 1996. The questionnaires were administered to two separate groups in each of these inner city wards. One was the priesthood executive committee of the ward, consisting of men only, and the other was a women's committee consisting of the presidencies of the Relief Society, Young Women and Primary. The questionnaires were filled out and submitted separately, resulting in quite different estimates of needs from each group. Simultaneously, a two-page questionnaire was distributed to the missionaries serving in the Liberty Fourth Ward to learn from their experience. The results were computerized and analyzed to determine the mix and magnitudes of needs. Narrative responses were also sought and received from bishops and Relief Society presidents in essay format setting forth their concerns. In addition to the Executive Committee, an Inner City Task Force of area authorities, stake presidents and Church Welfare Services Department leaders pondered the data. A few selections from 10 pages of the narrative responses released in March 1997 may be illustrative:

• We have three members of the bishopric, a ward clerk who serves when his health allows, a financial clerk, no membership clerk and no executive secretary, a High Priest group leader, and Elder's quorum with one counselor, and a Young Men's president with the bishopric serving as his counselors. With over 40 single women and an average of 24 households receiving assistance, there are simply not enough hours to spread ourselves any further. Not one of my four boys has had an active young men's program. They have been cheated from enjoying the gospel as young men in staffed wards do.
• Physical safety from crime as well as advanced age and illness is a great concern. The sick and older people do not have enough people to look in on them and the ten families who really try are getting burned out. The message of joy in the Church is overwhelmed by the demands of survival.
• There are not enough home and visiting teachers to take care of the tremendous needs we have with so many single-parent families living in poverty. Most of our visiting teachers go alone because there are not enough for companionships.
• One of our missionaries came home early five years ago. Now the boys are afraid. We have not sent out one missionary since.
• Crime is high. My car was stolen at church a few months ago. At my condominium 20 cars have been stolen in the past four months, along with other acts of vandalism. The need to feel safe is paramount.
• Many ward members feel threatened by the dangers of the neighborhood. Drive by shootings occurs frequently. Other illegal activities such as drug dealing, robbery, burglary, and graffiti seem to occur daily. There have been at least six murders within the boundaries of the ward during recent years. Members are afraid to go into some areas of the ward, especially at night. Some parents do not let their children play outside.
• I have been in homes where I had a hard time speaking for fear of gagging. Most of these families do not realize there is even a problem. Some of our absentee landlords do not care what goes on as long as they get their money.
• I was helping a sister fill out a welfare order. Her teeth had not been brushed in weeks, if at all. I asked her if she would like toothbrushes. She responded "just one. My husband does not have any teeth." She will not very long either. [9]Inner City Sampler, 3-7-97 Draft

The Research Information Division of the Church was asked to produce colored maps based upon the 1990 census overlaying stake and ward boundaries and identifying relevant data such as median income, poverty incidence, and age distribution, female-headed households, minority residency, education levels and other factors which might indicate the depths of problems which the forthcoming effort might confront. They discovered, for instance, that the central core of the city housed 19% of the total population but 40% of the poor. It had a higher percentage of single parent families, elderly persons, and families with ill health or other disabilities, as compared to the rest of the city. Reflecting on Herrin's data, Elder Morrison concluded that Salt Lake City, while not subject to the levels of urban blight and ghetto poverty as seen in many larger American cities, does have neighborhoods with high concentrations of low income families, greater than average proportions of substandard, run-down and abandoned housing, and relatively high rates of crime. Fortunately, the problems of Salt Lake City, while serious and intensifying, have not yet reached levels, which preclude practical solutions. Many residents of Salt Lake City neighborhoods still retain considerable community spirit and interest in improvement. Furthermore, the cooperation between government and private and nonprofit agencies wanting to improve the city's poorer neighborhoods is strong and productive. [10]Presented in reflection at the 2nd Annual Micro Enterprise Conference, Investing in the Poor, Brigham Young University, 26 March 1999

Professor Herrin also visited the Salt Lake School District and solicited demographic and performance information on the student body of each individual school. From such data, sixteen stakes were identified as the probable inner city and target of the forthcoming project. Quarterly Activity Reports from each of the wards in those sixteen stakes were examined and compared with similar data from East Bench wards to observe the comparisons. For instance, many of those inner city wards were found to have ten or fewer active Melchizedek priesthood holders available to fill leadership positions. With such information as guidance, the three–Swinton, Burton and Herrin–established meetings with each of the sixteen stakes inviting stake presidencies, high councils, ward bishops and Relief Society presidencies, presenting to them the accumulated information, discussing the possibilities of the forthcoming project and asking for a survey of each ward's membership. A hurdle to be overcome was the propensity of the stake leaders to feel that it would be a confession of weak leadership to invite outsiders to help with internal problems, which they should be able to handle themselves. The fact that Jeffrey Swinton was currently an inner city stake president and the other two had served in such capacities seemed to make their available assistance more acceptable. That apparent intervention became even more acceptable when President Swinton remained as Chairman of the restructured Pioneer Welfare Region when those sixteen stakes were organized into that entity in 1998.

Meetings of the various committees, research and discussion continued through the first half of 1997. Based on the background information obtained from the stakes, Swinton, Burton and Herrin began attending inner city wards–bishops' meetings as well as sacrament and priesthood meetings--to observe and learn. It was in that context that they discovered the Salt Lake Fourth Ward and determined to use its already well-developed techniques as their primary model. As noted, Welfare Services Department employee Loy Despain had already told Elder Morrison that the answer to his queries would be found in that ward where Despain and his wife Sylvia were serving as leadership missionaries. Whether or not the three ward visitors had been apprised of that advice is unknown, but Swinton and his explorers, after observation, agreed. As the "homeless ward of the homeless," after meeting in other chapels, the Fourth Ward of the Liberty Stake was then meeting in the building of the Whittier Ward of the Wells Stake. Members of the planning body began attending the Fourth Ward weekly welfare meeting so regularly that observer chairs were always unfolded behind the circle of meeting participants. Though the Despains were by then in Mexico on a short-term LDS Welfare Services Department assignment, the visitors were told about the self-reliance planning process that had been developed there and adopted it as the basic approach for ward service missionaries to pursue with needy members. On June 10, 1997, a few days short of a year from the telephone call assigning the development responsibility to Jeffrey Swinton, a letter to him from the Utah North Area Presidency said "We agree fully with the proposal in your letter of 6 June 1997 to make the Liberty Fourth Ward a pilot project within the Inner City Project. It is clear we need flexibility in dealing with members on their way to self-reliance. We, therefore, concur with the transition model you describe."

Now let's see what that Fourth Ward experience had been.

Chapter 3

The Worm's Eye View: From the Bottom Looking Upward [11]Prepared by Garth Mangum in January and February 1998 as “Self-Reliance Planning in the Salt Lake Fourth Ward” and designated “Confidential: Not for General Distribution. Modified from present to past tense and Updated to a minor extent for inclusion here

Call it coincidence or at tribute it to divine intervention, the dire needs of Bishop Gordon Larsen and the professional and ecclesiastical experience of LDS Welfare Services Department employee Loy Despain merged in August 1995 into an innovative experiment in ward level welfare ad ministration which two years later—with the impetus of Utah North Area President Alexander Morrison--was to explode into a Salt Lake Valley-wide application which is still enlarging a decade later with who can imagine the ultimate ramifications. The message was that ordinary Latter-day Saints of good will, appropriately instructed, could bless their own lives as well as those of their needy spiritual brothers and sisters by guiding the latter through a process of self-reliance planning to a state where they could do as much for themselves as they were capable of doing without being overwhelmed by the exigencies of life beyond their control. Not only that, but the served could then become enthusiastic servers of others. But the impact was not limited to that one LDS congregation. The model fit admirably the yearnings of an LDS general authority that foresaw and generated its valley-wide impact. The rest is a ten-year history, which, we trust, will not end with one decade.

The Fourth Ward of the Liberty Stake literally was the fourth among the original 19 wards established in the City of the Great Salt Lake in February 1849. As the city grew for its first hundred years and more, the Fourth Ward shared the downtown area with other bustling wards. But eventually the business district began to encroach on central city housing and one by one other wards were folded into the Fourth Ward until that one congregation encompassed all of the area from First South to Fremont Street (roughly where 11th South would be if it any longer existed) and from Main Street to the I-15 Freeway. The result was a fascinating mix of commerce, residency and life styles, which has drastically changed ten years later with the emergence of the Gateway project of modern housing as well as retail business and corporate and government offices and now the LDS Business College within its boundaries. Mixed in among stores, hotels, office buildings, warehouses and parking lots at the time was the high rise habitat of the well-to-do in American Towers condominiums, the not-quite-so-plush Palladio Apartments, the subsidized housing of the elderly in the Jackson Apartments and the Multi-Ethnic Senior Citizens' High Rise, an artists' colony, a homosexual village and the city's homeless shelters, along with the deteriorating residences which had housed the generations now fled to the suburbs, now all within the confines of one inner city ward. It was also the "homeless ward of the homeless," its chapel having been destroyed by a suspicious fire several years earlier and the ward since being the "temporary guest" of other wards within and outside of the Liberty Stake.

By 1994, the Fourth Ward had less than 500 members from something over 300 households, over one-half of those families with no priesthood in the home. In addition to more than 200 adult women, most of them single as widows, husbandless mothers and never-marrieds, there were some 90 adult men without the Melchizedek Priesthood, all inactive, some 60 elders, not even three of whom were active enough to form an Elders' Quorum Presidency, and nearly 40 High Priests, mostly aged, incapacitated or "snowbirds," in residence only part of each year. That left close to 100 children and adolescents, the former only as active as their parents and the latter far less so. Volunteer "leadership missionaries," drawn from more prosperous areas of the metropolis, who filled the positions not readily staffable from within, had long supplemented the struggling resident leadership. With the knowledge and approval of general authorities but without their direct involvement, inner city stake presidents contacted suburban stake presidents seeking assignment of suburban resident members to serve in vacant leadership positions in inner city wards. A manuscript history of the Fourth Ward records that "from March 1, 1980 through February 21, 1988 there have been 50 leadership couples called to serve in the Fourth Ward" and the pace had not slowed by the time at issue. Home teaching was, to all practical purposes, undoable. With more women active than men, the Relief Society was able to carry out some visiting teaching. The Primary sputtered sporadically, a few Young Women could be gathered for an occasional activity. The Aaronic Priesthood and Young Men rarely had more than one attendee at a time. Boy Scouts functioned only on a multi-ward basis.

It was into this scene that Gordon Larsen, retired United Air Lines captain and successful Washington State businessman and his wife Ramona arrived. After completing a post-retirement mission to Scotland, they moved into the plush downtown American Towers, supposedly temporarily, while they completed a family history mission. Rather than attend church meetings in the Joseph Smith Memorial Building, as most such missionaries did, they chose to attend the Fourth Ward where they thought they might be useful, even though they could not hold ward positions without transferring their membership. Six months after completing that mission, they sold their home in Issaquah, Washington in favor of permanent residency in American Towers. Thus it was that at 71 years of age in 1994, Gordon Larsen was called to be Bishop of the Salt Lake Fourth Ward with one counselor, Robert Zabriskie, also of American Towers, a resident of the ward and another, leadership missionary Jack Knaphus, from the suburbs. Bishop Larsen found himself with one partially active deacon, one partially active Aaronic Priesthood teacher, a few active young women, a struggling primary, not enough active elders to form a quorum presidency and a long list of members seeking and receiving church welfare help. Three leadership missionary couples from outside the inner city, Harold and Mary Jane Stander from the Monument Park Stake and Jack and Joyce Knaphus and Jack and Edna Tuke from the Valley View Stake were filling key positions as well as working with the aged and the incapacitated. Those two stakes had long been sources of leadership missionaries. Two previous Fourth Ward bishops, residents of the American Towers, were counselors in the Liberty Stake presidency. The ward met several blocks outside its own boundaries in the Harvard Ward's chapel, and that building was already condemned by the city for structural deficiencies and soon to be torn down. Thereafter, it met for several years with the Whittier Ward in the Wells Stake and now with the Fourteenth Ward in the Salt Lake Stake.

For the first year, Bishop Larsen and his counselors struggled to activate the youth. They made some progress in that regard but felt they were getting nowhere with the ward in general. Sacrament meeting attendance was 20 to 25 percent. Home teaching was still nonexistent and visiting teaching was limited. An average of 65 families, most of them inactive, were receiving church welfare assistance at an annual cost of $70,000 to $100,000. The needy lined up outside the bishop's office each Sunday and on Tuesday evening and there was neither the time nor the home and visiting teaching personnel to investigate the claims. The bishop was putting most of his time into responding to welfare requests, but felt that no progress was being made in improving the recipients' situations. There were more than 100 unknown individuals and families on the membership roles and no help available to track them down.

Therefore, the bishopric began petitioning Liberty Stake President John Liddell and his counselors to appeal for more help from outside the inner city. There was no formal procedure for such appeals. It was purely a matter of who knew whom. These expatriates were used to fill ward leadership positions for which ward members were unavailable, but this time the assignments turned out to be markedly different than anyone expected. A stake presidency counselor, who was a former bishop of the Fourth Ward, had moved into American Towers from the Cottonwood Creek Stake. The Liberty Stake Presidency therefore appealed to the presidency of that stake who asked each of their bishops to recommend three "empty nester" couples for attendance at a specially-called meeting where Jack and Joyce Knaphus spoke about the need for and joys of inner city service. They and the two stake presidencies were evidently persuasive because 13 couples responded, five of whom were assigned to the Fourth Ward and the rest to other wards in the Liberty Stake. Thus there were added to the Fourth Ward roster in August 1995, John Whiteley as ward clerk and Ruth Whiteley as Young Women's president, Dee Bryant as Young Men's president and Audrey Bryant as Primary president, George Sorenson as Elder's Quorum president and Betty Lou Sorenson as Primary counselor, but Loy and Sylvia Despain ended up with unprecedented assignments as we shall see. In December 1995, the Valley View Stake added Weston and Elda Moss who joined the Tuke's to serve the needs of the elderly and low-income residents of the Multi-Ethnic Senior Citizens' High Rise. In January 1996 the Valley View Stake also sent Richard Wright who became High Priest group leader and Marjorie Wright who began as Relief Society Counselor to President Beverly Zabriskie. After significant but brief initial service, the Sorenson's were released for health reasons with the Stander's leaving soon after for the same reasons.

All of those were important to the worm's eye view story that follows. But Loy and Sylvia Despain who had just returned from a Church Welfare Services Department assignment in the Atlanta, Georgia inner city and volunteered to apply the lessons learned from that experience to the inner city setting of the Salt Lake Fourth Ward made a critical difference.

Loy and Sylvia Despain

Loy Despain was a long-time employee of the LDS Welfare Services Department and LDS Charities. With a Ph.D. in economics, he had taught in the community colleges of the Phoenix, Arizona area and had served as bishop of the Mesa 23rd ward. Perhaps because of his professional orientation, he became deeply involved in helping his ward members improve their employment and earnings situations, the young people to prepare themselves for successful careers, and all to serve each other in a variety of ways, including tutoring and mentoring, all appropriately recorded in his journal. His wife, Sylvia, was also deeply involved in those rehabilitation efforts.

After serving as Area Welfare Director in Arizona on a Church-service basis for three years, Loy left education to become a full-time employee of LDS Welfare Services, serving for five years as Welfare Services Area Director in Arizona and another five years as manager of the Sandy, Utah Bishop's Storehouse. Sensitized by his Mesa experiences, he resolved to use the storehouse as a rehabilitation facility as well as a distribution source for commodities. Every person referred by any bishop was guaranteed a meaningful work experience, no matter how handicapped. For example, one young man was wheeled in on a gurney each day for eight hours of stocking shelves. The blind counted oranges as they packed them instead of weighing them. A paralyzed girl who could only move one hand and a boy who could not read were teamed to stack shelves and the girl later learned to operate a computer. Initially, the schools supplied peer tutors for some of the disabled who were learning while serving in the storehouse, and, when they were no longer available, Relief Society sisters were recruited to continue the learning processes. The concept was developed that the commodities were from the Bishops' Storehouse but the personal services were from the Lord's storehouse, defined by D & C 82:15-19 as the time, talent and devotion of ordinary Latter-day Saints.

Near the end of his storehouse management assignment, Brother Despain was assigned to work with LDS Welfare Services Department employee Victor Brown, Jr. who previously as a stake president in Sacramento, California had introduced a program of self-reliance planning for church welfare recipients which had later been copied by other stakes throughout Northern California. Two person teams had been called at the stake level to work with families identified by bishops. These families were encouraged to identify financial and other problems in their lives that they wanted to change. The teams in determining the changes they would have to make in their own performance, the resources that would be necessary to accomplish those changes and the potential sources of those resources, and then in forming a plan to accomplish those objectives guided them.

The Northern California experience provided grounding for an emerging situation in Atlanta, Georgia. A Welfare Resource Center introduced in Atlanta by Daryl Blount, a recent African-American convert with a Master of Business Administration, was floundering. Brown and Despain combined their experiences to derive a program of self-reliance planning for the Atlanta Welfare Resource Center and the Despains were transferred there for three months to implement and teach the process. In doing so, they became aware of organizational innovations introduced in Atlanta by Alexander Morrison as Area President that would facilitate the as yet unanticipated Salt Lake Inner City Project. Relieved for the first time from homemaking responsibilities, Sylvia became a full partner with Loy and Daryl in that Atlanta enterprise.

Loy and Sylvia had just returned from the Atlanta assignment when they accepted their stake president's challenge to serve in the inner city and were assigned to the Salt Lake Fourth Ward. Comparison of need and experience between the Despains and Bishop Larsen resulted in their assignment to head up welfare activities in the ward with permission to do so by adapting the Sacramento and Atlanta models. The ward was divided into six zones for home and visiting teaching purposes with a missionary couple assigned responsibility for each. A key element of that assignment was to watch for longer term welfare needs in addition to the flow of short-term needs constantly demanding the attention of the bishopric. The Despains volunteered to teach the self-reliance planning process to their newly called leadership missionary colleagues to be applied with those ward members for whom the process seemed appropriate. A weekly hour-long welfare meeting ensued, first for training and subsequently for networking to identify needs and sources of resources. It was in that milieu that the Chapter 1 events occurred: the optometrist and dentist for wife and mother in the old motel room was identified, the pursuit of waiver of the hit and run medical costs was undertaken, the credit card consolidation was accomplished and disposition occurred for 12 of the 13 cats.

Emergence of Self-Reliance Planning

Under the initial Fourth Ward approach, the couples, called as leadership missionaries, served both in ward leadership positions and as home and visiting teachers. In the latter capacity, those families judged by the bishopric to have special needs were assigned to specific couples that evaluated their situation and assessed their willingness to undertake self-reliance planning. Often a long period of friendship and confidence building was necessary before substantial progress could be made. Typically, the families and individuals lacked hope and confidence that their situations could be improved. Many had become cynical and adept at exploiting whatever circumstances they saw to be available for survival. The assigned couples too had to learn that, given the problems confronted, failure was often more likely than success and any improvement was a laudatory gain. They also had to learn that problems, which had developed over lifetimes and sometimes generations, could not be solved in days or weeks. Persistence and endurance were necessary preconditions for any who would serve as mentors to the needy in such circumstances. The missionaries were typically assigned to a number of families but with care to see that the number of especially needy was not overwhelming.

Launching into self-reliance planning, the families were urged to take control of their own lives, identify needed changes, set goals, identify and find access to needed resources and pursue self-reliance within the limits of their obstacles and potentials. The couples were cautioned not to do for the families and individuals what they could reasonably be expected to do for themselves, yet to build self-confidence by relieving them of excessive burdens and assuring them that help would be available as long as they made reasonable effort toward solution of their own problems. Accessing family resources as well as volunteer and church resources, all as inventory in the Lord's storehouse, was emphasized, as was the appropriate use of community resources. At a weekly ward welfare meeting, initially chaired by Loy Despain, each family in turn was discussed with the assigned couple see king counsel and suggestions from the other couples and ward leaders assembled in search for solutions to the problems recounted. Rarely was a problem posed that someone in the group did not know of some resource, which could be helpful.

It took the Despains several months of instruction and demonstration before the self-reliance planning process was clarified and everyone was prepared to use it. The bishopric had to determine its policy stance. The principle was stressed that self-reliance was something different than self-sufficiency. Everyone needed some help from others. As long as recipients did for themselves all that they were reasonably capable of doing under the prevailing circumstances, there was nothing demeaning about being provided with whatever was lacking. A formal planning process was devised and introduced in which members were asked to identify the changes they would like to make in their lives, the obstacles which stood in the way, the changes in their own conduct required, the resources needed to accomplish the desired changes, the potential sources of those resources, the changes they could reasonably expect to accomplish by themselves and the areas in which they were most likely to need help. They were urged to take control of their own lives, make their own plans, but not to be reluctant to accept help as long as they were making all of the efforts of which they were reasonably capable at the time. At a later point an assessment form was added to be administered first to ascertain the status of new move-ins and those requesting church assistance, before pursuing a self-reliance plan. Nevertheless, members would not be turned away in emergencies, even if unwilling to make long-term self-reliance commitments. Serving the undeserving parent was considered worthwhile if it resulted in protection of and activity among children and youth. Those individuals who chose not to cooperate in the self-reliance planning effort, after initial emergency assistance, were thereafter refused. The same policy applied to parents only if children were not endangered in the process.

For adult ward members, it became clear that, beyond an initial emergency, the price of continued ward welfare assistance would be sincerity in making and seeking to carry out the self-reliance plans. Requests for assistance remained frequent but now the bishop had the necessary human resources to investigate the requests and determine the honesty of the claims. The results became a few outstanding successes, more frequent examples of modest progress, and a persistent minority of incidences of unwillingness to participate in and comply with the self-reliance planning process. With more home and visiting teaching, there was actually an increase for a time in the number of families receiving welfare-related services and the dollars expended remained essentially static. The difference was that the expenditures were more likely to be positive investments in improved personal and family performance, rather than sustained palliatives.

The Advent of Resource Access

The new Fourth Ward self-reliance effort was only about three months old when Loy Despain began to yearn for some professional review of what he was doing. As he put it, he was confident that good progress was being made but felt that he was not in a position to be objective in his judgments. He wanted an objective evaluation. Therefore, he invited in Garth Mangum to make that assessment. Mangum was a University of Utah professor of economics and management who for several years on a volunteer basis had been making formal evaluations of LDS Welfare Services Department projects in the United States and abroad. He came to evaluate the Fourth Ward effort, became entranced by it and, as he put it, "lost all objectivity," and remains engaged in the Inner City Project over 11 years later.

Mangum shared the conviction of the others involved in the leadership of the Inner City Project that his whole life had pointed toward this culmination. After spending his childhood on a series of sharecrop farms, his family's income had been multiplied by the governmental work-relief programs of the 1930's, in every one of which at least some member of his family, including himself, had been enrolled. He had left home at 16 to follow wartime construction and then, after World War II military service, had become a steelworker, coal miner and trucker. The example of a younger sister had led him to undertake an LDS mission at age 24 in 1950 where, not being subject to the Korean War draft, he served 30 months, the last eight months as counselor in the mission presidency. At the close of his mission, the mission president had not counseled but ordered him to go to school, a future he had never contemplated. Going even further, that mission president later "ordered" a former lady missionary who he had observed shared a mutual interest to "marry Elder Mangum and see that he stays in school!" Beginning as a 27-year-old freshman, Mangum had graduated from the Brigham Young University and obtained a masters degree and a doctorate in economics at Harvard University, always concentrating on issues related to poverty and employment. After three years on the BYU faculty, he had thereafter served in the Kennedy and Johnson administrations in Washington, engaged in what was declared to be the federal government's "war on poverty." Returning to the University of Utah in 1969, he had continued as an evaluator of federal and state anti-poverty programs, an arbitrator of labor disputes, had added a Juris Doctorate degree, and had visited and advised some 30 foreign governments on those issues under the auspices of the World Bank and other international organizations. During his volunteer research for the LDS Welfare Services Department, some in the United States, including those cited above for the Despain's in Northern California and Atlanta, and some abroad in Brazil, Peru and the Philippines, he had coauthored a history of Church welfare efforts, The Mormons' War on Poverty, and, just before his Fourth Ward involvement had published On Being Poor in Utah, an analysis of the incidence and causes of poverty in Utah and a review of the programs and policies in place to counter poverty.

With that background, Mangum became the "resource scrounger" for the Fourth Ward pursuit of self-reliance. As counselor in the High Priest group of his Salt Lake City "east bench" home ward he was able to recruit teams of High Priests and Aaronic Priesthood young men to track all of the long un-contacted list of unknown church members on the Fourth Ward records, finding that most had moved on or were uninterested but restoring several to activity. During the networking of the ward welfare meetings, he could identify available community resources and, for instance, was able to obtain access to the five governmental housing programs, which made the move from the cat-infested single room to the three-bedroom house described in Chapter 1 possible. But community resources were private as well as public. He recruited a retired medical doctor, a retired lawyer, his personal dentist and a retired real estate agent from his home ward to serve as access points to those services as needed, the latter having identified the home subjected to rehabilitation. He also recruited the plumber who he used at his home to undertake a major plumbing repair effort on a Fourth Ward home without charge, and the auto mechanic who serviced his own automobiles to repair those of ward members as well on a charitable basis.

But "resource hustling" was not a one-man assignment. Others among the missionaries to the Fourth Ward had already obtained access to dental, optometric, and credit counseling as noted, but now the process was becoming formalized. As an essential aspect of the self-reliance planning process which they were leading their assigned families through, they considered it their responsibility to seek out resources to fill those needs that the assigned families could not find through their extended families and limited support systems. The missionaries pursued needed resources through their own contacts and their own familiarity with community resources. If they were unsuccessful, they then brought the need to the attention of the full ward welfare committee, each member of which thereupon added knowledge of resources. Those suggested were then pursued with Mangum having the ultimate responsibility of pursuing resources for those problems not solved. Several of these examples are described as case studies in this chapter. All of those experiences would turn out to be valuable as the Inner City Project emerged.

The Impact on Church Activity

As home visits accelerated, sacrament meeting attendance rose from 20 or 25 percent to 50 to 60 percent. When the Monument Park Stake provided neurosurgeon Jack Sanders and his wife Margaret as leadership missionaries in early 1997, he was assigned to serve as counselor and shadow leader to a resident High Priest as presidency of the Elders Quorum. Soon, they had 15 to 20 men in attendance on a regular basis. That one of those now-active members lived in a cardboard box behind the IRS building was perceived to be a bit unique, but others were in regular attendance from the homeless shelter. Full-time proselyting missionaries brought their contacts to the ward meetings and were called in to teach those who members brought to church meetings or who showed up on their own. Convert baptisms became a common occurrence.

The Primary soon expanded from three or four children at a time to a core of 26, most of whom lacked fathers in the home. Nonmembers either attended with their friends or walked in off the street. A Saturday reading instruction session was added for those Primary children willing to participate, but eventually died out. Extending tutoring to older youth and adults was frequently discussed but never undertaken. Ruth Whiteley was able to build up a Young Women's organization of intense activity from nine girls, only two of which had fathers in the home. A high point was serving as ushers at the Young Women's conference in April 1996 with Bishop Larsen paying from personal funds for outfitting each girl "from the skin out" to make that possible.

Dee Bryant and his counterpart from the Harvard Ward meeting in the same building were able to mount a successful scout troop and undertake such projects as being baptized for the dead in the temple. Where administering the sacrament had been a task of the High priests, there were soon enough active Aaronic Priesthood holders to undertake most of that responsibility, though their numbers always had to be supplemented by older men. For awhile, the activity of young men fell off rapidly after leaving the Boy Scout age, many of them tending to become swallowed up in gang activities with other boys in their mid to late teens. But gradually their activity improved under the guidance of reactivated resident members. Conduct of the children and youth during Church meetings was a matter of considerable concern. The bishopric and the Young Men's and Young Women's leaders substituted lessons on conduct and manners, climaxing in a successful "Mind Your Manners" dinner and discussion. Intensive family-centered mentoring gradually built the involvement of larger portions of the youth.

For adult members, it became clear that, beyond an initial emergency, the price of continued ward welfare assistance was willingness and sincerity in making and seeking to carry out self-reliance plans, as well as attendance at ward meetings. For the latter, there was no dress code, and attendance in rough work clothes or "sweats" was common. As noted, the retirement home known as the Senior Citizens Multi-Ethnic High Rise housed some 160 elderly of whom about one-third were LDS. Others of similar status lived nearby in the Jackson Apartments. The needs of these elderly members absorbed the nearly full-time service of two couples, initially Jack and Edna Tuke and Weston and Elda Moss. Upon the release of the Moss's at the end of 1997, Robert and Jacqui Norton were assigned to replace them. Those residents and members were considered to be beyond self-reliance and the emphasis was on making their lives as comfortable as possible, The assigned couples provided transportation for medical treatment and shopping during the week, as well as home and visiting teaching. On Sundays they transported to Church-services all who were ambulatory and held sacrament service on-site for those who were not.

Bishopric Transition

There was consternation among the bishopric and within the leadership missionary ranks that felt they were not yet ready to forego the Despain leadership. But two weeks before the Despain's departure there occurred one of those fortuitous or spiritually-guided events which would become common fare in the forthcoming Salt Lake Inner City Project experience: Terry and Marcine Holmes moved into American Towers. Their children having all left home, the Holmes had moved in from the suburbs because Marcine was employed downtown in a corporate headquarters while self-employed Terry could function from wherever they lived, as long as he had telephone, fax and internet access. Learning that Terry had been bishop and a counselor in several bishoprics and knowing of the imminent departure of the Despains, Bishop Larsen immediately called Terry Holmes to serve as assistant High Priest group leader and to head up the ward welfare activity after two weeks training by Loy Despain with Marcine serving as welfare secretary.

The departure of the Despains and the advent of the Holmes was followed closely by another significant leadership development. Bishop Larsen's retirement capacity made it possible for him to serve as a full-time bishop but that was also a drain on his health. Two years of service at that pace forced his release in September 1996, followed by call to the Liberty Stake High Council where he was given supervisory responsibility for welfare-related activities and began acquainting other wards in the Liberty Stake with the Fourth Ward experience. Bishop Larsen was replaced by his First Counselor, Robert Zabriskie. The Zabriskies had been residents of American Towers and members of the ward for 14 years before his retirement from his computer-related business. His retirement had occurred about the time he became a counselor to Bishop Larsen, giving him also the leisure for full-time ward leadership. Only a few months after his calling, Bishop Zabriskie submitted to open-heart surgery but was able to continue his bishopric for two more years before his deteriorating health necessitated his release. Richard Wright became first counselor to Bishop Zabriskie with primary responsibility for the welfare effort. A young married student, Jeffrey Fullmer, an American Towers resident pursuing an MBA at the University of Utah, was called as second counselor, providing significant example and leadership to the resurgent Young Men's program as well as the emerging Elders quorum.

As activity increased, ward residents were increasingly available to fill leadership positions. The principle of shadow leadership was adopted with the intention of calling residents to fill all possible positions, with outside volunteers serving in supporting positions and providing informal on-the-job training. However, within that principle, difficult decisions still had to be made in specific choices between experienced leadership missionaries and less-experienced resident members. The task of Relief Society president was particularly arduous, approaching the same full-time commitment level as the bishop. Beverly Zabriskie, Bob's wife, had served as Relief Society president under Bishop Larsen, supported by one counselor from within and one from without the ward. As her husband became bishop, another American Towers resident, Margaret Davis, replaced her also with one resident counselor and one leadership missionary counselor. However, the position proved to require more than her health and time availability allowed. Her leadership missionary counselor Marjorie Wright became president, also with one counselor from within and one from outside of the ward. With the entire bishopric and the two counselors of the stake presidency drawn from the limited number of available high priests, Terry Holmes served as High Priest group leader with two local assistants, both limited by age and health.

The Wrights also were remarkably well prepared for the circumstances. In addition to his skills in accounting and salesmanship and hers as a beautician cited in Chapter 1, they had been remarkable as parents. In addition to their own five children, they had taken 23 foster children and pregnant but unmarried young woman into their home over the years, most of them from inner city type backgrounds.

As already noted, the ward had been without an Elders Quorum for several years but now local high priest, George Paxton, was called to serve as Elders Quorum president, with leadership missionary medical doctor Jack Sanders providing strong support as counselor. Primary, Sunday School, Aaronic priesthood, Young Men and Young Women programs and all but the Gospel Essentials teaching assignments were staffed by members of the ward by the close of 1997. Home teaching--almost non-existent a year earlier–was fully assigned with about 80 percent of families being visited each month, about two-thirds of those by resident members and the remainder by Church-service missionaries, with about the same proportions prevailing for Relief Society visiting teaching as well. Sacrament meeting attendance had risen from about 20 percent at the beginning of the self-reliance effort to above 50 percent by the close of 1997.

Involvement In The Inner City Project

With the return of Loy and Sylvia Despain from their Mexican assignment, those involved in the welfare self-reliance program in the Fourth Ward began to hear rumors of an imminent Inner City Project to be launched by the Utah North Area Presidency. Visitors frequented the weekly ward welfare committee meeting, observing but not clarifying what they were looking for. The flow of couples as leadership missionaries into the ward had continued according to the existing pattern. With the release of Jack and Joyce Knaphus, the Valley View Stake sent Edward and Lorele Neff and David and Donna Lofgren. Dee and Audrey Bryant and John and Ruth Whiteley of the Cottonwood Creek Stake were replaced by Jim and Gloria Ostler. Harold and Mary Jane Stander from the Monument Park Stake were replaced by Jack and Margaret Sanders from that stake, she serving as choir director and teacher of a temple preparation class, he, as previously noted, becoming a counselor in the Elders Quorum presidency. The Neffs were put in charge of the ward's missionary program, including Lorele's service as gospel essentials teacher. Donna Lofgren was called as a counselor in the Relief Society Presidency but died of a heart attack resulting in the release of her husband, David, from his missionary call. Jim Ostler became financial clerk and Jack Sanders was called as counselor in the Elder's Quorum presidency. Now rumor had it that 160 Church-service missionary couples were to be called from the 39 suburban stakes in the Salt Lake Valley to serve in six stakes, including Liberty Stake, which were to be designated as inner city stakes. Bishop Zabriskie voiced frequently his hope that as many as 15 couples could be captured for the Salt Lake Fourth Ward.

But, now let's review what some of those leadership missionaries had experienced and summarized and could relate to those exploring for the emerging multi-stake program. The following is the story as written at the close of 1997 to provide insights for the emerging Inner City Project. Subsequent developments in a few cases are added in brackets.

Case Study Examples

Somebody must have said that the proof of the pudding is in the eating. The test of the effectiveness of the self-reliance planning process combines the extent to which people have been persuaded to participate and the difference that participation has made in their lives. The following vignettes encompass most of the cases with which the leadership and Church-service missionaries of the Salt Lake Fourth Ward had been involved over the two years, 1996 and 1997.

First, The Successes

The boundaries between success and failure are not easy to draw. Self-reliance for those at the margin is always tenuous, while offering opportunities, which are rejected, is not necessarily a failure of the giver. The test of success herein lies in the answer to the question, "were the families better off materially and spiritually at the culminating point in the story than they had been at the beginning?"

Bringing an Entire Family to Self-Reliance

Doctrine and Covenants 18:15 opines "And if it so be that you should labor all of your days...and bring save it shall be one soul unto me, how great shall be your joy with him in the kingdom of my Father." All of those involved would put this family of six, introduced in the first chapter, in that category.

The wife had lived for 12 years in one room of a former motel turned into single room apartments. Her sojourn there began as a young single mother of a son. After three years, she married a neighbor who moved in with her as they added three other boys. She was the product of an LDS home but the husband's parents were divorced and his father was an alcoholic, leaving him to spend his childhood and youth in a variety of foster homes. A crucial change in their lives occurred in the winter of 1995-96 when the Primary president reported terrible living conditions in the home. Primary President Audrey Bryant who set out to visit the home of every child of primary age recounted how she was shocked as she looked into the gloom of wall-to-wall beds and was overwhelmed by the stench of numerous cats and heard the wife's wail, " We need help." Bishop Gordon Larsen remembers his own involvement with the family thereafter:

"In my visits to the family I had noticed how good-natured the baby was. He would just sit on the couch or a bed, as happy as could be--a beautiful little boy. On one of my visits, I went over and picked him up off the bed. I tried to get him to stand up but he didn't know what his legs were for. In all 18 months of his life, he had never crawled or walked. There was no place in that tiny home for him to be on the floor.... As I drove home that day I was determined that something had to be done for this family."

As the Ward Welfare Committee was alerted, Bishopric Counselor Bob Zabriskie and Relief Society President Beverly Zabriskie were assigned to call on the family and evaluate the situation. The ten-year-old boy had a learning disability. The 14-year-old boy rarely went to school and "hung out" at the Crossroads Mall rather than remain in the home, sometimes being absent from home for several days. The seven-year-old boy had other problems. The wife's teeth were black with decay; her long outdated glasses inadequately corrected her vision; she was slovenly dressed and ill groomed and very depressed. The husband worked regularly, but his unskilled job paid only $7.00 an hour for annual earnings of about $14,000, well below the $20,000 poverty line for a family of that size. They paid $350 a month for rent. She washed the family's clothes by hand on a washboard in the bathtub in a bathroom shielded from the rest of the room only by a curtain. She cooked on a hot plate and had no refrigerator.

Richard and Marjorie Wright were assigned to work with the family, applying the emerging self-reliance process. Having served as foster parents to many children from deprived backgrounds, they had some experience to draw upon. They found the parents to be totally depressed and resigned to spending the rest of their lives in that condition. Four or five months were spent gaining their confidence, visiting at the doorstep two or three times a week because there was no room inside. Since the family had no telephone, there was no way to contact them without a personal visit to that very unattractive neighborhood. The fact that some of the other units became drug houses as Pioneer Park was closed to that activity did not help. The husband was always polite but showed no commitment. He later admitted that he was suspicious of the Wrights and their motives and was reluctant to have them visit. Beyond an occasional food order, the family did not ask for help. The need had to be identified and suggestions made. Marjorie Wright contacted her own dentist who agreed to meet the dental needs of the mother and boys without charge to the family. The husband's employer had a limited medical insurance plan, which would pay for part of the needed dental work, but the family could not afford the co-payment. The dentist agreed to complete the expensive dental work for what the insurance would pay. It was while the wife was staying at the Wrights to recuperate from the dental surgery that the baby first crawled. The Wright's optometrist served the woman's eye care needs, donating an eye examination and new glasses. As a beautician, Marjorie cut and styled the wife's hair, gave her some clothes and cut the children's hair. Under Sister Wright's attention, the wife began to improve her grooming and housekeeping. Since the wife had rarely been outside the one-room apartment for years, she was frightened; but Marjorie persuaded her to go shopping--another new experience. The Wrights began the practice of taking the family out to dinner frequently, an experience the children had never had. The parents and the younger children were invited from time to time to spend the day at the Wright home where the availability of a yard was a new experience to them. With better grooming and self-confidence, first the wife and then the husband and the younger three children began attending church meetings. When the 10 year-old became involved in a shop-lifting incident at a 7-11, the parents were totally at a loss and Marjorie Wright accompanied the wife to juvenile court to show her how to handle the situation. With some reluctance, the family turned over to veterinarian John Whiteley their precious cats. He spayed and found homes for many and turned the rest over to the Humane Society.

Finally gaining the husband's confidence, Richard Wright undertook a budgeting session and discovered that the family was paying payments at 21 percent interest on a $2000 debt on long-abandoned credit cards. Following self-reliance principles, he encouraged the husband and then accompanied him to the Consumer Credit Bureau where long-term payment with waived interest was negotiated. He also discovered long-threatening hospital bills going back to injuries of one of the boys by a hit and run driver. Church service missionary George Sorenson was a member of a victim's rights organization. Advocacy by that organization persuaded the Primary Children's Hospital to forgive that debt. Now there was light at the end of a long dark tunnel of financial obligations.

Housing was a more imposing problem. Waiting lists for low-income housing were long for families of their size. A concerted search for available housing identified an available apartment within the ward at a higher rent but one which the Wrights thought the family could afford, but the parents were afraid to take the unfamiliar step. However, the family did begin to improve conditions in their existing apartment. They discarded trash, washed windows, did some painting and put up curtains. With that preparation, they were ready for the next step. At that point another of those fortuitous circumstances occurred. Garth Mangum served as a member of the Utah State Homeless Coordinating Committee. On an inspection trip to a homeless shelter in Ogden, he told the family's story to a group, which included the director and a staff member of the state housing office. They responded, "We can fix that." Both the facts that the father was steadily employed and that an LDS ward was taking such an active stance in aiding the family impressed them. The housing staff determined that the family's income under their available programs could support a $70,000 mortgage, but that a three-bedroom house would be the minimum for a family that size under program rules.

The Wrights and Bryants searched diligently for appropriate housing but the breakthrough came when Melvin Thayne, a retired real estate broker and member of Mangum's home ward, was requested to serve as housing specialist and searched the real estate listings for a house of the appropriate size and location at a reachable price. A half dozen were identified and checked out but only one was in reasonable condition. Through assistance of the state housing officials and the staff of the not-for-profit Community Development Corporation, one federal housing program was tapped for a down payment. The owner was persuaded to lower the price in return for a federal tax credit for the foregone income. The Community Development Corporation using funds from the Federal Department of Housing and Urban Development purchased the house. The State of Utah's Olene Walker Housing Trust Fund then loaned the family most of the money to buy the house on a 30-year mortgage. The Community Development Corporation holds a small second mortgage for the remainder that will remain interest free until the first mortgage is paid and will then be paid off at the same monthly rate on principal and interest. The state housing staff accepted $350 a month as the maximum that the family could pay and lowered the interest rate until that amount could cover principal, interest, property taxes and insurance. Repairs were necessary before the house could meet code. Members of the home wards of many of the missionaries advanced sums for repairs and the Wright's contractor son undertook the repairs with ward member help for little more than the cost of materials. The boys delighted in going into rooms and closing doors for a privacy they had never experienced.

Members of the Fourth Ward, the wards of several of the Church-service volunteers and a furniture store donated furniture and appliances and Bishop Zabriskie authorized purchase of the few remaining items from Deseret Industries. No furniture was moved from the previous residence for fear of contamination. The expense of using a laundromat and the effort required to wash clothing in the bathtub had led the family to accept all of the donated clothing offered them over the years. Terry and Marcene Holmes helped the wife wash all of the family's accumulation at a laundromat, again to a void any chance of transferring contamination. The entire ward and all of those involved from outside the ward were invited to a housewarming. The wife who had never owned or operated a washer and dryer now had both but had to be taught to use them. Sisters Wright, Bryant and Holmes taught her all of the housekeeping skills that her previous existence had not required. The children also were taught to keep up the rooms, which they had never had before. The now two-year-old was taken to a clinic at the Primary Children's hospital and with treatment there and crawling and walking space available was soon walking. The eight and eleven year-olds made the transitions to new schools successfully and learned to relate to neighbors. The shy woman began conversing with ward members and neighbors and providing day care for an infant child for additional income.

The husband had an inoperative automobile and had been riding a bicycle to and from work regardless of weather for years. Terry Holmes' brother who managed a garage in Tooele undertook to repair the car. With the shorter commuting time, the husband was able to take a second job on a janitorial crew at the state capitol in the evenings to supplement the family income. The family began to plan for tithing and preparing for temple sealing, but there was still much to be accomplished. The by then fifteen year-old had not yet joined in the family's religious commitments but had abandoned the malls, taken a part-time job and was at tending school with reasonable regularity. The husband seemed willing to work 12 hours a day for the foreseeable future, but four hours a day spent in training for a year or so would have enabled him to provide for his family at a more traditional pace. Alternative plans were now under consideration with the choices among alternatives to be made by the family. Those involved considered what had happened to the family over a year's time to be nothing short of miraculous--but then one good miracle just deserves another.

[The above was the story at the end of 1997. But, as we noted in Chapter 1, 10 more years have gone by. The father, after years of working two jobs, found a new job at sufficient wages to drop back to one job. More recently, with the assistance of the Wrights, he moved to another employer at $14 an hour and the possibility of a supervisory position. The mother worked for a time at the Bishops' Storehouse and eventually was able to return to full-time homemaking. The older boy served in the U.S. Marines, including assignment to Iraq, attended college in North Carolina during part of his service, returned to Utah and commenced schooling at the University of Utah, living with the Wrights, met and fell in love with a girl who would accept nothing less than temple marriage, subsequently had two sons, graduated and entered law school in Oregon where he is scheduled to graduate by the end of 2007. Each of his younger brothers is making appropriate advancement in school and church, commensurate with their age. The second oldest has completed two years at the Salt Lake Community College, despite a learning disability and will continue to the university. The third child is nearing completion of high school with excellent grades; both are working and meeting his own monetary needs. The youngest is beginning junior high. The house and yard remains clean and in good repair. The family remains among the Wright's closest friends with whom they converse weekly and go to dinner together frequently. All in all, it is a happy story.]

Self-Reliant Single Parent

This single mother of three boys and a girl struggled to support herself and her family and was intensely active in the ward but frequently needed assistance. She was divorced from her wheel chair-bound husband but received no child support. She became disillusioned with the public schools of the area and began to attempt home school for the youngest two children. The oldest son professed hatred for his father and was also frequently in fights both at school and in the ward. After frequent discussions with each, Dee Bryant was able to accomplish some accommodation between the two. Working with the boy through the Boy Scout troop and learning of his interest in swimming, Dee was able through a university ward to obtain personal "big brothering" from a social work graduate student and champion swimmer who got the boy into a swimming program, which he enjoyed. He and other boys in the troop learned compassion through service projects in the community. Taken on a pre-dedication tour of the Timpanogos Temple and then participating in baptisms at the Jordan River temple, the boy had a thrilling spiritual experience. The daughter in a primary discussion lamented that she had never seen the prophet so Mary Jane Stander took her to a stake conference in another stake where President Hinckley was speaking, a great thrill for the girl.

Though struggling to be self-reliant, the mother often had to go to the bishop for help. Dee and Audrey Bryant were assigned to the family. The father received Supplemental Security Income but made no contribution to the family's support. Dee discussed with the father his prospects for aiding the family and opened the possibility for him to shift to Social Security Disability Insurance at age 62 in 1997, which would add provision for dependents without reducing his income. That income began in September 1997, which turned out to be a crucial time in the family's financial needs.

The mother and the sons had supported the family by delivering newspapers. However, a substitute they obtained while they went to Texas to visit her parents failed to make the assigned deliveries and caused them to lose their newspaper route. The house was in a state of disrepair. The furnace became totally inoperative leaving the family dependent on heaters scattered about the house. An accident put the family car out of commission. Bringing the family's problems before the ward welfare committee brought ideas for further assistance. The Wrights were able to donate a used but working furnace. The boys in the family excavated space under the house to make room for an improved heating system and for six-foot high sleeping room for themselves. In fact they overdid their digging, endangering the foundation until it was reinforced. The contractor son of the Wright's agreed to donate installation of the furnace and repair of the heating ducts, thus restoring heat to the house. The kitchen was in need of updating and Marjorie Wright was able to obtain donations of cabinets and appliances from members of her ward for that purpose. Such repairs made it possible to rent out the upstairs rooms the boys had vacated for additional income. The Social Security benefits plus the rental income and a part-time job obtained by the fifteen year-old made the family self-supporting, though just barely.

The house was still fraught with problems. Neighbors of the Wrights replaced their carpets and contributed the used carpet to the Fourth Ward. It was taken to this family but remained in their basement-awaiting discovery of a carpet layer who would volunteer his time. When no one appeared, Garth Mangum as home teacher to the family and his retired carpenter brother-in-law determined just before Christmas to lay the carpet themselves. They were approaching a critical point in the process when a representative of the stake Young Men's program, Fernando Velasquez, stopped by to pick up the boys for an activity. Noticing what was going on, he said that he had been a carpet layer but had now moved on to another occupation. He agreed to return after the youth function to perform the more skilled part of the activity. Despite a Christmas party in his own ward that night, Brother Velasquez returned and remained until 9 p.m. to complete the carpet laying, further committing himself to obtain floor tile and return at another date to install it in the entrance way and under a wood-burning stove in the living room. Ultimately, he went much further than that, persuading former suppliers to donate and himself installing floor tile for the kitchen and bathroom and new carpet to replace some of that earlier installed which he considered to have required too much patchwork.

A family of five plus three renters in a house with one bathroom was a continuing problem. The mother began exploring the possibility of borrowing enough on the property to put in an additional bathroom for the renters. Before that issue was resolved, the 90 year-old clay sewer pipe leading out to the city's sewer main collapsed. Garth and Marion Mangum as home and visiting teachers asked their plumber to make an appraisal of the situation. An active LDS member whose wife was already involved in another aspect of the inner city project and who himself was involved as a volunteer in Habitat for Humanities, the plumber, noting the family's need, volunteered to replace the sewer pipe for the out-of-pocket costs for fees and materials, donating the labor of himself and some of his employees and suppliers. The ward agreed to guarantee payment, the family replacing the expenditure through added fast offerings if payment was necessary before the mortgage negotiations were completed. With the sewer restored, the original plan for restoration of rental income was put back on track.

Meantime, Terry Holmes' brother donated repairs to the car, again. But, it continued to malfunction and needed expensive electrical work. Structural damage including broken springs from an accident put cost of repairs beyond its value, leaving the family without transportation. Another automobile was obtained from the Tooele garage, which by this time Terry's brother had left. The ward paid the $1200 cost with the family committing to repay $100 a month into fast offering funds for one year.

Before and throughout this period, the mother and children had been intensively active in the ward. The mother had been endowed. They volunteered to be of service in activities on behalf of other members of the ward. Life remained a struggle, but at a much-improved level with enhanced self-reliance and spirituality.

[Ten years later, the mother has happily remarried and life has been good for all but the older son who was later convicted and jailed for rape.]

At Home in a Cardboard Box

A homeless man living in a cardboard box behind the IRS building spent much of his time on Temple Square, there was taught by the missionaries, was baptized and showed up as a new member of the Fourth Ward. He had never known his parents from birth, had lived in a New York orphanage until age 13 and on the streets thereafter. He was a Korean War veteran with many emotional problems who conducted himself reasonably well as long as he took his prescribed medicines but frequently neglected to do so and, when he did, became unstable, depressed and confused. He had a veteran's pension that provided some continuing income and then reached Social Security age. He was unwilling to stay in the men's homeless shelter, declaring himself afraid of the atmosphere there. He had been living outside so long that he claimed to prefer it. Dee Bryant was assigned to work with him to get him stabilized and housed. Arrangements were made for him to room in the home of the ward family just discussed who occasionally took in boarders. He stayed there a short time and even helped with that family's paper deliveries but soon returned to the street. Then his cardboard box residence was stolen. The multi-ethnic high rise seemed to be the place for him. However, their rules required evidence of some successful rental history. In response to Brother Bryant's queries, he told of a period of stable housing in Reno. After long and complicated attempts, certification of that fact was obtained from the Reno landlord. The member was then admitted to the high rise and put under the tutelage of the Moss's and Tuke's. Furniture was donated in which he took great pride. When clothing was donated to make him more presentable, he became a regular attender at the ward. However, his conduct at the high rise was a matter of concern. He was unsociable and often surly after his long stay on the streets. When he walked through the halls muttering obscenities to himself, he was threatened with eviction. He was sporadic in taking the medicines prescribed for him by the Veteran's Hospital. At that point, Jack and Margaret Sanders were assigned as his home teachers. A neurosurgeon, Dr. Sanders seemed to have a flair for psychology as well. It took a few months but the man was persuaded to take his medicine regularly, became stabilized and acclimated to living around others. His story was obviously not finished but 1997 finished well for him.

A Warring Mother and Daughter

The mother, a Hawaiian convert of Japanese ancestry, came to Salt Lake City with a daughter and subsequently fell in to inactivity, though she continued to declare her gospel beliefs. Of limited education, she worked at McDonalds while learning bookkeeping at the community college. Obtaining a job as a bookkeeper in the daytime, she continued to work at McDonalds in the evening to support herself and her daughter. Living together in a very small studio apartment, mother and daughter experienced increasing strife as the daughter moved into young adulthood and was only sporadically employed. In one such domestic dispute, the daughter called the police and signed a complaint that her mother had violently abused her, resulting in a night in jail and subsequent probation for the mother. The Wrights who had been recently assigned to help them straighten out their lives were called in to get the mother out of jail. The police ordered the daughter out of the home with no effort made to find her alternative housing. She moved in with one boy friend after another and was eventually excommunicated.

The mother lost her bookkeeping job and the fast food job alone was inadequate to meet her modest expenses, leading her to seek help from the bishop in both food and rent. She was aided by the ward employment specialist and the Welfare Square LDS Employment Resource Center in job search and then found another job through her own efforts, continuing to work both jobs and again meeting her own financial needs. The daughter moved back in with the mother with recurring strife. The Wrights continued to work with the daughter to help her become self-supporting and separately housed as the only likely solution to the family relationship. Meantime, the mother was returning to church activity at the close of 1997 and hoped to be able to go back to the temple with relatives who were expected to visit from Hawaii.

The Universal Addict

Imagine the shock for a bishop when a man with face and hands covered with sores enters his office, asks to speak with him and then drops to his knees, asking for prayer before the conversation begins. This man from a strong LDS family was addicted to alcohol, tobacco, hard drugs and pornography but was trying to come back. His needs were not financial. He worked for a roofer who picked him up for work whenever he was able, was willing to let him take time off whenever he was incapacitated and withheld money from his earnings to pay his rent. When the bishop suggested drug rehabilitation, the man responded that he had been all through that a number of times and all it did was to provide him with a new network of drug-related contacts when he was back on the street. His worried siblings who subsequently contacted the bishop were of the same opinion. The bishop assigned the Whiteleys to work with him. Brother Whiteley, as a convert who began smoking as a child and continued to do so until exposed to the gospel as a mature adult, soon established a helpful rapport. The man called the Whiteleys daily to report his progress, even after they were released from their Fourth Ward mission. Rex Christensen, a retired dentist member of the ward, took dental impressions of the man and persuaded a dentist friend to prepare dentures at no cost to the man or the ward. The man stood at the pulpit on a Fast Sunday to bare his testimony and thank the ward members for their love and patience. Two weeks later, Bishop Zabriskie conducted and spoke at his funeral, dead from many years abuse of his body but apparently at peace in his spirit. When Bishop Zabriskie went to the man's apartment to pick up some personal belongings, he found pictures of the Savior and modern prophets had replaced previous inappropriate pictures. On the man's desk was a tithing check dated the day he had passed away.

Hispanic Single Parent

Having left her drug-addicted and abusive husband in another city, this mother of three—one of them a baby—found a third floor apartment in a building known for drive-by shootings. She was concerned about the local school environment and enrolled her two school-age children at a school some distance away, adding transportation problems because she did not drive and had no automobile. Lacking a high school diploma but seeking to be independent, she obtained a day-time job as a file clerk and supplemented her income with night and weekend cleaning of office buildings. Bob and Beverly Zabriskie provided Christmas for the family and arranged for some occasional ward assistance with food and rent. However, she lost her daytime job and was evicted for non-payment of rent. While the woman lived with members of her extended family, Beverly Zabriskie spent three days a week for three months helping her to find satisfactory housing near her children's school, though it would be outside the Fourth Ward boundaries. The ward paid her tuition while she earned a GED and obtained computer training. However, she was never able to find employment related to her training and finally accepted full-time employment with the janitorial service for which she had been working part-time. To do that, she needed dependable transportation. Bishop Larsen was willing to advance $1,000 from fast-offerings for purchase of an automobile. Dee and Audrey Bryant had been assigned to guide her through the self-reliance planning process. Dee Bryant visited various nearby used car dealers who laughed at the possibility of finding dependable transportation at that price. After prayer, he felt impressed to call on another dealer who, upon being told of the circumstances, agreed to provide a dependable car at that price, even though it was less than he had invested in it. Helped by the Whitelys to obtain driver's license instruction, she was able to commute to job sites. A hard and willing worker, this mother was soon back to holding two jobs while also taking further classes to improve her earnings possibilities. Nevertheless, the family remained at the subsistence margin as this story was written.

Native American Widow

The widowed mother of six children ages 10 to 24, one of whom is in prison for theft, had a full-time job in a pre-school program which did not pay enough to meet the family's needs. The widow's mother also lived with her and other extended family members visited frequently, resulting in very crowded living conditions. Since she was active in the ward and paying a full tithing on her meager earnings, the bishops of the ward had felt comfortable about assisting her with food and cash over the years. When the decision was made to go beyond mere subsistence, housing appeared to be the most pressing need. She was paying $400 per month for what, despite her intense housekeeping efforts, those working with her described variously as "a dump," "a doghouse," and "typical slumlord housing." Diligent search came up with an acceptable three-bedroom department for $550 a month but it was outside the ward's boundaries. The family sampled attendance in the new ward but soon returned to the Fourth Ward, reporting that they had not been welcomed and did not feel comfortable in the new ward. The move also required transportation to work. Terry Holmes again appealed to his automobile dealer brother in Tooele who also had automotive repair facilities. Her inoperative automobile was repaired there time after time until an income tax return made replacement possible. Terry Holmes was also able to convince another automobile dealer to accept a low down payment and finance the car in-house with low payments. Communication between the bishops of the Fourth Ward and the resident ward also made the more comfortable attendance acceptable until the children aged sufficiently to feel comfortable in attending nearer home.

Meanwhile two of her brothers obtained housing in the ward at what will later be described as "the Bates Motel" while the other lived in an automobile, which he parked wherever convenient. Two were alcoholics. One worked regularly for a roofer as weather permitted, restraining his drinking until weekends. The other's drinking was beyond control. The latter had worked for both Deseret Industries and the Humanitarian Center but was blackballed by both, pending evidence, which he never provided of enrollment and steady attendance at an addiction recovery program. The two lived in an 8' by 20' room without a bed and frequently had at least one other staying with them. Ward leaders joked about "feeding the 5000" because every time the brothers received a food order from the Bishops' Storehouse friends and acquaintances would be observed visiting them at all hours until the food was gone. The more responsible of those two brothers frequently requested that someone in the ward find better lodging for them but they were told to find their own lodging, then discuss with the bishop whether he was willing to help with rent payment. The automobile dweller had shared the addictions of his brothers but had stopped drinking after losing a leg in a confrontation with a freight train. He supplemented his meager disability benefits by appearing at his sister's home once a day for what he said was his only meal. The courage and commitment of the sister was the thread, which held the troubled family together.

Soviet Refugees

A Soviet lawyer on assignment in Austria prior to the collapse of the Soviet Union defected and was sent by the U.S. State Department to Salt Lake City as a refugee. Housed in the multi-ethnic high rise nearby, she became entranced by the Tabernacle Choir and attended its rehearsals and performances, was contacted by LDS missionaries on Temple Square and was baptized. Her life had been a difficult one. Born in Lithuania, as a child she saw her father executed by the invading Russians and her mother sent to Siberia. Raised in an orphanage and leaving it at 13 to become a maid and farmhand, she contracted tuberculosis and was sent to a sanitarium where she had educational opportunities, which led to her training as a lawyer. She married, had a child and divorced. She served 25 years as law school instructor, prosecutor and defense attorney in many parts of the Soviet Union. Coming to Salt Lake City with limited English, she attended the Salt Lake Community College to eliminate that deficiency and stayed on to learn computer use. Since her training was in continental civil law rather than the English common law base of the American legal system, her legal training and experience did not qualify her for the bar in most states including Utah. She spent a year at the American University in Washington DC getting a masters degree in international law hoping that would help her break into the U.S. legal profession but it did not. She returned to Salt Lake City nearing 60 years of age, provided with a small government stipend which met her basic needs but did not provide a meaningful role in life, and in deep depression. Mary Jane Stander and others attempted to restore her self esteem by helping her with grooming and dress, taking her to lunch and reactivating her at church. But the basic problem remained.

She sought interviews with law firms, seeking to be a law clerk, legal aid, legal secretary, or anything related to the law, but to no avail. She did some volunteer work with the Utah Bar and did some Russian translation, but none of it ever reached a level that allowed her to feel useful. Rudimentary employment was available for economic self-sufficiency but that would not meet her psychic needs. As employment specialist, Garth Mangum took her to the Welfare Square LDS Employment Resource Center for resume preparation but no placement opportunities emerged. He circulated her resume among all of his lawyer acquaintances and made contacts with both the Church legal department and Church translation department but with no success. He was able to get her interviewed by a non-practicing lawyer engaged in promoting business relationships with Russia. That resulted in some opportunities to translate correspondence including legal documents between Russian and English. That relationship ended in some sort of personality clash described in markedly different terms by each party, not the first time such a problem had been reported concerning this woman. The Lithuanian lawyer has enrolled in a paralegal program at the community college, more to absorb her time than with expectations of employment. The pro bono program of the Utah State Bar was contacted and she was invited to volunteer her services when she had time. Meantime, the Fourth Ward provided her with a donated computer with the suggestion that she involve herself in family history as productive use of time and energy. She began her own family history and hoped to prepare for temple endowment.

But this woman had an even greater concern. Viewing from afar the turmoil in the collapsing Soviet Union, she urged her daughter who was just completing medical training in Lithuania to join her in Utah. That the daughter, despite her efforts at improving her language and computer skills at the community college, experienced the same difficulty breaking into the Utah medical field. The mother was more concerned with her daughter's plight than her own and felt responsible for it. But there was at least one ray of sunshine among the dark professional clouds. The daughter's medical specialty was neurology. Neurosurgeon John Sanders and his wife Margaret serving as Church-service missionaries to the Fourth Ward accepted the assignment to pursue both professional and gospel entry for this young woman who has been too concerned with the former to focus intently on the latter. Literally hundreds of letters were out all over the country in search of a residency opportunity, but as of the end of 1997 to no avail. The daughter was employed in a rest home in job, which she described as changing the diapers of old men, yet she remained reluctant to explore or accept retraining in a lesser medical occupation. At the time of this writing, she had been offered a neurology residency in Vermont, but only if she could first complete a general residency, which had not, been found. The result, if she were successful could be secular and spiritual salvation for both mother and daughter. The dilemma from a self-reliance standpoint was whether they should continue pursuit of their so far elusive dreams or settle for more routine employment. But, according to the rules, the choice was theirs and remained respected.

Single and Jobless

After graduating from high school, this now fortyish never-married woman worked for ten years in clothing manufacturing. Always active in the ward, she then went on an LDS temple mission. Returning she obtained employment at Ernst, a building supply store which eight months later went bankrupt and closed. Having saved money and sharing ownership of the home left by their parents with her brother, she was not in immediate need. She searched for another cashier's job but they all wanted her to work Sundays, which she was not prepared to do. She yearned for office employment but had only the typing skills of over twenty years previously and no computer exposure. Garth and Marion Mangum were assigned as her home and visiting teachers. In an informal approach to self-reliance planning, they asked what she wanted to do for the 25 working years she had left. In that context, she recognized the desire to do something better with her working life and the necessity of more education and training to make that possible. Further exploration demonstrated her eligibility for displaced worker retraining support and for Pell grants, which along with part-time employment should make a college education possible for her. She was taken to the community college for assessment and counseling, deciding upon a one-year office technician program leading to a career job after which she intended to continue her education on a part-time basis. She was also employed on-site in the lunchroom. Two months from completion of her Office Technician training program, she was already getting offers of employment. In a never a dull moment environment, the house she shared with her inactive brother was broken into with furniture and personal effects stolen. The ward was quick to help out with volunteer efforts to repair the damage and make the home more secure for the future. This was capped by presentation to her of a donated computer repaired by Robert Norton. She completed her schooling, got a job through a temporary agency, which turned into permanent employment at $11.50 an hour compared with the $6.50 at Ernst.

And so ended 1997.

Childless and Unemployed

This husband had not worked for seven years following a serious accident. The wife earned just enough for them to survive. Both had emotional and medical problems. The husband had schooling and computer-related training but, after seven years, his knowledge was largely obsolete. He had a surly attitude that did not help in employment interviews. The Despains were assigned to lead the couple through the self-reliance process. Many hours were spent helping the couple evaluate their needs and resources and develop a plan for renewed employment. The husband came to see the need to overcome his negative attitude and step up his job seeking activity. However, the resulting job interviews only discouraged him further. He resolved that he would have to go back to school to upgrade his skills in the rapidly changing field. Examining alternatives, he decided upon a promising computer-training program offered by the Novell Corporation but lacked the means to undertake it. The bishop talked with company and obtained a large discount; using ward funds to meet the rest of the costs. After a year of training, the man was able to obtain employment, become self-reliant and then move from the ward to more satisfactory housing.

A Much Married Schizophrenic

A thirty year-old sporadically employed heavy equipment operator had been married four times and was currently single. Withdrawn and shy, when he first contacted the Fourth Ward bishop he was sleeping in Pioneer Park and was near pneumonia. He came to obtain help in getting medicine but was also helped to obtain and pay for a room in a transient hotel and subsequently an 8' x 20' room in a former motel, known in the Fourth Ward as the "Bates Motel" because of the bizarre events transpiring there. To relieve the sporadic pressures of schizophrenia, rather than rely on drugs such as lithium or thorazin to drown out the voices, he was in the habit of drinking himself into a stupor. By arrangement, he began calling Terry Holmes when he felt a spell coming on. Terry sat with him through his attacks and observed him clawing at his face like an animal and in other ways abusing him self physically to relieve the voices in his head. He owed $360 a month for child support and had children in foster care as well as with former wives. When construction work was not available he obtained work from temporary help agencies and was observed to go without eating in order to meet his child support commitments. In Terry's view, he should have been institutionalized but he resisted that diagnosis. Instructed by the bishop that he would be expected to attend church meetings, he showed up in jeans, observed people in suits and did not come in. Learning that, ward members outfitted him at Deseret Industries after which he began more regular attendance. Often working all night on temporary jobs, he often let homeless people sleep in his room and was persistently robbed. After Jack and Margaret Sanders were assigned as his home teachers, they were able to convince him to rely more regularly on his prescribed medication--the essence of self-reliance for him. Perhaps it was that demonstrated stability which led to him being becoming the manager of the "Bates Motel" facility. True to the facility's reputation, Jack Sanders was threatened by a group of residents as he visited to assure that the medication was being taken. A few days later, the resident who had threatened Dr. Sanders attacked the manager with a knife, sending him to the emergency hospital to be repaired with 62 stitches. After discussion in the weekly welfare meeting, the ward group resolved to find other lodging for this member and to seek removal of all ward members from the "Bates Motel." However, when presented with alternative lodging, the member refused, apparently valuing his new status as manager more than personal safety. Again, the rules of self-reliance prevailed and he stayed. His problems continued. His Fourth Ward mentors ultimately got him on social security disability only to learn of another problem. His first check was spent on heroin with which he overdosed and died. The last act of his Fourth Ward friends was to drive to his Duchesne County point of origin for his burial.

The Gospel and a Mouth Full of Teeth

A previously married man in his late thirties felt that he was stagnating in Denver. He had heard that Salt Lake City was a good place to live so he sold his few belongings and bought a bus ticket to go there. On his way to the bus station in downtown Denver, he was set upon, beaten and robbed of everything but his bus ticket. His false teeth were broken in the process. He boarded the bus and arrived in Salt Lake without money or any clothes except those he was wearing. A custodian in the Salt Lake bus station noticed his problem, guided him to the homeless shelter and arranged to teach him the restored gospel. Though a fundamentalist Christian, he accepted the new teachings readily and was soon baptized. Residence in the homeless shelter made him a member of the Salt Lake Fourth Ward where he began attending. Ward members helped him find a job through a temporary help agency where the Sanders' daughter was an employment counselor and then a small apartment so that he could get out of the shelter. He was given clothes until he could afford his own. Garth and Marion Mangum then arranged for their dentist to undertake replacement of his teeth without cost. He celebrated the beginning of 1998 with a mouth full of new teeth and a commitment to meet the requirements for ordination to the priesthood. In the meantime, he had established a promising relationship with a women fellow employee, inactive in the Church but willing to be influenced by him in that and other regards. He also saw the needs of her long fatherless children ways in which he could service. [But he also turned out to be an alcoholic who never overcame the problem.]

African Refugees

A 33-year-old mother and nine children arrived at the Salt Lake City airport. Refugees from the only Spanish-speaking country in Sub-Saharan Africa, none of them spoke English. The mother had been the daughter of a dictator of that country who had been killed in a revolution. In the course of that uprising, acid had been thrown upon her child of one year causing terrible disfigurement. Eventually, the family made their way to Spain, some of the subsequent children being born in Africa and others in Spain. There, the parents had divorced. But there also, the mother and children had been taught the gospel, had been baptized, had met another convert from the same African origin who the mother had married and by whom she had two of the nine children. Though treated well by the LDS members, the family continued to experience persecution from other refugees who had been victims of the father/grandfather's cruelty. Contrary to the counsel of LDS authorities in Spain, the mother resolved to take her children to the United States and Utah. Thus, they had arrived at the Salt Lake airport expecting to be met by the missionary who had baptized them but finding themselves unmet and unable to communicate. From the Salt Lake airport, the family had called back to Spain from whence the mission president called the Church Missionary Department, which, in turn, called the Welfare Services Department. There, Loy Despain volunteered, "Assign them to the Salt Lake Fourth Ward and we will take care of them." They were housed in the Carlton Hotel until the hotel insisted that they be moved since it was not a residential hotel. The Despains took the family into their home until more permanent lodging could be found for them. Since they were in the country on asylum-pending status, it would have been illegal to hire them, even if they had language facility and if the mother had not had small children to care for. After a diligent search with many disappointments, a substantial home for rent was identified in the lower avenues. Friends of the Church-service missionaries in the Fourth Ward donated large amounts of clothing, furniture, kitchen equipment and bedding and that which was not donated was purchased on their behalf from Deseret Industries. The school age children were allocated among the schools in the city according to the availability of English as a Second Language programs. The 19-year-old was enrolled in the ESL program at Horizonte Learning Center, the city's alternative high school.

In the midst of this effort, the Despain's were assigned by the LDS Welfare Services Department to carry their self-reliance planning message to Mexico for a few months. Despite their lack of language facility, Garth and Marion Mangum were given primary responsibility for the refugee family. A plastic surgeon friend of the Mangums agreed to take on remedial plastic surgery but only after necessary orthodontic repair was completed. An orthodontist friend of the Mangums agreed to undertake without payment the extensive repairs available and that process is well advanced at this writing.

Then the husband and father of the two youngest children called from Newark, New Jersey. He had arrived at the Newark Airport without documentation where he was detained by the Immigration and Naturalization Service. A lawyer from the American Friends Service Committee intervened on his behalf. The volunteer services of a Spanish-speaking Salt Lake City immigration attorney were obtained to work with the New Jersey lawyer to get the husband released to Salt Lake City. Another pregnancy soon followed. After exploring the scene in both locations, the two lawyers agreed that the climate for asylum seemed more favorable in New Jersey so they worked together in preparing the case but sent the father and subsequently the father and mother together to New Jersey for asylum hearings. Since the husband was not allowed to work, yet was responsible for supporting his family, an arrangement was made that he would volunteer his services at the LDS Sort Center (later renamed the Humanitarian Center) where he could also have ESL instruction during his break time and the opportunity to obtain used clothing. With that demonstration of self-reliance, the bishops involved then felt justified in providing food and rent for the family.

Agreement was reached between the North 21st Ward where the family was living and the Fourth Ward that the resident ward would take over all functions except the medical, dental and legal efforts, which the Fourth Ward had already begun. Nevertheless, the family had established friendships in the Fourth Ward and frequently called those friends with problems. Most involved problems some of the children were having in the schools of strange language and customs. The resident ward and other surrounding wards provided friendships for the young people and involved them in baptisms for the dead and other Church functions. Because the mother was the only family member without access to ESL, Spanish-speaking volunteers taught her English in the home, but she was always reluctant to use it. The critical question still pending for this family at the end of 1997 was the granting of one year of asylum leading up to consideration for permanent legal residency. That matter at the writing time rested with the immigration judge in New Jersey.

[The immigration judge handed down a decision granting asylum to the husband on the grounds that, being married to the former African princess, he would be killed if he returned to their home country but the judge did not mention asylum for her and the children. That is still being pursued ten years later, the husband having departed when it was learned he was an agent of the present home country leader who is periodically mentioned in the press as one of the ten worst dictators in the world. The family, after a long wait during which LDS bishops paid their rent, finally obtained work permits and a Section 8 rental voucher. Meantime, one girl graduated from the LDS Business College and another from the Hispanic University, beginning promising careers. Another left home, had juvenile delinquency problems and an illegitimate child. Other children are progressing adequately. The Mangum's are still on call for the family.]

Samoan Single Parent

A Samoan couple came to Salt Lake City about 1980 with three children and then had five more. The husband's inactivity caused strife between the parents and he returned to Samoa. She was committed to self-reliance and continually sought and found jobs where she was productive and well accepted. However, admitted to the country as a visitor rather than as a resident but now a mother of American citizens, her immigration status was marginal and she frequently lost or found it difficult to find jobs for that reason. Her sons were athletic and the oldest went to Louisiana State University on a football scholarship. The next older sons became involved with neighborhood gangs and one was in a car when fellow gang members killed another boy. He was sent to a detention center in California for that reason. Determined to get away from the gang influence, the mother looked for housing in other parts of the city and ended up renting a dilapidated half of a duplex in the Fourth Ward for $750 a month. Neither of the outside doors would close, let alone lock. The heat was inadequate and, as winter neared, it became obvious that the landlord was not going to meet his repair commitments. Also, debts to the gas, power and telephone companies prevented access to those services. In addition, to her own children, the mother had taken in a friend with two children who would otherwise be homeless. Since the mother's earnings could not meet all of her commitments, Bishop Zabriskie paid the gas and power bills to make those utilities available. Garth and Marion Mangum as home teachers to the family found another duplex of larger side within the ward which the owner agreed to repair and repaint and rent for $550 a month if the ward would be the guarantor that the rent would be paid.

The older children obtained part-time jobs and the mother continued to work, sometimes losing a job but always finding another and often holding two jobs at a time. She became employed as a supervisor in a firm willing to offer some flexibility in her hours of work as long as she met minimum hourly requirements. At one point, IRS came after her for back taxes. Her car had been in a wreck and was continually breaking down at considerable expense. Since the frame was bent tires wore out rapidly. Recognizing that the transportation expense was unsupportable, Terry Holmes, through his brother, arranged for another used car that the family could obtain for $100 a month. Garth and Marion Mangum will long remember teaching her to drive a stick shift in what turned out to be rush hour traffic.

Most of the time the family had the rent money but occasionally the ward had to fill its commitment. At one point, the mother was trying to extend the food supply until payday without asking the bishop for a food order. Feeling that his younger siblings were hungry, the 16 year-old took matters in his own hands and, shades of Jean Valjean, was caught stealing a sack of potatoes, a loaf of bread and a package of rice from the grocery store, leading to two weeks in the juvenile detention center.

The incarcerated son was released from California but was not allowed by his parole officer to live with the family because its residence is in an unacceptable area. However, lodging was found at the community college where he would play football. Pressed by ward members and their friends to accept Christmas help, the mother would allow only school clothes and a few toys and games for the children--she did not want to build up their expectations--and would accept nothing for herself. The father returned. He being from American Samoa and being legally employable, the hope was that the meager earnings of the two combined, along with part-time work of some of the children, would add up to a stable family income but the income from his weather-sensitive job was disappointing. Despite her yearning for financial independence, she still had to occasionally turn to the bishop or Relief Society president for rent payment, utility bills or a food order. Illness of the children and an injury to herself in the absence of health insurance added a substantial medical bill to her burdens. At the end of 1997, the husband had obtained a steady, weatherproof job and she was considering adding a morning paper route to her duties. As part of her self-reliance plan, the mother was also considering spending a few hours each day in school in pursuit of computer training and perhaps an associate's degree and beyond. Disappointments were frequent but she always had hope.

The Loss and Regaining of Children

A single mother of six with a seventh on the way from a series of fathers, to only one of whom she has been married, had her children taken away by the state and referred for foster care. Her income sources were employment at Deseret Industries, which she had to leave as her pregnancy advanced and federal disability assistance for the three of the children who were handicapped. The disability income followed the children into foster homes. She appealed for ward help to keep the children. The ward welfare committee did not consider themselves qualified to know what was best for the children. The Lofgrens were as signed to help her get her life stabilized, precedent to planning for self-reliance beyond the birth of the coming child. A retired lawyer was asked and agreed to review her case to see that her legal rights were protected. The ex-husband reappeared and beat her. She was encouraged and helped to find refuge in the battered women's shelter, from which she was a regular attender of Fourth Ward meetings. As the birth of the baby neared, the Lofgrens were replaced by Morris and Annetta Mower as her mentors. They saw her through the birth of the baby and worked with her in preparing for a court hearing. The judge was impressed with her progress and held open the possibility of return of the children if her progress continued. After only being allowed chaperoned visits with the children, she now had some of them with her from time to time for unsupervised visits. She was accepted for long-term residency in the new Huntsman-Robinson Center for battered women and planned to seek employment in pursuit of self-reliance and the return of the other children, but the potential conflicts between working and caring for that many children were obvious. [There the story ended at the end of 1997.]

From Prison to the Bank

A young Church member from an in active family moved to Las Vegas and became involved with drugs. He drifted back to Utah and ended up in the Utah County jail and at a Provo detoxification center. There he met a nonmember girl with a similar history who had a three year-old son and was soon pregnant again by him. They survived for a while by him working referrals from temporary agencies, collecting his pay each day and renting a motel room for the night. He accumulated some outstanding arrest warrants. They drifted to Salt Lake City where the three slept each night in the foyer of a drug house located in the Fourth Ward. Terrified as her pregnancy advanced, they contacted Bishop Zabriskie who helped them find an apartment, paid their rent and convinced the young man that his best approach to the stability required for fatherhood was to turn himself in. Terry Holmes helped them obtain a car. Jack and Margaret Sanders were assigned as their home and visiting teachers. The young man was incarcerated in the Oxbow jail where he read the Book of Mormon while the mother of his coming child was meeting with the missionaries, though struggling with the Word of Wisdom. When he finished his sentence of a few months, the Sanders temporary employment councilor daughter placed him with a local bank and Bishop Zabriskie married them. The young man was thrilled to go to work in a bank each day after just getting out of prison. However, when his temporary assignment was over, the bank could not hire him directly because of his criminal record. He accepted the loss philosophically, found other employment and began a high school program, determined to build a new life for himself and his family.

From Mistress to Maid

After 15 years of following her rock musician husband all over the world, this daughter of a New England physician found herself pregnant and then her husband died before their son was born. She settled in California where she earned a high income in real estate selling luxury homes. After joining the LDS Church, she resolved to move to Salt Lake City where she entered the same real estate market. But there she fell victim to chronic depression, which had troubled her at times but never before interfered with her ability to function. Now there were days at a time when she could not get out of bed to face the world. By this time, her son was in school and learned to get himself off. Soon she was living in subsidized low-income housing located in the Fourth Ward, drawing $342 a month of public assistance and food stamps while receiving rental help from the bishop. Her mental health counselors advised her to apply for Social Security Disability payments and forget about going back to work. She applied at a time when two-thirds of applications were being rejected because of the rapid expansion of applications in a period of public welfare reform. Her application was rejected but she was informed that most of those who persisted in appealing their rejections were ultimately approved. Terry Holmes obtained an elderly automobile for her and, as often as her periods of depression allowed, she began cleaning houses. "I always had a maid; now I am one," she said good-spiritedly. She was active in the ward, a devoted mother and still demonstrated the skills that once made her a high earner, but she could never know in advance when she would have access to those skills. One of her productive activities was to go "dumpster diving" around the area of the apartment house where she lived, imaginatively redecorating and selling items she found.

[Ultimately she reconciled with her retired physician father and she and her son joined him in his retirement in Florida.]

Resisting, Then Accepting Self-Reliance Planning

An inactive Hispanic single mother with five children between ages three and ten having three different last names came to the attention of the bishopric. Two of the boys were in special education because of reading problems. The nine-year old daughter yearned to play the piano. Limited by her tenth-grade education, the mother had a job cleaning restrooms at the airport, which she hated. The Despains were assigned to work with her because of their Spanish language capability. Self-reliance planning was undertaken. A temporary job was obtained for her at Deseret Industries learning computer and other skills. Piano lessons were arranged for the daughter. The mother became involved in an auto accident and was cited for not having a driver's license. The Despains arranged for volunteer driving instruction for her, lending their car for her use rather than the ungainly van she owned. Upon successful passage of the driver's test, the charges were dropped. Yet her off and on adherence to commitments was described as " yo yo." How long to keep on working with her without greater signs of progress was frequently debated. Home and visiting teaching was continued but the intensive self-reliance planning effort was dropped. Two years passed, and then a casual conversation raised new hope. Sylvia Despain asked, "Isn't there something in life you have always wanted to do more than anything else?" After considerable hesitancy, she admitted that there was an impossible dream. "Since I was a girl, I have always wanted to be a nurse, but that has always been impossible and it is certainly impossible now?" "Why?" Sylvia asked, and from that conversation emerged a plan to begin a GED program preparing for en try into the Registered Nurse program of the Salt Lake Community College. The prospective road was long but there was now hope.

A Prominent Prostitute

A beautiful and intelligent woman who had been making several hundred dollars a night working for an "escort service" decided to change her life style. Abused sexually by her father as a child and abandoned by her husband with two children, she had been living in the remodeled Art Space apartments of a former rubber factory and surviving by selling her most obvious assets. Despite her inherent low self-esteem, she was angered at what she saw on television about the county sheriff's intent to "warehouse" prostitutes. She visited the governor's office to complain that she and others like her "were not cattle" and as a result ended up as a member of a mayor's committee to assist in the rehabilitation of prostitutes. She even wrote a book about the subject. When funding for the mayoral effort was exhausted, she was left once again with the challenge of supporting her two children. The choices appeared to be between returning to her previous profession and accepting marginal employment commensurate with her other skills. It was at that point that she contacted the Fourth Ward bishop for assistance. She obtained temporary employment until after Christmas and then went to work for Head Start with the ward assisting in meeting costs beyond her earnings. Self-reliance would require education and training. Both to break away from past associations and to reduce rental costs she needed to move but housing meeting those criteria would have to be out of the ward where she was just beginning to find her way back to the commitments of her youth. The challenge at the time was undecided by either her or the bishopric.

Housing the Homeless

The owner of the infamous "Bates Motel" offered his disabled brother-in-law housing and a job if he would leave San Diego and come to Salt Lake City. The brother-in-law soon found out he had been done no favor. He was a victim of multiple sclerosis was supported by social security disability income, and was LDS. When he was not at home in the 8' by 20' room the landlord allowed other tenants access to his room, ostensibly to use the telephone, one of the few in the complex. His meager possessions began disappearing including, soon, his bankcard, which was then used to make withdrawals from his meager account. His church membership was forwarded to the Fourth Ward from San Diego and Bob and Jacqui Norton were assigned to contact him. He responded that he would be happy to attend Church-services if only he had a winter coat. A used but serviceable coat was provided and he began attending.

At the Fourth Ward, he met a homeless Elder. This man and his wife had invited into their home a needy woman who not only proved to be a drug user but offered drugs to their children. But when he demanded that the women leave, his wife took her side and he was the one who left, ending up in the homeless shelter. Residence there made him the responsibility of the Fourth Ward whose Elders' quorum befriended him, provided transportation to church meetings and helped him find a job.

Noting the dual housing need, the bishopric made the suggestion, which prompted the displaced San Diegan to commence looking for a house to rent. He found one that had been trashed by previous residents, was overpriced and filthy but had possibilities. Guided by the Nortons and with concessions from the landlord, labor from the Elders' Quorum, and donations of used furniture and household effects from members and friends of the Fourth Ward, the house could be shared by three single men and one couple, making it financially viable for all. With secure and financially viable housing, the San Diegan began to explore a repeat performance in a neighboring house from which he might obtain some income while helping others with their housing needs.

Merry Christmas

Christmas in 1996 was provided to 38 needy families through the combined efforts of ward members, Church-service missionaries and members of the wards of those missionaries. One of the latter wards set up an angel tree in their chapel and collected $13,000 for the cause. In addition, 79 fruit baskets were prepared and delivered to the elderly. The young people from a stake with no connection to the Fourth Ward at their own initiative provided blankets and candy to all residents of the multi-ethnic high-rise, nonmember as well as member.

That story was repeated and magnified in 1997 when full Christmas was provided for 58 families and food baskets for over 200. Accompanied by jokes that the resident ward members who organized the 1996 Christmas had moved out rather than face the task again, the bishopric assigned Church-service missionaries Marlow and Peggy Morgan to the task, which required near full-time effort for several weeks. A highly successful and well-attended Christmas party was held with entertainment from the community college choir. The ward was flooded with offers from suburban wards that were assigned to various families. Angel trees and money trees were submitted from a number of suburban wards and the Fourth Ward ended up with additional donations to its humanitarian funds after all of the family commitments had been met.

Multi-Ethnic Senior Citizen's High Rise

The circumstances and services provided to the residents of this 15 story, 150-apartment edifice are sufficiently similar to describe jointly with specific examples. Called to serve in the Fourth Ward in April 1994, Jack Tuke was signed to assist with the scouts and high priests while Edna Tuke served as a teacher in the Relief Society. But more telling for the future were their home teaching assignments. For one aged widow in her own home Jack did all of the yard work and lawn mowing for one year until she left to move in with a daughter. For others there was a stream of locks to change and leaking faucets to repair. For another disabled widow to whom they had been assigned they began recording sacrament meetings and bringing the tapes and the sacrament to her. Soon they were providing this service to several of the aged who were unable to attend meetings. They also recruited the Young Men/Young Women's youth and leaders from their own and other suburban wards to clean up the yards and do painting and minor repairs for widows still living in their own homes.

All of that prepared them for assignment to the Multi-Ethnic Senior Citizen's High Rise in the fall of 1994. They began transporting to Sunday meetings those able to get out and held a Monday night "family home meeting" for all who wanted to come including nonmembers. They persisted in requests for two years until they were authorized in the fall of 1996 to begin holding sacrament meeting for those unable to get out as well as taking the sacrament into the apartments of those unable to leave their rooms. By this time, they had been joined in the assignment by Weston and Elda Moss. The men helped people moving in and out. Surplus furniture of their own and that donated by their home ward members who were aware of their service were provided to those in need. The couples provided at their own expense "care packages" of food, utensils, pans and dishes until the Relief Society and bishopric had the opportunity to authorize a food order or to meet other needs. Those able to do so were taken shopping and to medical appointments. Shopping was done for those who were not able to get out. Minor repairs were performed for apartment dwellers and priesthood blessings were frequently requested. Volunteer dental work and other services they could not afford were successfully sought. One woman with drug using sons, one of them in prison, who were abusing her credit cards, was helped to eliminate the credit cards and get her financial affairs in order. Some were taken to the temple and a temple preparedness course was undertaken.

Residents of the homeless shelters and the Jackson Apartments learned who to call for transportation and other services. No differentiation was made between members and nonmembers, though it was the former who were sought out and who were most likely to request help. Their near full-time availability in the absence of custodians brought the ward to rely upon the Tukes and Moss's for preparations at the chapel for funerals, socials, and homemaking meetings. The effort was arduous but both couples expressed joy and strong commitment to the service. At the close of 1997, the Moss's in their eighties were released and the Nortons took their place as the Tukes continued.

Welfare as a Missionary Tool

As noted earlier, Elwood and Lorele Neff served as mission leaders of the ward with most but not all of the missionary opportunities emerged from the welfare-related efforts. Like the self-reliance efforts themselves, the missionary activities were rewarded with both success and failure. The wife in the "prison to the bank" story was to be one of the successes as soon as the formerly heroin-addicted wife and about-to-be mother overcame her remaining addiction to tobacco. There were many more such stories.

The Neffs and the full-time missionaries began meeting with a young unmarried Texas couple, the young woman having a child by another man. The missionary lessons were going well when the young man was arrested and imprisoned for receiving stolen property. In prison, he attended Church meetings, read the Book of Mormon and was befriended by LDS prisoners. Alone and with a child to care for, she received occasional assistance from the ward as she continued with the missionary lessons with his encouragement, though tobacco remained an obstacle with which she struggled daily. The Neffs transported her for prison visits as well as assisting in finding volunteer help to get her car repaired and taking her for job interviews. He was to be eligible to be considered for parole in April 1998, and, if he was successful, they would marry, be baptized and return to Texas.

The nonmember wife of an inactive Fourth Ward member was physically abused by him. She was also physically disabled and their young son had mental health problems. She contacted the bishop for advice, was provided with food orders and volunteer dental assistance, and began meeting with the missionaries. Her baptism was coincident with her obtaining a restraining order against her abusive husband, the Neffs serving in an advisory role in both decisions. Employment was the next order of business.

Another couple had lived together for seven years without marriage and had one child. She was a member and he was studying with the missionaries. He was ready for baptism but their marital status stood in the way. Though seven years would comprise a common law marriage, she was still legally married to a man she had not seen for 19 years and had no idea of his whereabouts. They were helped to find legal counsel to obtain her divorce after which his baptism was to occur.

A 14 year-old Native American joined the Church, prompting his mother to attend a fast and testimony meeting where she felt that "all who spoke, spoke the truth, and they were talking to me." She studied and was baptized but soon left the ward for more favorable housing.

In a close parallel, a single Mexican mother of several children contacted the bishop for welfare assistance and was required to volunteer to work at the welfare soap factory as an evidence of good faith. She attended ward services, invited the missionaries into her home where they commented upon its cleanliness, was baptized, obtained employment and moved from the ward to better living quarters.

But disappointments were frequent as well. A friend of this Mexican women, after severe beatings from her husband, left her children with him and fled to Salt Lake City to live with her friend. She too met with the missionaries, but could not answer successfully the questions of the zone leader who interviewed her for baptism. She asked the Neffs to drive her to a court session, allegedly for speeding, which turned out to be for drunken driving. She demanded a court-provided lawyer and a jury trial but disappeared the day before it was scheduled, allegedly to return to California.

Often, the baptisms were more disappointing than the failures to be baptized, primarily when residents of the homeless shelter were involved. Five shelter residents within 1997 had been taught the gospel by the full-time missionaries, had been baptized and then had disappeared, two of them without ever having attended a church meeting. One, on the other hand, a black man, was baptized, found employment and moved to West Valley City where he continued to be active.

The Neffs recount the experience of being invited by the full-time missionaries on Saturday evening to attend the baptism of a Native American woman from the homeless shelter whom they had never met before. She was accompanied by a Hispanic friend who was drunk and wanted to join her in the baptismal font to be baptized with her. The Neffs arranged to pick her up for church the next morning but she was not at the shelter. They found her with friends in Pioneer Park nearby where she refused to accompany them and has never been seen since.

Better that the disappointments should occur before the baptisms. The Neffs transported three men and a woman from the shelter to church meetings for several weeks while they were meeting with the missionaries. A date was set for the baptism, but they did not show up having "hopped a freight headed east," the Neffs were told.

However, homeless shelter residency was not essential to disappointment. Another man, resident in the ward, was taught, attended regularly, received welfare assistance, was baptized, bore testimony in a fast meeting and was not been seen or found by home teachers thereafter.

WE CAN'T AND DON'T WIN THEM ALL ON THE SELF-RELIANCE FRONT EITHER

The Advantage of Adequate Staffing

A husband and wife with four children, only she and the one daughter being members, had been chronic pursuers of church welfare assistance for several years before the changed regime. They had sought food orders and cash for rent and utilities from at least two bishops before Bishop Larsen. The member mother and daughter attended church meetings only preliminary to a welfare request. Their landlord had learned to call the bishop and threaten eviction every time the family got behind on rent and, lacking the staff to check up, the bishops had always responded with enough to pay the $450 a month asked. The parents contacted the bishop and complained of being unable to afford Christmas and then after the ward had provided it complained that the children had not received all on their lists. But under the new approach, the Wrights were sent in with the evaluation form to determine the family's status in anticipation of introducing them to self-reliance planning. In his review, Richard Wright discovered that the father was steadily employed at over $8 an hour and the mother at over $5, yet a review found that the family had received some $15,000 in church welfare assistance. As the Wrights began pressing for self-reliance planning, the family ceased answering the door at their knock, but they also ceased coming to church and ceased asking for assistance. The evaluation process made possible by the availability of Church-service volunteers had proven itself on the negative as well as the positive side.

Expert at Accessing Public Programs

This family consisting of husband, wife, four children and another on the way must have been one of the few in the State of Utah receiving Aid to Dependent Children with a husband present. The reason was that he was a manic-depressive, unable to hold a job. The wife received AFDC, the disabled husband and disabled children receive Supplemental Security Income. Whether the agencies involved knew of the multiple payments, no one knew. Neither parent attended church meetings but the children did on occasion. The mother approached the bishop for assistance including money to have a car repaired and again the Wrights were assigned to evaluate the family's need and willingness to pursue self-reliance. The house was a zoo with the wife's alcoholic father living in, children on anti-depressant drugs and the husband's cronies wandering in and out. A budget was prepared which demonstrated that the family should be able to live adequately on its income without church help. No more was heard from the family until Christmas when the mother attended church for a few weeks and then approached the bishop for further help. This time, based on the previous budgeting exercise, the answer was no.

A Chronic Church Welfare Applicant

A single parent, a daughter from a family of long-term membership in the ward, had been a chronic applicant for church assistance, absorbing over $40,000 of church welfare help over the previous ten years. A major reason for continued support had been the presence of a now seven year-old daughter who two years before was run over by a neighborhood ice cream delivery truck and was now crippled. The $25,000 settlement received from the accident did little more than attract a notorious boyfriend, one that was subsequently to impregnate another ward member and then get himself stabbed to death in gangland style. Prior to that demise, however, she sought assistance from the bishop to help her get an apartment separate from her mother with whom she was not getting along. A public welfare case worker, disturbed by the apparently drug-based constant battling, had threatened to take the daughter into foster care. Acting for the bishop, Terry Holmes took the woman to review ten or more potential apartments, in search of an appropriate one to rent, at which point she announced that she had found a place and asked for money to rent it. What the bishop did not know was that the one-bedroom apartment chosen outside the ward boundaries was being shared by an unmarried couple that were friends of the boyfriend. When this member returned for further help, the bishop assigned Richard Wright to help her budget. From that, Richard learned that the previous check had not been given to the landlord but had been cashed at a 20 percent discount by a professional check casher in order to give a party for friends at a bowling alley. Despite sympathy for the crippled daughter, given the lack of progress and the residency outside the ward, the bishop refused further assistance.

On Again--Off Again

A Latino divorcee in her mid-forties with eight children was a chronic applicant to Bishop Larsen for assistance. He recalls that he gave it without question because of the children and because to deal with her otherwise would have absorbed hours that he didn't have to spare in the period before the additional service missionaries became available. Displaced from their housing, the mother and the remaining three children--a 12 year-old girl and 14 and 15 year-old boys--were living in a crowded motel room at ward expense--$1200 a month--when Terry and Marcene Holmes were assigned to lead her to self-reliance.

The first priority was housing. True to the self-reliance approach, she was assigned to examine the real estate ads in the newspaper each day, which she did with some reluctance. It wasn't easy. Decent housing was scarce in the area, rents were high and the waiting list for public housing assistance was long. Besides, many landlords did not want children. When acceptable housing was found outside the ward boundaries, the landlord was not willing to lease to the family without guarantee. Therefore, the ward became the lessee for one year at $600 per month. The landlord insisted that none but the four be allowed to live in the apartment, but that commitment was never kept. Other children, grandchildren, an ex-husband, extended family and friends were obvious frequent overnight and longer guests. Among them was a 25 year-old boy friend that shared with the 45-year-old mother the announced intention to marry. The Holmes' were concerned that the young man--an undocumented worker--might just be looking for a route to naturalization, but could not oppose her choice. In fact, they were never too sure that she was legally in the country since she resisted all suggestions that she apply for public assistance. The experience was frustrating but the ward continued its efforts because of the children.

The mother claimed to have stomach cancer causing her to be unable to work, but when the Holmes' offered to take her for medical treatment, that claim disappeared, though she still complained occasionally of stomach distress. She claimed to have worked as a nurses' aid until a new state law required certification. The Holmes investigated and found a Red Cross Certified Nurses Assistance course available and offered to pay the $230 tuition, $200 to be returned upon successful completion. The mother welcomed the course and began it with enthusiasm but, with limited English, failed the written examination at the completion of the course. With considerable help from the Red Cross staff, she passed an oral examination, completing the course. However, she still faced the state-licensing exam, which she also failed at the written stage. While preparing to take the exam orally, need for surgery intervened. Thereafter, while protesting that she still intended to take the CNA exam, she accepted a housekeeping job at a nearby hotel.

Throughout, the family received, food, rent and gasoline money from the ward. The mother's church attendance, non-existent until made a requirement, was sporadic but consisted primarily of sitting in the foyer during meetings. The girl attended Young Women's meetings but her brothers remained inactive. None of the children were doing well in school. The bishopric informed the mother in January 1997 that she had to begin contributing to her rent but none had been received by April when she was informed that she would receive no more assistance after June. With the end of assistance and the family living outside the ward boundaries, all contact ceased. In retrospect, despite confessing failure, the bishopric felt that it was important to give the family every opportunity because of the children.

The Bates Motel Again

Bishop Zabriskie was contacted by a black man in his early thirties seeking assistance. Abandoned early by his parents and raised into his teens by an uncle, he had been on the streets of California cities thereafter. He had managed to obtain a high school education and obtain training to become a chef but had also experienced addiction to alcohol and drugs as well as acquiring mental health problems. Somehow, he had made a transition from a California detoxification facility to Rexburg, Idaho where he enrolled at Ricks College, played on its football team and was baptized into the LDS Church. However, he once again succumbed to his alcoholism and somehow arrived in Salt Lake City. Having rented space at the "Bates Motel," he contacted Bishop Zabriskie who arranged for a bed, a hot plate, cookware and dishes and the first of a series of food orders and clothing from Deseret Industries and assigned Garth Mangum to help him find a job. Upon receiving his first paycheck from his new job, he got drunk and then, feeling remorseful, slashed his wrists. Fortunately, he was discovered in time for the paramedics to be called and for him to be taken to the emergency hospital. A few nights later, Mangum knocked on his door to check his wellbeing. Not getting an answer, the manager was asked to open the door to check against a repeat of the suicide attempt. The member was asleep inside and, incensed at the embarrassment of exposure as a potential suicide, instructed Mangum to "get out of my life." First, Richard Wright and then Terry Holmes took on the assignment of guiding this man through a series of jobs, finding new lodging outside the ward boundaries, and picking him up for Church-services. In each case, he ended the relationship with the same instructions and, without the weekly pick up, ceased attending and disappeared from ward attention.

Youthful, Unmarried Parents

A teenage Ogden girl walking alone is attacked by a man, dragged into a field and raped. She is one of eight raped by the same man, who was subsequently captured, convicted and imprisoned. At 16, she became involved with a young man of 19 and became pregnant. The young woman's mother moved to California, leaving her behind. A friend of the young man's family invited them to Salt Lake City where she helped them find an apartment in the Fourth Ward just before, at ages 17 and 20, they became parents of a little boy who was sickly for at least the first two months. Though neither were members of the LDS Church, the friend who was LDS and a frequent applicant for church welfare assistance suggested that they contact the LDS bishop. The Wrights were assigned as home and visiting teachers and the Mangum's were assigned to pursue employment for the young man. The mother was taught to care for the child and applied herself diligently to that task. Neither of these young people had completed high school so the first commitment of their self-reliance pursuit beyond parenting was to complete their high school credits at Horizonte Learning Center as soon as the baby's health was stabilized. Meantime, the young father had a speech-impediment and no substantial work experience. Employment was obtained for him at the Sort Center. There, his attendance was sporadic. He stayed home to help his wife take the baby to the clinic, considering that a higher priority than reporting to work, and was not diligent on the job. Any other employer would have discharged the young man immediately, but the Sort Center staff called the Mangums to tell them of the problems. The Wright's, the Mangum's and Terry Holmes all counseled with the young man who said that he liked the job and seemed to think he had performed well. He agreed to report for work regularly and be more diligent and the Sort Center agreed to continue to work with him. They attended church meetings and agreed to hear the missionaries. But then the Sort Center called to say that he had only reported for work three days out of seven, leaving them short-handed on a critical production process. They would have to terminate him but without prejudice so that he could be considered for rehire when he was ready to settle down to work. Contacted, the young man decided he did not want to work there anymore. He was advised as to other sources of employment, but the young couple and their baby moved from the ward, adding to the list of what might have been.

A Legless Single Mother

A legless nonmember single mother of two had an evening job opportunity but needed child care. Someone suggested the LDS Church might help so she called the Fourth Ward bishop to see if anyone might be willing to care for her children while she worked. The ward welfare committee was reluctant to assist the mother to be gone in the evening after the children had been in school all day. The Welfare Square Church Employment Center was contacted and found telemarketing employment, which she could perform from her apartment. A computer and fax was essential. She had the computer and the bishop advanced money for the fax, which she was to repay from her earnings. The bishop also helped her with a food order and temporary rental assistance until her earnings began. She agreed to be taught the gospel. However, none of her commitments were ever fulfilled. She complained that the training was inadequate and never began trying the work to be done at home. She allowed the missionaries in occasionally but never studied. Then she became involved with a man who moved in to care for the children while she planned to work outside the home. But the boy friend drank, abused her sons and she and the boy friend became drunken, noisy and quarrelsome with the neighbors. The fax was taken back and loaned to a member single mother in the same building and contact with the legless mother ceased,

Spouse-Abused Mother

Bishop Larsen was informed of the presence in the family homeless shelter of a crippled member mother with four children. The Sanders were assigned to work with the family, which involved taking some of the children to the University Hospital every day to be treated for a variety of chronic ills. In order for her and her children to survive, the mother had become well-versed in finding access to the full array of public as well as church welfare assistance. The children from three different fathers were shy and withdrawn but gradually began to respond to the visitors and to Primary attendance. Because of concern for child abuse in the homeless shelter environment, the Ward paid for the family to be able to move into a motel. The mother's family lived in Park Valley. On the way back from a visit there the car broke down in Layton but through negotiation between two wards was fixed there by a high priest group leader. Soon the mother and children were rejoined by the husband who they had left because of abuse but who now seemed to be under medicated control. However, late on Christmas night came a distress call. The husband had thrown the baby across the room. The mother and children were temporarily housed with the self-reliant single parent cited above. Soon the again single-headed family moved, first to Layton and then to Park Valley, leaving their Fourth Ward advocates to hope that some permanent contribution had been made to the children's lives.

Other Examples

The stories could continue interminably:

• It was learned that a single mother Church member--herself a victim of hepatitis--and her three children were in the homeless shelter where one of the children had been sexually abused by another resident. She appeared totally committed to her children. Her mother had a home but the two seemed to be estranged. The homeless shelter staff helped her apply for subsidized housing. There was a waiting list but after her turn came the Fourth Ward welfare committee rallied contributions of furniture, appliances and clothing, moved the family into the housing in another ward and stake and made contact with the resident ward bishop to accomplish transition. Until that transition was complete, the Fourth Ward Relief Society president continued to visit the family and the Fourth Ward bishop provided food orders.
• Two sisters, both single mothers, both expecting babies and both alcohol abusers faced loss of their children to their own parents who wanted to take their grandchildren away from the environment. The ward welfare committee discussed the case and decided all they could do is to try to teach the sisters correct principles and the let them make their own decisions. They did improve their childcare performance and were allowed to keep their children. They were provided with donated furniture to improve the home environment. But they never made any substantial changes otherwise.
• A single mother was tyrannical with her previously sex-abused and troubled son and refused to allow him to participate in rehabilitation programs. An older brother was a school dropout and heavy drinker and had companions who posed a bad environment for the boy. The ward paid for counseling for the boy whose counselor considered the mother the primary threat to the boy's well being. There was concern that the mother may resist his recovery for fear of losing the $300 a month disability payment for the boy. The family moved out of the ward but the bishopric retained the family's records because the boy had close affiliation with the Aaronic priesthood leadership in the ward and might not make a successful transition to a new ward under his home circumstances.
• An illiterate grandfather attended regularly with his granddaughters who were major discipline problems in ward meetings. His wife was sexually promiscuous, yet he yearned to get to the temple. His work skills were limited, his employment was sporadic, and he frequently needed financial assistance. The granddaughters contracted body lice and the grandmother shaved their heads causing considerable embarrassment in school and church.
• A drug involved ward member asked the bishop to perform a marriage ceremony for him and his fiancée; two months later he beat her with a ball bat and tried to cut her throat.
• A former prostitute ward member was infamous for drinking and drug abuse, received public assistance, and yet frequently asked for church help. Her apartment manager and other members living in the building complained frequently about her conduct. She was instructed she would have to "clean up her act" and plan to move toward self-reliance if she was to receive further help.
• Homeless shelter residents frequently contacted the LDS missionaries on Temple Square and elsewhere and were occasionally baptized, making them members of the Fourth Ward. Many never appeared at any meeting and most of those who did appeared once or twice and never returned. Some, however, remained active and made progress. A recent convert was employed in food service on Welfare Square but was paid on an hourly basis through the ward. He had advanced to the Melchizedek priesthood and obtained and used a temple recommend. Now he obtained subsidized housing outside the ward but wanted to continue attendance where he knew people. He was very faithful and helpful in the ward. Should he be allowed to remain and should his welfare assistance continue?
• An elderly woman was a lifelong member of the ward. She was operated on for a brain tumor, spent over a year in a convalescent home and returned to the ward. Soon, she was joined by a daughter trying to recover from drugs and prostitution. The mother was frail and suffering from an inherited disease that had killed several family members. The mother needed transportation to doctors and the daughter to rehabilitation. These the ward supplied along with help in cleaning the apartment. When the mother was no longer able to negotiate the stairs in her apartment, she was helped to relocate to an apartment with an elevator. The mother moved out of the ward and the daughter in but the ward continued to help both, neither of whom seemed capable of greater self-reliance under their circumstances.
• Similarly, an elderly woman lived in the Ethnic High Rise with her drug-addicted son who constantly absorbed and misused her limited social security income supplemented by weekly food orders. His residency there was against the rules of the facility. There were also warrants out for his arrest. The mother would undoubtedly be better off without the son. Complaint to the building management or the police would land him in jail. What action, if any, should be taken?
• A nonmember young mother of three on parole accompanied by her substance abusing and dependent member father with her husband in prison for a parole violation moved into an almost uninhabitable basement within the ward. She appealed for and was given help in her search for employment. In the midst of job search she failed to report to her probation officer and was jailed for parole violation leaving the children in the undependable custody of the grandfather.
• A black man married to a white woman had lost both legs from diabetes. The children had rebelled, the parents were unable to discipline them and the mother had retreated into depression. The ward supplied car repairs, food and compassion but could do little else. The family subsequently moved from the ward and contact was lost.
• Another single mother, inactive herself, had a vivacious and very active daughter and a troubled son, a victim of past sexual abuse. The mother promised activity but never delivered but the ward supplemented public assistance with food and rental help for the sake of the children.
• Another single mother operated a losing business out of her home but would not abandon it because it gave her identity. She received frequent food and rent assistance. She attended regularly but sat in the foyer because she considered her clothes inappropriate for the chapel
• A never-married 21 year-old with a three-year-old daughter needed to complete her schooling to improve her employment prospects but the condition of her teeth interfered with both objectives. The Neffs, assigned as her home and visiting teachers, took her to their dentist who volunteered has services and prepared her for enrollment at the Horizonte Learning Center.
• An unmarried ward member with her second baby and both of her parents in jail was confronted, among other costs, with a $365 telephone bill because her mother called collect several times a day. The Morgans as her home and visiting teacher convinced her to have the telephone restricted against either incoming or outgoing long distance calls and encouraged her to move in with relatives in another state.
• A childless couple married ten years was falling behind financially. He was employed as a gravedigger at a private cemetery and she at a fast food establishment. Garth Mangum encouraged him to cross the street from his present employment to seek work in building and grounds at the University of Utah. The possibility led him to, for the first time, ask his current employer for a raise which was immediately granted. He resolved to ask for health insurance and his wife resolved to shift to night work and enroll in an Office Technician program in the daytime.
• A most sensitive issue at the time was meeting the needs of families of undocumented workers who had made great sacrifices to come to a land of opportunity, who pursued the principles of self-reliance to the full extent of their ability, who either joined the Church in their native countries or after they arrived in Utah, and who occasionally needed church assistance, primarily because of their limited skills and language deficiencies. Even when offered the commitment of church assistance in finding employment in their native lands, they preferred their precarious existence here in hopes of either accomplishing permanent though tenuous residency here or accumulating sufficient savings to provide a firm economic base upon ret urn home. They also recognized the advantage to their children to be born in the United States and therefore guaranteed citizenship opportunity at some future point. Under self-reliance principles, alternatives could be offered for exploration but the final decision rested with those who were being encouraged to take charge of their own lives.

In this transient ward, there was a constant turnover and the stories changed accordingly. Many came and went before their records arrived and contact was pursued. This recital stressed the troubled families of concern to the ward welfare committee. There were also many intact and well-performing families, but the proportion of troubled to untroubled made the ward a panorama of welfare need. The bishopric and ward welfare committee were also aware that there are many more households of which they had limited knowledge and lacked the resources to seek out and attempt to help. The advent of Church-service missionaries had made the ward viable but had also made the bishopric aware of what they could accomplish if they could multiply the current staff.

Lessons Learned, Quandaries Unresolved

Reflecting upon the experience, the bishopric and welfare committee of the Liberty Fourth Ward identified a number of significant lessons from the experience but quandaries, paradoxes and challenges still confronted them at the end of 1997:

• Self-reliance planning had been proven doable and effective whenever taken seriously by practitioner and recipient. Volunteers without professional preparation but with rudimentary training and good judgment had proven themselves able to lead willing families and individuals through the process. Needy ward members already active in the Church had generally welcomed the process and pursued it diligently. More of the inactive had been unwilling than had been willing to apply themselves to the process. Several had made substantial progress in their economic circumstances, most but not all becoming active in the process. A few nonmembers had participated, making similar progress, a few had been baptized, as noted, and others were still meeting with the missionaries as a result. Like all converts, only time could test the durability of their conversion. Some of those approached had been too depressed to believe that anything positive could happen to them; some had become too cynical to try. But all who had submitted to the process and have taken it seriously had their situations improved. No one was able to solve every problem. The problems were complex and often of longstanding. A great deal of time and encouragement was usually necessary to bring hope to the hopeless. Nevertheless, some of the results in the Fourth Ward have been spectacular and, without exception, every willing member experienced real progress in alleviating problems and crises and moving towards self-reliance.
• Though most of the self-reliance planning activity was guided by couples from outside the ward boundaries, they were filling the customary priesthood and Relief Society positions that ward residents would have filled if they were available and which they had filled in the past in their own wards. Nothing was being done by these "outsiders" that could not have been done by "insiders" if they had been available. The standard priesthood structure was fully capable of meeting the need when adequately staffed.
• The attitude of both leaders and members had changed markedly. The leaders' stance had changed from desperation at being overwhelmed and without adequate information to a willingness to actively seek out the needy because they now had means for obtaining accurate in formation and knew how to provide positive help. Worthy recipients felt better about seeking help because they knew they were moving down a positive path rather than begging and because they had been encouraged to help others in turn. Church meeting attendance had risen substantially during the period, despite having to journey outside the ward boundaries to find a meeting place--ward leaders often joked about being the "homeless ward for the homeless." An Elders quorum had been organized and home teaching reintroduced and rose to a respectable level for the first time in years.
• Any expectations that self-reliance planning would reduce church welfare expenditures were probably doomed to disappointment. Individuals and families moved on to self-reliance and even financial self-sufficiency after much time, effort and expenditure. But there were so many more in like circumstances that the supply seemed never to diminish. The Savior's statement that "Ye have the poor with you have always" (Mark 14:7) and Moses' "the poor shall never cease out of the land" (Deut. 15:11) should warn against any expectation of any early arrival of Enochian or 4 Nephi conditions.
• Many of those experiencing deprivation were victims of their own unwise choices but many were innocent victims of the acts of others. Many were unwilling to change their lifestyles but many others no longer believed anything good could happen to them. Restoring hope was a major challenge, which could not be accomplished easily. Long-term commitment and the building of long-term relationships were proven crucial.
• All lives are complex and untangling the web of years is unlikely to occur quickly. Those who set out to help must be prepared to spend a great deal of time generating trust and then even longer aiding in the untangling process. Nevertheless, ordinary caring people without degrees in psychiatry can work wonders with love and patience.
• In addition to generalists assigned to guide families and individuals through the self-reliance planning process, the ward self-reliance team needed access to specialists on call with expertise in employment, housing, law, medicine and literacy, among others. Among those specialists also should be someone knowledgeable about eligibility for and access to social services. It was rare for a need to be identified in a weekly ward welfare meeting without someone of the 20 to 30 present coming up with a suggestion about who might be able and willing to take on the task. However, a roster of such specialists or access to experts knowledgeable about who might be available was seen to be needed. Rather than identify and have on call specific individuals in each of those fields, it had worked well in the Fourth Ward case to have one individual serve as resources specialist to identify other specialists as needed on an ad hoc basis. Employment and access to social services were of such continuing need that he who had served personally in those assignments had then had the responsibility to identify others of appropriate skills to serve as volunteers in specific cases.
• Church members had proven to be remarkably generous with their means when their hearts were touched. The Church-service missionaries involved in the Fourth Ward frequently appealed to their home wards for cash, furniture, clothing and other amenities when needed and were never disappointed in the response. There appeared to be greater reluctance to share time but many did. Many professionals in such fields as medicine, dentistry, law, real estate, home repair and automobile repair had volunteered their time upon request.
• Employment had proven to always be central to self-reliance but it was not the whole of it. Families and individuals faced many problems, which impeded their availability for employment. Employment at below subsistence wages or without access to essential benefits such as health care would always require subsidization. Such employment might be a stepping stone or way station on the way to self-reliance, but the job was not done until earnings were ad equate to provide reasonable security. Convincing LDS employers to go beyond their normal selection criteria in providing employment opportunities was a challenge.
• Literacy and numeracy, at least, had proven to be essential not only to employment but to any substantial social interaction. Tutoring any of its young people who faced educational deficiencies and upgrading the education of its adults was a challenge the Fourth Ward recognized but had not yet had the human resources to confront.
• Essential to the Fourth Ward effort had been the weekly ward welfare meeting. The purpose was not to report what had been done but to present to all of the ward leadership and Church-service missionaries the problems upon which help was needed. Meeting time was primarily devoted to "round-table" discussion of individual cases in order to devise solutions and assure that activities, plans and performance were in harmony with the principles of Providing in the Lord's Way. [12]Providing in the Lord’s Way: A Leader’s Guide to Welfare, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Salt Lake City, Utah, 1990 The networking discussions had been remarkably effective in identifying potential solutions. In the language of those meetings, any help that could be obtained through the bishop's signature was a contribution from the "Bishop's Storehouse." Anything else, be it from a community resource, a friend, relative or professional contact was a contribution from the "Lord's Storehouse." Almost always someone would know someone capable of and likely willing to provide a service, which would help solve the problem. However, given the large volume of need and the frequent visitors as the word of the Fourth Ward experience had spread, conducting the meeting efficiently had been a challenge. In part because of confidentiality needs and in part for efficiency, an executive committee of the bishopric, priesthood and Relief Society leadership met first to discuss cases and screen what needed to be brought up in the welfare meeting. The bishop was under constant pressure to limit the discussion time to that essential and move the agenda onward but the meeting had proven essential for training, encouragement, sharing and performance.
• Long-term commitments were essential from the Church-service missionaries who were the keys to enabling and carrying out self-reliance planning. Church service missionaries, assigned to serve large numbers of families, constantly faced the temptation to de part from the self-reliance emphasis. Considerable time for confidence building was often necessary before a self-reliance planning process could be put in place. Often, the circumstances did not seem to merit a formal plan. There were frequent emergency needs, which could not await formal plan development. Church service missionaries to the Fourth Ward had to frequently remind themselves of their "Iron Rule" to buttress the Golden Rule: "Thou shalt not do for anyone what you can teach him to do for himself" But applying that rule also required both patience to do the teaching, constant mentoring to guide the process, and sensitivity to not let the burden of self-reliance become more than the individual or family were capable of bearing under the circumstances.
• Initially, the Fourth Ward found themselves confronting rigid, though mostly unwritten, rules concerning such matters as expenditures, tolerance of unorthodox conduct and inter-ward relationships. However, the advent of the Inner City Project brought a not able softening of those traditional rules. The bishop was given greater flexibility in the use of fast offerings and other non-tithing funds. Unmarried couples were welcomed as they worked their way through obstacles to eventual marriage. Standards were not compromised but patience was extended. A prime example was the practice of immediately transferring to a new ward responsibility for anyone moving out of the Fourth Ward. With few exceptions, there were two kinds of housing situations within the boundaries of the Fourth Ward: the expensive and the dilapidated. As soon as families were helped to better their situation, they began to search for improved housing. Lacking the finances for luxury apartments, search for decent housing often lead outside ward boundaries. At that point, the traditional assumption was that the ward membership clerk would send out the membership records, the family would then show up in the new ward, which would then request their membership and begin to service them. But these were often people without self-confidence who had just begun to feel comfortable in unfamiliar circumstances. They were just beginning to trust the people who were bringing them into activity and revolutionizing their lives in other ways as well. Often improved housing was but a single incident in a long process of rehabilitation. A self-reliance plan was in midstream. Transferring allegiance at this point might threaten all that had been accomplished. Where once the rule might have been, if someone moves from your ward, get the member into the hands of the new bishopric and get out of the way, boundaries had softened with experience and Area Presidency approval. In fact, the opposite may have become a problem with ecclesiastical leaders in surrounding wards and stakes too willing to leave continuing problems in the hands of the originating ward.
• With all of its challenges and unsolved problems, the experience of the Salt Lake Fourth Ward proved the wisdom of the familiar adage that participation in the LDS Church welfare program blesses the giver as much as the receiver. Every one of the Church-service missionaries interviewed for this December 1997 report ended with statements such as "the greatest Church-service experience of my life." A note from Audrey Bryant a few months after she and her husband Dee were released is a fitting summary:

"Dee and I thoroughly enjoyed and loved the people of the Fourth Ward. We miss our activity even though it was challenging and exhausting. You never know the impact you will have on people. We are also a certified home for unwed mothers and through that experience we have learned that when you serve the very least of our brothers and sisters you have rendered a service that is not forgotten. We thank the people of the Fourth Ward for letting us become part of their lives for a little while."

Chapter 4

Continued Development of the Inner City Project

All of this was background as the planners of the about-to-be Inner City Project attended Liberty Fourth Ward meetings and learned from its progress. By the summer of 1997, approximately one year after Elder Morrison's call to Stake President Swinton, they were prepared to launch the new project. The 16 target inner city stakes were queried as to their interest in participating and the Liberty, Granite Park, Riverside, Cannon, Pioneer and Wells Stake initially responded positively. The stakes were also asked which wards would be expected to participate and how many service missionaries each would need. Following upon the consequent responses, requests for 160 Church-service missionaries were sent to presidents of the 45 target suburban stakes, which had been initially alerted. An initial decision was made to assign no fewer than three couples to any one ward so that the couples could be mutually supportive in what was known from the Fourth Ward experience to be a potentially difficult assignment. The bishops of the wards to which the service missionaries were to be assigned would also be invited to attend the service missionary training so that they and the missionaries could all share the same insights. The bishops were not to be told what to do. It was an initial policy that the bishops would be totally in charge and that the service missionaries were to conform and perform as the ward's bishop directed. However, it was also assumed that each bishop would be guided by training and suggestions as well as by the inspiration that all assumed to be his primary source of guidance. Therefore, it was suggested, following the Fourth Ward experience, that each ward prepare to hold a welfare meeting each week as the Fourth Ward was doing to agree upon families to be contacted and approaches to be taken with them.

Noting the evident compassion of Richard and Marjorie Wright, President Swinton concluded that the Despains, Wrights and Mangums would be called to the Inner City Project leadership while they continued to function at the ward level. The Wrights would serve as Assistant Directors of the Inner City Project. The Despains would be responsible for training Church-service missionaries in the key process of self-reliance planning. Noting that Mangum's "resource hustling" was similar to what the executive committees had perceived as a storehouse of specialists, he would be responsible for developing and coordinating that capability as described in Chapter 5.

As the orientation training plan for the expected Inner City Project missionaries was being designed by newly-returned Loy Despain and his colleague Larry Stevenson of the Welfare Services Department, they determined that the training should begin with a Saturday orientation to the principles of self-reliance planning followed by a Sunday of predominately on-site observation and discussion, including attendance at the Fourth Ward's weekly welfare meeting. The key element was the self-reliance planning training provided by Loy and Sylvia Despain. Church service missionaries were to be taught to achieve the confidence of their assigned families, then lead them through an informal planning process built around a series of questions: What changes would you like to make in your lives? What goals would you set? What changes would you have to make in your personal conduct to accomplish those goals? What resources would be required? What resources are available to you? What resources could your family provide? What help would you need from the Church and the community? It was stressed that the individuals and families were to make their own choices and not be unduly influenced by the missionaries' views. Then the service missionaries were to assist in seeking church and community help, including access to the emerging Storehouse of Specialists.

Monthly training sessions began in October 1997 with only six couples, four couples of whom were already serving in the Liberty Fourth Ward and remained there, despite Bishop Zabriskie's lament that he could use 15 couples. Morris and Annetta Mower were called to serve as a stake lead couple for the Liberty Stake in addition to their Fourth Ward assignment. Garth Mangum was asked to serve as the project-wide generator of specialists. He and his wife Marion, Robert and Jackie Norton, and Marlow and Peggy Morgan continued their Fourth Ward responsibilities, and the Mowers and the Mangums were soon called to serve as well in the Welfare Square Family Support Service described later in this chapter. The other two couples were assigned to the Eldredge Ward of the Granite Park Stake, the first evidence of the spread to a multi-ward, multi-stake Inner City Project and a down-payment on a promised 160 service missionaries. The following month 18 more were trained and in mid-December a letter from the Utah North Area Presidency to the Stake Presidents of the Bonneville, Pioneer and Holladay welfare regions thanked them for over 100 service missionaries and more than 300 elementary school tutors (discussed below) who had accepted calls.

Also in October 1997, Scott Jenkins, a resident attorney for Beneficial Life Insurance Company and President of the Salt Lake Stake, was released as stake president and called to assist Jeffrey Swinton in the furthering of the Inner City Project. At Swinton's instruction, he made contacts with suburban stake presidencies concerning the calling of service missionaries to serve in the inner city wards. He pursued the plan to have a Storehouse of Specialists by proposing what the initial specialties should be and, upon approval, identifying and proposing individuals to undertake assignments in the Storehouse of Specialists. He later began participating in the monthly training sessions of new Church-service missionaries with a presentation concerning harmful addictions. As trained service missionaries were assigned to inner city wards and those wards began, as they were advised to do, to hold weekly ward welfare meetings, he began attending as many as possible those welfare meetings each Sunday and observing, making suggestions as to their conduct, and reporting their progress back to President Swinton. In 2001, a large group of young men, the so-called "lost boys" of Sudan, were brought to Utah from refugee camps in Kenya and Scott Jenkins was assigned to represent the Inner City Project in assisting their settlement.

Nearing the end of 1997, Loren Burton and his wife Annette were called on a full-time out-of-state mission and he was released as executive director of what would become the Inner City Project. With the Inner City Project underway, full-time direction was no longer considered necessary. Bruce Lake, formerly a mission president in Germany and by then Executive Assistant to the Director of the Church Education System, had just been released as President of the East Mill Creek North Stake where he had also served as Chairman of the Holladay Welfare Region. Jeffrey Swinton recommended to Elder Morrison that Bruce Lake be called, with the help of his wife, Pat, to be "Executive Director for Church Service" in the Inner City Project on a part-time basis while continuing his full-time employment. "His responsibility would be to take the hands-on lead in coordinating the calling, training, placement and monitoring of Church Service Missionaries as they serve within the Inner-City." Lake later revealed that his reaction had been negative when he opened the September 10 letter from Elder Morrison but the service had proven to be a joy to both of the Lakes. Their primary concerns included persuading stake presidents to call service missionaries, being responsible for the training of those missionaries and their assignments to the inner city wards, overseeing their service, soliciting and receiving monthly reports and all else that would inevitably arise in that relationship. To assist in the prospective flood of paperwork, he arranged for his office secretary, Janice Loveland, to be volunteer secretary to him in his part-time mission as well. Bruce Lake also arranged for the call of his former stake presidency councilor Richard Linford to serve as assistant director. In addition to helping recruit, train and supervise the service missionaries, Richard designed and initiated a reporting system for the service missionaries and instituted a website while his wife Marylinne initiated and edited the newsletter, serving in those capacities into 2004.

Under Jeffrey Swinton's direction, Don Herrin continued to serve as Director of Needs Assessment and Evaluation. In October 1999, arriving at the age of 70, LeGrande Curtis was released from the Quorum of Seventy and he and his wife, Patricia, were released from service as president and matron of the Jordan River Temple. At the request of Jeffrey Swinton, the Curtis's were then called to serve in the Inner City Project leadership, LeGrande as Assistant Executive Director to relieve some of Swinton's time commitments, allow Swinton more time for his law practice and utilize the Curtis's relationships with the stake presidents at the south end of the Salt Lake Valley to market service missionary calls throughout the valley. The Curtis's served in that position until called to serve in the Church Temple Department in March 2001.

Three additional functions were added to serve the inner city and its residents without being directly under the supervision of ward bishops. During his professional career in Salt Lake City, attorney Leo Jardine had also served actively in community affairs including as Chairman of the Salt Lake Community Services Council. In that and other roles, he had become closely associated with and knowledgeable of community resources, public agencies and private not-for-profit organizations. After retirement, he, with his wife, had been called to serve as Area Director of Church Welfare Services in Eastern Europe. Upon his return in the spring of 1998, his friend and long-time colleague Jeffrey Swinton arranged for him to be called to serve as Director of Community Volunteers for the Inner City Project. Larry and Virginia Stevens were called to serve under his direction in providing volunteer tutors for struggling inner city elementary schools. In discussion with Salt Lake School District leaders, 15 elementary schools were identified with such needs. Through contacts with stake presidents, one of these schools was assigned to each of 15 LDS stakes which were asked to provide volunteer tutors. Principals, teachers and Parent and Teachers Association leaders from each school met with the leaders of the stake serving them and made presentations designed to generate volunteers who were then trained to fill the tutoring function. As many as 600 individuals at a time served and continue to serve as tutors in those schools. When Leo Jardine was called to serve as LDS Church legal counsel in Moscow, Larry and Virginia Stevens replaced the Jardines and when they were called to a mission in Bulgaria, David and Gloria Gillette replaced them followed by Bruce and Suzanne Sorenson, John and Marjorie Boynton and presently Darrell and Ruth Volwaller. In May 2007 there were more than 200 tutors serving under the direction of the Volwallers and Nelson and Lucille Baker serving in 15 schools in the Salt Lake School District, seven schools in the Granite District and one school in the Jordan District with 24 stakes supplying tutors.

While the Jardine's were developing the tutoring function, Jeffrey Swinton met with the Chairman of the not-for-profit Waterford Institute, which had developed interactive software and videos for teaching children to read, as well as operating non-profit private elementary schools. Waterford Institute agreed to donate $100,000 worth of computer equipment, along with the software and videos. The Granite Park Stake was chosen as the location for the experimental school. A bishop's office was remodeled and expanded and bars were placed over the windows for protection of the valuable equipment. Ten teaching stations were established with computer equipment, along with four other rooms for video presentations and games as follow-up material for reading with children. The primary targets were children 18 months to eight years with reading up to the third grade level as the goal. Beginning in June 1999, 265 children from within Granite Park Stake were being taught by adult volunteers from within the stake. At the request of adults, evening classes for them were added as well. That too is still underway in 2007.

The third broad community service activity was the Neighborhood Improvement and Rehabilitation Effort. Among his other pronouncements at the introduction of the Inner City Project, Elder Morrison had called Stake President Alan Layton, president of Layton Construction, to say, "We need to improve the living conditions of these people. We must improve their homes if we are to be successful in building their testimonies. You figure out the rest…." Under Layton's chairmanship, a committee of ten—most with construction backgrounds—were called, each to oversee projects in a different inner city stake. Working closely with various charities, coordinating with city officials and recruiting assistance from suburban stakes to work with the inner city residents, Layton reported after two years that "more than 20 homes have received new roofs, scores have received new paint, both the exterior and inside the homes. Yards have been cleaned up and flowers planted. Junk has been hauled to the dump and new kitchen cabinets have been provided…." The key principles upon which the work had been based, he said, was that, " Our entire effort will be under the direction and approval of the local priesthood leaders…We endeavor to work with people rather than just for them. We try not to do anything for people that they could do for themselves. We try to enforce the principle of self-reliance and personal dignity in all of our efforts… We will not…try to evaluate the merits of a particular need. If the local bishop asks us to do a project, we will try to complete it."[13]“Neighborhood Improvement and Rehabilitation Effort,” Inner City Messenger, 15 March 2000, p. 3 The major single undertaking was total rehabilitation of a building at Fourth North and Fourth West near the Road Home homeless shelter which thereafter housed the Fourth Street Medical Clinic and Donated Dental Services, staffed by volunteering medical personnel and dedicated to charitable services to the homeless and indigent. In June 1999, Layton would also replace contractor Allen Trevino as Home Repair Specialist in the Storehouse of Specialists as discussed in Chapter 5.

In early 1998, the 16 target stakes were officially designated as the Pioneer Welfare Region with Central Stake President Jeffrey Swinton as its chairman. By the end of 1999, all 16 stakes had decided to participate in the emerging project and 366 service missionaries–mostly but not all couples--had been called from surrounding primarily suburban stakes to staff the wards involved. In June 1998, the Salt Lake LDS Inner City Project was presented to the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve for approval, which was granted with the proviso that it remains a pilot project to be examined and evaluated and limited to Salt Lake County. By then, a few service missionaries had been called by stake presidents in Davis County. Those were allowed to finish their missions but thereafter the Salt Lake County boundaries were carefully adhered to. On the other hand, access was opened to all of the stakes and wards in the Salt Lake Valley as sources from which service missionaries were to be called.

Letters went out from Elder Morrison to all of the stake presidents in the valley inviting their call of service missionaries to the Inner City Project. Jeffrey Swinton and his colleagues followed up that letter by visiting with the stake presidencies and high councils of stakes throughout the valley to explain the project and plea for service missionaries. Initially, most of the service missionaries called were from the stakes and wards at the north of the valley in suburbs adjacent to the inner city, but gradually those origins spread southward. Following the October 1997 introduction, training sessions for new Church-service missionaries occurred each month except for limitation to usually one month out of three in the summer.

A particularly significant training session was a June 1999 Pioneer Regional Welfare Meeting, assembling stake presidencies and bishoprics of those stakes to be addressed by Elder Morrison and by Lyle Cooper, Area Welfare Manager. Elder Morrison began his address with the question: "Who amongst you are the bishops? There is a pattern—carefree, not a wrinkle in their brow, happy-go-lucky and at ease with the world. They are the stake presidents. Then there are the others—worn down, beat-up looking, bound with care and woe. They are the bishops." Then using case study examples, he differentiated between the transient and homeless and those with any roof over their head or any address, even living in a dilapidated automobile parked along the street, the latter being the responsibility of that resident ward bishop. Whereas nonmembers were generally to be referred to local community agencies to which the Church would likely have made substantial contributions, it was to be the bishop's choice whether to assist a nonmember "to relieve major suffering." As to serving needy members: "A question which plagues all you bishops is am I spending too much money…. you don't need to be worried about how much money you spend to help the poor, provided that what you spend is within the framework of welfare principles and welfare doctrine…. sometimes we hear about Church Service Missionaries who spend their own money to purchase something for a needy family and then give the receipt to the bishop for reimbursement…. Their intent is pure but the way they are doing it is wrong….it violates the sacred principle that only the bishop has the right to determine who gets help…. President Lee used to say that he was president of the church but he couldn't write a bishop's order…the right is given uniquely to bishops. It is a sacred responsibility."[14]Elder Alexander B. Morrison, “This Sacred Work: Caring for the Poor and Needy,” The Inner-City Messenger, 15 September 1999, pp. 1-3 Within that context, Lyle Cooper advised the bishops to be generous, even to the extent of lifetime help, as long as guided by the spirit, not to limit welfare assistance to the faithful and worthy, not to expect recipients to repay funds but to expect them to work to the extent of their abilities, to stress self-reliance but not self-sufficiency, to enlist priesthood quorum and relief Society leaders in helping members develop and carry out plans leading to self-reliance, to refuse help to members and to help non-members if so inspired, to encourage recipients to contribute to fast offerings and to tithe as part of their duty, to administer to people's wants, not just their needs, and to feel good about it all as long as the guidance of the spirit is in control.[15]“Welfare Questions and Answers,” The Inner City Messenger, 1 August 1999, pp. 1-5

A 1999 Evaluation

In the spring of 1999, Elder Morrison asked the Church Research Information Division (RID) to undertake an evaluation of the nearing 18-month-old program. Reporting in June 1999 on the performance of the service missionaries and the Storehouse of Specialists, the RID team concluded that "the preponderance of positive features associated with the program support a recommendation that the program move from pilot to permanent status in Salt Lake County."[16]Research Information Division, “Salt Lake Inner-City Pilot Program: Phase One Evaluation,” Research Report, June 1999 As evidence of success, the evaluators concluded that "the program has produced significant benefits for recipients, missionaries and bishops. Recipients get social and emotional support, behavior modeling and ties in to a support network beyond their own experience or ability. This helps to ease problems of getting needed goods and services, sets up opportunities for positive individual changes, and lifts spirit and relieves stress [but only] to some degree." "Missionaries reach beyond their proverbial 'comfort zone' to meaningfully serve the truly needy and, in the process, often engage their own family, friends, and other ward members. They speak of having their eyes opened to wretched conditions that were previously invisible and unknown, and of being transformed in terms of greater caring and compassion. Personal relationships with recipients, which seem to take on familial aspects, a revalued in their own right, apart from whatever may be accomplished." " Bishops view service missionaries as reliable and dedicated helpers who enable the bishop to extend his reach to a wider circle of the needy and offer them more in-depth help than would be possible (or be much harder) without their assistance."

Continuing, the evaluators concluded: "The program has deployed resources that would not otherwise be directed toward helping bishops serving the needs of the inner city poor. (Italics included) These resources include additional manpower beyond what is available in the inner city ward, the high level of dedication and commitment of the missionaries, and a greater array of goods and services available through the homeward networks of the missionaries as well as the Storehouse of Specialists. Resources available within the recipient ward may also increase to some extent as ward members see the missionaries operate, emulate them and catch something of the same spirit." "The program supports bishops in their mandate to search out and care for the poor and needy. While the mandate is the same for all bishops, the flocks they are given to shepherd are not. Where flocks are the neediest, available resources are often the most strained, leaving the bishops huge loads to shoulder. In [Inner City Project] wards, bishops are given dependable helpers for carrying out the shepherding, in addition to the traditional Church Welfare System for producing and distributing goods and services." "The program is highly self-motivating for missionaries and bishops. The vitality of this program is remarkable, requiring little management effort to get service missionaries or bishops to fulfill program-related duties. Missionaries do not complain that too much is required of them, but wish they were able to do more to produce beneficial change in the families they serve. They generally regard in-service training as a positive learning opportunity. Although some mention increased workload, bishops value the program and would feel a loss it were discontinued." "The program provides assistance in a way that is acceptable to many of the inner city needy. While this is emphatically not an entitlement program, any needy members or nonmembers within ward boundaries are potentially eligible. Bishops decide the families to be served and assign missionaries to them. While some intended recipients refuse this help, most appear to find it acceptable. Missionaries and bishops display great patience in continuing to help recipients who show any degree of responsiveness." "The program does not compete directly or seriously for manpower with full-time proselyting or service missionary programs. Most of the missionaries in this program are not retired. They live at home and serve according to the hours per week they have available. Consequently, the pool of potential volunteers for the Inner City Project is much broader and appears to overlap only moderately with the pool of potential volunteers for programs that require full-time service or living away from home."

Concluding that the project was a success, the RID team identified reasons for that success: "The program addresses real concrete needs that are actually felt at the local level." In contrast with Church programs whose benefits may appear somewhat distant or abstract in nature to local leaders and members, this program offers immediate benefits and resources for dealing with real problems of real people close at hand." "The program fits easily into the conceptual, administrative and operational milieu of the Church and of the wards. The program combines widely recognizable elements of other programs such as welfare, home teaching, and missionary service. It calls for little in the way of new meetings or other administrative superstructure. To the contrary, it may energize some existing elements such and ward welfare council meetings. The program taps into the long-standing Christian imperative of providing charitable services for the less fortunate." " The program functions under the close coordination and control of the bishop. Within guidelines, bishops primarily decide who is to be served and which missionaries will provide the service. The project becomes part of ward operations, not a parallel program running out of the bishop's sight or control. Bishops get resources they can deploy with no additional administrative pressure to address problems they see as important." " The program provides flexibility to mold operations to local/personal conditions. Local implementation is need and principle-driven rather than task-driven. Bishops have leeway to mold the program to fit the person and the situation. This meshes with the range of discretion granted to bishops in determining who to help and how to help them." "The program takes a bottom-up approach to meeting needs of recipients and bishops. Bishops and missionaries determine recipients' specific needs and circumstances, and then try to provide appropriate help. Secular agencies typically start with a list of available interventions, working top-downward to supply them on the basis of entitlement." " The program includes self-selection for participation. For the most part, bishops receive missionaries only upon request, missionaries are volunteers rather than conscripts, and potential recipients are free to refuse service." "The program partakes of the 'missionary' aura. The title of 'missionary' enjoys high status, included expectation of facing difficulties, and bestows an endowment of power to overcome them. Missionaries typically serve for a specific length of time that is known up front, rather than the indefinite term of service associated with most Church callings." [Subsequent experience has shown, however, that the majority of Inner City Project service missionaries extend their original service call period at least once, as discussed later.]

However, the evaluators added "a word of caution:" "The program isn't a panacea. These wards will continue to struggle, lots of members will still be poor, and the central city will still be plagued by crime and dilapidated housing." The 1999 "Phase One Evaluation" carried the expectation that "Phase Two Of the evaluation will address the Project's effectiveness, viability and replicability in greater depth to help determine whether similar programs could be implemented in other locales." To this point, 2007, that Phase Two evaluation has not occurred and there has been no apparent replication, though Phase One, in retrospect, accords well with subsequent experience.

Family Support Services

Alexander Morrison did not limit his Salt Lake City concerns to LDS Church members in LDS wards. With the Inner City Project underway, in 1998, he asked Loy Despain to institute a similar program to serve the homeless, most of who would be non-members. A Transient Bishops Office had been established at Welfare Square many years previously to serve persons temporarily stranded on their way through the area and had provided commodities and sometimes temporary motel housing to the homeless, as they became a residual part of the community. The recipients were asked to do work around Welfare Square before being rewarded with commodities and some lodging, but there was no capability for changing their life styles and promoting stability and self-reliance. Working with colleagues in the Church Welfare Services Department and the Transient Bishops office, Despain developed a program called Family Support Services to be housed within the LDS Employment Resource Center at Welfare Square. Then Despain was assigned to leave Church headquarters to head that program. Service missionaries were called from stakes in southern Davis County so as not to compete with the Inner City Project calls. The Mowers and Mangums were asked to add that assignment to their services in the Fourth Ward, the Mowers as assistant managers responsible for training the service missionaries to be called and the Mangums as resource providers through the Storehouse of Specialists. James R. and Orva Nelson were transferred from one of the other Liberty wards, also as office supervisors. Jim Nelson had lost his eyesight but could counsel with both service missionaries and drop-in applicants. By the fall of 1999, 31 service missionaries and four different receptionists serving with Jim Nelson part-time had been called and assigned to work with various community organizations. One couple served at the homeless center and others at the Community Action Program, the nearest office of the Department of Workforce Services, the Salt Lake City Housing Authority and other on-site assignments. Relations were established with several non-LDS churches in Salt Lake City who could refer needy families to the Family Support Services. Personal contact was made with all relevant service providers as well organizations representing people likely to be in need of service. Though called as Church Service Missionaries, they were designated as Mentors so as to reassure the public and private agencies and other churches contacted that proselyting would not occur. The Transient Bishops Office referred people needing assistance and others dropped in as the word spread of the availability of services. The newly called service missionary mentors went through the regular Saturday and Sunday training with those assigned to the Inner City Project and then received subsequent training in relation to their special assignments and needs.

The Family Support Service mentors were all taught the Despain self-reliance planning techniques as their major approach. The mentors met together weekly to get further training, share their experiences and talk through how to approach various problems. The most effective training was the case discussions, learning by doing and sharing with and drawing from the experiences of other mentor missionaries. If mentors encountered problems for which they did not have an answer, they presented the case in the next meeting and the combined experiences of the group invariably provided a workable answer. Often the most important ingredient provided by these mentors was simply hope. It displaced despair, overcame discouragement and provided the incentive for the needy person to persevere and become more self-reliant. One recipient wrote in a letter of thanks. "When I first walked through those doors, I felt so scared and unsure about everything, but somehow in the confusion in my life you gave me hope, understanding and for the first time in what seemed forever the thought that maybe things would be ok. I had lost those things but needed them so desperately you will never know." The service missionary mentors had no resources except compassion and knowledge of the community, including full access to the Inner City Project Storehouse of Specialists. The mentors guided their clients in setting their own goals, led them to identify their own needed lifestyle changes, discussed with them the resources required and then went with them to community organizations, wearing their missionary badges, and were usually welcomed in the process.

Twenty to thirty people per month were helped to find jobs through the LDS Employment Resource Center, the Department of Workforce Services and various temporary help agencies. During 2001, 230 families were helped to find affordable housing, including registering for and waiting out Section 8 and public housing, obtaining first month rent deposits and emergency rent payments through the Community Action Program and the Department of Workforce Services. When permanent housing was obtained, transition was arranged from the mentors to Inner City Project Church-service missionaries until it was determined the recipients were adequately settled and self-reliant. Mentors worked with men and women coming out of jail and prison to help them get re-established in the community, went to drug court and criminal court hearings to encourage the clients and reassure the authorities, helped clients obtain medical and dental help at the Fourth Street Clinic and Donated Dental Services as well as hospitals and private providers, helped clients obtain affordable prescriptions through affordable sources, provided transportation assistance, helped those leaving abusive situations to obtain sanctuary, worked with refugees and immigrants, helped the Transient Bishops Office find employment and permanent housing for the homeless, and on and on. In 2000, after two years as a stand-alone entity, Loy Despain was asked to assume management of the Welfare Square Employment Resource Center as well as the Family Support Service, which continued under his oversight, and Jim Nelson's management. In March 2002, Loy Despain retired and he and his wife Emily left on a mission to a troubled New York metropolitan area where they applied many of their Inner City and Welfare Square lessons as described in Chapter 7.

The following are examples of Family Support Service activities:

• A Las Vegas woman victimized by beatings from her drunken husband and terrified that he would begin beating their children squirreled away enough grocery money to rent a U-Haul truck, took her three children, and, while her husband was on his weekly pay day binge, headed for Salt Lake City, simply because she had no place else to go, arriving penniless. She was directed to the homeless shelter from which staff referred her to the Transient Bishops' office, which in turn sent her to the Family Support Service at the opposite end of the same building at Welfare Square. The Transient Bishop's office supplied a few days in a motel but she needed permanent housing near a school. A mentor couple was assigned who helped her find housing, apply for subsidized housing, arrange with the resident ward bishop to pay her first month's rent, get two children in school and one into child care (with DWS subsidy) and employment at Deseret Industries. Transition was arranged with a service missionary couple from the new resident ward. The mother was notably depressed and the children were having nightmares so a counselor from LDS Family Services was assigned to work with them. As the therapy eased their psychological problems, the mother was continued part-time at Deseret Industries and assisted in registering at the Salt Lake Community College Skill Center with her resident ward bishop helping with rent and food. Receiving a certificate in computer-based accounting, she was employed through a temporary help agency, and then hired permanently by the company with whom she was placed at substantial pay and benefits where she continued when last contacted.
• A young, never-married mother of one was referred to the Family Support Service by the Transient Bishops' Office. She had only $1 left of a loan from her parents and was afraid to contact them for further assistance. She appeared completely helpless and unable to focus on her plight. FSS mentors helped her with a self-reliance plan. She was employed at Deseret Industries, obtained Child Care funding from DWS, and was enrolled at the Horizonte Training Center to finish her high school graduation. She was integrated into an Inner City ward with transition to the assistance of a service missionary couple and encouraged to reunite with her parents. She had brief training and then obtained employment as a nurses' aid at Intermountain Health Care, receiving further training thereafter at that employer's expense. She visited the FSS with thanks for the hope that was brought back into her life from the loving support from there and from her ward.
• The Greenback Foundation brought to the Family Support Service a nonmember woman with serious financial problems. Her husband, a smoker, had also been exposed in his employment as a cabinetmaker to silicon, particleboard and formaldehyde, had emphysema, was awaiting a lung transplant and no longer employable. They had seven children, were receiving $1,700 a month in Social Security Disability and earning $600 a month from a newspaper route. They had a first, second and third mortgage and $1,100 in house payments for which they were over $10,000 behind. They had sold the husband's $60,000 life insurance policy for $31,000, spent it, and still owed $5,900 to the Internal Revenue Service and $20,000 in other bills. FSS mentors arranged for help from an accountant from the Storehouse of Specialists who convinced the IRS the family owed no income tax and brought order to the rest of the family's financial affairs based on full-time employment of the mother, part-time for some of the older children and continuance of the newspaper delivery by others. Life was still difficult but the mentoring brought hope.
• A member Filipino woman with a Jehovah's Witness African-American husband (he's in jail for drunk driving), and three children were evicted from the one room they were in habiting in her mother's residence and referred to the Family Support Service. The Transient Bishops' Office provided several night's motel lodging and food orders. FSS mentors located an affordable apartment and helped her find employment and obtain furniture from Deseret Industries. The bishop of the ward into which they were relocated took over from there with the assurance that the family would be taught how to better manage their income.
• A woman with three children was referred to the Transient Bishops' Office from the homeless shelter and from there to the Family Support Service. The father had earlier left the family in Florida while he came to Utah, found employment, and sent for the family. Their car had broken down in Colorado where they spent several months in a homeless shelter while they tried to contact the husband and father. Hearing nothing, she finally sold the car for enough to buy bus tickets to Salt Lake City. Meantime, her husband had been arrested for drunken driving, had a car impounded which was in his wife's name, and left the state. She had family in Texas and asked for help in getting there. The Transient Bishops' Office provided motel housing. Working with the Transient Bishops, an insurance agent, state licensing personnel, the impound owner and an automobile mechanic, FSS mentors were able to get the automobile freed and repaired, the mother duly licensed to drive, and enough funds provided for gasoline and food on the way to Texas.
• Another woman with three children spent some time in the homeless shelter and then was helped into transitional housing. But then she lost her job and faced eviction. FSS mentors alerted by the homeless shelter took her to Deseret Industries Manufacturing where no appropriate employment was found for her. Finding that she would welcome employment as a cook, she was simultaneously employed during the mornings and lunch period in the lunchroom kitchen at Deseret Industries and enrolled in the afternoon in a line-cook training class conducted at the Humanitarian Center by the Salt Lake Community College Skill Center. Application at the Department of Workforce Services also produced Child Care funding. Sixteen weeks later, she completed the course and found permanent employment with adequate family-sustaining earnings.

Upon the retirement of Loy Despain and their consequent release and subsequent call on a full-time mission described in Chapter 7, the Family Support Service moved next door under the specific direction of Transient Bishops Mark Blackham and Donald Hullinger. Upon the retirement of those two transient bishops in 2003, Melvin L. Gardner, Welfare Square Manager, took control. Jim Nelson left for treatment from Veteran's Administration medical services, dying in 2006. Gary Carl son became the on-site manager of what was no longer called the Family Support Service but became an adjunct service of the Transient Bishops' Office. The LDS Church became concerned with the large amounts of money being spent for housing the homeless in various motels in the area, especially when it was noted that many made little or no effort to find employment until they were threatened with eviction. An informal partnership was arranged with the Road Home homeless shelter nearby. An employment center representative concentrating upon the homeless, Homer Cook, and one or more dedicated mentors continue to pursue valiantly the needs and rehabilitation of smaller numbers of homeless and work with the Inner City Project service missionaries in transfer of attention for those for whom they find housing in resident wards. One of those mentors, Linda Miller, is recognized throughout the community for her remarkable dedication and success with rehabilitating the homeless. One full-time bishop, David McQueen, and several part-time bishops interview the homeless who come seeking help, even though the entity is now called the Transient Services Office rather than the Transient Bishops Office. The volume of applicants has diminished somewhat but the crusade moves on. Now back to the Inner City Project.

Growth of the Inner City Project

In February 1999, Director Bruce M. Lake reported to the Church Service Missionary Department that 339 part-time Church-service missionaries had served 264,420 hours during 1999 while another 837 volunteers had spent 48,250 hours in service to the Inner City Project. Already, an estimated 1,000 families had been assisted and 300 specialists including 100 dentists had contributed an estimated 5,000 hours of service. Enthusiastic reports from that time period remain in the files from bishops of recipient wards, praising the services provided by those missionaries and the favorable impacts upon members.

Elder Alexander Morrison, originator of the Inner City Project completed his service as a Seventy and as Utah North Area President at the end of 1999. His replacement as Area President, Cecil Samuelson, a medical doctor turned hospital administrator, who had been Vice President in charge of the University Hospital and medical school at the University of Utah and then Chief Executive Officer of Intermountain Health Care before his call to the Seventy and demonstrated equally deep commitment to the well-being of residents of the Salt Lake Inner City. In a Thanksgiving message in 2000 Elder Samuelson instructed:

"We live in a world where many, particularly those we are called to serve, suffer from a lack of self-worth or realization of who they really are and therefore what potential they have to become better and more fulfilled people. An important principle that we can model and teach is the capacity that each person has, whatever his or her circumstances, to bless the lives of others in some way. Those who may be understandably focused on their own dire straits can oft en be lifted by helping them learn what they might do for another…When they really understand what they can do for others, they understand and practice much more what they can and should do for themselves."[17]Elder Cecil O. Samuelson, “Helping Others Lift Themselves,” The Inner City Messenger, 1 December 2000, p. 1

Elder Samuelson was replaced as Utah North Area President in 2002 by Elder Cree-L Kofford who was in turn replaced by Elder Ronald Rasband in 2004. All were highly supportive of the Inner City Project, though they apparently saw no reason for substantial change, except for one choice of Elder Rasband's noted later.

The project moved onward. In July 2000, Jeffrey Swinton reported that 900 service missionaries from 110 stakes had served since October 1997, that 440 were then serving in 70 wards in 17 stakes; that the average duration of initial call was 15-18months with 2/3 extending. During 2000, 413 two-parent families, 722 female-headed families and 162 single male-headed families, all with 1,674 children had been served, 181 with clothing, 131 with career counseling, 58 with marriage counseling, 220 with self-reliance planning sessions and 110 with employment. Six hundred volunteers had served in the classrooms of 15 elementary schools and volunteers from four stakes were helping 3800 adults learn English as a second language at the Horizonte Training Center. The Storehouse of Specialists was being contacted 250 times per month, the specialists had served 1800 families, 300 professionals had provided 9,000 hours of service worth at least $100 an hour, and 200 automobiles had been donated. More than 300,000 hours a year in total were being donated through the Project. Jill Carlston known as the Turkey Lady who had given 256 turkeys for distribution during the 1999 Christmas holidays provided 806 turkeys in 33 wards during the 2000 holidays. She would provide 1,840 turkeys in 2001 and similar numbers each year thereafter.

Fifteen additional wards were seeking to have service missionaries assigned. By November 2001, Jeffrey Swinton reported that 450 Church-service missionaries were serving in 90 wards in 26 stakes and that more than 1600 had served up to that time. Of those, he reported that 12 stakes were using service missionaries called within their own stakes to serve in other more needy wards within their own stakes. The persistent growth continued and by the spring of 2007, 620 missionaries were serving in 118 wards and branches in 59 stakes. The by-now-designated "self-administered units" were eight stakes where 52 missionaries from within that stake had been called and assigned to 19 needy wards, each in the same stake. Though the project was still called "Inner City," those stakes included Hunter, Magna, Jordan, Midvale and Murray. The Tongan Stake and nearly 40 Spanish-speaking wards and branches were now included.

Addressing a quarterly conference of the Inner City Project on 1 June 2001, Elder M. Russell Ballard asked each of the approximately 400 service missionaries in attendance to submit a letter describing one experience of their Inner City service. Only 80 responding letters were received but from those letters and the monthly reports from the total of 450 missionaries then serving, the following conclusions were drawn:

• With service missionaries devoting an average of 6 to 30 hours each week, 450,000 hours had been devoted to the project during 2000.
• During that year, 3,000-4,000 people in 1,400 families had been assisted in becoming more self-reliant.
• About one-half were single parent, female-headed families, one-third were married couple families, and the rest were single persons
• More that 1,000 families had been assisted with Christmas giving in each of the years 1997-2000.
• Substantial repairs had been made to 350 homes during the years 1998-2000 in addition to frequent minor repairs.
• 22 inner-city elementary schools with average SAT scores at 35 or below had been assisted by hundreds of volunteers serving under the direction of the principals and classroom teachers.
• The following monthly averages had occurred:
  • 508 participated in self-reliance planning sessions
  • 1,256 were visited in their homes
  • 1,030 received telephone calls, card and letters
  • 149 were helped with clothing
  • 249 were helped with food
  • 71 were helped with furniture
  • 147 received career counseling
  • 104 obtained a job or upgraded their employment
  • 61 received free or reduced fee dental care
  • 54 were assisted in home remodeling or repair
  • 35 were assisted in finding rental housing
  • 118 were provided legal services pro bono or at significantly reduced cost
  • 91 were assisted in budgeting
  • 160 were assisted by professional counselors
  • 109 received free or reduced cost medical services
  • 42 were treated for mental illness
  • 85 were assisted in overcoming addictions to drugs, alcohol and tobacco
     

Arrival of Earl and Sandra Maeser

In March 2002, Earl and Sandra Maeser who were then serving as Church-service missionaries in the Nibley Park Ward were called as assistants to Bruce and Patricia Lake. Whether for that purpose or not, that was fortuitous because in September of that same year the Lakes were called to return to the Germany Berlin Mission to assist a mission president. In August of 2003, Jeffrey Swinton was called as an Area Authority Seventy, and the Maeser's became directors of the Inner City Project under his supervision. An attorney in the Utah State Department of Community and Economic Development. Earl Maeser had also been President of the Grant Stake. Upon release as stake president in 1996, he had been called to serve as Bishop of the Genesis Youth Corrections Ward at the Utah State Prison, though his wife; Saundra remained as Young Women's and Relief Society President in their home ward while also serving as staff member for the Utah State Legislature. They had been called to the Inner City Project in late 2001 upon completion of Earl's service as bishop at the prison but served at the ward level for only a few months before being called to assist the Lake's. Among many innovations during their period of Inner City Project leadership, the Maeser's were responsible for multiplying the number of assistant directors and giving them direct responsibility for various stakes and wards, for organizing Spanish-speaking wards and branches under separate leadership with adequate language capability, and establishing Internet communication among ICP leadership and service missionaries, all discussed in this history.

Organizing Spanish-Speaking Wards and Branches

From the beginning of the Inner City Project, there were wards and branches where the majority of the membership and often the entire membership were from non-English speaking backgrounds and where the services were conducted in the language, which was most common to the membership. Historically there had been such wards and branches from European origins and for people of Polynesian origin or descent. But more recently, those from Latin America and of Spanish-speaking background have been more prevalent. As noted above, a Tongan Stake was included early in the Inner City Project but their residency had been long enough that language, legal status and familiarity with U. S. customs and economy were not an issue. Church service missionaries needed no special preparation or cautions. The first Spanish-speaking wards and branches involved were scattered among predominately English-speaking stakes and service missionaries were simply assigned to them at the request of stake presidents with no special effort. For those Spanish-speaking units among self-administered stakes, service missionaries were merely called from other wards in the same stake by the stake presidents and assigned to the Spanish-speaking units within that stake and trained by the Inner City Project leaders on the same basis as all of the rest. Four Spanish-speaking wards and six branches were assigned service missionaries initially but others were gradually added at the request of stake presidents. By 2003 there were 24 Spanish-speaking and two-Portuguese-speaking wards and branches in the Inner City Project.

Director Earl Maeser who had recently replaced Jeffrey Swinton concluded that those entities required separate attention, including the calling of service missionaries with the appropriate background and language facility. Therefore, he chose Bruno and Cari Vassel who were then serving in the Lucero First Ward as coordinators and began the process of calling and training appropriate service missionaries for other such entities. After only a few months, however, a valley-wide Hispanic Initiative was undertaken by the Area Presidency and the Vassel's were called to join Area Authority Seventy Michael Holmes in the direction of that larger organization. Dale and Silvia Harding and Eric and Kaye Jackson were thereupon chosen to share coordination of the Inner City Project Hispanic effort. Dale Harding was a professional educator who had supervised LDS Church schools in Chile, married Silvia there, and returned to Utah as school principal and then assistant school superintendent in the Salt Lake School District where he had been especially mindful of the needs of the many Hispanic and other international students. The Hardings were serving as service missionaries in the Lucero First Ward with the Vassels. They joined the Jackson's in coordinating the Inner City Project Hispanic effort for an additional year before being released.

Eric Jackson had been called as a service missionary in 2000, trained in the normal process, and assigned in June 2000 to the Buena Vista Ward in the Pioneer Stake, with his wife, Kaye, joining him later in that assignment. Eric was a Salt Lake City businessman, owner of Peterbilt of Utah, and dealer/distributor of Peterbilt trucks and trailers for over-the-road shipping. Neither of the Jacksons spoke Spanish, though most other couples assigned to serve in Spanish-speaking units did. Eric Jackson's first assignment was to assist a 26 year-old bishop of that ward which was reported to be the highest proportionate user of Fast Offering and other funds and commodities in the Church. A high proportion of the ward's membership was in the country illegally. High numbers were unemployed and unable to pay their rent or buy adequate food. The bishop was meeting those costs from fast offerings and from bishops' orders to the Bishops Storehouse. Many families were living together to save rent with consequent conflict, cleanliness, privacy and marital problems. Some husbands had abandoned their families.

Children were struggling in school, both with their learning and with their acquaintanceships. Youth were moving from church activity to gang involvement.

As Eric Jackson sought to report to the bishop on his first day of assignment to the Buena Vista Ward, he found himself in a long line of people seeking assistance from the bishop. When Eric reached the front of the line, he found the bishop exhausted. When Eric introduced himself as a newly assigned Church-service missionary, the bishop responded, "That's fine. You can help me write a letter of resignation." Upon further conversation, Eric learned that the bishop was working at two jobs in addition to serving as bishop and was still falling behind in his car and house payments. Eric persuaded the bishop to delay his resignation, saying, "If you resign the day I show up, it will look bad for me." Eric thereupon contacted an acquaintance in the federal court system and got the bishop's wife hired part time but at a substantial hourly rate as a translator, adequately meeting the family's needs and continuing the bishop's service. Helping with other problems of the ward and speaking for the bishop who was paying much of the rents, Jackson met with landlords who were charging high rents because they were concerned with property treatment and maintenance costs. On the basis of zero collections risk because the Church was paying the rent, he reached agreement that rent would be reduced substantially if the mentoring service missionaries would agree to oversee cleanliness and maintenance.

Jackson then met with family heads to explore their employment and earnings experience and found them at least sporadically engaged in construction, landscaping and house cleaning. He helped them to develop simple resumes, instructed them relative to approaching employers, and informed them who were the best paying employers in each field. He also used the LDS Employment Resource Center at Welfare Square for much of such instruction. He spoke to many employers personally and sent ward members to see them. He found several to have professional and specialist preparation and work experience in their home countries, which was not being recognized in the United States and Utah. He was unable to achieve recognition of international professional certification but could and did make recommendations about related lesser occupations profiting from their work experience. He also counseled each family head—male and female—how to improve their employability. Many were being underpaid but were afraid to challenge employers for fear of conflict with immigration authorities. Jackson avoided the illegal immigration issue, preferring not to know, but met with over 100 employers to persuade them to pay nearer to market rates for the Hispanics in recognition of the counseling from the service missionaries. Many of the members were self-employed in construction, cleaning and so forth. He asked what they were charging and usually recommended an increased charge accompanied by service improvements. Most found better-paid jobs or obtained substantial wage or earnings increases on their current jobs.

Jackson also sought contributions from well-to-do friends to pay tuition to send many to the Salt Lake Community College Skill Center and to the Salt Lake/Tooele Applied Technology College to improve or develop their skills. He remembers enrolling about two people per week in such courses. All of this he remembers as requiring about a year to accomplish. He also suggested to the bishop that, whenever people came in to ask for financial help, he ask such questions as "do you have cable TV, how many cell phones do you have" and so forth and tell them that they would receive no further help if they did not reduce their expenses. They would then be helped with budgeting with the Jackson's getting accountant friends to help with that process. Then the members would be told, for instance, that they had been receiving $600 a month in Church assistance and that was going to be cut $50 a month over the following year while they cut their expenses and improved their earnings. The family heads were given cards each week telling them what they were to do the following week to improve their performance. If they did not do so, their assistance would cease. They were required to bring back signatures each week from people they had been instructed to approach for various kinds of counseling or training. In return for Bishops Storehouse orders, they were instructed to volunteer 10-12 hours of work at Welfare Square. As a result, the people both cut back on their requests for assistance and took more pride in their own self-reliance. Within 24 months they had cut the ward's welfare expenses in half without anyone suffering, though a few did choose to move. They also began to stress tithe paying. Few were doing so. At the beginning of the third year, the families receiving assistance were told that unless they tithed they would receive no more assistance. Single mothers were excused from that requirement. Most of them were being paid informally or provided room and board for house cleaning or baby-sitting. Once the families were paying tithing, temple preparation was introduced and monthly temple sessions were undertaken, soon doubling or tripling the number endowed and attending. Temple attenders soon realized from their covenants that they should be self-reliant, taking money and resources from the Church only in times of emergency and should be of service to others.

The Jacksons also focused on the problems of the youth. The boys were typically dropping out of school in the ninth or tenth grade and many of the girls were becoming pregnant. The Jacksons were convinced that lack of self-confidence and self-esteem were the central issues. They recruited Spanish-speaking returned missionaries and brought them to the Buena Vista Ward to direct the youth program. They had many youth activities and also tried to develop testimonies among the youth. The Jacksons began interviewing the youth individually, exploring their desires for their futures and building their confidence concerning their future outcomes. The Jacksons feel that this was the most important and most successful activity they undertook in that ward. They told the youth that anything an Anglo kid could do a Hispanic kid could do and set out to prove it, one youth at a time. That most of them were illegal, even though they had come to the U.S. as children and could not remember the lands of their birth, was a special problem. But as long as they could complete high school and go on to college without interruption, they had hope. The youth were told that as long as they were moral, ethical, educated and skilled, a way would be found for them. They started by getting a few youth into college to prove that it could be done and others followed. After a few semesters of success by the first contingent reassured everyone and a trickle grew into a small stream. The Jackson's sought contributions from their neighbors and friends and had no difficulty obtaining funds for tuition and textbooks. As an example, the Jacksons cite being invited to speak at an East Bench ward and having a woman come up after to offer to support a student. With that funding, they sent a young woman from the Buena Vista Ward to BYU where she graduated, married, became a mother and is now with her husband who is a graduate student at Boise State University. By mid-2007, 25 had graduated; one-half with bachelor's degrees and the rest with certificates and associate's degrees and 45 were still enrolled. An example was a 44 year-old single mother of three who completed a degree in education and psychology and is now a school counselor. More than what had happened to her, she said, she valued the new sense of self-confidence it had given her children in relation to their own future. Ten of the young men the Jackson's were able to provide education for have since become bishops and branch presidents. Of course, the situation is not simple for the undocumented but some have returned to their own countries to apply their new capabilities and all have better prospects when the immigration issues are ultimately resolved.

The Jacksons formalized their Buena Vista experience with a five-point emphasis—employment, housing, education, tithe-paying and temple-attendance—and taught it to all of the service missionaries assigned to Hispanic wards. Looking back on nearly seven years of experience as they were called to Africa for a full-time mission in mid-2007, they concluded that about 25% of those Hispanic members they had worked with made outstanding progress and 35% solid and positive progress if not outstanding. They accepted with some disappointment the conclusion that 40% having made little or no progress was just a reality of life. They felt especially rewarded from their experience with the young people who they believed have much better prospects.

Rock and Terri Lyn Ballstaedt, already serving as service missionaries in a Spanish-speaking ward, moved into the Jackson's assistant director role in mid-2007. Continuing the general approaches taught by the Jackson's, they formalized the funding of education by raising a substantial fund to set up a separate program under the Liahona Self Reliance Foundation cited in Chapter 5. The Inner City Project work with the Spanish-speaking wards and branches moves on with anticipation. There are over 70 Spanish-speaking units in the valley, only about 40 of which have Inner City Project Church-service missionaries assigned so there is ample challenge.

Supervisory Changes

As the years went by, significant changes occurred in management of the project at all levels. As already noted, Alexander Morrison reached the age of 70 in 1999 and was released to emeritus status. He was replaced by Cecil Samuelson for 1999-2001, Cree-L Kofford for 2001-2003, Ronald Rasband for 2004-2005 and Merrill Bateman for 2006-2007. Replacing its founder and taking responsibility at a time when the program was still new and rapidly growing, Elder Samuelson was particularly involved. Among many involvements, he wrote to all of the presidents of the stakes providing service missionaries and of the stakes where the service missionaries were serving, asking their evaluations of what had been occurring. The answering letters preserved in the files are all highly positive, both recording the impressive services provided and reviewing the enthusiasm, spiritual rewards, and desires to remain in service manifest by those serving. In a geographical and assignment change, Cecil Samuelson became Brigham Young University President in 2005 as Merrill Bate man left that position to become Area President of the entire State of Utah. He completed that assignment upon turning 70 in 2007 and was replaced by the return of Ronald Rasband. All were substantial supporters of the Inner City Project, Elder Bateman being especially supportive of the refugee services project discussed in Chapter 5, based on his own substantial background in Africa.

As noted above, Bruce and Pat Lake were called to return to the Germany Berlin Mission in September 2002. Earl and Saundra Maeser who had been serving as the Lakes' assistants following brief service as Church-service missionaries at the ward level replaced the Lakes as supervisors of the rest of the Church-service missionaries. Jeffrey Swinton was ordained as an area authority seventy in 2003 and was replaced as project director by Earl Maeser, along with his wife Saundra as noted above. Also in 2003, Loy Despain retired from the LDS Welfare Services Department and, with his wife Emily, left on an 18 month full-time mission to the New York metropolitan area where they were able to apply much of their Inner City Project experience as described in Chapter 7.

In March 2004, Elder Rasband released Richard and Marjorie Wright from their service as assistant directors and Garth Mangum as director of the Storehouse of Specialists. The Wright's followed the Despain's to a different part of the New York metropolitan area with similar results, also described in Chapter 7. Mangum served for a year at the Welfare Square and Centerville Employment Resource Centers in activities described in Chapter 5 and was then recalled to his Inner City Project position to be shared with Stephen Smoot who simultaneously served as a Church-service missionary in the Liberty 4th Ward.

When in 2006 Jeffrey Swinton was called to serve as president of the London South Mission where he had served as a youthful missionary, he was replaced as overseer of the Inner City Project by Area Authority Seventy Kent Murdock, Chief Executive Officer of the O.C. Tanner Company and Chairman of the Board of Intermountain Health Care. Earl and Saundra Maeser were released in June 2007 and replaced by Assistant Directors Dean and Pam Hodson. Dean Hodson, after graduation from the University of Utah, had attained a Ph.D. in Geography at the University of Michigan in 1971 and was teaching at the Eastern Louisiana University in 1974 when he was asked by his father in-law to return to Utah to take control of the family's wholesale jewelry business. Returning with two children, he and Pam eventually had eight, all raised in Utah thereafter. Dean subsequently served as councilor in two University of Utah student stakes, one of married students and the other of single students, while Pam served at the ward level in Young Women's and Relief Society assignments. They subsequently served 1998-2001 as president of the Australia Melbourne mission. Upon return, they served as Church service missionaries in the Inner City Project assigned to the Lincoln Ward in the Granite Stake before becoming Assistant Directors in 2007.

Under the Maesers, the number of assistant director couples had increased to five each supervising several stakes, each stake being overseen by a stake lead couple, all of whom were also Church-service missionaries within wards of their assigned stakes. Some wards with larger numbers of service missionaries also had ward lead couples. Edward and Pat Ross, Ivan and Sherrie Ferber, Warren and Kathryn McKenna, Eric and Kaye Jackson and Dean and Pamela Hodson served under the Maeser's . The McKenna's continued to serve as assistant directors under the Hodsons but the rest of the Maeser era assistant directors were replaced by Martin and Noreen Peterson, Michael and Allene Ross, Michael and Shauna Slatter, and Rock and Terri Lynn Ballstaedt. The Ballstaedt's replaced the Jackson's as overseers of those service missionaries serving in the Spanish-speaking wards and branches, Terri replacing Kaye as newsletter editor at the same time. The Petersons became responsible for report and record-keeping as well as supervising the service missionaries in a group of stakes. The project directors and assistant directors all having served at the ward level gave an experienced vision of the situations confronted by the service missionaries as well as assuring the ward bishops that they were aware of the realities with which the bishops, members and service missionaries contended. Each of the assistant director couples undertake their own programs of oversight with the service missionaries assigned to their wards and of service to the bishops of those wards, including special training sessions and exposure to available and needed resources.

At the suggestion of Richard Linford, in 2004 the Maesers had recruited computer expert Robert Hyte, developer of the LDS Church PAF program to advance the Inner City e-mail website, providing an improved reporting system for the assigned Church-service missionaries, listing their names and their home and assigned wards and stakes, containing essential information such as the handbook of the Storehouse of Specialists, providing a communication system for the project leaders, and other essential purposes. In October 2007 when it became necessary to release Robert Hyte and his wife, Jane, who was serving as newsletter editor, Robert recruited Chris Barker an Internet developer to replace him. Chris Barker maintained the project website making available the names and means of access to all project leaders and service missionaries, records of project performance, access to the Storehouse of Specialists Handbook, this history and much else of value to those seeking to serve effectively.

In November 2010 Michael Slatter recruited Larry Jones to replace Chris Barker to maintain and bring improvements to the website.  Larry, being a Church employee working with computer systems, brought the website "inhouse" to be on Church Internet servers.  This facilitated the improvement of security for the website, and made it possible for future inner city projects to access the website.  Additional features that Larry brought to the website includes:  missionary photos, ward and stake information including LDS Maps, a means to broadcast annoucnements and avaialble or needed goods and other enhancments to ease the adminstration burdons of the leadership.

Development of the Inner City Project is an on-going process. We now turn to the structure and accomplishments of the Storehouse of Specialists.

Chapter 5

The Storehouse of Specialists and Community Resources

Garth Mangum had never perceived his "resource scrounging" as having any special doctrinal meaning. It was just the logical thing to do. If a service was needed and the recipient lacked the money to pay for the service, a community resource had to be found or a volunteer recruited to undertake the task. But Jeffrey Swinton was always searching for spiritual answers. The need for a "storehouse of specialists" had been cited among the plans of the original task force planning what became the Inner City Project. When, upon attendance at the Liberty 4th Ward, Swinton heard of some of the incidents recounted in Chapter 3, he responded, "That is the Lord's Storehouse right out of the 82nd section," referring to D&C 82:17-19:

…you are to be equal…every man according to his wants and needs, and all of this for the benefit of the church of the living God, that every man may improve upon his talents that every man may gain other talents…to be cast into the Lord's storehouse, to become the property of the whole church, every man seeking the interests of his neighbor and doing all things with an eye single to the glory of God.

As the Inner City Project began, Swinton not only asked Mangum to direct what Swinton chose to call the Storehouse of Specialists, but Swinton identified appropriately qualified individuals of his own acquaintance to become most of the initial set of specialists. Employment, education, medical services, dental services, legal services, housing, home repair, transportation, family and personal counseling and financial counseling were the initial set of specialists chosen and announced in January 1998. As time passed, other needs became apparent and skill training, mental health services, single parent services, addiction recovery services, youth services, and refugee services were added one at a time in response to identified needs. Access to community services in general was an obvious need from the beginning.

Mangum was familiar with the Human Services Directory of Salt Lake Community Services Council, originally initiated by the then recently-demised Lowell Bennion and arranged for each stake lead couple to have a copy and all to be trained in its use. That would become easier a few years later when merely dialing 211 during business hours could provide telephone access to the same information. Both because special service needs became apparent and because suburban wards and stakes frequently requested opportunities to undertake service projects, service project coordinators were introduced and maintained to facilitate that process. Sub for Santa from suburban wards and stakes to Inner City wards and stakes was a persistent example, but by no means the only one. Throughout the years of the Inner City Project history service missionaries have told relatives, friends, and home ward and stake members of the needs of those they are working with, resulting in a continuous flow of donated clothing, furniture, appliances, miscellaneous household items and sometimes even cash. But more formal service projects are frequently undertaken as either wards or groups seek service opportunities or service missionaries recognize needs and solicit assistance. Marjorie Wright at first and Saundra Maeser next took responsibility for facilitating service projects in addition to their other responsibilities. In 2003 service missionaries Steven and Susan Middlemas were recruited as service project specialists serving until 2007 at which time they chose to be released and were replaced by Ed and Pat Ross who had previously served as service missionaries and as assistant directors.

Transient services became another listed category in the Storehouse of Specialists. As noted in Chapter 4, the Transient Bishops' Office at Welfare Square had been originally initiated as the LDS equivalent of the Travelers' Aid Society to assist those who ran into difficulties as they traveled through Utah. But as resident homelessness became a significant fact or in Utah as it did in the rest of the United States during the 1980s and 1990s, the Transient Bishops' Office began serving the homeless as well. An individual or family with a regular place of abode was the responsibility of a resident ward bishop. A homeless person, lacking such address, was the responsibility of the Transient Bishops. But there was much overlap in circumstances and frequent movement between the two statuses. Hence, Transient Services was listed among the Storehouse specialties to enable needed communication.

Since the primary goal of the Inner City Project was sponsoring self-reliance, facilitating self-reliance was also the primary goal of the Storehouse of Specialists to which employment was key. But that employment had to provide family-sustaining earnings for families to attain self-reliance and such income was rare for those without substantial post-secondary education and skill training. Hence, employment, education and skill training were perceived as a triumvirate of key specialties with all of the rest of the specialties perceived as essential supporting services to make self-reliance possible. It was early recognized that not all of the adults to whom Inner City bishops would assign Church-service missionaries would be potentially employable at family-sustaining earnings. Those who were not would be encouraged to be as self-reliant as possible, even though assistance would be needed, given their age, health and so forth.

Rules of the Game

Throughout the first ten years of the Inner City Project a Storehouse of Specialists Handbook of Instructions was provided to every Inner City Project Service Missionary, all of whom were carefully instructed in its use. Beginning in December 2007, to save printing costs and as part of a general shift to web-site communication, a four page introduction including the basic instructions supplemented by a brief summary of each specialist category and listing the names, telephone numbers and e-mail addresses of each specialist was provided to each service missionary at their initial training with e-mail access touted for the full handbook. In all three sources, after repeated emphasis that self-reliance is the primary objective to be pursued on behalf of the individuals and families to whom they are assigned, service missionaries are informed that:

Numerous obstacles impede self-reliance among those you seek to serve. Lack of language facility, education or skill training may block them from employment at family-sustaining wages. They may not know how to find a job or have transportation to get to it. Medical, dental, mental health, legal or substance abuse problems may stand in the way of employment. They may not be able to find, afford or maintain adequate housing. Interpersonal or financial problems may be sources of discouragement. Family structure or strife may interfere with self-reliance. To aid you as you guide those to whom you are assigned through a self-reliance planning process, a Storehouse of Specialists, modeled after D&C 82:17-19, and an inventory of available community resources is maintained.

They are further informed that the Storehouse of Specialists consists of experts in various fields who have organized and maintain liaison with their professional colleagues to make services available to needy people. However, the service missionaries are informed that those services are to be available to them and those they serve only upon four basic rules:

1. Just as wards are to encourage their members to be self-reliant, the wards themselves are to seek to be self-reliant and solve all of their own problems to the extent possible, discussing in ward welfare meetings and seeking answers to their members' problems to the fullest extent possible, turning to the Storehouse of Specialists for assistance only when they are unable to find a solution otherwise. That the wards appear to take this responsibility seriously is demonstrated below.
2. To support rule #1, the service missionaries are to turn to the Storehouse of Specialists only with the approval of the bishop. They may suggest or request such access, but are to resort to it only when they receive such approval.
3. All involved are informed that the specialists may provide the requested services themselves, but more often will be referring the requesting service missionaries to some other expert who has agreed to provide the service. The service missionary making the request is provided with the name and phone number of the individual who has agreed to provide the service and is asked to make the call and appointment on be half of the peers on who is to receive the service. The service missionary is also advised to accompany the recipient to at least the first appointment to assure that the contact is made without waste of the expert's valued time.
4. The service missionary is asked to consult with the recipient and the bishop to predetermine whether the recipient will be able to make some contribution to reimbursement for the service, not for the well being of the server but to help the receiver learn self-reliance.

Monthly reports of the Church-service missionaries during 2005-2006 provide some intriguing, though less than definitive, insights concerning reliance on the Storehouse of Specialists. The specialists make no formal report of contacts from church service missionaries. Yet the average number of referrals per month the service missionaries claim to have made to the Storehouse of Specialists are very similar to the average number of contacts the specialists remember responding to each month. On the other hand, the number of services in each category the service missionaries claim to have provided or sought and obtained from various sources, including but not limited to the Storehouse and its specialists are consistently far greater. The implication is that the wards do seek alternative sources first and refer to the Storehouse only or primarily when unable to fill their needs elsewhere.

Table 5:1

Services Reported as Performed or Obtained by Church Service Missionaries
(average per month 2005-2006)

12 Step program - 14	English as 2nd language - 40	Scouting - 41
Baptisms - 19	Family counseling - 120	Scriptures provided - 35
Bishops Storehouse - 149	Food storage - 11	Self-reliance planning - 115
Budgeting - 149	Home repair - 48	Single parent - 79
Car repair - 38	Housing - 44	Skill training - 35
Clothing - 150	Immigration - 36	Transportation - 567
Dental care - 62	Legal services - 58	Word of Wisdom - 54
Drug/alcohol counseling - 34	Literacy/reading - 41	Young Men/Women - 40
Education - 68	Medical services - 94	Youth problems - 24
Employment - 169	Mental health - 52	Youth services - 14

 

Reported Referrals to Storehouse of Specialists
(average per month 2005-2006)

Dental Services - 42	Financial counseling - 12	Mental health - 11
Drug/alcohol counseling - 8	Home repair - 10	Single parent - 3
Education - 10	Housing - 11	Skill training - 5
Employment - 41	Legal services - 34	Transportation - 32
Family counseling - 6	Medical services - 19	Youth services - 4

Quarterly conferences of the Inner City Project are held on Friday evenings, usually in March, June, September and December. The conferences begin with a spiritual hour during which visiting general authorities, Project leadership, or service missionaries who have had special experiences address the assembled Church-service missionaries. That is followed by five or six "breakout sessions" of 35 or 40 minutes duration repeated two or three times. Each storehouse specialist conducts a breakout session once a year, repeating them each time to give service missionaries the opportunity to attend as many as possible. The specialist recounts his/her intentions and experiences and seeks comments and suggestions from the service missionaries. In addition to the storehouse specialists, a provider of community resources from a public or private agency usually conducts one of the breakout sessions at each conference to facilitate the same exchange of intent, comment and question. This chapter provides a history of service in each category as well as typical examples of the services provided.

Employment

The LDS Employment Resource Centers, especially the one at Welfare Square, were initially relied upon to fill the role of employment specialty. Service missionaries were advised to accompany their assigned job seekers to whichever LDS Employment Resource Center was closest to their assigned ward and participate with them as they were counseled by those serving as employment counselors at those facilities. However, the records of the various LDS Employment Resource Centers available do not differentiate among those applicants accompanied by Inner City Church-service missionaries and those coming on their own initiative. By December 2003, it was decided to appoint former Inner City Church-service missionaries as employment specialists to provide more communication between the inner city Church-service missionaries and the LDS Employment Resource Center staff, most of whom are also Church-service missionaries called and trained to serve as employment counselors. Don and Dianne Adamson served as Inner City Project employment specialists through 2004 and 2005 and until August 2006 when they were called on a full-time mission to the Bahamas. Hence the data in the Table 5:1 represent primarily their period of service. Robert and Sherrie Etherington assumed the Employment Specialist role in August 2006. Prior to his retirement, Robert had served for 25 years in Church Welfare Services with assignments in Deseret Industries and Employment Resources Services followed by two years of consulting with the Salvation Army in their similar programs following his retirement.

As the Etheringtons reflected upon the first year of their assignment as Employment Specialists in the Storehouse of Specialists, they recalled that, "Early on in this assignment, we found that a majority of the individuals assigned to be worked with by the bishops were not continuing in the employment opportunity that was provided them through the LDS Employment Resource Center. As this problem was identified we learned that the support at the Center was not deep enough to continue with follow-up service on the newly placed employee. We also learned that many of those who were being served by the Center were in need of work adjustment and/or skill training and weren't fully prepared for competitive employment at that time. This lack was contributing to their either being "let go" from this new job or their being discouraged by not understanding what was happening and just quitting. Recognizing the opportunities provided by the Deseret Industries and LDS Humanitarian Services as it pertained to work adjustment and skill training offered a vehicle to overcome this shortfall. The services of the Humanitarian Center were utilized first to assess and assist in the development of the individuals to begin this process. It was identified that some could work through quite rapidly while others could require the full extent of the time offered for these programs at the Center. There was a broad enough cross section of training opportunities that the interest could be maintained and with the continued involvement of the Church Service Missionary, their anticipated success could be targeted. It was al so learned that scholarship funds were being made available for Deseret Industries and Humanitarian Services trainees to the amount of $3000 for the Applied Technical College, the Salt Lake Community College and other qualifying institutions. After the long-term goal was identified, arrangements could be made to enroll in such a program to again better prepare the individual for competitive family sustaining wage employment. These programs were then expanded to include programs of the Deseret Industries which were more suitable for someone desiring, for instance, a career in retail trade."

The partnership between the LDS Employment Resource Centers and the Inner City Project has been highly productive for both. New forms have been developed by the Employment Resource Centers to assist the Inner City Project's Church-service missionaries in keeping track of the employment-related progress of those they serve. An information-gathering form entitled the Employment Evaluation Report assists in providing necessary information about the education and work experience of individual members of the families of employable age. A Career Assessment and Plan assists Employment Specialists as they help candidates for employment, education or self-employment track their progress. Another form called the Employment Preparation Training, Guidelines and Suggestions includes a step-by-step sequence for identifying and providing opportunities to assist in moving the individual served towards more effective self-reliance. Inner City Project Assistant Directors have been advised and trained to work closely with the stake and ward employment specialists in the stakes and wards under their jurisdiction. A document has been developed to provide a general job description of the ward and stake employment specialist assignment and the role of the Inner City Project service missionaries to facilitate mutual understanding. Arrangements have also been made to allow service missionaries assigned to a ward to serve as employment specialist in that ward if no ward member is available for the assignment.

In order to assist the Church Service Missionaries with a better understanding of the process, monthly Employment Training Seminars were scheduled by the Etheringtons on the 3rd Wednesday of each month with presentations from various of the service providers of programs that could assist in the employment process. These meetings are designed to expose Church-service missionaries and ward and stake employment specialists to the major employers and trainers in the community. They are held at the Welfare LDS Employment Resource Center and invitations were extended to the stake and ward lead couples to make sure information becomes available to all of the service missionaries. A resource book has been developed to include an overview of each of the monthly training topics presented and information on individuals to be contacted for further information. The Etheringtons have recruited Garry and Sharron Davis and Smith and Jane Sumner who spend Thursday evenings at the Welfare Square Employment Resource Center to specialize in Inner City job referrals, though the inner city service missionaries are welcomed to bring in their job-needing clients in at any time the center is open. (As described below, the Davis's since August 2007 also serve as Employment Preparation and Skill Training Specialists)

The following employment placement examples are provided by the Davis's and Sumners:

1. A member of the Lao/Thai Ward of the University First Stake (in which the Davis's also serve) was encouraged to enroll in commercial drivers license training. He was hired by the Park City Metro Bus line at $11.00 an hour and was moved up to $15.00 when he finished his training. However, he quit the bus driver position because of the extensive travel every day. He was assisted to get another job as a plumber assistant for a local contractor at $12.00 per hour with considerable overtime. The contractor is LDS so he insists that no work be done on Sunday except for emergencies. He is much happier in the plumbing job and has set a goal to become a contractor in his own right.
2. Another from the same ward has entered training at the Humanitarian Center. He was in trouble with the law and the judge agreed to drop the charges and wipe his record clean if he got a job and reported back every week for six months. He applied for Computer Class "A" certification using Deseret Industries tuition scholarship money. It was approved and he is attending school in the afternoons at the Salt Lake Community College.
3. A Polynesian member was struggling with his job as a cleanup man with a car rental at $7 an hour. He obtained a student loan of $24,000 to pursue a certificate from a local trade school in computer language. He was unable to get a job using his newly learned skills and was in serious financial trouble. His wife was working two jobs trying to make ends meet. He was brought to the Humanitarian Center as a trainee/employee at $7 an hour, was helped with budgeting, took a job at Sam's Club three nights a week for four hours per night at $10 an hour and was enrolled at the Salt Lake Community College the other two nights where he obtained Class "A" certification in computer repair at Deseret Industries expense It was a difficult year but with a well-paid career job the future looks bright.
4. An Italian woman met and married an American citizen, came to New York with him, divorced, moved to Idaho, married and divorced again, in the process acquiring six children and LDS membership. But in all of that, she never acquired U.S. citizenship, had no work permit and her visa expired. Employment Resource Center missionaries enabled her to contact an attorney to pursue a work permit and referred her to an international hotel for employment. Speaking fluent Italian, French, Spanish and English and having been trained in international business and accounting, the hotel has hired her at $13 per hour, contingent on obtaining a work permit.
5. A Uruguayan woman immigrated to Utah with her husband and divorced, leaving her with two children. She had a nursing degree from Uruguay and 10 years of experience in pediatrics, ICU emergency, surgery and phlebotomy. Yet she could not get a job as a nurse because her experience and education were not recognized in the United States. She was referred to the Applied Technology College and assisted to obtain a full scholarship to improve her English and get her a certificate in Medical Office Administrative Procedures. She was assisted to find a part-time job as a Certified Nursing Assistant at $8 an hour while attending school. Using the self-paced competency-based education approach at the Applied Technology College, she was able to move rapidly through her training, obtain employment and, after 30 days, qualify for medical benefits, further tuition assistance and a 401(k). Her goal is to become a Registered Nurse as quickly as possible, convinced that will enable her to be totally self reliant.
6. A man with a degree in pharmacy and several years experience was fired because he stole drugs and was convicted. Employment Resource Center missionaries helped him get his life together, made calls for him, and helped him to find a job as a pharmacist again. After about one month on the job he was caught stealing drugs again and was incarcerated. Upon his release, his bishop continued to assist him. Service missionaries convinced the bishop that the man would never be self-reliant if he were not advised that his assistance would cease if he did not seek training and employment. He was placed at the Humanitarian Center and provided with scholarship funding to update his skills. The final result is yet to be seen.
7. An Inner City ward member was working at the Salt Lake County Sheriff's office but was repelled by the "terrible language" that was used in the office. She wanted to quit and find a better environment in which to work. Service missionaries took her to the Employment Resource Center. The employment missionaries met with her, explored her career preferences, got on the Internet with her, and printed out several positions that she was qualified for. She called, obtained several appointments for interviews, took her resume with her, and after several interviews was hired as a receptionist at a favorable salary and in a pleasant environment, excited and happy about her new job.

The Inner City Project partnership with the LDS Employment Resource Centers has also facilitated a close relationship between the Project and the Deseret Industries stores, Deseret Industries Manufacturing and the LDS Humanitarian Center. The fact that Inner City Project Assistant Director Warren McKenna is the uncle of Deseret Industries Director Richard McKenna has facilitated communication. In addition to the work experience gained by Inner City Project ward members enrolled at Deseret Industries, the payment of tuition for skill training and education described later has been a particular boon. Bart Hill, Development Manager at the Humanitarian Center has provided assistance in work adjustment and skill training to Inner City Project enrollees at all three institutions. He has also been assigned to a committee pursuing outreach into the business community to provide internships and apprenticeships for enrollees of the three LDS Church sheltered workshop programs. Initial wages are paid by the church institutions until the enrollees have reached the level at which the private businesses are prepared to accept them as regular employees.

As an example of Bart Hill's efforts, an Inner City ward bishop assigned a service missionary couple to assist a young man who had undertaken training as a diesel mechanic at his own expense and had then gone to work for a company which after two years was still paying him the $8 per hour at which he had started and had never yet used him for the skills at which he had been trained. The service missionaries were advised by the Etheringtons to contact Bart Hill who arranged for the young man to work at Deseret Transportation where he was assigned as a diesel mechanic helper at the same $8 wage. He was given further training as well as work experience at diesel mechanics both on-site and off-site. He was also sent to a commercial drivers license program at the same school where he had learned diesel mechanics and was then given experience in driving Deseret Transportation trucks. Deseret Transportation would have been willing to hire the young man permanently but instead he was placed with a private employer at $16 an hour and generous benefits.

Education

Heidi Clark, a member of Swinton's stake at the time and an employee of the Salt Lake School District responsible for most non-classroom teaching functions such as English as a Second Language and tutoring, was initially chosen by Swinton as the education specialist and has remained in that volunteer post for the subsequent decade. Heidi reports having received an average of 12 to 15 calls per month during her now more than nine years of service. They are most often questions of how to obtain English as a second language training or adult high school completion. But there are often questions concerning a variety of special problems such as the needs of refugees, students with special needs related to disabilities and other personal problems, as well as employment-related education issues. She has almost always been able to refer them to information sources, which could help them with their specific needs. Asked to reflect about changes over the past nine years, she responds: "With the changing demographics of the Salt Lake Valley, more diverse populations have moved in. Many have received university diplomas from outside the U.S. They are trying to obtain employment or placement in schools with the credentials they bring with them". She is pleased to have been able to refer them to people with the expertise to help in that pursuit. "A recent request was for help in teaching an adult to read. He was pursuing this for personal growth and self-esteem rather than for economic purposes. I recommended that they sign him up with the Literacy Volunteers Group. This person became proficient enough to be able to return to school to work on a high school diploma." She shares a lament with the other specialists: "I am not in a position to ever really hear what the results of my work are. I always tell them to call me back if they don't get what they need. I have assumed that if I don't hear back they have received the help they needed. I have only heard back two or three times in the past nine years."

Skill Training

Adding to Swinton's initial choices, Mangum sought out a former student of his at the University of Utah, Brent Goodfellow, who was by then Associate Dean in charge of the State Street Campus of the Salt Lake Community College to serve as Skill Training Specialist. Goodfellow had been instrumental in launching a skills center to train disadvantaged and displaced workers under the federal Comprehensive Employment and Training Act and had subsequently brought that center into the auspices of Salt Lake Community College. In his capacity as associate dean, he could waive tuition charges for applicants not eligible for the support of other programs. During the approximately three years that he served as Skill Training Specialist he remembers receiving calls from Church-service missionaries approximately once a week seeking skill training assistance. He referred a few who were more advanced in their education and eligible for tuition assistance to the academic programs of the Community College but arranged for approximately 100 to be trained at his campus. In his capacity, he could waive their tuition whatever their status, thus saving nonresidents the higher tuition they would have been vulnerable to as well as the regular tuition for the residents. He was able also to arrange for those with more limited back grounds to receive English as a Second Language, basic remedial education and general education diplomas to substitute for their not having graduated from high school before undertaking skill training. He was often able to refer them to temporary jobs while being trained and arrange for them to obtain childcare and transportation from various sources to enable them to receive the skill training needed to better their lives and that of their families. People were trained for computer-related and office jobs, automobile and diesel mechanics, truck driving, carpentry, plumbing, heating and air conditioning, nurses' aides and licensed practical nurses, medical technicians and many other occupations. To the best of his knowledge and memory, all obtained training-related jobs thereafter in the generally favorable economy of the time.

When Goodfellow was promoted to vice president of the community college and left the Skill Center, Richard Maxfield accepted the assignment as Skill Training Specialist. Holding a Ph.D. in Education, he had served as Superintendent of the Applied Technology Center in Richfield and as President of the State School Board, prior to retirement. Richard and his wife, Judy, had served as Church-service missionaries in the Inner City Project prior to Richard's call to replace Brent Goodfellow in the skill training assignment. He remembers receiving two or three calls a month from Church-service missionaries for advice on getting adults back into school or into on-the-job training. He was disappointed that more missionaries did not take advantage of his assistance. However, since he made available to them in training and at quarterly conferences handouts showing them how to get individuals into skill training, he hoped more were served than he was personally directly involved with. Richard had also served with his wife as Church-service missionaries in one of the wards of the Inner City. From that experience, he was concerned that "few of the people we worked with had the desire or discipline to help better themselves. Most had inhibiting habits, emotional hang-ups, or longstanding dispositions that made personal progress very difficult. On the other hand, the few who were just down on their luck and just needed a helping hand did quite well." He provides an example from a service missionary couple he advised and worked professionally with:

"We picked up Hank (not his real name) from the psychiatric unit of a local hospital where he had been placed following being kicked out of his home by his wife. He repeatedly refused to get a job and help support their family of two children. He claimed back trouble but it could never be substantiated. He did have some emotional and self-image problems. Since he could not go back home, we helped him find space for his old truck and camper in a motor home park, by design some miles from his family. His bishop paid the rent and he sold some personal items to survive until he had a paycheck. We arranged treatment and followed up on his mental progress and facilitated his temporal progress by coordinating with his new bishop. We identified Hank's job skills and found him employment in an on-the-job training program. He was well suited to the work and performed well. We worked closely with Hank and his family for many months as he continued to make progress and learn new job skills. As his pay increased, his self-esteem grew as did his relationship with his children and even his wife. Eventually, Hank was reunited with his family and continued to work and contribute to their support."

Throughout his tenure as skill training specialist, Richard Maxfield worked closely with the staff of the Welfare Square Employment Resource Center and advised many who entered training from there, including those assisted by the Liahona Self-Reliance Foundation discussed below. In 2005, upon the retirement of his wife from full-time employment, the Maxfield's were called on a full-time mission to serve in the Perpetual Education Fund program. Returning as co-director of the Storehouse of Specialists after a year's leave from the Inner City Project, Garth Mangum temporarily assumed the role of Skill Training Specialist as well.

Mangum had entered the skill training assignment through a side door, as it were, while Richard Maxfield was still serving as skill training specialist. While serving as manager of the Welfare Square LDS Employment Resource Center, Ronald Anderson had obtained funding from the LDS Relief Society to enable adult women applicants with limited earning capacity to return to school to enhance that earning capacity. When the Relief Society funding was nearing exhaustion; he obtained further funding from a family foundation to continue that process. When he was transferred to manage the Centerville, Utah LDS Employment Resource Center in 2002, Anderson took that funding with him to continue that activity. As noted in Chapter 4, Anderson was replaced as manager of the Welfare Square Employment Resource Center in 2002 by Loy Despain who was already directing the Family Support Service, discussed in the previous chapter, and was also still deeply engaged in the Inner City Project. When the decision was made by Area President Alexander Morrison to restrict the calling of Church-service missionaries for the Inner City Project to stakes within Salt Lake County, Despain sought and received permission to seek service missionaries from South Davis County stakes to serve in the Family Support Service to parallel and support the Welfare Square Employment Resource Center. Approximately 12 couples at a time were called and maintained as described in Chapter 4. To repeat some of what was reported in that chapter, rather than overlap the Inner City Project by serving Salt Lake Inner City stakes and wards, the Family Support Service missionaries were assigned to work more directly with community agencies such as the Community Action Program and the Road Home homeless shelter, as well as the Welfare Square Transient Bishops' Office which served temporarily homeless individuals and families. To provide access to resources to serve the varied Family Support Service, Despain asked for and obtained the calling of Garth and Marion Mangum who had in the summer of 2000 moved to a condominium in Bountiful and also obtained the agreement of Jeffrey Swinton to allow access through the Mangum's to the services of the Storehouse of Specialists. It was through that assignment, that Mangum began providing access to skill training resources for the customers of the Family Support Service and the Welfare Square Employment Resource Center.

Learning of the education and skill training activities transferred by Anderson to the Centerville Employment Resource Center, Mangum volunteered to create a replacement to continue a parallel practice at Welfare Square. With the volunteer assistance of a lawyer specializing in not-for-profit activities, a (501)(c)(3) organization entitled the Liahona Self-Reliance Foundation was created with continued funding contributions from concerned members of the LDS community who prefer to remain anonymous. Initially, the funds were used to enhance the earning capacity of people served by the Family Support Service, both by paying for their schooling and obtaining for them needed tools and work clothing. But since Despain was managing the Employment Resource Center as well as supervising the Family Support Service and the Employment Resource Center was the key employment resource for those serving and being served within the Inner City Project, there was considerable overlap among all of these programs.

A gapping-filling approach has been used by the Liahona Foundation. When someone was identified who needed education and training to improve their earning capacity, contact was made with the schools from which the desired training was available. Working with the financial aids officers of those schools, the eligibility of the applicant for funding from such public programs as Pell Grants, the Workforce Investment Act, or vocational rehabilitation of the disabled was assessed and such assistance was sought. Liahona Foundation funding was reserved for those not eligible for such public programs. In part-year 2000, for instance, 46 persons were assisted to enroll in training but Liahona funds were used for only ten. While tuition, books and other school supplies were obtained from public programs for 36, Liahona funds provided tuition for pursuit of an associate's degree in Computer Technology for a Deseret Industries employee with an ill wife and a handicapped child, the finishing of an associate's degree for a single mother working as a teaching assistant and planning on continuing for a bachelor's degree and a teaching certificate, continuation toward a bachelor's degree by a single mother substitute teacher and continuation beyond his existing two years of education for an Inner City bishop working simultaneously as bell hop and a shuttle driver. Aside from school tuition, roofing tools and safety equipment was replaced for a subcontractor who had his trailer, tools and personal belongings stolen. Tools were purchased for a construction worker who had his stolen. Partial payment was made for windshield replacement on an automobile driven from Alaska by a couple entering pre-med in the fall but unable to commute to employment until their windshield replacement was subsidized. Tools and books were purchased for a young Navajo entering an electrical apprenticeship. Cost of a Medical Assistant certification test was provided, and the cost of a computer familiarization course for refugees from Somali, Nigeria, Chad, Sudan and Bosnia was shared with the Asian Association of Utah.

Between August 2000 and June 2001, the Welfare Square Employment Resource Center arranged education and training for 504 of which the Liahona Foundation paid for 33. Of the 504, three were in apprenticeship and eight in formal on-the-job training. Fourteen obtained training certificates and seven completed associate degrees at the Salt Lake Community College, LDS Business College and the Salt Lake/ Tooele Applied Technology College. the rest were reported by their employers to be involved in informal on-the-job training. Several were provided with tools, safety work clothing and transportation to new jobs. Between 1 July 2001 and 30 June 2002, 3,153 received education and on-the-job training, 24 with Liahona financial support. Tuition and other costs were paid for nurse's aide, licensed practical nurse, registered nurse, clinical laboratory technician, and pharmacy, computer and diesel technician enrollments. During the following fiscal year, the Welfare Square Employment Resource assisted 1,056 in education and training. Of those, the Liahona Foundation provided tuition for fourteen, plus tools, modems to work at home via internet, eye examinations and eyeglasses for another twelve, prescription drugs to make school attendance and work possible for another, a food handler's permit was paid for another, and minor car repair was paid to enable another to drive to work The fiscal year 2003-2004 saw many in on-the-job training, Pell Grants paying tuition for 31 and Liahona for 16 while 75 enrolled in various post-secondary schools, 31 with Pell Grants, and Liahona providing tuition for 16 plus eyeglasses for two and transportation for employment interviews for two others. All of those cases involved collaboration with Maxfield.

In March 2004, the Utah North Area Presidency concluded it was time to release from the Inner City Project the few remaining of the original Liberty 4th Ward pioneers. The Despains had been released upon Loy's retirement from the Church Welfare Services Department and had accepted a full-time mission in the New York metropolitan area where they effectively applied the lessons they had learned from the Inner City Project as well as their many other church welfare experiences. Now Richard and Marjorie Wright were released and accepted a mission call to another part of the New York metropolitan area at about the same time as the Despains were released to return to Utah. Garth Mangum was released from the Inner City Project but remained in Utah to serve as an employment services missionary, dividing his time between the Welfare Square and Centerville Employment Resource Centers and undertaking an experimental "second chance" effort to enable inadequately earning people to enhance their earning capacity to a family-sustaining level. In that effort, the resources of the Liahona Self-Reliance Foundation were essential.

Stephen Smoot who was then serving as a Church-service missionary in the Liberty 4th Ward was asked by Project Director Earl Maeser to replace Mangum as Director of the Storehouse of Specialists. Smoot had served for many years as the U.S. Department of Commerce representative for international trade from Utah businesses and had been deeply involved in economic development in the state. Now he was retired and serving as a Church-service missionary in the Liberty 4th Ward, having arrived just as the Mangum's were being released from that ward in 1999. At the end of 2004, Director Maeser concluded that directorship of the Storehouse of Specialists merited the efforts of co-directors and asked Mangum to re-join with Smoot in that capacity. That happened to be approximately the same time that Richard Maxfield and his wife were called to their full-time mission with the Perpetual Immigration Fund. Therefore, Mangum returned to the dual positions of Co-director of the Storehouse of Specialists and Skill Training Specialist, remaining on call from the two Employment Resource Centers as well.

With that, the Liahona Self-Reliance Foundation became the key tool of the Inner City Project skill training effort for a time. For 2004-2005, Pell Grants were obtained to pay for the training of 18 persons, vocational rehabilitation funding for nine, Workforce Investment Act for four and the Liahona Foundation paid varying amounts for 16. Liahona also paid for short-term programs such as Certified Nurses Assistant to enable the recipients to obtain Pell Grants for Licensed Practical Nurse programs to be followed by training as a Registered Nurse and also for Commercial Driver's Licenses Pell Grants being limited to educational programs of at least an academic year's duration. Jobs for eight involving on-the-job training were obtained by providing tools and safety clothing. Employment was obtained for five at Intermountain Health Care, which would then pay for their continued training as it does for all of its employees.

A stellar contribution for skill training in 2005 was the initiation by Deseret Industries of a program through which it offered to pay for the evening skill training of its daytime employees. That meant for the Inner City Project that, at the written request of it's bishops, individuals could be referred for employment at a Deseret Industries store, Deseret Industries Manufacturing or the Humanitarian Center, be paid for their daytime work, and then be referred to the Salt Lake/Tooele Applied Technology College, the Skill Center of the Salt Lake Community College or the LDS Business College with tuition and other school expenses paid. During the last half of 2005, such employment and simultaneous education and training was made available to at least 110 such employee/trainees. During that same period, Deseret Industries affiliates provided on-site skill training and education development to over 1200 employee/trainees. A well-to-do former Latin American mission president also paid for the tuition of 35 Hispanic Employment Resource Center applicants.

During 2006, the Deseret Industries affiliates relevant to the Inner City Project paid for the after hours education and training of 155 employees. Pell Grant, vocational rehabilitation and other funding was obtained to pay for the education and training of 65 not employed by Deseret Industries. Liahona added education and training support for 29 including two Africans graduating with associate's degrees from the LDS Business College, a prospective dietitian enrolling at the University of Utah, a Spanish immigrant enrolled in the College of Business there, a Hispanic at the LDS Business College and another Hispanic, an African refugee and a Navajo Indian at the Salt Lake Community College, and another African refugee at a real estate school. A Brazilian was registered in nursing at the Salt Lake Community College and an African graduated from the Hispanic University. Also included among the Liahona expenditures was dental treatment for one and transportation help for another so that they could pursue training paid for by Deseret Industries. A hearing aid was purchased to enable a Russian convert to hear adequately at the LDS Business College. A single mother was enabled to attend training for a commercial driver's license allowing her to obtain a local truck-driving job. These are a few examples of the many.

During the first half of 2007, 337 persons received skill training and other employability development through the Deseret Industries program. Of those, 178 received on-site English as a second language training, seven completed GEDs to substitute for high school graduation, and another seven learned to read. As to skills, 29 received on-site forklift training, seven were trained as food handlers, 130 in computer-related occupations, 22 in diesel mechanics, 37 obtained commercial drivers licenses, and another 48 were enrolled at the Applied Technology College and the Salt Lake Community College in other programs. At the same time, Pell Grants, vocational rehabilitation and Work Force Investment Act funding was obtained to pay the tuition, textbook and other school expenses for 17 while the Liahona Self-Reliance Foundation did so for ten.

Throughout this period, Mangum was unaware that Eric and Kaye Jackson were successfully pursuing personal contributions from friends to pay the education costs of youth and young adults from the Spanish-speaking wards and branches as described in Chapter 4. With the Jackson's call to an African mission, their replacements Rock and Terri Lyn Ballstaedt obtained contributions to the Liahona Self-Reliance Foundation with which a separate account and program was established for that population to be administered by the Ballstaedts. By the beginning of the 2007 fall semester, partial tuition had been provided for 34 Hispanic young people, they being required to make a significant contribution to their own tuition.

Mangum had assumed that his role as Skill Training Specialist would be temporary, lasting only until he could find a replacement for Maxfield, but that did not occur until August 2007. At that point, Garry and Sharron Davis accepted the assignment. Garry Davis had been an Air Force officer for 24 years and an insurance executive for a similar length of time after his military retirement while Sharron had been a full-time homemaker. Upon Garry's second retirement, they were called as full-time missionaries to Cambodia and upon return served as Church-service missionaries in the Inner City Project assigned to the Rose Park 1st Ward. Completing that assignment, the Davis's returned again to the Cambodian Mission, after which they accepted a call as Church-service missionaries in the Inner City Project, working with the Etheringtons. They were assigned to handle the levels of work, which were employment-related, by those who were ready to assume full-time employment or those needing upgraded employment. It was at this time and in this assignment that arrangements were made to open the LDS Employment Resource Center on Thursday evening to assist the Church Service Missionaries with those to whom they were assigned. They were also invited to assist in the programs of employment assistance to the Thai Ward of the University Stake as well. In the Employment Center assignment, they spend each Thursday night counseling job seekers as well as conducting a monthly Wednesday night seminar during which employers and educators from the community advise stake and ward employment specialists and Inner City service missionaries concerning employment and employability development opportunities in the valley. Those assignments they plan to continue to fill at the same time that they add career preparation and skill training to their inventory. There the employability development effort stands as of September 2007.

Medical Services

At the beginning of the Storehouse of Specialists, Jeffrey Swinton invited Dr. Harry Gibbons, then Director of Salt Lake County Medical Services, to organize and direct the medical services component. Garth Mangum suggested the Dr. Gibbons be assisted by retired Dr. Hamer Reiser, a neighbor whom Mangum had used to guide medical services contacts during the Liberty 4th Ward pre-Inner City Project period. Dr. Gibbons organized the emerging system with Dr. Reiser available to take telephone calls from service missionaries and arrange medical services in Dr. Gibbons absence. Dr. Gibbons contacted Pamela Atkinson, Vice President for Charitable Services of Intermountain Health Care, and the largest non-profit health care organization in the state. She assigned Dr. Terry Faust, Director of the Sorenson Multi-Cultural Center at 9th West and California Avenue and of the Lincoln Family Health Center at the Lincoln Elementary School, 1090 Roberta Street as the IHC contact. Dr. Gibbons also contacted and arranged for the cooperation of community health centers and other medical service organizations such as the Utah Optometry Association, the Utah Society of Opthomalogists, the University of Utah Medical Services, the Lion's Club eyeglass program, Health Med Assist, Inc. and many other programs and organizations, writing them all up with instructions as to their contact and use for insertion in the Storehouse of Specialists Medical Services section where it continues today with subsequent additions and modifications. Service missionaries were instructed to first seek access to their own medical services sources and those of other attendees of the welfare sessions in the wards to which they were assigned.

Not finding access to the required services there, they were to contact either Dr. Gibbons or Dr. Reiser for instruction and referral. Then one of them contacted would refer the service missionary to medical services, individuals, and programs of which they were aware. If they did not have direct access to the needed service, they then advised that the service missionaries call Dr. Foust who would refer them to an appropriate IHC facility or individual for service. Included in the Medical Services section of the handbook was a four-page form for financial information to confirm the individual's eligibility for various medical assistance programs and services.

In 2002, Dr. Gibbons accepted full-time responsibility for examining the health status of airplane pilots for the Federal Aviation Authority and was released from his Storehouse of Specialists assignment. He was replaced by retired medical doctor Maitland Spencer who had just returned from serving as the medical specialists for the LDS missionaries in Brazil. With the continued involvement of Dr. Reiser, Dr. Spencer continued essentially the same plan as introduced by Dr. Gibbons, making modifications as organizational changes of the various institutions and programs necessitated. About the same time, Pamela Atkinson retired and was replaced by Dr. Wesley Thompson, former director of the Alta View Hospital who was also an LDS Stake President who had called many of his stake members as Inner City service missionaries. Dr. Hamer Reiser was released in 2006 for reasons related to age and health. Dr. Thompson was called as a mission president in 2007. Dr. Terry Faust continues to serve as he has from the beginning as the route of direct access to the valued services of Intermountain Health Care. As the personal relationships between the supervising retired medical doctors and their colleagues in the medical profession atrophied, reliance on the IHC facilities increased until every Church-service missionary seeking medical services for a family to which they were assigned was referred to an IHC facility for service. The services of those clinics and hospitals have proven adequate to the needs.

All of these participants have fond memories of contacts with service missionaries over the years. At about twenty per month, they estimate that literally thousands of individuals have received essential medical services at no or minimum costs. Medical programs such as Medicaid, Medicare, and the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) have been used for those eligible, but otherwise the services have been primarily donated. The availability of free eyeglasses and subsidized access to prescription medicines has also been arranged with instructions provided in the Medical Services section of the Storehouse of Specialists handbook.

Dental Services

The need for dental services for uninsured people to prepare them for employment and other self-reliant activities had been amply demonstrated in the Liberty 4th Ward. When the Storehouse of Specialists was launched, Jeffrey Swinton chose Wayne Cottam of his stake to organize that service. Doctor Cottam had returned from dental education in Oregon and had been employed by the Bureau of Indian Affairs to provide dental services for the Indian Health Service facility in Salt Lake City. Changes in policies closed that facility and Doctor Cottam became Director of Dental Services over several publicly-funded dental clinics in the Salt Lake Valley and full-time functioning dentist in one of those. At the same time, he taught anatomy at the University of Utah Medical School and served as bishop in his home ward. Called to be the dental specialist of the Storehouse of Specialists, Dr. Cottam sent out a personal letter accompanied by a letter from Jeffrey Swinton, announcing the advent of the Inner City Project and asking each dentist to volunteer to serve and specify the number of patients they were each willing to volunteer to see each year and what conditions they would impose. Those letters were repeated annually. The majority of the members of the Salt Lake Dental Association, some 160 general and specialty dentists, volunteered to serve an average of three persons per year, donating their own time but typically expecting any out of pocket costs to be paid, either by the patient or the patient's bishop. Dr. Cottam developed a program to track the usage of the volunteers. A woman acquaintance volunteered to take telephone calls and keep track of services until Dr. Cottam's brother computerized the database. Dr. Cottam also recruited another dentist, Doctor Michael Kirkpatrick, to assist him so that one or the other was always available for telephone calls from the service missionaries. When after two years service, the Kirkpatricks were called to accept a full-time mission in Africa, Dr. Cottam asked another dentist friend, Dr. Richard Ellis to join him.

Dr. Ellis, is Garth Mangum's personal dentist, had been recruited to treat the homeless Denver refugee discussed in Chapter 3, volunteered regularly at Donated Dental providing dental services to the homeless, and had responded favorably to Dr. Cottam's entreaty letters in volunteering to serve inner city referees. He had retired from his own practice, turning it over to a son-in-law but was still volunteering at Donated Dental. After five years of serving as bishop, functioning in his dental and medical capacities and directing the dental services of the Inner City project, in 2003 Dr. Cottam accepted an offer to establish, direct and teach in a dental school in Mesa, Arizona dedicated to developing community dental programs. After two years of serving with Dr. Cottam as the Inner City Project's Dental Services specialists, Dr. Ellis recruited newly retired dentist Dr. Floyd Tarbet to share with him the dental specialist effort, each separately taking calls and making referrals from and to service missionaries for separate halves of each week.

Dr. Ellis and Dr. Tarbet were approached in 2005 by the Health Access Program (HAP) a federal grant funded program to provide medical and dental service to the poor. HAP took the telephone calls, assigned the cooperating dentists in response to the calls, and initially contributed funds to meet some of the out-of-pocket costs of the volunteer dentists. However, after one year, 2006, federal funds diminished to the point that the Inner City Project would have had to contribute $15,000 per year to continue with HAP. Lacking such funding and wedded to the philosophy of a fundless project, Dr. Ellis and Dr. Tarbet returned to their original approach but with a significant addition. Dr. Gus Angelos, an orthodontist, and his wife Pearl had just finished 18 months service as Inner City Project Church-service missionaries. Dr. Angelos accepted the invitation to join with Ellis and Tarbet in administering the dental services component of the Storehouse of Specialists. Dr. Angelos retired from his practice and he and Dr. Tarbet divided the weeks in the answering of service missionary telephone queries and assignment of volunteers. Dr. Ellis continued overall administration of the dental services component of the LDS Storehouse of Specialists while maintaining cooperation with the Salt Lake Dental Society, Donated Dental and the Coordinated Dental Services Committee in the intensifying efforts to meet the needs of the underserved throughout the Salt Lake Valley.

After five years of service in the Storehouse of Specialists, Dr. Ellis sought release in mid-2007 in order to devote his time to his invalid wife and to family history. Another letter was sent to the Dental Association membership in September 2007 requesting renewed commitment from Salt Lake Valley dentists who have met all of the requests of that nearly 10-year period.

Mental Health

The need for help with mental health issues was apparent from the beginning but it was the second or third year of the program before Harvey and Lois Hirschi were called as mental health specialists. Harvey had been Superintendent of the Salt Lake Technical College and director of the State Office of Rehabilitation Services, more often called Vocational Rehabilitation. Perhaps because of his rehabilitation services experience, he had a strong interest in mental health and also served as the chairman of the Utah Chapter of the National Association of Mental Illness (NAMI). Harvey Hirschi died suddenly in 2007 during his 81st year of life and eighth year in the program , leaving behind the following comments and stories, all written before Harvey's death:

Harvey Hirschi's commitment to fostering mental health is manifest in his following comment:

 "Most people seem to believe mental disorders are rare and happen to someone else. The fact is that mental illness will affect one in five families over their lifetime. Our society has a history of hiding mental illness and treating the sickness as a societal disgrace. Mental illness refers to a group of brain disorders that cause severe disturbance in thinking, feeling, and relating. This can cause delusions, excessive fears, unexplained sadness, deep and persisting or recurring depression. It can also cause extreme euphoria accompanied by inappropriate behavior or unexplained physical changes. Truly mental illness is a reality, although many prefer to deny that reality."

He felt strongly that the service missionaries of the Inner City Project were a positive influence in the lives of many of the mentally ill to whom they had been assigned:

"It has been a tremendous opportunity working with the many missionaries serving in the Inner City project. They have become support teams bringing joy and happiness into the lives of persons suffering from mental illness. Responding to two or three contacts per week, we have encouraged them to have compassion, understanding and patience. In doing so, many of these missionaries have become a source of strength to the mentally ill."

In addition to meeting with the service missionaries and their clients themselves, the Hirschi's refer them to mental health experts and facilities throughout the community. They record that 90% of these contacts and efforts have positive results. Recovery to persons suffering from a mental illness means several things:

1. To have someone who sees them as special and will actually share time with them.
2. To have a friend with patience and understanding.
3. To have a safe and stable environment.
4. To have medical treatment available.

The support teams comprised by the missionaries provide the help needed to move through the system, finding the programs, which help in gaining self-esteem, responsibility, and self-determination. There are positive effects in the lives of persons with mental illness in merely having an individual listen to their story and try with diligence to help meet their needs.

The vision of recovery actually embodies the steps of recognizing the illness, understanding something about it, and actively trying to seek treatment for the illness. Therein lies the strength of the missionaries who act as catalysts in tapping all of the effective resources in the community.

The Hirschi's provide three typical stories to illustrate their Inner City experience: A missionary couple received a telephone call from one who feared that he was going to lose the job where he had worked for 15 years. He was suffering from guilt and depression. He considered himself to blame for his son's memory loss because he, the father, had painted the house when the son was a baby with resultant damaging fumes. He also felt to blame for his wife having M.S. Family members had told him so. Yet he also reported God speaking to him and his receiving revelation. He was provided professional counseling and medication along with the encouragement of the service missionaries. "He was able to follow through with both aspects of help and at last contact indicated that he had been able to keep his job because his depression is under control and he is now working toward retirement." Another individual had both a bipolar and a schizoaffective disorder and had been on and off jobs as a result. He had been turned down repeatedly for Social Security Disability benefits. The Hirschi's recommended one of the social security experts listed in the Community Resources section of the Storehouse of Specialists who was able to obtain Social Security Disability for the applicant. With that success, "his life has totally changed with this little extra bit of financial help and the ability to work part-time. He feels of some worth as he has been able to gain some self-reliance and independence on his own." A man suffering from deep depression and on medication was in federal custody and was scheduled to be released to come to Utah. "Many times, he has been denied medications when he has been released or transferred from an incarceration facility. His fear is being dropped from his medications." The Hirchi's were able to make contact with NAMI office, which had a mentor who works with the prisons and insured an effective transition.

In addition to answering the requests of Inner City Project service missionaries, the Hirschi's developed an outreach program for the education and training of priesthood and auxiliary leadership meetings in various stakes throughout Salt Lake Valley, instructing 400 to 900 at a time in such meetings. They also regularly delivered fifth Sunday meetings at ward levels with 50-60 adults in attendance.

Upon Harvey Hirschi's 19 May 2007 death, Lee and Jean Lance, Inner City Project service missionaries and neighbors and friends of the Hirschi's replaced them with the continued advice of Lois Hirschi. They had long been active with the Hirschi's in mental health services, including involvement with NAMI, and picked up the mental health specialist role without hesitation.

Legal Services

Utah being a state in which the legal fraternity is much less involved in pro bono and reduced fee services to the needy than most, charitable legal services for the needy was perceived from the beginning as an essential provision of the Storehouse of Specialists. Jeffrey Swinton, an attorney himself, originally recruited as legal services specialist Oscar McConkie III of the Kirton and McConkie law firm which handled many church legal matters. However, it soon became apparent that McConkie's specialty in immigration law was needed to the extent that he was replaced as overall legal services specialist by Dan Bushnell, also of Kirton and McConkie, who subsequently recruited Kent Linebaugh and James Dunn to assist him. Upon Dan Bushnell's death and James Dunn's acceptance of other church callings, Craig Galli, who with his wife, Lark, and their children had served as service missionaries in the Liberty 4th ward, joined Linebaugh. They subsequently recruited Richard Neslen, Tony Bentley and Steve Boyden to join them in accepting calls from service missionaries and either providing the needed services or seeking out other lawyers willing to do so. Service missionaries were informed that Bentley and Boyden were Spanish-speaking and acquainted with other Spanish-speaking attorneys if that was a likely need of the clients for whom they were seeking legal assistance. The service missionaries were to describe the legal issue confronting those for whom they were seeking help . The specialist would then decide the legal specialty needed, whether the case might be adequately handled by community charitable legal services such as the Tuesday Night Bar or Utah Legal Services, and, if not, the available attorney most likely to be able and willing to provide the needed service.

Craig Galli reported in March 2004 that 35 attorneys recruited by him and his colleagues (including themselves) were meeting the needs of the Inner City Project, 90% of the services being entirely free and the other 10% at very reduced prices, pursued to help the recipient learn self-reliance. After years of personalized and piecemeal recruitment of lawyers to provide the needed legal services, in 2005, Galli recruited the Salt Lake membership of the nationwide and to some extent worldwide J. Rueben Clark Law Society to form the Pro Bono Legal Services Program. Approximately 50 attorney members are on call as volunteers to provide the requested legal services. Their legal specialties and any conditions placed upon their services are known to the four referring attorneys Linebaugh, Neslen, Boyden and Phil Pugsley, the latter having replaced Tony Bentley in December 2007. Church service missionaries, perceiving a need for legal advice or services by members assigned to them, first seek the permission of the bishop of the ward in which they are serving and who is also responsible for promoting the well being of the member family. With that permission, they contact the appropriate one of the referring attorneys, describe the situation, and are provided the name and telephone number of the appropriate member of the Pro Bono Legal Services Program. Craig Galli maintains the organization and is available to respond to special needs. The service missionaries are instructed to make the appointment personally for the client to be served and deliver that client to at least the first appointment. The process has worked smoothly thus far with adequate legal counsel available and eager to help. Family law, landlord/renter disputes, indebtedness and bankruptcy, employment law and immigration law are the most frequent issues but the full range is widespread. Immigration law faces the greatest shortage relative to demand. Criminal law is typically excluded, leaving that to public defenders.

Housing

Marion Willey, Executive Director of the Utah Non-Profit Housing Corporation has served as Housing Specialist throughout the entire history of the Inner City Project. He is a native of Kentucky who was not a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints when he was asked to serve the Inner City Project but has subsequently joined. His organization has over 1900 apartment units, most of them in the Salt Lake Valley, and all of them constructed to meet the needs of the aged, the disabled, or those with low income. He also maintains close relationships with other individuals and organizations involved in the provision of affordable housing. Between his own organization's facilities and those of the others, he has been able to find housing for over 200 families at the request of Inner City Church-service missionaries. He initially received three or four calls a week from service missionaries, seeking housing assistance for those to whom they had been assigned. In 2005, Bob and Amy Wylie and Stephen and Kelly Harmsen, recently released service missionaries, were called to assist him and take the initial calls, meeting the housing needs under his instruction or turning to him if requiring further assistance. In late 2007, the Harmsen's were released and the Wylie's were transferred to refugee services, described below. Church service missionaries David and Judy Andrews were released from their ward assignments and became Willey's housing assistants.

Two examples will illustrate Willey's approaches to housing services. A couple with three children was seeking housing at a rental rate, which would enable the husband to go to school. They were provided with housing in one of the Utah Non-profit facilities at 30% of their income as rent. Counselors assigned to the facility arranged for child care funding from the Department of Workforce Services while the mother worked at a restaurant and the father undertook training as a carpenter at the Salt Lake Community College Skill Center paid for by the Workforce Investment Act. Two years later, the father was employed in construction at family-sustaining earnings, they had been able to buy a home, and the mother could remain home with the children. A 102-year-old woman accompanied by an 80-year-old daughter was living in her own house trailer in a trailer park. The trailer park property was sold and the new owner informed all of the residents that they would have to move. Contacted by Church-service missionaries, Willey persuaded the trailer park owner to offer to purchase the trailer for $7000 to facilitate their moving. Willey then offered the two women access to apartments in several of the Utah Nonprofit facilities for the elderly but the older woman refused, wanting to remain in her trailer. It then became the joint responsibility of Willey and the Church-service missionaries to search for and find another trailer park location, which they did.

In addition to access to Utah Non-Profit Housing facilities for those eligible for them, an arrangement has been made for marginal cost payment for referrals to rental facilities advertised through an organization maintaining lists of available rental properties. That entity always has housing of all kinds and sizes listed in all parts of Salt Lake County. The challenge is to find housing that is truly affordable. Most of the families served by the Inner City Project have incomes low enough to be eligible for public housing and Section 8 vouchers. With those, eligible persons are housed for a rental payment of 30% of their income with the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development paying the remainder up to a federally-prescribed ceiling. However, the federal program is persistently under-funded and there is a two-year or more waiting period for most eligible applicants. Marion Willey and the Andrews urge application and advise to keep those applications current. Numerous inner city residents have obtained access to public housing and to Section 8 vouchers at the urging of Inner City Project service missionaries. In addition, three organizations in the Salt Lake Valley provide access to home ownership for low but steady income families—the Community Development Corporation of Utah, Salt Lake Neighborhood Housing Service and Habitat for the Humanities. Several have been beneficiaries and others are currently engaged in the required preparation.

Home Repair

Inner city homeowners often have needed repairs they lack the knowledge, skills, physical ability or money to provide. A series of contractors widely familiar with other general and specialty contractors have served as home repair specialists, providing their own skills, referring needy members to other volunteering contractors and overseeing ward members as they attempted repairs to the homes of their fellow members. Allen Trevino served for the first two years and was then replaced on 15 June 1999 by Alan Layton who also directed the Neighborhood Improvement and Rehabilitation Program described in Chapter 4. For the latter program, he recruited nine other contractors and assigned them various parts of the city and county as area supervisors to watch for needs and opportunities to improve neighborhoods by assisting people of limited skills and means to improve their own homes and yards as well as identifying needed community improvement projects. Probably the largest project undertaken was to totally rebuild and remodel a large building at Fourth West and Fourth North near the homeless shelter and provide housing there for a medical service and a dental service enabling volunteer professionals to provide charitable services to the homeless and other poor and indigent persons and families. Since he was supervising a statewide general contracting firm and was also a stake president, he made available a full-time administrative assistant to answer calls from Church-service missionaries and refer them to one of the area supervisors or to other contractors or craft persons to arrange for needed repairs. When Layton was called in 2004 to serve as a mission president, one of his area supervisors, electrical contractor Robert Rydalch was asked to replace him as home repair specialist. Like Layton, Rydalch assigned an administrative assistant to take calls and arrange for assistance or track Rydalch by cell phone to do so. Rydalch served in that capacity until 2006 when he was replaced by homebuilder Bruce Robinson who follows the same approaches.

Throughout, the four home repair specialists have followed the practice of involving ward members insofar as possible in helping with the home repairs, sending skilled supervisors to oversee and instruct them to assure appropriate repairs while maximizing the demonstrations of brotherhood and sisterhood involved. However, when that approach is not feasible—plumbing or electrical repairs, for instance—an expert is recruited to provide the service. Robinson receives an average of two calls per month. Often they are simple matters such as a clogged toilet, which he can tell the service missionary how to instruct the person to accomplish. Sometimes the request is for something like a new refrigerator, which he tells the service missionary to discuss with the bishop. For other household repair items he refers them to the Community Development Corporation warehouse in which building materials donated by contractors is available. But about one half the calls are for necessary repairs to which he refers his own employees or other skilled people he knows who are willing to contribute their time and effort. Robinson has also spoken at firesides in Inner City Wards where he has been able to instruct members and service missionaries how best to maintain homes and do minor repairs.

Transportation

As in several other aspects of the Storehouse of Specialists, substantial experience in the Liberty 4th Ward preceded the transportation specialty within the Inner City Project. As noted in Chapter 3, a Tooele car dealer who was brother to a counselor in the bishopric had frequently made automobiles available at minimum costs to be met from fast offerings. Richard and Marjorie Wright had also persuaded several of their friends and home ward members to contribute automobiles to Deseret Industries so that those vehicles could be obtained through Bishops' Orders and distributed to 4th Ward members needing transportation to employment but lacking sufficient funds and earnings to purchase an automobile. For instance, a Native American member had a job with the school district, which required her to drive to various assigned schools. Her car expired and she could not afford another one. The bishop in ward welfare meeting asked the members and service missionaries to seek a solution. While at an appointment during the week, Marjorie Wright told the story to her medical doctor. He responded that his wife had just purchased a new car and had one to dispose of. All they asked was some arrangement for a tax credit. Marjorie visited Church Deseret Industries headquarters and made arrangements for acceptance of the automobile and its distribution to the woman by bishops' order. The Native American woman drove that automobile for years thereafter. Garth and Marion Mangum had obtained a Volkswagen van for a Samoan family in the 4th Ward in similar fashion.

Jeffrey Swinton, upon launching the Storehouse of Specialists, asked Jerry Hayes to serve as transportation specialist. Jerry's father had been an automobile dealer and Jerry and his brother Norman had been until their retirement the owners of Hayes Brothers Buick. Jerry had also been president of the Utah Automobile Dealers Association and was well known to the automobile dealers of the state. When Jeffrey Swinton asked Jerry to serve as transportation specialist for the Inner City Project, Jerry took obtaining and repairing automobiles as a source of transportation for self-reliance as his assignment. Though he recognized that every low income person and family should not necessarily own an automobile, he presumed that those who did not need transportation or were better-advised to use public transportation could obtain that instruction from other advisors. At the time, Deseret Industries was accepting the donation of operating automobiles and selling them or dispensing them to those with orders from their bishops authorizing such recipiency. Jerry worked closely with the manager and staff of the Deseret Industries Store at Welfare Square on both the donation and distribution of automobiles. He made personal contact with members of his own prosperous East Bench ward and over those ten years generated donation of 58 automobiles from members of that ward plus additional donations from other wards within that stake. He encouraged the Inner City Project Church-service missionaries to talk up the donation of automobiles in their own home wards, generating about 20% of the donations from that source. When Jerry saw an automobile in front of a house or in a parking lot with a for sale sign on it, he stopped rang the door bell and talked to the owner or left a note on the car explaining the advantages of donating the car for income tax reduction rather than selling it. In January 2002, four years into the project, Jerry's friend Jay Brasher, owner of Brasher's Auto Auction, and his wife were called as Church-service missionaries in the Inner City Project. Learning during the service missionary training session about Jerry Hayes' activities, Brasher contacted him and committed to donate one car a week for a year. Having done so for that year, Brasher continued to donate automobiles, totaling 250 before he retired from the auction business.

Of course, few of the donated automobiles were in untrammeled condition. In fact, Jerry reports that 98% of those offered required repairs. Jerry examined each one and accepted only those, which required no more than a few hundred dollars in repairs. He then arranged for auto repairmen of his acquaintance to repair the accepted automobiles at a reduced cost, sometimes no more than the cost of parts. The average repair cost of the first few years was about $275 but has risen to $500 during the most recent year. That cost was recorded. Inner City Project Church-service missionaries informed bishops and other ward leaders in ward welfare meetings when they thought one of the families they had been assigned to assist needed an automobile to successfully pursue their self-reliance plan. When the bishop approved, the service missionaries contacted Specialist Hayes and informed him of the need. He put the prospective recipients name on the waiting list, which rarely required more than six weeks to fulfill. When a donated automobile became available for that recipient, Hayes contacted the service missionaries. Either the bishop or the recipient then paid whatever the repair costs had been, if any, plus the inspection, emissions, insurance and registration costs and the donated automobile was given to the recipient. If a car owned and needed by an inner city family was in need of repair, the service missionaries contacted Hayes who arranged with the same auto repair facilities to repair the car at minimum cost paid by the owner or the bishop.

In addition to accepting automobile donations for the Salt Lake Inner City Project, Deseret Industries was accepting automobile donations throughout the several western states where such stores existed. The donated automobiles were either given away in response to requests of local bishops or were sold. As 2005 was drawing to a close, several of the states in which Deseret Industries stores existed insisted that the stores would have to have automobile dealership licenses if they were going to continue selling automobiles. Rather than restrict itself to receiving and giving away automobiles, Deseret Industries chose to cease accepting automobile donations at the end of 2005. Rather than cease accepting and distributing donated automobiles, Jerry Hayes consulted Garth Mangum.

Mangum sought and obtained permission from the Internal Revenue Service to establish a subsidiary to the Liahona Self-Reliance Foundation to be called Wheels to Work. The automobile donations and distributions were to be conceived as key transportation elements of the employability development for which the Liahona Foundation was established. Since none of the donated automobiles were to be sold, there was no need for a dealer's license. To receive a donated automobile, the recipient would have to need it for transportation related to employment, would have to be able to afford its upkeep and insured status, and would have to have a good driving record and no instances of having driven under the influence of alcohol (DUI). The recipients are also required to sign an agreement that they will not borrow money on the automobile or sell it for two years after receiving it. They are also encouraged to donate the automobile back to the project if they become financially stabilized but none have done so as yet.

A total of 865 donated automobiles were received and distributed during the Deseret Industries era. A 1986 Winnebago 26 foot motor home donated in August 2006 was the 1000th automobile received and distributed for a family to live in. It was the second motor home donated over the years. There have also been two boats and a travel trailer. At Christmas time in 2006, two cars, one truck and a 15-passenger van were distributed to needy families. By the close of the tenth year of the project in September 2007, 1,080 automobiles had been received and distributed. The number reached 1,100 during December 2007.

Jerry Hayes reports receiving 12-15 calls per month from inner city Church-service missionaries over the years, about one half seeking repairs and one half seeking automobiles. With those seeking automobiles, Jerry discussed the reality of the need and the possibility of the service missionaries seeking such donations from their home wards. About 80% of the requests remained and were fulfilled. A few requests came from service missionaries representing people who were having difficulty paying for vehicles they had purchased. Jerry helped in negotiations with the lien holder and sometimes solicited help from legal advisers. He estimates that about one-half of the threatened repossessions were avoided thereby.

Of course, every automobile distribution has its own story. Four examples will do here. The first automobile donation received was a 1994 Buick LeSabre contributed by a couple leaving for an overseas mission. It was given to the secretary of a Deseret Industries manager who was born with a severe disability as a result of the use of Thalidomide by her mother. She had the body of a midget, only one hand and it with only three fingers and short stubby legs. Hayes arranged for the Buick to be equipped with hand controls enabling her to drive and commute to work. Such special equipment needs have been met about 20 times over the years. A 1986 Plymouth van met the needs of a 320 lb. man, even though synthetic oil at $5 a quart was needed for it to pass the required emissions test. Two Polynesian women were walking several miles each night to spend from midnight to 3 am cleaning a movie theater. A donated car saved them from that exhausting and dangerous walk. A man who made his living repairing and remodeling homes lost his source of income when his pickup truck became inoperable. Replacement of that vehicle by a donated pickup truck made it possible for him to continue supporting his family. Obtaining the automobile is usually only part of the story. A van was obtained for an Italian single mother of six but she did not know how to drive. Jerry arranged for the service missionaries who referred her to teach her to drive and arrange for the examination to enable her to obtain the driver's license and therefore successfully use the vehicle. A 70-year-old Christian Sudanese refugee brought one of five wives and six of 21 children to Salt Lake City after many of his family had been killed by the Muslims of that nation. He paid $3300 cash for a salvage vehicle at a "chop-body shop" for which the "blue book" price would have been $1575. A window had to be rolled down in order to open the driver's door. When service missionaries brought the matter to Jerry's attention, he contacted the Motor Vehicle Enforcement Division, which investigated and threatened to revoke the dealer's business license. The $3300 was refunded and Hayes took the refugee to one of his automobile dealer friends who responded that he had just sent a 1994 Dodge Grand Caravan to the automobile auction. They hurried to the auction and bought the automobile for $2000. The new owner, a few days later, backed the car into a pole, requiring, believe it or not, $1300 in repairs. Unfortunately, says Jerry that was not the last of his episodes with this recipient. Fortunately, this was the exception to generally positive results. Jerry's commitment to the cause was demonstrated in the announcement of the death of his wife, Joyce, in July 2007. Jerry suggested in the obituary that friends forego flowers for the funeral and instead find automobiles to donate to the ICP cause.

Obtaining automobiles is not the whole story. As noted above, many low in come members have automobiles, which need repairs that they cannot fully afford. Jerry has long-term relationships with many in the automobile repair business, several who were employees of Hayes Brothers Buick. He arranges with them to repair automobiles at reduced prices, which are paid by a combination of the owners and their bishops to make it possible for them to continue the use of the automobiles for essential family purposes. Jerry estimated that he has had an average of 200 automobiles per year repaired throughout his ten years of service. A few of the donated automobiles turn out to be beyond repair at reasonable cost. They are sold for salvage with the small payments used for repairs of others. All in all, Jerry Hayes is as busy in the automobile business as he was in the heyday of Hayes Brothers Buick and he finds it just as rewarding, though in non-financial returns.

Family and Personal Counseling

For this specialty, the Inner City Project has relied upon the Salt Lake office of LDS Family Services.

LDSFS provides counseling and other services related to:

• Family, marital and individual counseling
• Counseling related to sexual disorders, including same sex attraction
• Counseling of adults molested as children
• Priesthood leader consultation
• Adoption services
• Services to unwed parents
• Foster care for dependent or neglected children and youth LDSFS does not provide but will assist in contacting reputable sources for:
• Substance abuse alleviation
• Domestic violence alleviation
• Placement outside the home of excessively acting out teenagers

Such services are made available at the request of ward bishops under the direction of LDSFS Salt Lake office manager David Albrecht. No means are available for differentiating services rendered to wards in the Inner City Project from other wards of the Salt Lake area.

Financial Counseling

Financial Counseling had proven to be a substantial need in the Liberty 4th Ward. Richard Wright, among the leadership missionaries serving there, had provided financial counseling with favorable results and Mangum sought help from other specialists, including those from his home ward. Therefore, in response to the direction to establish a Storehouse of Specialists, he recruited Ralph Larsen, a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) to provide that service and recruit others to assist him. In 2002, Ralph Larsen's next door neighbor, a retired CPA, D. Spencer Nilson, returned from a full-time mission with his wife at the Mormon Trail Center at Historic Winter Quarters in Omaha, Nebraska. Subsequent to their service at Winter Quarters, Spencer and his wife, Janet, were called to serve part-time missions in the Inner City Project, serving in the Center Third Ward in the Riverside Stake. Simultaneous with that calling, he agreed to serve with Ralph Larsen as an assistant Financial Specialist in the Inner City Project. In addition to counseling individuals and families, these brethren conducted two or three workshops per year in Inner City Wards at the request of Bishops, Relief Society Presidents, Priesthood leaders and Inner City service missionaries as they had need for financial counseling beyond the expertise of members of their individual wards.

In 2005 Ralph Larsen received another calling relating to financial supervision and teaching of ward clerks in many Stakes throughout the Salt Lake Valley and into Wyoming and Montana. Nilson replaced him as the Financial Specialist in the Inner City Project. Nilson reports receiving an average of one call per month to counsel individual families, in addition to the Ward requests for group counseling. He has about 25 folders containing the financial data of families that have been helped over the years. He assumes that there are hundreds of families in the inner city boundaries with financial problems, primarily resulting from excessive debt related to emotional buying and the uncontrolled use of credit cards. Some families have accumulated credit card debt in excess of $75,000 in addition to home mortgages, automobile purchase contracts, unpaid medical expenses and other financial obligations. In some cases the use of credit cards is comparable to other types of 'addiction.'

Nilson exclaims, "Oftentimes the individuals needing help do not just need financial counseling. As a result of emotional and mental health problems they need psychological and psychiatric counseling also. Too often they are not willing to submit to this type of assistance. In these instances, the help provided by the Inner City Financial Specialist is only a 'band-aid' in relation to the full extent of the assistance required. We solve a current problem, but within a few months they are 'back in the soup' again for lack of discipline in their spending habits. Even if we teach them budgeting skills, they do not have the discipline to apply the principles designed to render success."

Nilson cites several cases to illustrate these problems. A single mother, with a 19 year-old son (suffering from depression) living at home, owed $10,000 on a car that was only worth about $3,500. She also owed $15,000 on credit card accounts. She was working 32 hours a week and with the high interest burden and the heavy credit card and other debt requirements her monthly expenditures exceeded her income. This particular case was an easy one to resolve. She only owed $19,000 on a first mortgage on her home, which was worth $95,000. Refinancing her home to pay off the credit cards and the other debt and cutting up the credit cards provided a 'quick fix' for this financially stressed mother. She was committed to never again accumulate credit card debt and was resolved to stay 'debt free' except as pertaining to her home mortgage. She verbally extended her thanks and appreciation for that which had been done to help her resolve her financial dilemma. This appreciative mom then sent a 'thank you card' and again expressed her promises to avoid debt like the plague. Later she sent a nice letter, still again expressing her thanks for the assistance, which she had received. She just 'bubbled over' with gratitude. This is one of the few cases in which a recipient of financial aid expressed written thanks and gratitude. That made everything worthwhile for the time involved in working with this good sister.

Another single mom had fifteen years seniority on her job, was earning $4,000 per month and had just purchased a new condominium Except for the mortgage on the condo she was debt free. Then, she made the fatal mistake of allowing her daughter access to her credit card account. She soon found herself the 'beneficiary' of a delinquent $20,000 account balance that the daughter could not pay. She thought bankruptcy was the only way out. However, refinancing the condominium and paying off the credit card accounts resolved the problem. Cutting up the credit cards and committing herself never to allow anyone, especially her daughter, to have access to charge on her credit accounts, along with adherence to a strict budget allowed her to dispel the thoughts of bankruptcy.

While there have been many satisfying cases, there also have been many disappointing ones. A husband was at home awaiting a liver transplant. He had had a good job, with excellent benefits, which provided him with a $1,500 per month income while waiting for the needed surgery. The wife had quit a good paying job with a bank in order to commence a business of her own which could be operated from her home in order to be able to spend more quality time with their young daughter. They were living in a too-expensive rental home and had a leased car with payments beyond their capacity to pay. They were $62,000 in debt and considering bankruptcy. According to Nilson, "Our biggest obstacle was to get them to look realistically at their financial situation. I offended them greatly in the first 15 minutes of our interview. It took some real doing to get back into their good graces." Credit card companies were persuaded to accept reduced interest rates as well as smaller payments, thereby extending the terms of the original agreements. With the help of the bishop, some debts were waived. A budget was developed which contemplated the family's moving to less expensive housing, returning the leased automobile and increasing the wife's earnings by $1,000 per month, such that all would be well financially. The bishop, the service missionaries, and the financial counseling specialist were all pleased with the results of months of counseling. That was until a few months later when Spencer Nilson met the bishop again, The couple had not moved nor changed automobiles and had refused to come in for additional counseling with the bishop. Rumors were that they were still struggling financially and dialing their phone number brought the response, "Not in Service!" "I guess we can presume the worst."

In summary, according to Nilson, the majority of individuals and families that have contacted the Financial Specialist of the Inner City Project have been entangled in massive credit card debt. These problems have been created and expanded by uncontrolled spending, lack of budgeting, unrealistic evaluation of their capacity to pay off the credit card debt as it matures monthly (lying to themselves,) lack of discipline, etc. They have received multiple credit card applications in the mail, have executed the same and continued to build upon their mountain of unpaid debt. When full payment has not been available, 'minimum payments' have been made, and when balances forward are added to each months new debt the size of the 'mountain' becomes even higher and more unbearable and the evolution and consequences of financial mismanagement continues.

On the other hand, he is particularly pleased that, by working with Salt Lake Neighborhood Housing described in the Housing section of this chapter, a family he began working with in the ward in which he and his wife served is nearing home ownership.

Addiction Recovery Services

Those who had served in the Liberty 4th Ward and had then been immersed into the Inner City Project were especially mindful of the problems of drug and alcohol addiction because of their experiences displayed in Chapter 3.

Exploration after being assigned by Swinton to construct the Storehouse of Specialists brought Mangum initially to Gary Q. Jorgensen, Director of the Alcohol and Drug Abuse Clinic in the Division of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at the University of Utah. Dr. Jorgensen wrote an introductory letter for the Inner City Project Church-service missionaries containing key pieces of advice upon which service to the addicted should be based:

1. An addicted person is responsible for his or her behavior and this includes both first abuse and final recovery. Many addicts are not able (and many times are not able) to stop using substances, even though they want to quit. But they are responsible for their first use, the problems they cause while under the influence, and their recovery, if it occurs. If you allow them to escape these responsibilities, you cheat them of the opportunity to recover.
2. Almost all addicted people will deny that they are addicted. We must remember that they deny because they do not want to give up the one thing that works in their lives, the addictive substance. Alcohol or other drugs provide relief from pain and suffering, even if it is only momentary. In practical terms, this means we expect the addictive person to be evasive and to lie to protect his one source of escape and relief: his drug of choice.

He cited a variety anti-addiction and detoxification evaluation and treatment sources throughout Salt Lake County and invited the service missionaries confronting such situations to call him, describe their observations, and receive counsel as to where to take their people for service.

At the end of 2000, Dr. Jorgensen was called on an LDS mission to Vladivostok in Russia. Mangum then turned to two individuals who had often been recommended by Jorgensen, Glen R. Lambert of the Oddysey House and John Grimmett, formerly of the Veterans. Administration but now retired. The Odyssey House is probably the foremost drug rehabilitation facility in the Salt Lake Valley with an adult and an adolescent residential facility, outpatient services, a women's and children's program, a child development center and vocational training services. Glen Lambert, its long-time executive director and holder of LCSW and MSWAC degrees, agreed to answer queries and advise inner city church missionaries concerning sources of examination and treatment of substance abuse victims. Looking back over nine years of service to the Inner City Project, Lambert recalls an average of about 12 calls annually consisting of sometimes as many as three calls in a week and then months without a call. He recalls being consulted about all types of substance abuse addictions including alcoholism, heroin, meth, cocaine, marijuana, prescription drug abuse and poly drug addiction. He sees it as his "primary duty to educate the people who call me, give them step-by-step instruction on what to do, give them specific referrals and phone numbers, line up assessments and organize interventions." He believes he has "been able to guide many to resources where they could get the people they are working with assessments and free or affordable treatment. I have also educated many on realistic interventions and how to do them, along with educating people about the disease of addiction. I have also been able to give support and help families of addicts. But he adds to the lament of most of the specialists:

"I have found all callers to be responsive and all have followed up. But I do not get information on how many people actually enter treatment or how people do in treatment."

John Grimmett had recently retired as an alcoholism expert for the Veteran's Administration. He responded to the requests of service missionaries as the appropriate treatment of alcoholics and with references and recommendations for various facilities. He was knowledgeable about and recommended referral of alcoholics to the LDS 12 Step Program modeled upon Alcoholics Anonymous. He retired from the Inner City Project Storehouse of Specialists in 2007at 83 after eight years of service. Reflecting on the experience, he wrote:

 "The Inner City Project is inspired. The help that all of your missionaries have given to those needing physical, mental and spiritual guidance is critical and impacts on the lives of so many needing help. They will be blessed for untiring efforts in this great work."

The 12 Step Program, headed at first in the Inner City Project area by David Godberg and then by Chad Thorderson brought to the attention of the Inner City Project other addiction problems such as pornography and resulted in the change of title and emphasis from Substance Abuse Services to Addiction Recovery Services. Since 12-step presentations are made regularly on a multi-stake basis, there is no way to know how oft en Inner City service missionaries bring their assignees to attend.

Single Parent Services

Karen Mecham has served as single parent specialist since early in the project. A single parent herself, she had experienced a divorce after having five children. With two years of college before her marriage, she had returned to school after the divorce, had spent four years along with her family responsibilities to complete her bachelor's degree, had obtained a staff job at the state legislature and, while working there, had then obtained a master's degree in public administration through a weekend executive program. She had subsequently remarried but felt committed to assisting single mothers so that their experiences might be less rigorous than her own. Obtaining financial support from the owner of the Greenbacks All a Dollar stores, she had formed the Bringing Hope Foundation, focusing on the needs of single mothers with below poverty incomes. In preparation for the launching of the Bringing Hope Foundation program, she had undertaken an experimental effort at the Welfare Square LDS Employment Resource Center at the invitation of the ERC manager, Ronald Anderson, who was at the time also serving as the employment specialist of the Inner City Project. Karen had begun with a 10-week self-reliance program, which she had designed to be followed by a mentoring emphasis. The 10-week instruction program had been highly effective, but the women of the husband/wife teams serving as employment counselors found the mentoring task difficult because of their unfamiliarity with the problems of a single mother. On the other hand, ERC assistant manager Valarie Fredley, who had been a single mother and had recently remarried, related to well to the mentoring task and assisted ably in its development. Completing the pilot effort at Welfare Square, Karen Mecham was able to go to her prospective funder and assure him that the Bringing Hope Foundation effort was viable, upon which he provided the essential funds and her foundation and its newly developed program was launched.

When Loy Despain arrived at the Welfare Square ERC to launch the Family Support Service previously discussed, he learned of Karen Mecham and the Bringing Hope Foundation, and invited her to address and instruct the Family Support Service Church-service missionary couples. Despain and Garth Mangum, who was also serving with the Family Support Service to give it access to the Storehouse of Specialists, then informed the Inner City Project leadership of Karen Mecham and the Bringing Hope Foundation. The women among that leadership, and particularly Pat Lake, wife of service missionary director Bruce Lake, were especially conscious that more than half of the families being served by the Inner City Project were headed by single mothers, responded, "A single parent specialist we must have." Karen Mecham 's stake president was contacted and she was called to serve beginning in September 1998 when the Inner City Project was just one year old.

The Bringing Hope Foundation was by then serving approximately 50 single mothers. It had met with and instructed them weekly for ten weeks, then mentored them for a year, holding monthly meetings and mini-conferences, as well as meeting with them individually, to encourage and instruct them. Thereafter, contact was continued as long as the single mothers chose to maintain it, sometimes for several years, by which times many of them had gone back to school, occasionally for graduate degrees, obtained career jobs, purchased homes, and guided their children through school. Beginning early in the Bringing Hope Foundation history, Inner City Project Church-service missionaries were invited to bring single mothers to whom they were assigned to attend those instruction meetings and conferences. There the single mothers could see that many others were struggling as they were but that help was available, progress to self-reliance was possible, and how to accomplish it. Few of them became continuing Bringing Hope Foundation participants.

In 2005, the Greenbacks All A Dollar stores were sold, ending financial support for the Bringing Hope Foundation. Karen Mecham then launched an automobile detailing service, employing single mothers, among others, in the cleaning and refurbishing of automobiles and trucks. Despite serving as Stake Relief Society President as well, she continues to serve as the Single Parent Specialist of the Inner City Project.

Reflecting on her now nine years of experience with the Inner City Project, Karen Mecham reports that she has averaged two or three contacts a week from Church-service missionaries, though she has occasionally gone for as long as a month without a contact. The most common problems have been what she calls safety net issues: jobs, housing, healthcare, abuse, transportation, education and daycare. But she has had more major problems such as how to overcome depression and how to get the single mother to take charge of her own life. She is often asked how to approach the single mother, how to gain her confidence, and how to focus attention on a given problem. She has often even instructed the missionaries how to structure sentences to "make the most impact while being kind." She reports "I have been able to help almost all of the missionaries who contact me because I can point them to the resources which they need through the Salt Lake Community Service Council's Information and Referral Service and other sources. I try to be positive and flexible at all times because that helps the missionaries stay positive. I also empathize with their situation so they know that they are not alone and that very few situations are unsolvable. I also remind them that they are not in charge of the single mom's life and should not feel guilty when she does not step up and handle things which she could handle."

She continues, "The missionaries are always so appreciative when they call. I am so impressed with them. They make my day and lift my spirits. I know this program is inspired and I am very pleased and humbled to be part of it. I love working with single moms. I believe it is my life's mission to teach and mentor them. The Lord has blessed me beyond measure and I am grateful to be able to give back just a little in appreciation for all He has done and continues to do for me and my family." But she does have one source of dissatisfaction. 'Unfortunately, I rarely hear about the positive results. I hear if the problems continue, but the missionaries don't generally call me back to tell me how things turned out when they are successful." At the Bringing Hope Foundation, she had a tracking system to follow up and learn outcomes and she regrets that not being available within the Inner City Project. But then she reflects, "My part is so small that I should not expect them to call. I only put them on the path. They and the single moms make things happen together with the help of the Holy Spirit."

Youth Services

Activating the youth, especially the boys, and encouraging them to success in education and appropriate conduct in the community was early perceived as a critical challenge to the Inner City Project. Robert and Julie Bagley were first called as Youth Services Specialists, served three years in that capacity and, upon Robert's call as bishop in his home ward, were then replaced by Harold and Janet Reiser. The following is the Reiser's description of their activities in that role:

"We were pleased at the beginning to obtain Jazz tickets and tickets to other functions that were donated for "at-risk" youth but we did not feel that met their needs. We prayed about it and education came to us as the function where we could best help. We try cramming as much as possible into our 15 minutes of new missionary training each month. We do firesides when we are asked and feel that they have been very successful. We get the most invitations from the Hispanic branches, but we have had success with the Tongan wards and a few regular wards. Although we think that education matters are very important, the most important responsibility we see as ours is to the best of our ability to strengthen the youth of the inner city spiritually. We were prayerful and decided the best way we could help was to make sure that the new missionaries had a complete set of all of the handbooks that the Church provides for youth programs, and then admonish them to make themselves familiar with what was in those handbooks. Hopefully, then when the service missionaries are assigned to families that include youth they can be an extra support to help the youth achieve the goals of those inspired programs, thus strengthening the youth spiritually. Results of what we have tried to do are difficult to measure. We really have no idea whether or not the service missionaries ever use the handbooks after they leave the initial training.

As far as education issues go, we always feel the spirit so strongly after we complete a fireside. We stay and answer questions after and offer help in any way we can provide it. We always pray for them after we send them on their way and hope they will put in action some of what they have heard. We have a few who we have helped specifically with financial aid applications. Hal as a lawyer has helped with some legal matters. We will share one experience we continue to have which has truly changed our lives. We were contacted by service missionaries who were working with a Tongan family with nine children. They asked us to meet and advise the family which since has become some of our dearest friends. Not only did we get to know these great kids and help them with school and a pioneer trek and enroll them in sports, as we became more involved with them we were able to sample everything the Inner City Project has to offer. The dad was in legal trouble which Hal as a lawyer could help with. He was underemployed and their housing was inadequate. We were able to learn about immigration issues as we worked to obtain the mother's citizenship. They have since been blessed with another baby which they named Hal and then helped the mother obtain some very much needed permanent sterilization. We will continue our friendship with this family forever. We feel that because we were called at this time to work in the inner city, we have been able to assist the Lord in helping this family, and particularly the children, become more successful. And other families and youth as well. We love this work. It has changed our lives and hopefully who we are. We love our stewardship to the youth. We recently heard a saying: 'It is easier to build a child than to repair an adult.' We say amen to that."

Refugee Services

Refugee services is the most recent example of additions to the offerings of the Storehouse of Specialists. By definition, refugees are people who have escaped their home countries to avoid persecution and death, have spent years in refugee camps, then at the request of the United Nations have been brought to the United States by the Department of State and scattered among cooperating states which arrange for their resettlement. In recent years, approximately 700 a year have been brought to Utah and settled in the Salt Lake Valley. The refugee families or individuals are met at the airport by representatives of either of two resettlement agencies, the International Rescue Committee or Catholic Community Services, which arrange for their initial housing, medical examinations and temporary means of support—either employment or public assistance. These two resettlement agencies serve them only for their first six months. Thereafter, those who are not yet able to meet their own needs—which is most of them—are assisted by the Utah Refugee Employment and Community Center (URECC), a component of the Asian Association which can provide services for an additional 4 ½ years.

In the 1970s and 1980s, most of the refugees were from Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia and in the 1990s from the fringes of the former Soviet Union. During 2000-2006, the refugees assigned to Utah were mostly from Africa, especially Sudan, Somalia, Liberia, and Sierra Leone. In 2007, they were mostly from Myanmar, formerly Burma, after years in refugee camps in Thailand. The majority of the refugees are women and children and a high proportion are in female-headed families, the males often having been killed in strife in their lands of origin. Most are non-English-speaking and few have had any exposure to the types of employment available in a developed economy. Since they are not LDS when they arrive, even though Deseret Industries enrolls and trains many, they were not inherent targets for the efforts of the Inner City Project. However, they were all housed within the boundaries of LDS wards, most of them in large housing complexes, and most of them in wards to which Inner City Project Church-service missionaries had been assigned. Visiting ward members in these same housing facilities, these Church-service missionaries increasingly became aware of the plights and needs of some of these families, which they brought to the attention of the ward bishops. Some of the refugees were baptized and as members were the obvious recipients of services. Bishops also responded favorably to the requests for help brought to their attention by service missionaries. For instance, most of the refugees received food stamps, which met their food needs but did not enable them to buy diapers or soap. Bishops responded with Bishops Storehouse orders to meet those needs, but these were often followed with requests for help with rent or other needs, which were typically met for members but not for nonmembers.

The issue was brought to the attention of the Inner City Project leadership toward the end of 2005 and a Refugee Services Committee was formed. It was chai red by Nigerian BYU professor, Macleans A. Geo-JaJa, who had himself been a refugee in his youth, along with church member employees of the resettlement agencies, Deseret Industries staff and the Church-service missionaries experienced with refugees and who had brought the issue to the attention of the project leadership as committee members. Members of that committee also met with and cooperated with staff of the public agencies and resettlement agencies serving the refugees to assure communication and cooperation and became members of a Refugee Working Group assembled by the governor and county mayor to improve public policies related to the issues involved. The refugee issues were also brought to the attention of Area Authority Seventy Kent Murdock, now overseeing the Inner City Project, whose wife, as it turned out, had been involved with meeting the needs of refugee children and youth at neighborhood schools. He brought the issues to the attention of the Utah Area Presidency who was also aware from the Deseret Industries involvement.

At the close of 2007, Inner City Project Church-service missionaries were being assigned by bishops to work with member refugees within their wards. Robert and Amy Wylie who had served as service missionaries in the Haven Ward of the South Salt Lake Stake where large numbers of refugees are housed had served as members of the Inner City Project refugee committee and the Refugee Working Group were transferred from their role as housing specialists in November 2007 and assigned directorship of the Inner City Project Refugee Services Committee.

Mentoring these families to familiarize them with the normal practices of life in the United States and Utah—how to learn to speak English, how to get and keep a job and rise to the level of family-sustaining earnings, how to keep an apartment clean and in repair when you have never seen a flush toilet or a refrigerator, how to get the children in school and successful there—is the primary responsibility of the refugee services committee and of the service missionaries assigned by Inner City bishops to work with these families. Housing has become a particular challenge as rents have been rising, apartments are in demand, and the reputation of refugees as tenants is suffering from their lack of housekeeping experience. Extending the services of the Inner City Project to non-member refugees is under consideration but not yet resolved.

The following is a recounting of one service missionary couple's experiences with refugee families:

Why I Cast My Vote In Favor of Agency—Again! By Darla Isackson

The whole experience with the African refugee family Doug and I are assigned to help as service missionaries for the Salt Lake Inner City Project was such a vivid microcosm of my life. This single mom and her three children were in crisis—big time! I'm a rescuer, a fix-it person (okay, a recovering codependent who still gets easily caught in the mire). When I was finally informed of the complexities of their current situation, I was overwhelmed. They had one week and two days to find a new place to live, wade through a labyrinth of red tape with the Housing Authority in regard to Section 8 eligibility and assistance, move out of and clean their old cockroach infested, crowded apartment, AND arrange for and carry out 35 hours of court-ordered community service for the fifteen-year-old--assigned because of a trespassing charge. (The mother was convinced either she or her daughter would go to jail if the hours were not completed on time. They'd had six weeks to get these service hours done, and we thought they had been consistently making progress, but found out nothing had been done at all.)

The First Problem is Easily Solved

I made many phone calls and arranged for the hours of service opportunities the girl needed to fill the court's requirements, driving her across the valley to help my neighbors and I when every other possibility had been exhausted. I got the bishop to approve and sign off the hours, and took the girl to the court clerk to get the necessary papers turned in--in the nick of time. Both mother and daughter were relieved and grateful.

The Housing Problem Is Much More Difficult

We had actually been working on the housing problem for some time. A month earlier we'd fielded a major problem: Amy Wylie, our refugee and housing specialist for the mission, went directly to the Housing Authority when I reported the problem to her, and insisted they track down the reason this family had lost their place on the waiting list for Section 8 assistance after a three-year wait. (The mother's plea to them had gotten no results whatever.) It turned out to be their (the Housing Authority's) mistake; a new hearing was set. I gathered letters of recommendation and attended the hearing with the mother, and she was approved for assistance.

And we'd thought they had a place to move. After an agonizing wait, their application had been turned down for two different apartments we'd helped them find. The managers said the problem was a low credit score: they had never had a loan or a credit card. (They have been in the country less than three years and their income is so low they would probably have been turned down had they applied for either one.) It seemed so unfair, but since all corporate-owned apartment complexes have the same rule there was little point of applying for other housing unless privately owned.

But the problem was staring us in the face: the family had to be out of their apartment in a matter of days and had nowhere to go. The wait to get into the homeless shelter was 22 days.

I searched the Internet and newspapers and made dozens of phone calls trying to find a place for this family to move. (The mother had no computer skills, no Internet access, and very little time outside her job and all the appointments and errands we were arranging for her.) The list of places that had potential was very short. Amy and I intervened with the Housing Authority to assure the mother a place in the next orientation class for Section 8. I helped her locate and gather all necessary documents and kept in touch with the appropriate people in the Housing Authority office to make sure everything was in order. But the orientation and Section 8 assistance would do her no good if she didn't have a house to apply the assistance to. As the deadline loomed with still no housing solution, a member of the ward offered a storage shed and the bishop offered to pay for a week's stay in a motel. Members of the ward helped my husband fight the cockroach war, move all the stuff into the storage unit and bug bomb it twice!. Comfort and her three children moved into a motel.

Housing Found!

Then, wonder of wonder I found a landlord willing to work with a refugee family. I was certain the Lord had made a miracle. Not only was the landlord offering a rental home that was really nice and met all specifications, but knowing of the family's background of living so many years in a refugee camp which gives them no life skills for keeping up property, he offered them a $50 a month rebate for every month they kept the place clean and did no damage. This had to be a miracle! I took them to see the place and meet the landlord. They loved the house, and all of them seemed so excited! They oohed and aahed and the girls ran breathlessly from one room to another. It had a fenced yard so the two-year-old could play outside and be safe! (In their previous apartment there was NO place to play). It was close to schools, church, library, park, and bus stop. And it wasn't so close to relatives who (from our point of view) had over-run them, constantly leaving extra children for the fifteen-year-old to tend, which kept her from getting her homework done. It seemed perfect.

One hour before the landlord left on a trip and two days before her motel rent ran out, we were able to get the papers for the landlord to sign, not only for Housing Authority, but also for Community Action. It takes weeks for Housing Authority to process papers, make an inspection, and come up with rent subsidies, so our refugee specialist, Amy Wylie, knew about the Community Action program which can provide emergency money for deposit and help on the first month's rent. She put a rush on the application process and got it approved in record time. We breathed a huge sigh of relief and, again with the help of wonderful ward members, moved the mother and her three children into the house. My home ward donated bed frames to get the girls up off the floor, and a new daybed for the oldest daughter who finally had a room of her own. They donated new sheets and bedding, lamps, wastebaskets, laundry baskets, and plastic containers for all the food (for cockroach prevention!). By the time we left that Saturday, most of the rooms were in order. The girls, delighted with the house, had put out knick-knacks, silk flower arrangements. They put a lace tablecloth on the kitchen table. (If you had seen their old apartment you would know why I was surprised that they even had such things!)

I left that day with the greatest feeling of satisfaction. From my perspective their situation had improved 10,000% .

Imagine the blessing of having peace and quiet and clean, private space for the first time in their lives! To make things even better, I had found out about a wonderful school called Newcomer's Academy for the fifteen-year-old (who had been mainstreamed into the 7th grade with almost no previous education and hated school). It was a small school, specifically aimed at giving special tutoring to those who had moved here from other countries. Finally she would get the help she needed. (But she had to live in the school district where they had just moved in order to quality.)

Who Would Have Guessed?

Three days later the mother was contacting everyone she could think of saying they wanted to move--downtown! She said the girls felt isolated, lonely, uncomfortable, bored and that the new place was too far away from everything. Instead of moving ahead to complete the paper work, request the inspection, and complete the process to get her Section 8 Housing Authority assistance, the mother was complaining about the location, and saying they didn't want to live there. She should have registered her two school-aged children in school this week and didn't. "I can't believe it!" was my first incredulous thought. I was exhausted from all our efforts in their behalf and now I was angry. But the more I pondered their situation, the more compassion I began to feel. They had never lived in a single unit dwelling. They had never had a yard. They had never had rooms of their own. From the time they were born they had lived with wall-to-wall people all around them. Imagine the unfamiliarity of being so alone!

What if the tables were turned and I had to move into a place with dozens of other people, where I only had room to lay a mat on the floor at night (like they had in the refugee camp?) What if I had to move into a tiny, cramped apartment and had visitors night and day after I had been used to the peace and quiet and privacy of my own home and yard. Perhaps their discomfort with the total change of environment was as great as my own would be. I told them they would get used to this new, wonderful situation. But I wonder if I would ever get used to it if I had to make such a drastic change.

I was assigned to go over and talk with them, outline the benefits of this location for them, how much more conducive this situation will be for the girls to have time and space for homework, and how important education is. I was also supposed to clearly point out the danger they are in of losing what has been gained in regard to housing assistance if they don't follow through with this process. They seemed convinced that day, but their efforts are still going in the direction of looking for another place and Housing Authority has found out the title of the house they are renting is not in the landlord's name, and that situation must be resolved.

Wondering

I've asked myself many questions this last week: Didn't the Lord have a hand in this? Didn't He rescue this refugee family from the rapids and provide a solution? So many times during this crisis I lifted this family up to Him, knowing He was the only One who knew what was best for them. I surrendered it all to Him because I had no idea what to do. Wasn't it the Lord that opened this door for them? If so, maybe they will still recognize it and decide to accept His blessing . Of course, I have to review my own involvement in the process: Did I do too much or too little? If I hadn't found that house for them, would they have somehow found an apartment more to their liking? Were there other options I could have found if I'd looked harder that would suit their needs better? Was I obsessed instead of inspired? Do I need this to work out so I can be the hero instead of for the right reasons? Did my over-concern for their well-being (I really care about these people!) keep me from listening as well as I should have? Had there been a language barrier? (They speak English, but with such a strong accent that I have a terrible time understanding them over the phone.)

If they find another place to live and decide to move, that is their choice. It is my job to honor that choice. (After I finished this article I went to visit the mother. I'm adding a P.S. here to explain that she told me much more this time about her need to move. There is always more to a situation than meets the eye, which is why we are told not to judge. She expressed concern that we would think her ungrateful because she wanted to move. However, in addition to their discomfort with the feeling of isolation, she likes her daycare provider and is afraid she can't find another one close to the new place. A potential part-time job she really wants would be too far away. I felt a whole new wave of love for this family wash over me. The plot thickens.) I must always remember that agency rules.

Tailor-Made Trials

I have a lot of soul-searching to do over the opportunities I'm being given on this mission. I suspect it is one of the "tailor-made trials" so perfect to get me to look at the areas of my life that still hold me back. And maybe this new situation is a tailor-made trial for this family to learn some important lessons. I can see so many reasons to let go and trust God that in the long run all will be as it should be. The Lord knows what is best for all of us, but I don't! Who am I to say what is best for anyone else? I certainly wouldn't want the responsibility of choosing for anyone else.

Agency and Our Choice to Accept What the Lord Offers Us

I'm gaining, little by little, a deeper perspective of the importance of agency and of the Lord's amazing capacity to allow us to choose for ourselves no matter what. It's beyond my comprehension why His great heart does not break every day for the shortsighted and wrong choices of His children. I know intellectually that the answer is His knowledge of the whole eternal nature of our lives—His understanding of our line upon line learning and eventual redemption. Yet it still seems to me that our current blindness must cause Him grief.

There are many analogies I can see from my perspective of the refugee's situation (which may be far different from His.). How many times He holds His arms out in love, offering to rescue us from spiritual dangers, dead ends, situations that cramp our souls . . . yet we turn and walk the other way. How many conditions in my life are confining, limiting, and yet so familiar that I don't want to give them up for the unknown? How many times have I not recognized the greatness of the opportunity when the Lord was offering me so much more? How many times am I content to live in a spiritual hovel when He is offering me a mansion? How many times have I been content to stay in a cocoon when He was giving me the chance to fly?

Fear Versus Faith; Coercion Versus Agency

At this point I can buy into fear for my African refugee family, and dilute any good influence I still might have. Or I can choose faith, trust that somehow they will learn the lessons here for them, and trust that the Lord will look out for them. Trust that agency really is the best plan. The only reasonable choice I can make is to let go of all I can 't control.

Whenever those we care about—whether family, friends, or those we are assigned stewardship over for any reason--are in a difficult situation we can only do what we can do. I COULD arrange the service hours for the fifteen-year old, and undoubtedly that was a good thing to do. I could help them find options for housing. But, at this point, even if I COULD control the choices of this family in regard to their new situation, (which I certainly can't!) it would be totally unrighteous and against God's plan to do so.

If we just knew the millionth part of what He does for us, of how He orchestrates our learning and does all for our best good, we would not be inclined to counsel, to doubt, to question—but would totally trust in all His ways. His ways are so different from ours, but so sublime in purpose, so far-reaching—always for eternal purposes, rarely for immediate comfort. He loves us with a pure and unchangeable love and wants only what will bring us long-term joy and growth. We can always depend on that.

Every day this Lord who loves us so much watches without interfering while his children turn down His greatest gifts, walk away from opportunities tailor-made for their growth, and refuse His invitation: "Come unto me." Why? Because He knows so well that no spiritual growth is possible through coercion. The Lord sent us here to learn from the consequences of our choices and to grow through the use of our moral agency. If a better plan than agency existed for our mortal probation God would have known about it and implemented it. Today, in spite of my pain and frustration and fear, I choose to raise my right arm again, as I'm sure I must have in the pre-existence. I cast my vote again in favor of agency. I cast my vote in favor of His merciful and all-wise plan which, if followed, will, in the long run, lead us unfailingly back to Him!

Transient Services

As the Family Support Service discussed in Chapter 4 was disbanded, the overlap and communication between the Inner City Project and the Transient Bishops Office diminished but did not end. Inner city people losing their housing and becoming homeless transferred from the defined responsibilities of a resident ward bishop to that of the Transient Bishop, even though neither was likely to be aware of their existence and their problems. Homeless people who became housed moved in the opposite direction of responsibility and were somewhat more likely to be assisted by someone or some agency and therefore noticed. The small number of service missionaries assigned to the Transient Bishops Office and those serving in the Inner City Project maintain the possibility of communication by a description and telephone number of the former appearing in the Storehouse of Specialists Handbook and by a representative participating annually at an Inner City Project quarterly conference.

Service Projects

Throughout the history of the Inner City Project there have been inner city needs which could be met as service projects by suburban wards and wards eager to supply such services. To facilitate that process, someone among the leadership has always maintained the role of service project facilitator. Marjorie Wright served in that capacity from 1997 to 2000 and Saundra Maeser became service project facilitator thereafter. In 2003, Steven and Susan Middlemas, having completed 43 months service at the ward level, were called to assume the service project facilitator role. Looking back on nearly four years of service in that capacity, they respond upon their release near the end of 2007 that:

The years of serving as "Gifting and Special Projects" specialists have been extremely rewarding to us.

We have seen small and large miracles take place that were definitely interventions from a loving Heavenly Father. We have been witnesses to innumerable acts of love and generosity. Those acts were always for the purpose of blessing the less fortunate among us. Please allow us to share some examples of the generosity we have witnessed:

One Christmas, a dear sister in our home ward, brought 20 large plastic garbage bags to our door. They were filled with beautiful clothing in a small size that was left by a deceased mother in law. Many of our small sized Hispanic sisters were blessed that Christmas with lovely, like-new dresses because of her donation.

One day, a request came from a Bishop needing a wheelchair for a 17-year-old girl. Our non-member neighbor had lost his wife just a few months before. She was in a wheelchair for the last few months of her life. At our request, he readily donated it to our cause. One Christmas, Key Bank employees donated Sub for Santa gifts for 50 children. These were all new and sometimes somewhat costly gifts. Once again our garage was filled with donated packages intended to brighten the Christmas of needy children. L.D.S. Institutes have each year donated well-built, handcrafted, wooden toys and literally hundreds of fleece blankets to distribute for our Christmas Conferences. Through the years we had wards and stakes donate items, collecting and putting together many useful items that were a part of their women's conferences and service projects. One week, we had our home garage full of school backpacks, children's birthday kits, winter coats, new blankets, knitted hats and gloves and a wide variety of clothing. The goods were actually transported to our home in a very large horse trailer. The goods filled most of our garage and left only walking paths to move around. Dozens of missionaries came to our home and filled their vans, trucks and cars with these beautiful gifts to distribute among the needy in their mission wards. It was overwhelming! Various ward Relief Society groups from around the valley have made hundreds of warm baby blankets, hats, gloves and scarves for children and adults. Many local scouts do their Eagle projects with the goal of serving the Inner City Project. One young man put together and donated 50 Birthday Party kits for young children. Another collected 18 bicycles, with new helmets. We had a number put together men's and women's Hygiene Kits. The missionaries were always delighted to see these items available at our conferences to take to their people.

Entire houses full of furniture, beds and useful kitchen and household items have been donated. It is always heart warming to see the Lord's hand in the work. We would get a call from a missionary saying that they had a family desperate to be able to furnish a home or apartment they were moving into. They often had nothing and were starting fresh. Within a day or two, and in some cases, just an hour or two, someone would call indicating that they had just the goods we needed to donate. In one case, a brother from our home ward came to us saying that an older sister from a ward where he had previously been the bishop was taken to the hospital where she knew she would die. Before she died, she asked him to see to it that all her household belongings go to a needy family. He approached us on a Sunday morning. That afternoon we had a call from a missionary who was working with a very large family whose father and husband was released from prison just a few days before. They had been living with relatives while dad was away. They were moving into a rented home and needed to furnish it. The Lord provided. Appliances, couches, dressers and even a full sized van were donated to the needy. The van was needed by a family with two invalid members of a family who were in wheelchairs. They needed transportation to doctor appointments. The van was found on the day after it was requested. A brother from our home ward called about donating some other items. Before finishing the call he asked, "Is there anything else you need?" Sue said, "We are desperately looking for a van." He said, "You can have mine!" Again, the Lord provided.

On many occasions we had calls from various organizations who wanted to do a service project. These organizations would range in size from individual families, to wards, to stakes, to tri-stake groups and even to community service organizations. Much service was rendered by these people in the form of Christmas and holiday projects, cleanup projects, painting projects, and even repair and building projects.

A young man from South America was awarded a four-year scholarship to Waterford Private School through special efforts and communication with two teachers from the school and the school administration. The young man is very bright. He and his family are very deserving and he is doing well in school.

This is only a small sampling of the kindness and generosity of the concerned Saints. President Maeser and the mission administration were very instrumental in directing the phone calls to us so that we could coordinate the gifting and receiving. It is our testimony that Heavenly Father knows what His children need. He uses the specialists in conjunction with the missionaries to find and dispense the items from those who have much to those who have little. It is a great joy to work as His conduit. We have often felt like Santa to see the gifts given, and especially the gifts received. We are so grateful to have been given the opportunity to be a part of this wonderful, inspired work.

In October 2007 Stephen and Susan Middlemas asked to be released from their position as service project specialists. They were replaced by Ed and Pat Ross who only a few months before had been released after several years as Church-service missionaries and then assistant directors of the Inner City Project, again dramatizing the long-term commitments of those once involved.

Community Resources

In addition to the array of services provided by the list of specialists already discussed, service missionaries of the Inner City Project are urged and trained to take advantage of the full range of community services to the extent that those services are relevant to the needs of their assigned families. A range of the most frequently needed of such services are described on six pages of the Storehouse of Specialists Handbook. Each of the Stake Lead Couples is provided with a copy of the Human Services Directory of the Salt Lake Community Services Council, a nearly 500 page listing of every known public and private service organization in the county, describing their services and providing direction as to how to access those services. In their introductory training, the service missionaries are introduced to the printed directory but taught that they can obtain access to that listing during office hours five days a week by dialing 211 and describing to the answering facilitator of the type of service needed. The director of that agency also addresses annually a session of the Inner City Project quarterly conference to maintain awareness of the availability and accessibility of those services.

Scriptures and Counsel

The Storehouse of Specialists Handbook ends with "Scriptures and Counsel to Remember in the Pursuit of Self-Reliance through the Storehouse of Specialists:"

For behold, this is my work and my glory to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man. (Moses 1:39) Included as evidence, not only that God's entire purpose is to serve his children, but that all mankind are spirit children of heavenly parents and therefore literal spiritual brothers and sisters with consequent responsibilities to and for each other.

Thou shalt not be idle; for he that is idle shall not eat the bread nor wear the garments of the laborer. (D&C 42:42)

Justifying self-reliance as the appropriate emphasis for the Inner City enterprise.

…you are to be equal…every man according to his wants and needs, inasmuch as his wants are just, and all of this for the benefit of the church of the living God, that every man may improve upon his talents that every man may gain other talents…to be cast into the Lord's storehouse to become the property of the whole church, every man seeking the interests of his neighbor and doing all things with an eye single to the glory of God. (D&C 82:17-19)

Explaining what the "Storehouse" is all about.

It has always been a cardinal teaching of the Latter-day Saints that a religion that has not the power to save its people temporally and make them prosperous and happy here cannot be depended upon to save them spiritually and exalt them in the life to come. (Joseph F. Smith)

Justifying the emphasis on temporal well being as an essential contributor to spiritual well-being.

And therefore ending the Handbook with final words of advice:

These and other scriptures and counsel inform us that our task is pursuit of both the economic and the spiritual well-being of those we are assigned to bring to self-reliance. Self-reliance is not self-sufficiency. None of us are totally self-sufficient. Only hermits are. We all need help from each other. To be self-reliant is to do all we can to serve ourselves and others, given our health, our age and our inherent abilities. Helping struggling people to attain that objective is an immense assignment. But we have access to the Lord's Storehouse to help us accomplish that objective. Make sound use of it.

Chapter 6

Inner City Vignettes

With so many people devoting so much effort, what has realistically been accomplished? Unfortunately, there is no readily available inventory. We are dependent primarily upon reports and reflections of the service missionaries.

Service Missionary Report Summation

From the official beginning of the Inner City Project in September 1997 until the mailing of 754 questionnaires in September and November of 2006, approximately 4,650 Church-service missionaries had served in 110 wards in 49 stakes in the Salt Lake Valley. Questionnaires were sent to 156 of those who had served during 1997-1999 and to 598 of those who had served during 2003-2006. The choice of timing was made simply on the availability of names and home addresses. Since there were only 84 responses, one cannot conclude that the response was statistically definitive, but the responses are indicative of the experiences of at least those individuals. All were asked where and for how many months they had served and to how many families had they been assigned. The average response was 18 months and eight families. Of the total families they had served, they were asked what proportion had made impressive positive improvements in the style of their lives, how many had made substantially positive but less than impressive improvements and how many had made no notable improvements in their lifestyles. The responses were, of course, totally subjective, but 22% of the assigned families were judged to have made impressive improvements in the ways that they were conducting their lives at the time the service missionaries had ceased their observance of them, 33% were judged to have made substantial though not necessarily impressive improvements, with the remaining 45% having made no noticeable or only slight or temporary improvements. One out of five of those served had increased their church activity including temple service as well as meeting attendance. A large majority of the responding service missionaries mentioned continuing contact with some of their assigned families after their release from the Inner City wards. Only two couples reached generally negative conclusions about their inner city experiences. All of the rest considered their service to have produced valuable insights and lessons as well as leaving them with positive memories. All were asked for their most positive and least positive experience. All were also asked in what ways the Inner City Project's conduct could have been improved. Examples of those responses may be useful and instructive.

Positive Experiences: A young couple inactive in the church had a hearing impaired baby who had been born with a cleft lip and a chest cavity too small for his lungs. The husband/father worked two jobs. Because the baby was extremely susceptible to germs, the mother was unable to take him to church meetings or any other place that numerous people assembled. The service missionary couple assigned was able to get the baby fitted with a hearing aid and obtained a crib, which better enabled the mother to monitor the baby. At the last contact, the child was off oxygen, walking and doing well and the mother had been endowed in the temple. Another couple 91 and 81 was buying an older home. The wife needed seven teeth capped and they could not afford the procedure. The service missionaries contacted a dentist through the Storehouse of Specialists who provided the needed dental service at no cost except for the lab fees. (Jesse and Christina Halling).

"An inactive daughter of an active family made impressive improvements in her personal conduct and life status while we were serving with the family. She became more involved in the gospel and later served a mission of her own. Others contributed mightily to her change in direction but we feel that we had a very personal effect on her change in attitude with the help of our Father-in-Heaven. Perhaps we were the right people at the right time and she was able to relate to us. She identified with me (Sarah) in particular, and we became very close friends. She was able to share tender feelings, desires and concerns. I love her as a daughter and we still maintain contact with her and her family. There was also a single mother with two children. She was a sweet sister who had lost her children due to drugs and an abusive partner. While we were working with her, she was able to overcome great challenges and receive her children back." (John and Sarah Heath)

A missionary couple worked for several months with an alcoholic Vietnam veteran who had other health problems as well. His exasperated wife finally threw all of his belongings out on the lawn. The couple then helped him get into the Veterans Administration Hospital. They visited him almost daily, got his wife visiting as well and then got him into a veterans' rehabilitation center. As he was being released, they persuaded the family to move to another neighborhood to avoid his boozing buddies. The service missionary couple helped both husband and wife find jobs and took care of their pre-school daughter so the parents could work. The family was preparing to go to the temple to be sealed when it was discovered that the husband had an irreparably damaged liver from which he died. The missionary couple's last service to the family was to help them get enrolled with Social Security to receive the husband and father's benefits. (Neil and Leotha Slagowski)

"A young lady 35 years old was introduced to us the first day of our mission. The bishop said we should provide her a shoulder for her to cry on and be with her as much as possible. She had been in jail, lost four children to the courts, and had also been excommunicated. She came from a family of six brothers and six sisters. The parents and all 12 children were inactive in the Church. Even though she had nothing but a bed and a chair she had purchased from Deseret Industries, she had a positive attitude and a desire to be rebaptized. She attended church regularly and actively participated in class discussions and ward events. She had a good knowledge of the gospel and was not reluctant to share it. The ward gave her tremendous support and unconditional love. Our home ward and neighbors donated furniture and household necessities for her. She was rebaptized the month we were released. A daughter was the only member of her family to attend. We believe she progressed because the Savior had his arm around her and she was basking in the flood of his light. She often struggled with her 'demons,' but she believed in miracles and received them" ((Gary and Audrey Forbush)

Because a service missionary wife spoke some Spanish, the couple was assigned to work with a non-member Mexican single mother of four who was attending an Inner City ward while working in the Salt Lake School District school lunch program. The husband and father had left the family to return to Mexico. When the service missionaries visited the family, they were impressed with the orderliness of the apartment and the manners of the children. Based on the service missionaries' report, the bishop assisted the family with rent and food. When taken to the Bishops' Storehouse, the mother asked if she could do some work there in return for the food. That was arranged. the family began meeting with proselyting missionaries, shifted to a Spanish-speaking ward, and the mother, after she had stopped smoking and all but the oldest son were baptized. The service missionaries' home ward included the Mexican family in their Sub-for-Santa efforts and the mother later visited the ward to thank them for their gifts. She was also instrumental in one of her friends being baptized as well. Yet after moving to another part of the valley, the service missionaries learned that the family was no longer attending church meetings. (David and Rayna Scott)

"We were asked to help a sister who had a severe skin condition, to the point where she was so self-conscious that she would attend church meetings but would sit at the rear of the chapel and leave immediately without speaking to anyone. We contacted our own dermatologist who is not a member of the church but he treated her for months at no charge. Her whole demeanor changed considerably. She smiled, was more outgoing, and had more confidence in herself. She found employment through the Storehouse of Specialists, became more active in the ward, attended a temple preparation class and then received her temple endowments. With her increased earnings, she was able to pay off her past due medical and other expenses. She later sold her run-down home, moving out of the ward and stake in the process. We maintain contact and she has been a delight." (Russ and Fern Nichols)

"We believe our age–86 and 82–helped in getting into homes of those whose ages were compatible with ours and letting them know they were thought of and loved. Through the Storehouse of Specialists and other personal resources, many of the needs of people were accomplished. We helped prepare a young man to serve a mission through medical assistance and clothing. We were able to help a family receive a late-model van that gave the husband reliable transportation for work and opportunity for a better job. This enabled them to improve their housing and eventually they moved from the ward. We were able to help several get better employment." (Russ and Fern Nichols)

"We were sent by an Inner City ward bishop to visit a single mother regarding the possibility of involving her in a program to become self-reliant. She was essentially destitute, newly divorced, having a two-year old child and was an expectant mother. She was working as a hotel telephone operator, which was not sufficient to care for the needs of her family. She was receiving no child support. From the bishop, we supplied food, clothing, and shelter, along with love and motivation through the delivery of her second child. One of the first attributes that we noticed about her was her excellent mothering skills. We became her mentors as she embarked upon a program to become self-reliant. This included aptitude testing, schooling and training. She became proficient in computer and office work in a very short period of time. She obtained employment as a data entry operator at home at first so that she could be with her children. Her excellent work ethic was so on apparent. She immediately resumed her rent payment obligations with which the bishop had been helping her. The next month she included her utilities and the following month their food. She moved progressively in her employment to become receptionist for a corporation and then secretary at a middle school. Meanwhile, she continued courses at the Salt Lake Community College in pursuit of an associate's degree. She subsequently met and married a good provider and became a stay at home mom, moving to another state in the process. Unfortunately, she and her first husband became engaged in a continuing legal dispute about custody of her second child, but all else in her life appears to be on track." (Charles and Norma Sharp)

"We worked with a divorced mother and her also divorced daughter with two children, all living together. They had serious financial problems, in part because the mother never kept a check register. Both the women had health problems and the younger one had a new baby. We set up for them a register of outstanding bills, helped them with a budget and then followed up to see that they were keeping a check register, paying their bills and calling accounts to reduce payments. The mother declared bankruptcy because her husband had left the country with her owing many of his bills that she could not pay. We helped them with their cars. They worked hard at their goals and reduced their debts. The key to helping the family was working with the home teachers. With that encouragement, the family came to church and set goals to go to the temple. They had a tree in the back yard full of fruit. the home teacher's family taught them how to can the fruit. The young mother is pursuing her goal to become a nurse." (Jesse and Christina Halling)

"One man we were assigned to work with was manager of a house of ill repute. He did not want to meet us there so he arranged to meet us at a bar nearby. We would pull up in front, honk the horn, and he would come out. He wanted to change his life style. We helped him find another job and, after some delay, we were able to help him get lodging in the Multi Ethnic High Rise. He was so happy to get away from the previous environment. He came to church regularly and, after a few months, I was able to ordain him to the Melchizidek priesthood and ordain him an Elder. After a little longer, we were able to accompany him to the temple for his endowments." (Marloe and Peggy Morgan)

"The Lord guides his Servants. At the Multi Ethnic High Rise, we had missed a previously regularly attending sister at sacrament meeting on Sunday and at the family home evening on Monday. On Tuesday, while at the temple, we became troubled and afterwards went to the High Rise. We asked the manager who had not seen her either and took us to her room. We found her unconscious in the bathtub. She had slipped and fell the previous Saturday night and had been unable to move since. We called 911 and got her to the hospital from which she returned after a few days treatment. (Morloe and Peggy Morgan)"

"We were assigned by the bishop to a recent move-in who had been an alcoholic and drug addict but had 'reached bottom' and wanted to return to activity. Our first visit and several thereafter were 2-3 hours long and consisted of tears and expressions of anger that she was going nowhere with her life. But we visited her every week and saw her change into a very eager learner who attended church, got a job, and began paying tithing. She drove other members to the Bishops' Storehouse and was pleased to be asked there if she was the Relief Society President. She beamed. She really knew that she could be somebody. We read the scriptures together and talked of the gospel and how we should live. We haven't had contact with her since our release but she knows that she can continue to grow and progress." (Lynn and Linda Weight)

"We were assigned to a Hispanic family in which the father could not keep a job and the mother did not work. All of their food came from church welfare. When we first visited them they were polite but disinterested. When we returned they did not answer the door. Finally, they let us in and we talked to the father about attending trade school. He looked into it and registered in a computer class. He did very well in computer programming and received several awards. While he was in school, the wife got a steady job and the son went to work also. They required some help with food during this time but only to supplement the wages of the wife and son. When the father finished his training and became employed they were self-sufficient. When we visited them at the end of our mission they were very warm and loving to us. I think they knew we were their friends and cared about them." (Ralph and Carol Barth)

"A family with a child and an infant moved into a barren apartment in the ward. The bishop sent us to explore their needs. The husband had lost a good job so that they had stored their household goods in a storage unit and moved in with friends. He had gotten another job but the storage unit had burned down and destroyed all their possessions. The husband was making enough to rent another apartment but they did not have money for food and furniture as well. With the help of our home ward and the wards of our married children, as well as Deseret Industries, we were able to get them fully furnished. We went back to see them with another food order but they said they were just fine now and did not need further assistance." (Ralph and Carol Barth)

"We spent a great deal of time with a sister who was living with a mean alcoholic who was really hard on her. She paid all of the bills and did all of the work. We tried to get him into rehabilitation and get past his addictions. He told us a lot of great stories but never got off the dime. She was ready to change and better herself. She left him and we helped her find another place to live. We helped her acquire furniture, food, and encouraged her to get a better job. She has really picked herself up and moved on. She came regularly to church meetings. Her testimony has grown and blossomed. She became acquainted with people and is now greatly loved in the ward." (Gary and Teddie Warr)

"A Spanish-speaking couple assigned to a Spanish-speaking ward generated a program with the Lion's Club through which over 100 ward members had their eyes tested and approximately 70 obtained eye glasses at little or no cost, based upon their ability to pay. English classes were taught in the ward twice a week attended by 30-40 members and friends. Help was obtained with medical, dental, and psychological needs and food, furniture and clothing. Resume and interviewing skills were developed and jobs were obtained. As many as 75 %-90% made impressive initial improvements falling back to 50%-75% over the longer run. As one example, a father who was a new member, having joined the church in Chicago and moved to Utah. The wife and three children came directly to Salt Lake City from Guatemala and were not members. They live initially in a one-bedroom apartment sharing one mattress on the floor. Without a car, the husband was walking 26 blocks to work earlier than public transportation was available. They had little food and inadequate clothing for November. The mother was in pain and needed a hysterectomy. They spoke no English. Food and a donated automobile were obtained, as were furniture and clothing. The children were enrolled in school and the parents in English as a second language programs. The father was helped to find a better job. Surgery was obtained for the mother at little cost to be paid over time, after which she obtained part-time work cleaning homes. The mother and children were taught the gospel and baptized and after a year the whole family was sealed in the temple. The family had become self-reliant. But similar claims could not be made of all of the families served." (Bruno and Cari Vassel)

"We helped a lot of families. In our second year we took over the "bread run." Once a week we picked up day old bread from a bakery and delivered it to approximately 25 homes. We felt many of the recipients benefited as much from our visit as they did from the baked goods. For example, a widow in her 90s, living alone, on oxygen and using a walker was especially happy to be visited. We also took her and others to doctors' appointments. We visited an elderly couple where the husband had Alzheimer's and the wife did not drive. One of us took her shopping while the other stayed with him. Other times we took him for a ride or her to visit her blind sister in a nursing home. We also took the wife to visit the husband when he was hospitalized. We continued to visit them after our mission until he died recently." (Bruce and Camilia Brunson)

"One family had an entire home makeover. A severely depressed husband and wife, he with a brain injury, were able to stop living in total filth . It didn't change who they are and it certainly didn't solve all of their other problems, but their basic needs were met through great doors of blessings being opened by the Lord. It was a joy to assist in a small way and witness the magnitude of blessings which came to this family as a result of having Church-service missionaries with time and commitment to help them change their lifestyles." (Mike and Liesa Card)

"A woman to whom we were assigned became involved in the LDS 12 Step Program at the prison. She responded in a remarkable way and was baptized. When we met her, she was still working on areas of her life but was the most humble, sweet woman we had met in a long time. She was teachable and willing to change her life, full of trust and faith." (Scott and Connie Olson)

"One of our first families was a single mom and her two daughters. Our goal was to help her get and keep a job. She was not paying her rent and was going to be evicted soon. We looked into different programs that could help her for housing, but first she had to prove that she could pay the rent. She started working at Deseret Industries and we found an apartment that she could rent for only $250 a month for a year. This was a program to help those who had been homeless or evicted to get a place to live and improve themselves. However, she chose to quit her job so she could not get the apartment. We were very frustrated and did not know what to do. We were very concerned about her little girls. We think she thought we would take over and let her come to our home and stay but we knew that was not an effective answer. We reminded her that she had a responsibility as a mother and would probably lose her girls if she did not get her act together. She moved in with her grandmother, sent her girls to stay with her sister for the summer, got a job in a convenience store and worked long hours and saved her money. After a few months we were able to help her move into her own place. She was doing well on her job and was making great progress in her own life and in that of her little family." (Norman and Vicki Godfrey)

"The bishop called us into his office and told us that an African member living in the ward had a husband and son in Africa and assigned us to do whatever we could to get them here. We tried many different avenues and were turned down every time. We were discouraged and frightened for her. The bishop called a ward fast for the African family. The very next Friday was the Inner City Project quarterly conference. A new Refugee Services Committee had been added to the Storehouse of Specialists and this was to be our first exposure to a breakout session on the subject. We asked questions and described the situation. After the session, a gentleman came up to us and told us he was an attorney who had dealt with immigration and would be glad to help without charge. He researched the issues, had us bring the woman to his office, drew up some petitions, and mailed the papers to the Immigration Service. Three weeks later she received a letter saying her son could come to the United States and two months later one saying her husband could come. We know that Heavenly Father's hand was in the process." (Norman and Vicki Godfrey)

"We were assigned a 35 year old sister who had joined the church as a young girl living in the south. She lost touch with the church and grew up around gangs and violence. She witnessed someone kill her father. She later became a prostitute at truck stops. She had given birth to eight children, each with a different father but had them taken away and placed in foster homes. She had been on drugs and her arms were scarred from needles. She had spent several years in prison. When the bishop introduced us to her she had no bed and slept on the floor of her apartment. We provided a bed and bedding as well as food and other necessities as well as moral support. She called us to her apartment on three different occasions to settle fights she was having with her boy friend, some of which were physical and drew blood. She was hard and tough and uninterested in attending church, but she finally consented to come with us. During the meeting she lost her hard shell and began to weep. Since I was teaching school, I invited her to speak to my classes about the dangers of drug abuse and pre-marital sex. She did a good job and the school paid her for coming. We continued to make progress with her as she improved her life one step at a time. She was both well-employed and thoroughly active when we were released from our mission." (Allen and Lana Richardson)

"We had a brother who had been in prison and had very low self-esteem. We listened to his life story and told him repeatedly that he was really a good man, that Heavenly Father loved him and so did we. He learned to hug us when he saw us. He became a changed man, just because of the tender, loving care that we showed." (Larry and Berlinda Hawkins)

"A couple had four children. He was on Meth and she was at her wits end. Her brother who was living with them offered to quit school and take care of the children so that she could get a job to support the family. They refused and the husband agreed to try harder to overcome his addiction. We encouraged her to be more positive with her husband, put love notes in his lunch box and elsewhere that he could find them telling him how proud she was of him. He was a good man who had made wrong choices. They were still struggling but making progress when we left the mission. We know they can do it if they keep working at it as we believe they will." (Larry and Berlinda Hawkins)

"We were assigned a couple from Togo in West Africa. They were a " golden couple." We went to the Jordan River Temple with them and had their ordinances done for them in French, their native language, and a few weeks later to the Salt Lake Temple." (Larry and Berlinda Hawkins)

"A family had stopped coming to church because they were offended. We started visiting them and became fast friends. They had been through accidents, deaths, illnesses and extended family problems. When aware, the ward was great to help activate, home teach and teach the temple preparation class to them. They became and remained strong and we were able to go to the temple with them and see them sealed together as a family." (Stacey and Angelia Ward)

"An adult female in her late 40s weighing 325 lbs., of limited mental ability and having other health problems, had lived for nine years in a one room fourth floor apartment with one window, dark brown walls and no means of cooling. She was abandoned by her mother at 17, lived in foster care until 18, and then left on her own. We had heard of Mod/Rehab Housing and got her on the list but had difficulty finding an available unit. After much fasting and prayer, we felt directed to a certain apartment on the list. The manager said they had not had a vacancy in eight years but called us back in two weeks to say they had an unexpected vacancy– a three-room apartment with three windows and white walls. That put her in a different ward but our bishop contacted that bishop in a ward, which also had Inner City missionaries. They and we got her tested by a neuro-psychiatrist and proved her disability which qualified her for Supplemental Security Income and Section 8 subsidized housing." (Dick and Betty Banks)

A sister with cerebral palsy was blessed by her bishop and a church program, which obtained for her a set of false teeth. It not only improved her health but her self-confidence as well. She was able to ride a scooter to her meetings when the weather was good and when it was not we drove her. Another couple did not attend because he had Alzheimer's. We got the High Priests to walk with him so that she could have time for herself. She was always very nice and pleasant when we visited her. Our most positive progress was with an Argentine family in which the wife and mother spoke very little English. As the proselyting missionaries gave their lessons, her husband would sit behind and interpret in her ear. There was such a sweet spirit in their home. We had reservations about the Word of Wisdom lesson because they both smoked but they accepted the challenge. We had Spanish-speaking elders come and give them blessings and they both quit smoking within that week and were baptized while we still served. We pray that they have continued to go forward and have their temple work done." (Phil and Jo Mathews)

"We worked with a sister who was homeless until the bishop helped pay for her temporary stay in a motel and then got her into a small trailer. She had one pair of jeans and a few T-shirts and carried the rest of her belongings in a backpack. We assisted her in obtaining some additional clothing and also assisted her in starting job search. She had been converted to the church five years before but had not been attending. She started coming to church every Sunday, obtained scriptures and other church literature, tapes, LDS books, etc. and just devoured them. She also has a desire to go to the temple. She was also very pro-active in her job search. She obtained a part-time job through Easter Seals and continued to look for full-time employment. Her husband had become stranded in Idaho. His truck had broken down and he was trying to find work there to obtain enough money to fix the truck and return to Utah. It took a few months but they were finally joined together. He found a job and became active in coming to church with his wife. As their trailer was becoming surrounded by people taking meth and other drugs, they were able to move to a two-bedroom apartment outside the ward. Our ultimate goal was to get them to the temple but we were unable to get the husband to quit his lifelong smoking habit. The wife ultimately found a full-time job with Walmart where she received benefits and a promotion but had to work on Sunday and ceased attending church. Since they are no longer in the ward we do not have as much contact with them, but we grew to love them and learned so much about optimism in life from people who had so little but never gave up. It is our prayer that they can stay involved in the church and the gospel and some day make it to the temple together." (Craig and Julie Wilson)

"A family was headed by a husband who was hooked on meth. We were able to get the wife and five children away from him so that he could no longer forge checks to purchase meth putting the family in financial trouble with banks and retailers. We also taught them the missionary lessons to firm up their testimonies. The family is now living in central Utah close to her family while she attends college to prepare to support her children. An unmarried couple, he living upstairs and she down and sharing the kitchen to pool finances to afford suitable housing were at first suspicious of our calling on them but gradually accepted us as helpers. They both had serious health problems and we assisted them in transportation to medical facilities and shopping. In addition, since neither had a testimony, we taught them the missionary lessons. They returned to activity, married and are working toward temple sealings." (Willis and Afton Wright)

"Our first contact was with a couple who were totally inactive. The wife worked as a dental assistant but suffered from depression. The husband had sporadic employment but talked big. We contacted LDS Family Services who suggested that she see a physician for medication, which she did. They began attending sacrament meeting. She was called to be a Primary teacher and he to work with the Aaronic priesthood. We later went with them to the temple for them to be sealed." (unsigned)

"One of our refugee families came to us with over $20,000 in hospital bills, no furniture and a need for direction. Their apartment was always as neat as a pin and their small children slept on the floor. We were able to find furniture and get a job for the wife at Welfare Square to help with her hospital bill. We got most of it reduced, but felt that she should pay some of it. The husband had a job at $8 an hour and worked some evenings and Sundays, which posed a problem with, church attendance. We eventually got everyone attending including a temple preparation class and got them endowed. They moved out of the ward and then we heard that he had cancer but we have not been able to contact them." (Chuck and Jeanne Thompson)

"We began holding family home evenings at nearby members' homes for residents at the Sedona apartments which houses disabled low income people. The apartment complex did not allow church meetings in its facilities and that was better because it all owed residents to become better acquainted with other ward members. One of the residents was a woman weighing between 300 and 400 pounds and on oxygen. She came to church every Sunday but sat alone and never smiled or spoke to anyone. We work at the baptistry at the Salt Lake Temple and got her to come there for baptism for the dead. We had to measure her and prepare appropriate baptism clothes because a dress would have been immodest. She was so excited. She came regularly every Wednesday. After a year we suggested that she speak to the bishop about being endowed. We went through the temple with her and never saw anyone so happy. She also started doing initiatory and endowments for the dead including her own family. Her countenance has changed completely. Now she always has a smile on her face and a twinkle in her eye. At church she bears her testimony nearly every month and has been given the responsibility of remembering every sister's birthday with a card." (Raymond and Sarah Anderson)

"A family was truly a ward project. A mother of two girls and two boys was in prison for drug dealing. She had previously been a prostitute and the oldest boy had witnessed so much in his early years that he had emotional problems and learning difficulties. A young couple in the ward took the girls into their home where they flourished under the loving care. The couple wanted to adopt the girls but the mother refused. The father was a truck driver. The Relief Society president had the boys come to her apartment after school, fed them dinner and helped them with homework until their father came for them. The Relief Society presidency became like foster grandmothers to the children and many other ward members were helpful. When the mother was released from prison, the ward welcomed her and employment was found for her. The apartment complex where the family had lived was full of problems and they were helped to find a better one that they could still afford. She and her husband later divorced and she remarried. The father remained involved with the children. The Relief Society presidency became as closely involved with the mother as they were with the daughters. The ward was wonderfully supportive and the family was positively influenced. Relationships with the elderly and those in a rest home were also positive. The residents appreciated with Relief Society homemaking and Saturday lunches. They were thrilled with programs of talented people brought in to enrich their lives." (Bob and Jan Crofts)

"Three single sisters were active in the ward but needed someone to look in on them from time to time. They also needed help in getting to the store or to doctors' appointments. They had age and medical problems that kept them in their apartments most of the time. We kept an eye on them to see that they were eating, that they were clean, and that their apartments were livable. We ran errands for them when no one else was available. Along with the bishop and Relief Society president, we finally convinced other family members that they needed to go to a nursing home, as they were not capable of living alone longer. Of four other single sisters, two had been to the temple in earlier times but two had not. As we taught the temple preparation class in the ward, we invited them to attend and finally accompanied them all to the temple at one time or another." (Curtis and Dorothy Bates)

"One family we worked with came from Tonga, leaving behind their strong family support system and with the wife expecting their tenth child. They lived illegally in a two-bedroom apartment. They were both employed in reasonably well-paying jobs, but the husband contributed little to his family materially or emotionally except more children. The mother was full of cares but was also anxious to do anything to better her family situation. Then they were able to qualify for a more sizable home in the ward and, with this responsibility, the husband took more interest in improving their home and spending more time with the family. He treated his wife with more respect and attended church more regularly. There were lapses, of course, but overall they improved the direction of their lives significantly. We believe their progress occurred primarily because of the wife's extraordinary faith in the Lord and commitment to bettering their situation. Mostly, we just showed them ways to do things they already wanted to do but had neither the time, energy nor know-how to initiate. Spiritually, some of the Pacific Island customs are at odds with the gospel, especially patriarchal domination and irresponsibility. Having a bishop who was an incredible example of a worthy faithful Tongan priesthood holder helped that husband and father know that he needed to change also." (Steve and Ann Ostler)

"A young man was assigned to us who had impressive university credentials but, because of a brain injury from a car crash was unable to hold down a job . It caused him to do and say things that employers and bishops could not tolerate. When he was first assigned to us, he had been living at the homeless shelter but had exhausted his stay and was out on the street in the winter and rain, literally. He called us on a pay phone from the bus station, cold and wet. Though she was reluctant, we convinced his sister to take him in until he was stabilized. We picked him up for church meetings. We then helped him to get a job as a janitor at the University of Utah where his explosive conduct did not matter. He later was able to travel to Korea to teach English for a time." (Joe and Sheila Maughan)

"The most progress was made by a single mother with a handicapped daughter. She wanted more education to increase her earning capacity. We took her to the LDS Employment Resource Center at Welfare Square where they made it possible for her to pursue a business degree at the Salt Lake Community College without paying tuition. The fact that she was in school and learning then led to a promotion in her existing job which made it possible for her to afford better housing. The most impressive part of this story was the way she took charge of the opportunity and followed through in a positive way without any additional help." (Edward and Marlene Davis)

"A family from Peru had been baptized the previous day and were confirmed the first day of our service in the ward. They had nothing in the way of earthly possessions including jobs. Our first goal was to get both parents jobs. We took them to the LDS Employment Resource Center and helped them with translation as they learned their way around the center. Their two children were in school and knew some English. We encouraged the parents to attend the stake English as a second language lessons every week. The father had a knee problem that was preventing him from getting employment. We took him to a treatment facility and translated for him. They now both have jobs, can speak a fair amount of English, his knee is healing and they have all been sealed in the temple. We believe this improvement was a result of their amazing faith. They needed our help only because of their language limitations and our knowledge of where they could go for help." (Charles and Mindee Hofheins)

"The most positive help we gave to one family was to see that the father and mother had a queen-size bed with complete bedding. That allowed the two sons to have the parents' old full-size bed so they didn't have to sleep on the floor any longer. The two little boys would hug us every time we came to visit. The family's dryer needed a new belt and thermostat and, as a result, drying clothes were strung all over the apartment. We bought new parts and installed them so they could use it again and also bought wooden and plastic shelves. the mother needed glasses. We contacted an eye doctor who, at a minimal charge, which we paid, gave her an exam and fitted her with glasses. What a blessing. We also gave them tips on money management and encouraged them to write down where all of the money was going. We took her to the Bishops' Storehouse with a Bishops' Order and got coats for the boys. The father was in pain with every step he took; yet he worked full-time every day. We feel badly that we never addressed that need. We paid their car insurance for a while so they could use it. We were told at the Inner City Project meetings about the resources available, but it was not easy to bring the needs and resources together. We were told we should not spend our own money but we are not sure we could have accomplished much without doing so. The important thing is that we helped the family and they utilized everything we helped them with. We also helped a man who lived alone in an apartment. He had worked at Deseret Industries as long as he was allowed and was now out of work and his car needed repair. We bought a bus pass for him. He was then evicted from his apartment and had nowhere to live. We arranged to have his car towed and repaired and helped him to move. I (Grace) took a lady to a health clinic and bank often. She had no car. I think services from that clinic were free. I took her to have a tooth extracted at another clinic. We thought it was free but they charged $30. I paid it and she insisted on reimbursing me. We enjoyed rides to these services together and became good friends. What a neat lady. She passed away after we were released and we attended her funeral." (Lincoln and Grace LeCheminant)

"One sister was chronically unemployed, angry and antagonistic toward the church. She sabotaged every employment opportunity arranged for her as well as every educational opportunity until tough love finally caught up with her. She lost everything to the constable as well as her housing. She was then so humble that she attended church and Relief Society functions and found friends so that the spirit could finally talk to her. The spirit instructed her to return home to her estranged and aging father and mother. We arranged for airfare to get her home. She was able to mend old wounds before her father died. The good people of her old ward picked up where we left off. Within a year she had activated her mother and had gone through the temple herself. Another sister was as angry, dark spirited and cold as any we have known. She headed a household of misfits, yet we were allowed to visit. She would come to church and a light would come into her and she would be happy. But within a few days or even hours the darkness would come back to her life. The bishop gave her a job cleaning the church and she loved it. She was baptized and after six months of giving of herself was a nice person. She began to like herself and soon had friends. She has taken the temple preparation class but may never make it to the temple in this lifetime but she knows that her Father in Heaven loves her." (Galen and Liz Merrell)

"Your help in finding us a doctor to work with our Navajo sister with her spine problem was very positive. Dr. Fogg and the people at Cottonwood hospital were wonderful. They are still working with therapy. She hopefully will soon be able to go back to work. She feels better than she has in a long time. Unfortunately, she feels good primarily because she has had injections to control inflammation. We are encouraging her to lose weight and move more. Back problems do not go away overnight but can be controlled with proper management, but like all of us, she wants an instant cure. We feel best about our single mother family. She realizes that we are her friends and is letting us help her. She is totally overwhelmed with all of the things she tries to do. We are trying to push the children to be more helpful. We visit the home often and make home repairs and work along side the children in cleaning the house." (Al and Muriel Menssen)

"We were assigned to serve members of the church living in the Multi-Ethnic Senior Citizen's High Rise. Many had physical handicaps and could not leave the building. Most could not sit for a three hour block of meetings so we broke that up into three one hour sessions, Sacrament meeting on Sunday, a combination of Sunday School and Family Home Evening on Monday night and Priesthood and Relief Society meetings on Wednesday evening. Here are some of our most memorable experiences. An 84 year old woman reads the Ensign from cover to cover about five times each month. She reads the Book of Mormon every day. She was a kind and loving person who prayed for every one and was grateful for whatever help she was given. We taught a temple preparation course and were able to take her to the temple for the first time to be endowed. A 40-year-old woman had suffered an accident in her 20s and had been wheelchair-bound since. Yet she had a positive attitude and always had a smile on her face. She had always dreamed of attending the temple but had never thought it would be a reality. We were able to take her to the Jordan River Temple to be endowed. With other service missionaries and the youth from a resident ward we were able to provide a Christmas dinner. Each person's picture was on an ornament on the Christmas tree. The youth from the resident ward had saved money all year amounting to several thousand dollars with which they bought the most desired gift for every resident. The youth did the shopping, wrapping, and delivery and helped prepare and serve the dinner. It was a truly wonderful Christmas Party for the youth involved and for everyone. The true Christmas Spirit was there." (Ken and Luana Thorup)

"When we found him, Richard was homeless and eating out of local dumpsters and whatever else he could find. He had scruffy long hair and a beard to match. He had been converted to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as a young man, but through a series of unfortunate events he was brought into the terrible situation in which we found him. After becoming acquainted, Richard allowed us to cut his hair, he shaved his beard and we bought him new clothes. Since he was living on the streets, in order to be clean for church, he would arise at 4 am so no one could see him pour water into a barrel and bathe the best he could. We soon found him a room to rent so he could get off the streets. Once he got his life stabilized, he had no difficulty finding employment. Richard has remained devoted and active in whatever wards he has lived in since we worked with him. Though we are no longer serving in the inner city and he has moved a number of times, we still see him regularly and he has become like a member of our extended family. He now lives in another city, is dong well, lives in a clean apartment, and is a devoted home teacher.". (Marcele and Don Huffaker)

"A Hispanic father with two sons had moved from Montana for a new start. The father had difficulty finding a job because of a police record in Montana. The two sons had been through a lot while the father was in trouble. We helped the father get a truck-driving job, which was the first of many. He is doing well employment-wise and recently remarried, but is not attending church. One son graduated from high school, spoke during his seminary graduation, went on a Spanish-speaking mission to Texas, met and married a Hispanic girl and became a father. They are doing well and attend a Spanish-speaking ward. The younger son remained inactive." (Marlo and Charleen May)

"A Hispanic mother was in a very abusive marriage, was in the country illegally, had no job and spoke very poor English. We worked with immigration and obtained green cards for her and her children. She got a job at Deseret Industries and took classes in English as a Second Language. We tried to help the husband, encouraged home evenings and gospel study, and obtained access to dental help for him and hospitalization for her. He did what was needed to get the help he wanted but with a lack of sincerity and a continuation of wife abuse. She finally divorced him and, with the help of the bishop, moved to another apartment and began anew. We helped her get a permanent job at O.C. Tanner. She later remarried a man who she had met at Deseret Industries and he treated her well. The son was very active but later married, had children and dropped from activity. The daughter showed little interest in Young Women or in friendship with the girls in the ward. However, she married a fellow Mexican who was subsequently baptized, they had children and became intensely active in a Spanish-speaking branch where she interprets for the meetings." (Marlo and Sharleen May)

"A father was converted while in prison. He and his wife had battled many trials including drugs and alcohol, but they had a strong marriage and a devotion to their three daughters. He had some health problems, which caused problems with keeping a job. She had a good job, but back bills and continual health problems without insurance made their lives difficult. They needed tender loving care and were appreciative of everything we helped them with. They accepted positions in the ward and served well. A special occasion came when the father was able to baptize his youngest daughter. All previous ordinances for his family had to be performed by others. He was humbled to be able to use his priesthood in her behalf. This couple received a car from the Inner City Project Storehouse of Specialists and you can't believe how happy they were." (Marlo and Sharleen May)

We were assigned to a young couple who had serious financial problems. They never balanced their checkbook and were constantly being charged overdraft and check cashing fees by their financial institution. We met with the financial institution and were able to arrange for them to refund one-half of the fees for one month (it amounted to several hundreds of dollars). They began to make good financial decisions and have now moved from the ward into a larger home. They were using a debt consolidation program for their credit card debt and eventually paid off the debt. It is interesting that the amount they were paying to the debt consolidator amounted to the amount the brother's check was reduced when he was called into active duty for a year. So they suffered no financial hardship during that time. The Lord helps those that help themselves and keep his commandments. (Arn and Gayle Birrell)

Less Favorable Experiences

An older couple, he a quadriplegic and she frequently unemployed, had two adopted children. They had $35,000 in unpaid bills going back two years, $17,000 in school loans long overdue, unanswered court summons, phone calls from creditors, and an unkempt house. The wife had been driving without insurance and had charges levied against her for an accident involving a police officer. She was depressed and under mental health care which was a major contributor to the ongoing debt. Service missionaries assigned to the family sought to locate unpaid bills scattered around the house and soon had two full small print computer pages of accounts payable. Working with the family over two years, they got the automobile accident toll down to $500, the other accounts down to $2000 and the school loan on schedule. The wife was on medication and employed. The service missionaries were exhausted from the constant pressure, pleased with their overall experience, but concerned that with their departure the indebtedness would rise again if they failed to keep in touch with the family. (Jesse and Christina Halling)

"We were asked to help a young lady who at one time in her life had been very active in giving firesides to the youth of the church. She had recently gone through a divorce, which had been primarily her choice. She did not feel comfortable in church attendance, both because of her divorce and because she was reluctant to stop smoking. She did feel comfortable requesting food orders and receiving furniture from Deseret Industries but resented the bishop. She regretted no longer having the good feelings she remembered from her church activity times. Yet she showed no friendship for other members of the ward. She is self-centered and has no desire to help anyone but herself. She moved recently to the town where she was raised but did not want her membership to be sent there because she did not want the bishop to know she had returned. We haven't given up on her totally but don't have much hope for her future." (Gary and Audrey Forbush)

An African-American man and a Native-American woman living together in Arizona had married and then been baptized at the urging of missionaries. He came from an abusive background and she from foster care. They had two children, five and three which were hers from a previous out-of-wedlock relationship and she had another child in foster care in California. They were newly arrived in a Salt Lake City ward. The assigned service missionary couple tried to establish an especially close relationship with the children but found it difficult to do so while the mother was being abusive and overly strict with them. The husband was very selfish with his wants and not sharing with his wife and children. The couple took advantage of the church support system in every possible way. They were very demanding for Christmas assistance yet very unappreciative. He then left the family. The children were subsequently being taken care of by what the service missionaries considered to be a very unsavory group. One day the missionaries came to call, found the mother and children gone and were never again able to make contact. (Bill and Renee Christensen)

Service missionaries helped a parolee from the Utah State Prison get two front teeth replaced by a dentist from the Storehouse of Specialists. He was receiving the missionary discussions, attending church meetings regularly, singing in the choir and awaiting the end of his parole so he could be baptized. He walked into the bishop's office to ask that the bishop marry him to a woman he had met while working at the Humanitarian Center. That was done with the service missionaries serving as best man and matron of honor. But the wife proved unstable and the husband died from a drug overdose without ever being baptized. (David and Rayna Scott)

A service missionary couple reflects on the alternating encouragements and disappointments of working with two inner city families. Both families progressed substantially at first and then fell apart. One father seemingly overcame drinking problems, was baptized, attended and completed a high school equivalency program–the first in his family to do so--and obtained improved employment before falling back into his drinking habits, beating his wife who then took up with another man and having their three children taken into foster care. The father in the other family who was already a member ceased drinking and then returned to the habit, losing his job in the process, while a 12-year-old son in the same family was placed in detention for a sexual offence. Yet this service missionary couple reflected, "The Inner City Project had a profound effect upon us. We were made more humble and appreciative of our blessings that we were taking for granted. We loved working with the bishop, the other missionaries, and the people of the ward. We are glad we served." (Dilworth and Peggy Newman)

"One fellow was living in his car. We were able, after much persuasion and assistance from the manager at the Multi Ethnic High Rise, to get him an apartment there. We furnished it with items donated by members of our resident ward and stake along with Deseret Industries. It was made very comfortable for him. He was instructed that there was to be no drinking or smoking or friends and family staying with him. Within a very short time, all of the above occurred. We tried to help him understand that he was going to be evicted if those transgressions of the rules continued, but he just did not seem to know how to obey rules and out he went." (Marloe and Peggy Morgan)

A missionary couple worked with a twice-divorced member who had been first married at 13 and had her first baby at 14. She had many health problems and changed jobs frequently but expressed pride in her church membership and frequently told her extended family to get right with God. She also took pride in the quilts she tied in payment for help she was receiving from the church. She attended the temple preparation class and was prepared to attend the temple when a ward Relief Society counselor saw her smoking. Then it turned out that she had lied to both the bishop and the stake president in her interviews. She has not yet made it to the temple but she has influenced a number of inactive members to commence attending. (David and Rayna Scott)

"We were assigned to a family of four, a father and mother, once married then divorced and now living together, and two grade school sons. The father would not work and the mother had a physical handicap and could not work. She received a monthly check for her handicap. The income was not sufficient for rent and food for them all. He sold his blood whenever he could but used that money to buy beer and cigarettes. Both parents smoked but she was interested in church activity and tried to stop. Her husband and sons ridiculed her for that effort. They had at one time lived on the street and were afraid they might have to go back to that. They had no car. The bishop gave them food and clothing orders, which we picked up and delivered. They always asked for more food than their small refrigerator would hold. We thought they were selling that to help with the rent. The bishop was aware but approved the additional food. We did a financial survey with them and saw that they were wasting much of the money they did receive. She wanted to hear the missionary proselyting lessons, which we presented. The husband insisted that they be given in the bedroom so he could entertain his drinking buddies in the living room. She would have liked to have changed their lives but the husband was happy with things the way they were. We only helped this little family by being a support to the wife and mother who felt she had no self-worth," (Ralph and Carol Barth)

"A couple unmarried to each other with a child each from former liaisons showed interest in getting their lives in order. Legal assistance was obtained to arrange for concluding former marriages so that they could marry in order to raise the children properly. Everything was set in motion but not acted upon, though all that was required was to file divorce papers. It turned out that he had outstanding warrants and feared being arrested if his name appeared on legal papers. Instead, they left the state." (Neil and Judy Sumsion)

"We visited a family with no father in the home and a mother who worked two jobs so that she never attended church. She had two daughters who were having babies which she tried to raise. One daughter was in prison most of the time and had a baby there. The other daughter had two babies by different fathers, neither of which she had been married to. She came to church only to get a food order. The father of one of the babies was in jail. They tried to put a guilt trip on us to try to make us feel that we should be doing more for them. We tried to teach them about the Proclamation on the Family and their responsibilities, but we did not feel we ever made any progress." (Bruce and Camilla Brunson)

A service missionary couple working with Hispanic families in a predominately Anglo ward had an interesting mix of failure and success. Two boys were kept in school and work but there was less success in church activity due to a substantial degree to the inattention of the ward Aaronic priesthood leaders. Their mother had been left with thousands of dollars of debt when the father abandoned the family. She also owed thousands in medical bills from depression aggravated by abuse from her former husband. The missionaries began by helping her budget but ultimately helped her obtain bankruptcy and a divorce, which together put her on a successful personal track. They helped another Hispanic woman obtain a sewing machine to sew her own clothes. When she received a call to an 18-month mission in Chile, they stored her furniture and oversaw rental of her condominium. Renters abused the condo and failed to pay much of the rent, leaving the missionaries with costs for repairs. When she returned, the woman sold the condo and moved in with the missionaries for a time, then left her belongings with them while she visited her family in Mexico. Long-suffering, they intend to help her get an apartment when she returns. (James and Eunice Pace)

One service missionary couple spent two years working among immigrants–legal and illegal–living in a generally English-speaking ward. A man from Peru and a woman from Guatemala met and married in Salt Lake City. Though he spoke little English and could get only temporary and low paid work, he felt obligated to send money home to grown children in Peru. She was the main support of the family. He also had health problems, which interfered with his earning capacity. The wife's daughter resented her stepfather and was a source of strife until she married and moved out. The son and the stepfather got along well. The wife's car broke a timing belt and the service missionary and a friend were able to fix it. The wife became depressed about her husband's work situation and slashed her wrists in attempted suicide. Still, the service missionaries have gained the couple's confidence and believe the family is doing better.

This missionary couple also worked with a mother from Belgian Congo who was in the U.S. illegally. They went to the Immigration Service to see if they could get her legalized but found the only possibility to be the lottery. She and a high school age daughter had been living with another immigrant family. Working three jobs, she resolved to move into an apartment. She paid the deposit but was disappointed when the bishop was unwilling to pay the rent and utilities. The missionaries helped her obtain donated furniture. She also had a son still in Africa and resented the unwillingness of the bishop to pay for him to come to America. In the mix of those stresses, the woman and her daughter moved out of state, hoping for better employment.

The same missionary couple was assigned another family with a background of drug problems. The bishop had helped the family move into an apartment in the ward but had required that they attend church and work at Deseret Industries when they had no other employment. The husband obtained another job while the wife worked at Deseret Industries. They attended church meetings and sang in the choir. On his wife's birthday, the husband resolved to throw a party for her. He decorated the apartment and the service missionaries helped with a meal. But during the evening the couple became drunk, the police were called and the family was evicted. The missionary couple was disposed to let the family stay with them for a few days until they found other lodging but the bishop forbad it.

The husband in another couple the missionaries served was employed by the church. The wife was pregnant. The husband took off work to take her to the doctor without calling in and was fired. He could not find other work and his mother sent plane tickets for the family to come home to Texas. They left a car full of personal belongings and an apartment full of furniture of which the missionaries sold part and sent the rest and the money to Texas.

Another assignment was a widowed mother with a formerly drug addicted son. He is a former automobile mechanic with previous marital problems. He is crippled, is in training for computer repair, and is doing such repair at home. The mother was trained at Deseret Industries and now has other employment. The son, who serves as Secretary to the High Priests group in the ward, was called to serve at the Soap Factory but can no longer stand on his feet for any length of time. They both attend the temple.

The missionary couple also worked with single mother and former missionary from Mexico with several children who had been abandoned by the husband and father. She was teaching a Spanish language Sunday School class in the generally English speaking ward but that class was dissolved when a Spanish-speaking branch was formed in the same building. The Mexican woman remained in the English-speaking ward so that her children could maintain their English skills and friendships. She was a trained schoolteacher from Mexico but had her "green card" (work permit) taken away from her by border agents when returning from a recent trip to Mexico. The missionary couple has taken her to the school district to see if she can get a teaching job but have been told "not without the work permit." She can, however, work as a teachers ' aide, but at very low pay. The missionaries have had a lawyer involved who has advised patience. They have also noted that the woman's house is generally cold because she shuts off the furnace to save gas. The bishop is willing to help the family but their needs are not brought to his attention unless the missionaries do it. They also work with another Hispanic family in which the husband is a skilled chef who was fired when it was learned that he is here illegally. The wife works at a minimum wage job while the husband stays home with the children. They were buying a home but they could not afford the payments or utilities. A ward member helped them sell the home and the Elders quorum moved them into an apartment where the bishop is helping with the rent. Despite all this, the service missionaries reflected at the end of their mission, "We enjoyed working in the mission very much. We especially liked working with the Spanish-speaking people and we became their advocates. We found that there was a real barrier between them and the English-speaking people of the ward. They were very grateful to have someone to talk to in their native language and explain things to them. At times we went to bishops' interviews with these people to make sure the church leaders understood their situations. They are in general a humble people and they want to do good. They want to improve their lives and that is why they are here." (James and Eunice Pace)

"The least progress was made with a family where the parents were on the edge of divorce and they refused to make the necessary changes that could have saved their marriage. Addictions and dishonesty were a huge problem for these people. I hope we helped their children in some ways." (Mike and Liesa Card)

"In a family of two adults and three children, we were able to see the children baptized and the parents become very active in the ward. The family was receiving assistance for rent, food and other necessities. We did a Sub for Santa for them and worked with them closely to get them on their feet. The parents both had full-time jobs at the end of the year as we re-evaluated their situation and the bishop determined that it was now time for them to be on their own. We were shocked to see the anger and selfishness that took place when this was presented to them. They had not grasped the idea of self-reliance. We reviewed all we had done to help and came to the conclusion that they had never really felt that they should stand on their own feet. We were very sad and disappointed." (Scott and Connie Olson)

"Our saddest experience was with a single mother with two children who was supported by public assistance. The mother would attend church occasionally if we picked her up. She had a boy friend who eventually moved in with her. The daughter disliked him and moved in with an older sister who was reluctant to allow us to visit. The son was arrested in a stolen car with drugs and a weapon and sent to a juvenile facility. The mother had been given a car by the Inner City Project but lost it two weeks later when the boy friend was caught driving it without a license and with an outstanding warrant. The car was impounded. With no children in the home, the mother was denied public assistance and left the state, not to our regret." (John and Terry Simmons)

"A family consisted of a mother and father, four grown children and four grandchildren. The parents knew how to work the church system and showed no desire for their family to improve. We worked on budgeting and debt reduction with the parents but there was no improvement since there was no desire to be truthful or any realistic effort to change their existing situation. The oldest son had a good job but no desire to get out on his own. The daughter used medical issues to gain the attention of her mother. She had been in a wheelchair for several years. We got her to use public transportation and through some physical therapy and swimming got her ready to walk. But when her younger brother began getting the parents attention related to his coming marriage she stopped eating and was soon back in bed unwilling to walk. Another son had custody of two children. We tried to get him to seek education and a better job but he was uninterested. A younger son returned from a mission. He tried to help the family but was unsuccessful. We encouraged him to get out on his own. The family was desirous of pulling him back into their lifestyle. Each child was expected to give the parents money and help with the bills. The former missionary son made the right choice, found a companion and was married. Because of his mission, he had seen other cultures and knew he could be independent of his family. He remained active, followed the council of church leaders and was the only bright spot on this family's crest." (Elder and Sister Woodruff)

A service missionary couple was assigned to a young married couple living in a very transient facility. They had married after he had returned from a mission and after they had a two-month-old baby. The assignment from the bishop was to help them with their finances and get them to the temple but the missionaries were never able to get from them information about their finances. The young couple attended Church-services about one half the time and then ceased. the service missionaries tried to make contact and finally found the bride's mother at the apartment. They learned that a divorce was in process, that the husband had returned to his home in Oregon and that the wife would return with her parents to Florida. (Todd and Rolayne Bruse)

The same service missionary couple was assigned another non-functional family. The other suffered from seizures. The family had become very dependent on a previous pair of service missionaries. The house was almost uninhabitable with cockroaches reigning supreme. The 14-year-old boy's room was a health hazard. The service missionaries cleaned the apartment several times, only to have it as bad the next time they saw it. The son dropped out of school. the family was not learning self-reliance. The bishop concluded not to assign further service missionaries to them. (Todd and Roylane Bruse)

"A woman to whom we were assigned had multiple problems but our main assignment was to work on her finances. We did budgeting. We successfully took on a large time-share company she had a contract with and won. She was living on overdrafts and did not understand where her money went. In meeting with her and her credit union, we were able to alter the situation to the extent that the credit union imposed a $100 limit on overdrafts. We got her to close out some of her credit cards but in the end her dysfunctional family won out. She had three adult children and their live-in companions and a grandson living with her. Two of the adult children did not work. Though she was receiving disability income from the state, she still expected the church to make up the difference in their joint needs. It became a great challenge for the bishop to know what to do but our efforts became useless." (Dick and Betty Banks)

"We helped a couple for a time with mental illness issues including depression. While we were visiting them regularly, they improved their dress, began attending church and cut back on but did not cease smoking. The change in their appearance alone was dramatic. It was heartbreaking after working with them for about six months when the husband had a mental breakdown and was institutionalized and the wife of 26 years filed for a divorce after committing infidelity. She would not come back to the church after that and he was living in another ward and not attending, though we keep trying to persuade him. Another sister–a rehabilitated drug addict previously converted to the church, has been active but will not give up coffee nor become a full-tithe payer in order to attend the temple. Her daughter recently became pregnant out of wedlock but the mother refuses to let the daughter consider putting the baby up for adoption, despite the advice of the bishop. Instead, they planned on the daughter seeking public assistance for the 36 month maximum allowed. The bad news is that the daughter who is not a member of the church won't give up her smoking habit, even though pregnant. The good news is that the mother has remained an active attender of church meetings and has kept her job but she appears to lack the motivation to improve her life any further. We are still working with her and praying for her and continue to try to get her to set goals. We haven't given up yet" (Craig and Julie Wilson)

"One person we were assigned to was only interested in obtaining church assistance with rent and medical costs. When that assistance was no longer forthcoming, he avoided us so we were withdrawn by the bishop. We had some success with an individual who had problems with attendance, personal hygiene and work. He was assisted with clothing, food, and repairs to his humble home. When his wife returned to live with him, she was in poor health, was hospitalized and then placed in a care center where she died. We assisted him with tailoring his clothing, providing him a white shirt and books to read. He became active in attendance, paying the tithing and enjoying the passing of the sacrament when allowed to do so. However, he was usually too unclean, coming to church in clothing he had worn all week and with pockets full of tools and chains. On the other hand, even though he had a bad speech impediment, when he prayed, he spoke clearly and without blemish. He participated in priesthood lessons and Sunday School classes. We tried to assist him in budgeting his funds and in washing himself. He was never cooperative in either field, just avoided questions about where his money was going, but he was always a bright, chipper and friendly person. We did help him get disability funding after several months of effort, which was a major step. We were also frustrated by another man who was pleasant but not cooperative with our efforts to clean his home and arrange his funds so he could sustain himself. He had never been taught to read but could work on engines, TVs and computers with general success. He wasted his money and was always on the verge of getting evicted. However, he was not receiving church aid and he was always evasive of our efforts to help him with a financial plan. (Richard and Joleen Wright)

A mentally-challenged couple without children was also assigned to us. We cleaned their apartment twice, simultaneously explaining how and how often it should be done by themselves in the future. Instead, they just let things accumulate and then asked us to come and clean again. They could not grasp the idea that a few minutes a day would suffice for doing it themselves. Nevertheless, they considered us their friends. Another family was a major challenge. The father had open-heart surgery. One son had been murdered and the remaining one was drug addicted. The daughter suffered from mental illness leaving the mother as the only breadwinner. She struggled to keep a roof over their heads and food on the table. Still, they preferred to keep the refrigerator full of beer for father, son and visiting friends while calling for Church assistance to provide milk and other staples. They moved from ward to ward but we still gave a listening ear and moral support to the mother by telephone. Another family comprised a broken home with bad choices being made by the mother. While the son attended scout activities and was interested in joining the church, he was not baptized because of the lack of commitment by the mother. She came to look forward to our visits but would never commit to changes, which would have bettered their lives. (Richard and Joleen Wright)

There was also a family consisting of a remarried excommunicated wife and a nice but heavy drinking and smoking Catholic husband who we assisted through a pregnancy and the birth of a Downs Syndrome child. The wife had Crohn's disease and the husband had a chronic back injury, which affected his ability to work so he drank to assuage his pains and drown his problems. When he drank, he abused her. We helped her time after time and eventually helped her move out. Since he could not earn the rent by himself and was awakened by the loss of his family, he tried very hard to get back with his wife and baby. We assisted them in finding and moving into a new apartment. He stopped drinking and had the missionary lessons but was never able to stop smoking. We remain strong friends and look forward to being with them when he is finally baptized, as we believe he will be. Any progress we made with any of these families were in simply being there and becoming their friends–tough love in many cases–but still being there." (Richard and Joleen Wright)

"Probably our most frustrating experience was with a woman who had both legal problems and mental illness. We were able to get an attorney of our acquaintance to help her. We went eight times with her to the 2nd District Court in Farmington until she was finally put on probation and subsequently released. This was a great blessing to her and to her husband. However, she wanted to get legal help so that she could regain custody of her two children. But she had unresolved problems of mental illness, which were not overcome and prevented her recovering the children. This was discouraging to us because we had spent so much time with her that we felt very close to her and to her husband and wanted so much to help her move forward." (Bud and Lucy Griffiths)

"A family was deep in debt and the father was much of the problem. There were warrants for his arrest and we had to get them dealt with. There was no way they could stay in their home with a huge balloon payment coming due. They lost their home and the father was eventually deported. Still, they now have a daughter serving a mission. They were wonderful people but they were still living on the edge. We dealt with people who were single parents and those with bad marriages. We had a young lady who was one of the strongest we ever met go completely inactive once she moved from home. We helped her get accepted to BYU Idaho but she never went. We had several who lived on the edge, needing little more than occasional assistance from the ward. From them, we truly learned the meaning of the widow's mite. We also had the experience of working with families who lived like animals. We loved them, but they lived in squalor. On one occasion, I cleaned a yard. It took me all day and I felt so good, only to see it fall in to disrepair within two weeks. Few of these families changed in the years we worked with them. The parents lived with depression and the children often had problems with it also." (Chuck and Jeanne Thompson)

"A woman we worked with has been trying to get custody of her children ages four and six. She has a lawyer helping her but we hope she is not successful. The girls are better off with their foster parents." (Raymond and Sarah Anderson)

"A young couple with four children was a real project. She was helped to arrange her home and cupboards but to no avail. We took in shovels to throw out cockroaches. The children were starved for affection. The parents did not attend but the children were picked up for Church-services. It got so bad that the children needed to be out of that environment. The Relief Society President went to Social Services to seek to have the children removed. The mother suspected that the children might be taken so the family moved out of the ward. What happened thereafter is unknown." (Bob and Jane Crofts)

"A couple with no children at home had a multitude of health problems with the wife's being the most serious. As a result of the health problems, they had serious financial problems stemming from their medical expenses. We were able to solve most of the financial problems and helped them to become active, start paying tithing, and keeping the word of wisdom. We had a target date for them to go to the temple for the first time. They were ready, excited and worthy to go when the wife died unexpectedly. Another couple had a myriad of health and mental/emotional issues. They came to church about half the time. We helped them to monitor their medications and saw that they got to their medical appointments. The sister had a long history of family sex abuse. We were able to help them do no more than maintain their existing status. A divorced brother was completely inactive and had Word of Wisdom problems. We worked with him and his two grown sons and finally got them to the temple. He and his ex-wife then planned on getting re-married in the temple. But at the last minute harsh words were exchanged and, with the marriage off, we were never able to get him back to church attendance." (Curtis and Dorothy Bates)

"A family we worked with consisted of young parents of four children who had been married at sixteen out of necessity and were having severe marital problems. We helped them get counseling from the bishop, LDS Family Services and ourselves but to no avail. They divorced and the father retained custody of the children. That may be for the best because he is more stable in every way and has remained active in the church to the extent she has not. However, the children miss their mother's constant influence and affection sorely. We failed to keep this family together but continued to help both parents work through the myriad of problems that attend the breakup of a family. They did not have it in their hearts to make what had become a loveless marriage work, even for those adorable children." (Steve and Ann Ostler)

"The least progress occurred with a single mother/aunt from a family with long term welfare and moral problems. She had a nephew and niece living with her, which limited her availability to work. The nephew became the father of a baby out of wedlock with a 15-year-old girl. We took them to LDS family services for counseling but they chose not to put the baby up for adoption, even though they also chose not to get married. At least it gave us an opportunity to cancel the sister who thought it was great for her brother to become a father." (Edward and Marlene Davis)

"Our least progress was with a young man who was a long-term addict. We worked with our bishop but we were unable to help the young man beyond striving to meet physical needs. There came a point when he withdrew from contact and went with his addictions." (John and Sarah Heath)

"One family has always been on welfare and we fear that the children, having never seen anything else, are going to have a difficult time breaking the pattern. The youngest child, 15, has started coming to church on a more regular basis, hoping to be made a teacher. The only daughter, 21, has been going to college, is working, and is planning to marry in the temple soon. She is the one member of the family who has a job in the ward and attends church regularly. The family does not have a car that runs and so we have been picking them up and taking them to church. The mother is handicapped and in a wheelchair so it would be difficult for her to work. We have only met the father once. We have been able to get the oldest son, 23, to start coming to church. We have not seen much of the 17 year old." (Al and Muriel Menssen}

"Dan was an inactive member with one son who lived with a woman with two children which were not his but for whom he took full responsibility. As we worked with him, he cleaned himself up, cut his hair, quit smoking, and attended church with the children, later baptizing two of them himself. Unfortunately, neither he nor the children got any encouragement from his live-in partner. She smoked around them and did everything she could to make it uncomfortable and difficult for them to attend church. He and the children remained active as long as they were in the ward where we served, but when they moved to another ward, there was no one to encourage them and they dropped from activity." (Marcele and Don Huffaker)

A couple was illegally married because the wife had not divorced her previous husband. She had two children by the former husband, one of whom he was raising and one of whom her sister was raising. She and her present husband had two children who were currently in foster care. They were financially strapped. The service missionaries got the couple employed at Deseret Industries, she into the Church addiction recovery 12-step program and he into a rehabilitation center for alcohol addiction and anger management. They also got a lawyer to help with the marriage mess. The bishop went to court with them as well. The husband's sister adopted the babies and the two separated. The mother can no longer see her children. The service missionaries end with the statement, "This was a very difficult family with many problems, but we loved them." (Jesse and Christina Halling)

"Our least progress was made with a drug-addicted sister who sold her body almost nightly to support her habit. She was in and out of jail. She did want to get her life in order. I (the missionary wife) sat on the couch with my arms around her many times while we cried together. The addiction was stronger than her desire to turn herself over to the Lord. We made every effort to get her into rehab, but she had been in a jail rehabilitation program twice before and concluded, "It didn't work." Yet she never be came stable enough to pursue the Church 12 Step Program. Addictions are the very chains of hell! We wish we had more training in dealing with drug-addicted people who are really lost and yet have hearts and souls more like the rest of us than we might want to admit." (Neil and Leotha Slagowski)

Personal Reflections

"It was not easy but it was a great learning experience. We learned that you don't judge a book by its cover, that some of the least likely looking people have good hearts. We learned to love people with whom we would have never otherwise associated." (Gary and Audrey Forbush)

"We are not the same people anymore. We have been changed forever by our 30 months service in the inner city. I see other people completely differently now, especially those who are obviously in need of service. I have a very strong testimony that this is the Lord's work and as such we were entitled to his spirit and inspiration. When it was requested, it was provided without fail." (Unidentified)

"Serving in a inner city ward gave us the opportunity to lose ourselves while serving needy folk. It filled our lives with experiences we were able to share with our family and members in ward sacrament meetings. It gave us an understanding of the difficulties bishops have in such an understaffed ward and how difficult it is to make major changes in one's life. It made us appreciate our own heritage and family lifestyle that we have passed on to our offspring." (David and Rayna Scott)

"As to the effect our Inner City Project has had on our lives, words cannot adequately express the gratitude we had for the privilege to be part of such an inspired program. We were able to help several families assigned to us in becoming self-reliant and they in turn helped others. Our own family was blessed with good health and was interested in those we served. We were able to encourage two friends to accept a call to serve in the program. This enhanced their own lives and those they served. This enhanced our own lives as well as those we served. The bishops were very supportive and appreciative for the service we were able to give. Being missionaries in the Inner City Project was indeed a privilege for my husband and me. (He is now deceased.)" (Russell and Fern Nichols)

Message to an inner city bishop: " We came to you with testimonies of Jesus Christ and armed with degrees from the College of Hard Knocks. You welcomed and accepted us as we were and sent us forth to love and lift the people. You wed us with the ward organization with whom we worked shoulder to shoulder. Your assignments to us were often, 'find them, love them and lift them.' You trusted us to do the right thing and return and report. We learned early that little could be accomplished until people had a roof over their heads, clothes on their backs and food in their stomachs. Working together, we were able to do much of that phase. Then the process of motivation, training and employment followed. The key to this whole process was you as the bishop and the ward organization you had molded to assist you. We tried to immerse ourselves in the ward and in the lives of those with whom we worked. We still are connected with our adopted daughters and their families. As bishop, your love and compassion far exceeded all. We like to feel that we were an extra arm, hand or even a shoulder to lean on. The Savior never said it would be easy but it was worth it. We gained a greater knowledge of people, love and compassion and our testimonies increased. We hope and trust we made a difference." (Unidentified)

Remembrances from the wife of a couple serving in the Liberty 4th Ward in 1997-98: "Our first spiritually intense meeting gave me a new awareness of the desperate living conditions of a needful segment of God's sons and daughters residing in the inner part of my city. Having been raised in the same valley in what I had considered a modest home, I suddenly realized that my residence had been a palace by comparison. As we were assigned by the bishop to attend the long-term needs of both members and non-members living within the boundaries of the ward, we heard of everything from murder, rape, abuse, fraud deception, abduction of children, homelessness, avoidance of law, and many other tragedies. We were to teach the principles of self-reliance. We were taught 'Wherefore be faithful; stand in the office to which I have appointed you; succor the weak, lift up the hands which hang down, and strengthen the feeble knees (D & C 81: 5).' We left that meeting knowing that the principles of assisting the poor and the needy are indelibly taught in the scriptures of the restoration. We asked ourselves, 'How will the sons and daughters of God be sanctified unless we pursue the course of becoming like Christ? If ye have not charity, you are nothing!' We learned in our subsequent service that you must first feed, clot he, love and accept God's children before a 'mighty change' to come unto Christ can occur in their lives as they become open to the blessings of the gospel." (Marloe and Peggy Morgan)

"We learn to love those whom we serve. We had great love and feeling for those we worked and served with. We only wish we could have had a greater influence in their lives to become more self-reliant. The majority we worked with had parents and grandparents who had depended upon welfare assistance from state agencies or the church welfare program and that was all they knew. It was difficult to get them to want to work and become independent. We gained a greater appreciation of what we have and the many opportunities that are ours. The Lord blessed us with this calling as he has in all the others we have experienced." (Marloe and Peggy Morgan)

"We have both grown from this experience and feel grateful for the opportunity to serve together. Attending the Miller Ward every week gave us even greater happiness. We came to know many members. My wife took an elderly lady under her wing and helped her to class and sat by her. My wife told a very shy Relief Society pianist how well she was doing every week. This sister handed my wife a card in which she expressed her gratitude. She said she had never had anyone, including her own mother, give her any positive encouragement and she was very grateful. We just fully enjoyed meeting people. There were several that no one talked to. We made sure that we said hello and let them know that we were grateful that they were there that day. This work is all about letting Heavenly Father's children know that they really count." (Lynn and Linda Weight)

"This was our fourth mission for the Church, two foreign and two in the states, but this was the most difficult because we were so emotionally involved with these families. We wanted so to help them change their destructive life patterns but some had lived that way for so many years that they could not change for the better. This experience only made us count our blessings even more." (Ralph and Carol Barth)

"Our youngest daughter was a junior in high school at the time and came with us on several occasions to sing in the choir, play the piano, give talks and attend young womens. She grew to love the girls as we did and found a new appreciation and perspective of what other people go through in trying to survive and how the gospel can turn lives around. What a marvelous experience it was for all of us." (Garn and Pat Woodall)

"We loved the inner city service and met many people who we love very much. Surely we received more than we were trying to give. Were we not now so busy in our home ward, we would consider returning in a minute. When we get through these callings, we will give someone in the Inner City Project a call because we would love to spend more time in the same way." (Gary and Teddie Warr)

"Our mission has left us with a wealth of experience and insight that has helped us enjoy our lives more. We are more grateful. We are more attentive to the needs of others, and we enjoy serving in the Church more than ever. Our testimonies were strengthened with many of our experiences. We loved the friendships we built with bishops, ward leaders, and other missionaries. Most of all, we are grateful for the experiences of being touched by other's lives." (Janet Reed)

"The Inner City Project service experience we both had dramatically changed our lives for the better forever. These are not idle words. We are not and will not be the same people ever again. We grew in a number of important ways that would not have been possible without such a wonderful service mission experience. We learned a deep love for the Hispanic people, a greater love for the Lord and for His gospel, understanding of how we need to listen to the promptings of the spirit, understanding of the plight of the Hispanic people, many of them with illegal status, complicated on the one hand by scriptures on the 'day of the Lamanite' and on the other hand the gospel instruction to honor and uphold the laws of the land, a keen recognition of how good so many people in the Salt Lake Valley are in their willingness to freely and repeatedly give their substance, time and talents to help others in need, and the great opportunity to rub shoulders with and to serve and work with so many lovely and special people who have been called to serve and for the examples of the tireless dedication demonstrated by those called to serve us in this great work." (Bruno and Cari Vassal, called subsequently to serve in the Salt Lake Valley Hispanic Initiative)

"It was obviously a growing experience for us. It prepared me for my present calling as Relief Society president in our home ward. We developed a compassion for people we got to know. It strengthened our testimonies to know how the Lord loves these people in spite of their troubles and the mistakes they have made. (Bruce and Camilla Brunson).

"This service was one of the most rewarding experiences we have ever had. We loved the ward and its members who embraced us from our very first meeting. We learned more from the families we worked with than we could have in any other calling. Our testimonies were strengthened as we realized daily that this was truly an inspired program to assist the Lord in helping all of His children have a chance to learn the gospel principles that could improve their lives. During our times of discouragement we came to understand that we would all have our day of accountability with the Lord. None of the people who were served by the missionaries in our ward could possibly say that no one ever loved me, that no one ever tried to make my life better, and no one ever told me about the Savior and his atonement for me. We were all different as missionaries, and yet alike in our desire to have a heart like the Savior's, loving and helping in whatever way we could. We were absolutely amazed at the resources available. This mission touched our home ward, our children and grandchildren (a grandson got his Eagle Scout Award helping us at Christmas time) our places of work and many other people. It has been a life-changing experience." (Scott and Connie Olson)

"Our service has taught us a bit more patience. We were frustrated most of the time. We are not sure our service was of much success. We have learned that people have their agency and all we could do was to give them the tools, support any effort that was shown and accept the decisions made, good or bad.. Still, the project was amazing. There is not an area of the human condition that was not addressed. We were fearful to accept the call but gave our best and we were grateful for the opportunity to serve." (Elder and Sister Woodruff)

"I feel blessed to have served this mission. My testimony grew, my love and concern for others grew, and it was nice to have this calling with my husband, which strengthened our marriage. The only negative experience we had was to do too much for the families for Christmas the first year. We all learned from it the second year and gave a family basket with games and activities, which the families could do together, along with food. It was a better feeling by providing a simple Christmas." (Stacey and Angelia Ward)

"Because of our experience, we are more aware of the need to encourage our children to be more self-reliant, and we contribute more to worthwhile causes both in the church and in our community." (Jerry and Kathy Huish)

"Our opportunity to serve in the Inner City has been a rich and rewarding experience. We understand far better the handicap of mental illness and know first hand the conditions many live in from day to day. We feel very thankful for family and the caring people who surround us and know that where much is given, much is expected. We loved our bishop. His policy was to meet with the missionaries every week. This helped us to feel of his spirit and learn from the other missionaries as well." (Dicbbanks)

"Our mission has taught us great compassion for others. We have learned to be very thankful for all our many blessings. We also know how important it is to be active in living the gospel. We love our heavenly father. We felt the leaders over us were excellent. They always had excellent meetings with great advice for them any problems that we faced. Even though many of our families still had their problems when we finished, we felt that our influence might have helped them along life's path. You never know what you may say that may make a difference to someone sometime in their life. Our main focus was always to do whatever the bishop needed done. That is where we felt most successful. We know that our contributions helped him in his overpowering responsibilities." (Wilford and Claudia Diederich)

"We had a very humble experience and were impressed with the strong interest of the active members and the caring the bishop had for the members we visited. In our opinion, the bishop was a saint who did everything possible to be of service to those who needed help." (Dale and Barbara Anderson)

"Our Inner City Project experience has been helping us to learn to love as the Savior loves. We have gained compassion for others. We have also learned that even though we know and understand the positive choices for our families to make, that we cannot make them choose to go that route. They have to make decisions for themselves and we are just there to try and guide them in the right direction with our Heavenly Father's help. And when they choose to make a poor decision, we have to continue encouraging them and guiding them and letting them know that their Heavenly Father and Savior love them also." (Craig and Julie Wilson)

"We loved our inner city experience. We felt total support from the bishopric and ward and from our home ward. We felt full support from those involved with the Inner City Project. It was very difficult for us to leave those people and return to our home ward. We truly love those people and the experience has been a blessing in our lives." (George and Joan Earl)

"The 36 months we spent working in the Pioneer 32nd Ward literally changed both our lives. At first we

figured we would march in and get lives changed. Then about half way into our mission we realized their lives were not the ones being changed. It was our own lives. We had been taught by these wonderful people what unconditional love and kindness stand for. The mission was a wonderful experience and something I would strongly suggest that anyone who has their children grown serve. We both came aw ay knowing that we had made a difference and most of all knowing we had forever been changed. This was true service." (Chuck and Jeanne Thompson)

"The Inner City Project blessed our lives in many ways. It was one of the hardest times of our lives but we learned many lessons. We could have been sent anywhere in the world and not encountered the problems faced in that ward. Yet the people in that ward welcomed everyone. If you came in off the street and smelled of tobacco or alcohol, they still welcomed you. They had so little and appreciated everything you did for them, especially the elderly. The Relief Society Presidents were extraordinary women who possessed great leadership ability and manifested true unconditional love. Our home ward helped enrich the lives of the inner city ward and enriched their own lives while doing it. There were members from many countries in the ward and our lives were blessed by that diversity. They taught us a real appreciation of how great it is to live in the United States of America. When they talked of love for America and sang "God Bless America" with tears rolling down their cheeks, it tugged at our heart-strings." (Bob and Jan Crofts)

"We feel that our lives and the lives of our extended family were blessed as we served. We were humbled as we associated with members of the branch and learned a lot about life and how it should be lived. This mission made us more grateful for the numerous blessings we have received. We also feel that we have made eternal friends that will enrich our lives for eternities." (Curtis and Dorothy Bates)

"The inner City Project has influenced us profoundly, giving us insight into the difficulties that even the very best of people have when they live on the edge of financial insecurity, health problems, and other trying situations. Our who le family benefited from the opportunities to serve, and from coming to know and love some very wonderful people with no social strings attached. We also developed some very practical know how which has helped Steve immeasurably in his subsequent callings as bishop and stake president. Our lives had a focus and a direction that was so meaningful, and hopefully we can maintain that focus forever. We learned to trust in the Lord because some challenges were just too much for our tiny brains and limited experience. He can always help us to see things more clearly and can perform the miracles that are sometimes needed." (Steve and Ann Ostler)

"The effect on us was the big gain. We are not the same people anymore. We have been changed forever. We see other people completely differently now, especially those who are obviously in need of service." (Joe and Sheila Maughan)

"The Inner City Project brought us joy in the gospel and in our service. We became closer to our Father in Heaven than we had ever been previously. Our personal relationship was blessed with greater understanding and spiritual commitment. We loved every minute of our time in the mission. Thank you for this opportunity for reflection on what was for us one of the great experiences of our lives." (John and Sarah Heath)

"Charles was able to share with Mindee the love of the Latin community. We were able to understand what some families around us are going through and how blessed we are. We were also humbled when we met so many members who had less then we do (which isn't much), but they were so much more faithful and dedicated to the Church." (Charles and Mindee Hofheins)

"It made us aware of the needs so close to home. This experience made us appreciate more our own life and what we have. We were glad that we were able to help those in need and attend their church meetings and learn to love all of them." (Lincoln and Grace LeCheminant)

"Serving on a mission was sort of a lifesaver for us . We had sorted of drifted apart over the years that I was bishop and busy in my work. It was so refreshing to serve together and rediscover each other." (Unidentified)

"We continue to have contact with three of our families. We have gained a greater appreciation of what we have and a better understanding of missionary service. We have a greater empathy for those who struggle with addiction or other problems. We have made lifelong friendships and have developed stronger testimonies and a deeper love of the gospel." (Marcele and Don Huffaker)

"We were so impressed with the loving attitude with which every request our bishop made was given. We will ever be blessed with our knowledge of how the welfare system of the church is administered. After this calling we served on Welfare Square for several years and again saw this marvelous program at work." (Marlo and Sharleen May)

"Our mission has left us with a wealth of experience and insight that has helped my husband and I enjoy our lives more. We are more grateful. We are more attentive to the needs of others, and we enjoy serving in the Church more than ever. Our testimonies were strengthened with many of the experiences. We loved the friendships we built with our ward leaders and with our ward missionaries and bishops. Most of all we were grateful for experiences of being touched by other's lives." (Unidentified)

"This service was one of the most rewarding experiences we have ever had. We loved the ward and the members who embraced us from our first meeting and we learned more from the families we worked with than we could have in any other calling. Our testimonies were strengthened as we realized daily that this was truly an inspired program to assist the Lord in helping all of his children have a chance to learn gospel principles that could improve their lives. During our times of discouragement we came to understand that we all would have our day of accountability with the Lord. None of the people who were served by the missionaries in our ward could possibly say that no one ever loved me, no one ever tried to help me make my life better, and no one ever told me about the Savior and his atonement for me. We were all different as missionaries, and yet alike in our desire to have a 'heart like the Savior's, loving and helping in whatever we could." (Unidentified)

Negative Responses

But not all of the experiences and reactions to them were positive:

"We had 3-4 families that we visited on a regular basis. In my opinion, their situations did not improve at all, if anything got worse. I was grateful to be able to serve with my wife, but it was a humbling, tough experience for me and I would not want to go through it again. This is because no matter what I tried to do for them, it did not seem to help them. Some were grateful for us being there but they did not want to change their ways no matter what we said or did with them or for them or to them. The resources of the church are great but how do you deal with people who just want you to be there to clean their house, tend their kids, listen to their war stories, and on and on. I found it difficult to deal with the stress that was heaped upon me by families that we saw month after month after month. The bishop and I had a couple of confrontations where I felt that these people were taking advantage of the church welfare system, but he did not feel that way and would not explain why so I was forced to back off and slide along. After awhile you just give way and take the path of least resistance. To say it was difficult is an understatement. Overall, I am glad I served, but I would not do it again." (Unidentified)

"The family we worked with longest was composed of a single mother with five children, two of whom were African American. We tried to help her get better employment so that she could take the children to church. They had no beds for the children so we obtained bunk beds for them. Her basement was flooded so we took all of the wet clothes on the floor home to launder. There were 30 loads of laundry." (Unidentified)

One participant provided a particularly negative analysis. Allegedly, the service missionaries were making end runs around the bishop by helping recipients to a greater extent than the bishop desired or helping recipients in different ways than the bishop desired. A lack of positive change among recipients was alleged, despite "success stories." "Some never change, the rate of change is slow, there is recidivism, there is abuse of the program involving bishops and missionaries tolerating abuse to a point and then cutting it off, and there is misunderstanding of the nature and under estimation of the difficulty of human change." Some bishops feel "burned out" by the program because missionaries "encourage tough cases to move into the ward," "over-active welfare missionaries swamp the ward's resources," and the welfare mission "tail" starts wagging the ward "dog." According to this observer, there is "conceptualization and implementation of a narrowly-defined self-reliance paradigm." "Self-reliance plays a pivotal, complex, and somewhat paradoxical role in the development, operation, organizational justification and evaluation of this project. A closely specified version of this principle, incorporating a particular set of beliefs and biases, serves as the program's alleged active ingredient, as well as its raison d'etre. Self-reliance in this program is carefully configured to function as the conceptual and operationally antithesis of "the dole," while simultaneously delineating the prescribed and approved form for providing Christian service to the needy, while also placing personal and corporate limits on the required extent of such service."

As incorporated in this program, self-reliance is viewed as a very individualistic quality, much like a character trait, the lack of which is seen as a flaw that produces spiritual as well as material neediness. Unless and until self-reliance as defined by the program delineates the efforts of the missionaries and is instilled in recipients, efforts to provide assistance can never really succeed, and, in fact, such misguided efforts to help only deepen the underlying problem (furthering the evils of the dole) and the resultant vitiation of personal responsibility. Not only government assistance, but also LDS Church assistance that is or has been rendered without adhering strictly to the tenets of this particular self-reliance paradigm is itself viewed as a form of the dole that worsens the very problems it seeks to help. Bishops who provide aid in ways that deviate from the dictates of this paradigm (thought by the paradigm's proponents to be in the majority) are negatively characterized as just administering welfare with checkbooks and commodities, fostering an LDS version of the dole. As the standard bearer for a proper vision of welfare conducted according to true principles, this program provides a forum for demonstrating a platform that is intended to promote internal reform in the Church as well as in the larger society.

It would be very difficult to make casual connection between the specific elements of this particular self-reliance paradigm and any benefits or shortcomings of the program. From limited observations, it appears the self-reliance (broadly interpreted) may have value as a principle that raises the probability that assistance is given and received appropriately and increases the coherence of efforts and expectations within the program. Evidence that the program produces beneficial results appears sufficient to justify its continuation and possible expansion, independent of showing that the specifics elf-reliance paradigm around which the program was designed is the active ingredients producing those results. Some proponents of the program view their version of self-reliance as the master key that can unlock every door. Over-emphasizing the role of that paradigm (particularly in producing positive effects, while attributing any shortcomings to not following the paradigm closely enough) could misdirect efforts to evaluate and justify the program on its merits (which may be broader than of different from this paradigm) or to improve it.

How Can the Inner City Project be Improved?

"We were too often asked to do something in the ward that regular members could have done, such as being asked to play the piano or organ when there were members with the capability. Often we were asked to do something for a family that we found afterward regularly assigned home teachers were available and willing to do. We should have been constrained to no more than shadow leadership, doing things there was no on else available to do." (Gary and Audrey Forbush)

Management of the project is a deep and complex issue because it is in fact the work of changing lives and is as complex as those people who need change. It might have been improved if more people would make better choices. We saw several people who had become our friends pass away, mainly due to bad choices. One was due to smoking and another was apparently murdered for money or drugs or both. The only thing I would try to improve is an effort by the missionaries to depend upon the Lord more and not "lean on our own understanding."

"We needed more information on currently available resources and have that information updated regularly."

"We had very little contact with our stake and other leaders. We would have liked to have had more. There were things that we had on idea how to handle and we are sure that we failed to take care of the needs that were shown to us. There are many who 'use' the valuable resources presented to them. They have a problem with ambition and would rather be assisted than see the joy of assisting someone else and knowing the blessings of service. After we were there awhile we began to recognize these interesting souls and less advantage was taken of the programs. More training on that subject would have been helpful."

"A lack of understanding by some bishoprics, stake presidents, and high councils hindered the speed and effectiveness of implementing the program in some of the Hispanic wards and branches. That impeded the calling of many more individuals and couples to serve. Other Anglo leaders caught the vision and were very supportive. Many local Anglo members lost the opportunity of being called to serve in a great work. The feeling that it was a 'pilot program' was not helpful on several levels. The politics of caution and not crossing lines of authority or stepping on priesthood toes kept the program from becoming all it could have been, even though keeping the Hispanic program needs quiet and out of the limelight was understandable." (A couple serving in a Hispanic ward.)

Another couple serving non-English speakers in a generally English speaking ward express their concerns: "We think it was a mistake to form the Spanish branch and then tell the Spanish-speaking people that they had to go there if they wanted to have Spanish spoken at church meetings. The Spanish-speaking people had wonderful Spanish classes in both Relief Society and Sunday School and it didn't detract the least from the English-speaking program. The adults who spoke Spanish felt fulfilled with their church experience while their children progressed in the English-speaking classes and the whole family had fulfillment. With the Spanish branch the people are kept in the Spanish language with no interaction with English speakers. The children who speak English in school and have little or no Spanish in their lives except at home are held back in the English-speaking society in which they are going to have to live because they either go to church meetings with their parents or drop out. the purpose of our church experience with these Spanish-speaking people should be to help them to move on towards fluency in the English language. The mandatory Spanish branch for those who would prefer to attend English-speaking wards stunts their efforts to help their children progress." Of course, a counter-argument is that non-English speakers are denied leadership experience in English-speaking congregations. (A couple serving in a mixed-language ward when it was divided into an English-speaking ward and a Spanish-speaking branch)

"We so appreciate the wonderful opportunity to fill this mission. We learned how to serve and give of ourselves in truly difficult situations. It helped us push out our own service boundaries. It took us places we frankly didn't want to go, but we also saw the Lord's hand in those places. It blessed our eight-year-old daughter with incredible experiences, both in the ward's primary and in the homes where we tried to give service. We felt like we slipped in as the giant door of the church was being closed to families who wish to serve but still have children at home. We made it!" (Couple referring to 2006 decision to no longer call service missionaries to the Inner City Project who had minor children at home)

"The best improvement would be for the Inner City supervisors to have stronger interaction with home ward bishops and stake presidents. Our local leaders demanded that we return to our home ward and stake. Our stake president called Inner City officials several times and insisted that our ward and stake were in desperate need of our time and efforts. But when we returned to our home ward it took several weeks to assign us to new callings and then it was to callings which could have been filled as well by many others."

"We served as proselyting missionaries with the sole responsibility of working with less active members. We determined that in nearly every case the less active were so because they did not have a testimony of the restored gospel. So, beginning with the second visit, we began teaching the proselyting missionary lessons. If we got them past the third lesson they generally became active. Those who would not let us teach them remained inactive. Following that full-time mission, we taught proselyting techniques to senior missionaries at the Provo Missionary Training Center. We found that our Inner City Project experience was very similar to our proselyting mission experience. Inner city families' problems stemmed from the fact that they did not adhere to the principles of the gospel. Therefore, we resolved that, in addition to helping inner city families temporally, we would teach them the missionary lessons. Gaining testimonies proved to be the first real step in changing for the better the lives of the families to whom we were assigned. We recommend that as a general practice for the Inner City Project Church-service missionaries." (Willis and Afton Wright)

"We were assigned to a public housing facility for the low income aged and physically and mentally disabled, most but not all of whom were single. We soon found ourselves in conflict with the bishopric of the ward who did not want to deal with the real problems of these people. I conclude that our mission was a success because we were able to show love to our brothers and sisters who were, in the eyes of others, pretty much unlovable. We learned a lot, though much of it was negative. Now when we hear of our friends being called to serve in the inner city, our wish for them is to have a ward leadership who are not 'done, finished and washed up' with the brothers and sisters and families to whom they may be assigned."

"We kept a daily log during our mission and took many photographs to keep a record of our progress during our mission. We feel that we learned more than we taught the families. We recorded our successes and our setbacks, our feelings and our thoughts. This has been a good source of satisfaction regarding what to do with this problem or that and how well it worked, or didn't and why. We recommend that this be encouraged with new missionaries. We also believe that it would be worthwhile to have a CPA or someone with financial knowledge assigned to every ward to work with people who are struggling to get their heads above water financially. There are so many of them." (Richard and Joleen Wright).

"The specialists we had at our fingertips were fantastic and the mission conferences helped a great deal teaching us about those specialists and how best to use them. One word of caution is Christmas. We love the true meaning of the most wonderful season, but too often-good people go out of their way to help less fortunate families have a special Christmas through some sort of Sub for Santa program. We witnessed this with one of our families. There had been lists of designer clothing and cosmetics and things we would never give our children. Instead, the family had an enormous amount of presents, which we took to the father and he took home. We dropped by the day after Christmas and found many of the toys broken or tossed in the front yard. Little or no appreciation was shown for what was done. We always want to keep wants and needs in perspective. We suggest a more practical approach with more clothing, food and small appliances." (Chuck and Jeanne Thompson)

"An improvement should be made in the bulk of welfare orders. People are generally getting far more than they should consume. That is especially true of meat orders. The bishop in the ward where we served told the service missionaries to limit their meat orders. We tried to write up the orders as frugally as possible and still keep the recipients happy." (Raymond and Sarah Anderson)

"When we started in the Inner City Project there was little training for us but that improved as time went on. The bishops and stake presidents needed to be on the same page as to what they wanted the service missionaries to do. There was no money for extras and the missionaries funded whatever programs were needed. In some cases a little money could have been given to fund all that needed to be done in the ward." (Bob and Jan Crofts)

"Our experience indicated that this program could be even more effective if the bishops and branch presidents were more knowledgeable about the program before the missionaries arrived. We think this has been addressed since our time. We can tell you what a difference it made when our branch president understood the program and its objectives by attending our meetings. Some people who have served said their bishops did not want to be bothered. We hope you make ongoing education for the bishops an integral part of the program. This program is beneficial to everyone concerned. The people in the wards and branches benefit and those serving are blessed. If used the way it is intended, the bishops and branch presidents can have a heavy load lightened." (Curtis and Dorothy Bates)

The conduct of the Inner City Project was inspired and inspiring. We felt well trained enough to start working and we found resources available as we needed them. We felt great love and support from the leaders of the program and knew that we could call on them as needed. There was a shift in the focus of the program from helping people largely with temporal needs initially to concentrating on enabling people to help themselves spiritually at first so they could involve the Lord more in their other problems. This felt like the right shift in direction, but we were not around long enough to fully see the fruits of this change in vision." (Steve and Ann Oatler)

"Management of the project is a deep and complex issue because it is in fact the work of changing lives and is as complex as the people who need change. It would improve if people would make better choices. We saw several people who had become our friends pass away because of their choices. One died because of smoking and another was murdered for drugs and money. The major improvement would be for we service missionaries to depend upon the Lord more and 'lean to our own understanding.' This is the Lord's work and as such we are entitled to His inspiration. When it was requested, it was provided without fail. " (Joe and Sheila Maughan)

"We needed more emphasis and training about how to love non-judgmentally and how to build trust with our assigned families. " (Edward and Marlene Davis)

"More resources for the Latin community with a bilingual representative available would have been helpful so that our families could have learned better to fend for themselves instead of having us constantly with them to translate, not that we minded." (Charles and Mindee Hofheins)

"We felt that access to the services available could have been improved so it would be easier to put the service with the person in need. At the project meetings we received instructions about the available services but it was difficult to work with the various establishments to get results. It should be very clear who the missionaries can contact and very clear in the minds of those contacted how to proceed with their voluntary services. Many seemed unaware that they had volunteered their services to the Inner City Project and were reluctant to provide the services. Of course it has been several years since we served so the system may have improved." (Lincoln and Grace LeCheminant)

"Service missionaries should be sent to the Multi-Ethnic High Rise who can speak Spanish and play the piano." (Ken and Luana Thorup)

"We have many discussions about how we feel about this project and not all of the conclusions are positive. Everyone who is working in the Inner City is amazed at how much time it takes. Sometimes we feel that we may be enabling people instead of helping them become self-reliant. Two of the families we work with have had many service missionaries over the years. It is almost like they feel that if there is a problem they don't need to worry, just call the missionaries. If they didn't have help so available, maybe they would have to do more for themselves. On the other hand, the bishop certainly has more to deal with then anyone ought to have. If we can lighten his load, that is important. Perhaps families who do not make significant progress after having missionaries work with them should not have services to prop them up. Some people might do better with tough love–being forced to take the steps they should be taking. We find it a challenging calling. Some days we are excited and happy and some days we ask ourselves, 'How did we ever get into this?" (Al and Muriel Menssen)

"Our suggestion for how to make the Project better: Don't send missionaries to wards unless the bishops are really supportive and WANT Inner City Project missionaries. We could have done more work and were willing to work harder and accomplish more had it not been for the fact that the bishop of our ward was not accepting or trusting of the service missionaries and had great difficulty delegating anything to us. He improved over time but for a while it was rather difficult. Upon completion of Inner City missionary service, an exit interview with one of the project leaders would be very valuable while the information and experiences are still fresh in our minds. We loved the mission with all of our hearts and would willingly serve again in a heartbeat." (Marcele and Don Huffaker)

Bishop's Comments: Few bishops responded to the request for information concerning their experience with the Inner City Project but those who did were positive about the results. One bishop thought that one-third of the families to which he had assigned service missionaries made outstanding progress.

Another judged:

• 10% outstanding progress
• 80% positive but not outstanding
• 10% no progress
• 90% of those visited had increased their church activity as a result of the missionaries' efforts

Another bishop thought:

• 20% outstanding progress
• 10% positive but not outstanding
• 10% no progress
• 75% had made no appreciable progress

He thought this might be because the missionaries had been assigned to the incorrigible families. In retrospect, he thought they might have been more productive if they had been assigned to those with the most potential for improvement. He considers the service missionaries to be a "wonderful resource." He is merely searching for a means of using them more effectively.

Another bishop who estimated 10% success still reported that the service missionaries were "taking a tremendous load off the bishop and the priesthood quorums."

Another bishop estimated:

• 40% outstanding progress
• 30% positive but not outstanding
• 30% no progress
• 90% of those visited had increased their church activity

Another estimated:

• 25% outstanding progress
• 50% positive but not outstanding
• 25% no progress
• 40% of those visited had increased their church activity

Another estimated:

• 75% outstanding progress
• 15% positive but not outstanding
• 10% no progress
• 90% of those visited had increased their church activity

Another estimated:

• 80% outstanding progress
• 20% positive but not outstanding
• 0% no progress
• 100% of those visited had increased their church activity

A quite general but somewhat facetious lament was that those who did improve their lives as a result of the guidance of the Church-service missionaries tended to move out of the ward area because of their consequent ability to afford better housing.

A bishop reported an increase in tithe payers as a result of the service missionaries' efforts accompanied by families "developing budgets and plans to get out of debt as well as improving employment and education." He "thought the conduct of the Inner City Project was wonderful," but he also felt it important that the service missionaries be "trained and knowledgeable of all the resources available to offer the families being served." He ended with "it was a great blessing to have the service of the wonderful service missionary couples. I regard those couples as my dear friends."

Another bishop reported, "A lot of people have been blessed…and pointed in the right direction. They still have struggles but life is better. Much assistance has been given to single mothers." Though the missionaries "don't realize what a strength they are as super home teachers," the Inner City Project is also "of great benefit to the missionaries that serve. I have seen many of them change after they get humbled by some of these people." Though most of the male service missionaries had been bishops themselves, he was impressed that they sought direction from him rather than tell him how to run his ward. " I am blessed by these wonderful brothers and sisters that served in my ward. They will stay with me the rest of my life and in the hearts of the people they have assisted."

In a more negative stance, one bishop felt none of the families worked with had made even appreciable progress, despite the hard work of the service missionaries, and only 10% ever came to church except when they wanted welfare or some other service from the church. He did feel, however, that the service missionaries did "take a tremendous load off the bishop and the priesthood quorums." Several bishops provided case examples of service missionary accomplishments. One bishop told of a woman living on the street in her car but within the ward and "working one temporary job after another and just getting by." In a few months an assigned missionary couple had helped her find "a decent job, a nice place to live and activated into full activity."

On a more difficult recounting, another bishop told of a couple having "incurred significant student loans," yet indulging themselves in "extravagant spending" while the man "allowed his pornography addiction to become the release from tension and pressure of mounting debt burdens." Only their children were holding them together. Service missionaries were assigned and, among other efforts, they and the bishop encouraged the husband to enroll in the church addiction recovery program. "We are only at the beginning stages of overcoming the burden of their lives, but with the love and care of the missionaries and utilization of resources at their hands in the Inner City program, we now see that this couple will be salvaged, both as to marriage and family and as to restoring the gospel as a fundamental part of their lives." That bishop also objected to the program that provided the service missionaries being called the Inner City Project when his ward was clearly suburban.

Earlier comments of bishops to Jeffrey Swinton: "Since the assignment of service missionaries to our ward, we have been blessed with a much sweeter spirit. We have also noticed that many of the leaders in the ward have renewed their dedication to their callings." "Mere words cannot express the gratitude I feel and the remarkable things I have witnessed through the Church service missionaries assigned to our ward. The time involved in assisting families was keeping me from many other duties in the ward and I felt that I was always putting on a new band-aid but never to start the healing process. So many hours were needed to assess needs, locate resources, and follow through. It was overwhelming. The service missionaries have lifted the load tremendously. They are able to get past the band-aid and start lives and families on the road to repair." "I simply cannot find the words to share the feelings I have. Suffice it to say that the Church Service Missionaries are constantly showing Christ-like love and compassion through deeds and prayers for their assigned families. In this capacity they are teaching our ward council and ward members how to be successful through compassionate service. They have shared resources and built confidence. Our entire ward has gained by associating with these couples." The introduction of the Inner City Project and the placement of the Church Service Missionaries have let us know that we are not alone in dealing with the challenges we face; that we are indeed part of a worldwide Church willing to help all that need it, whether in our own ward or not, whether in our own church or not. This has revitalized my commitment to the Lord and my belief in the structure and purpose of the Church. The Lord truly heard our cries for help; you are answers to our prayers."

Chapter 7

The Scriptural and Historical Base

Beginning initially with the efforts of Loy Despain in the Liberty 4th Ward, the declared basic objective of the Inner City Project has been the promotion of self-reliance. Scripture is quoted frequently concerning the obligations to care for the poor and needy but, in the Inner City Project, the appropriate care is perceived as encouraging and assisting the poor and needy to eliminate the causes of poverty and become self-reliant to the fullest extent possible, considering their age, health and other confronted obstacles. But the urging does not end with their achievement of self-reliance. The formerly poor are then to reach out to the extent possible in the helping of others, demonstrating thereby both love and commitment to their fellow man.

The basic philosophy that leads Latter-day Saints to undertake activities such as the Inner City Project (and should lead to far more such efforts than it does) is unique to us among all Christians. We believe that not only we but also all mankind are the actual spiritual offspring of heavenly parents to whom we were born and with whom we all once lived in a pre-earthly setting, that spirit life was and is actual and real, and that all mankind are therefore literal siblings. That is a unique teaching, which implies unique responsibilities. Moses 1:39 states the matter clearly: "This is my work and my glory to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man." Man should worship God because of who and what He is but God does not exist to be worshipped and man does not exist just to worship him. Man exists to serve in the same cause and pursue the same objectives as God does. It is also essential to be mindful of the duality of God. Not only does Eliza R. Snow recognize in the hymn "Oh My Father" the existence and equal pre-eminence a Mother in Heaven, but modern prophets have recognized the same essential fact. Note statements by Church Presidents Harold B. Lee and Spencer W. Kimball and other general authorities:

Sometimes we think the whole job is up to us, forgetful that there are loved ones beyond our sight who are thinking about us and our children. We forget that we have a Heavenly Father and a Heavenly Mother who are even more concerned, probably, than our earthly father and mother, and that influences from beyond are constantly working to try to help us when we do all that we can. (The Teachings of Harold B. Lee, p. 70)

When we sing that doctrinal hymn and anthem of affection, "O my Father," we get a sense of the ultimate in maternal modesty, of the restrained, queenly elegance of our Heavenly Mother, and knowing how profoundly our mortal mothers have shaped us here, do we suppose Her influence on us as individuals to be less if we live so as to return there? (Spencer W. Kimball, Ensign, May 1978)

God made man in his own image and certainly he made woman in the image of his wife-partner.... You women are daughters of God. You are precious. You are in the image of our Heavenly Mother. (The Teachings of Spencer W. Kimball, p. 25)

Women are endowed with special traits and at tributes that come trailing down from the di vine mother. Young women have special God-given feelings about charity, love, and obedience. Coarseness and vulgarity are contrary to their natures.... Theirs is a sacred, God-given role, and the traits that they receive from Heavenly Mother are equally as important as those given to young men. (Vaughn J. Featherstone, Ensign, November 1987)

Therefore:

...if a man marry a wife by ...the new and everlasting covenant and it is sealed unto them by the holy spirit of promise by...the keys of the priesthood, …it shall be done unto them in all things ...in time and through all eternity and shall be of full force when they are out of the world; and they shall pass by the angels and the gods which are set there to their exaltation and glory in all things as hath been sealed upon their heads which glory shall be a fullness and a continuation of the seeds forever and ever. Then shall they be gods because they have no end...because all things are subject to them...because they have all power.... (D&C 132:19-20)

And, of course, if all residents of this earth--past, present and future—share heavenly parents, we are all siblings with responsibilities to and for each other in fulfilling the expectations of those parents. We all are in this life not only for trial but also for personal character development to prepare for an eternal life in which we in turn can fulfill the role of eternal parents. If that is His (or Their) work and glory, which we want to share, then we must be involved in the pursuit of eternal life for our fellow human beings. Immortality was provided automatically by the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ, but eternal life requires adherence to divine principles. It is not a simple matter of declaring belief but rather of keeping commandments, following principles and developing a divine character within ourselves. If it is our Heavenly Father's work, it is ours as well, not just to save ourselves but to seriously try to save our heavenly siblings. We don't have to read many newspapers or view much TV to know how far the world is away from that accomplishment. Helping each other to survive the pressures of this life would not be adequate. We must all learn to love but also to work and serve. One who lacks those characteristics will not be useful as a kingdom builder or as a potential god or goddess—an eventual heavenly parent. We have not accomplished much for them if we merely assist our eternal siblings to survive this life only to spend eternity in telestial or terrestrial status. We cannot make our fellow men's decisions for them. Neither can God. But if we do not demonstrate brotherhood by trying to change their minds and attitudes, as well as contributing to their temporal well being, we cannot claim partnership with our Heavenly Parents.

Scriptural Base

Ancient scripture is replete with admonitions to care for the poor and needy. Examples from the Bible:

For the poor shall never cease out of the land: therefore, I command thee, saying, Thou shalt open thine hand wide unto thy brother, to thy poor, and to thy needy in thy land. (Deuteronomy 15:11)

For I was hungered and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger and ye took me in: Naked and ye clothed me: I was sick and ye visited me: I was in prison and ye came unto me: Verily I say unto you, inasmuch as ye have done it unto the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. (Matthew 25:35-36, 40

Now when Je us heard these things, he said unto him, Yet lackest thou one thing: sell all that thou hast and distribute unto the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven and come, follow me. (Luke 18:22)

And from the Book of Mormon:

…for the sake of retaining a remission of sins from day to day, that ye may walk guiltless before God—I would that ye should impart of your substance to the poor, every man according to that which he hath, such as feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, visiting the sick and administering to their relief, both spiritually and temporally, according to their wants. (Mosiah 4:26)

If ye turn away the poor and needy, and naked, and visit not the sick and afflicted, and impart of your substance, if ye have, to those who stand in need—I say unto you, if ye do not any of these things, behold your prayer is vain, and availeth you nothing, and ye are as hypocrites who do deny the faith. (Alma 34:28)

And thus, in their prosperous circumstances, they did not send away any who were naked, or that were hungry, or that were athirst, or that were sick, or that had not been nourished, and they did not set their hearts upon riches; therefore they were liberal to all, both old and young, both bond and free, both male and female, whether out of the church or in the church, having no respect to persons as to those who stood in need. (Alma 1:30)

Modern day scripture, the teachings of modern prophets, and instructions of the restored church agree with that premise but add an additional requirement that ancient scripture rarely mentions:

And inasmuch as ye impart of your substance unto the poor, ye will do it unto me; and they shall be laid before the bishop of my church….for I will consecrate the riches of those who embrace my gospel…unto the poor of my people…[but] …he that is idle shall not eat the bread nor wear the garments of the laborer. (D&C: 42: 31, 39, 42)

For behold, it is not meet that I should command in all things, for he that is compelled in all things, the same is a slothful and not a wise servant; wherefore, he receiveth no reward. Verily I say, men should be engaged in a good cause, and do many things of their own free will, and bring to pass much righteousness; for the power is in them, wherein they are agents unto themselves. And inasmuch as men do good, they shall in nowise lose their reward. (D&C 58:26-28)

That you may be equal in the bonds of heavenly things, yea, and earthly things also, for the obtaining of heavenly things, for if ye are not equal in earthly things ye cannot be equal in obtaining heavenly things. (D&C 78: 5-6)

Wherefore, be faithful…succor the weak, lift up the hands which hang down, and strengthen feeble knees. And if thou art faithful unto the end, thou shalt have the crown of immortality and eternal life in the mansions which I have prepared in the house of my Father. (D&C 81:5-6)

And all of this for the benefit of the Church of the living God, that every man may improve upon his talent, that every man may gain other talents, yea, even an hundred fold to be cast into the Lord's storehouse, to become the common property of the whole church—every man seeking the interests of his neighbor and doing all things with an eye single to the glory of God. (D&C 82: 18, 19)

For it is expedient that I, the Lord, should make every man accountable as a steward over earthly blessings which I have made and prepared for my creatures…and it is my purpose to provide for my saints…but it must be done in mine own way…that the poor shall be exalted [raised up?] in that the rich are made low [humbled?]… for the earth is full and there is enough and to spare…and [I] have given unto men to be agents unto themselves…if any man shall take of the abundance which I have made and impart not his portion according to the law of my gospel unto the poor and needy, he shall, with the wicked, lift up his eyes in hell, being in torment. (D&C104: 13-18)

Clearly, in modern scripture, the poor are to be assisted to rise to a level of self-reliance, commensurate with the limitations of irremovable personal obstacles, then continue on until they too can assist others. Therefore, modern day Church leaders have consistently taken the position that:

"Prayer is good, but when baked potatoes are needed, prayer will not suffice." (Brigham Young at time of rescue of Martin Handcart Company)

It has always been a cardinal teaching of the Latter-day Saints that a religion that has not the power to save its people temporally and make them prosperous and happy here cannot be depended upon to save them spiritually and exalt them in the life to come. (Joseph F. Smith)

And a more modern version:

"I want to say to you that we might as well throw our hats in the air and scream as to hope to convert spiritually an individual family or an individual man or an individual nation whose existence has been reduced to the instincts of animal survival. We must take care of their material needs and give them a taste of the kind of salvation that they do not have to die to get before we can lift up their thinking to a higher plane." (Harold B. Lee, General Welfare Meeting, 4 April 1959)

A person who is struggling and failing to meet the daily wants and needs of self and family is unlikely to have either the energy or the foresight to focus on preparation for eternity. Nevertheless, Joseph F. Smith's son, Joseph Fielding Smith, later added another component:

…it is clear that plans which contemplate only relieving present distress are deficient. The Church has always sought to place its members in a way to help them selves, rather than adopting the method of so many charitable institutions of providing only for present needs. Our idea of charity, therefore, is to relieve present wants and then put the poor in a way to help themselves so that in turn they may help others.  (Gospel Doctrine, p. 236)

Therefore:

The Lord must want and intend that His people shall be free of constraint whether enforceable or only arising out of the bindings of conscience….That is why the Church is not satisfied with any system which leaves able people permanently dependent and insists, on the contrary, that the true function and office of giving is to help people into position where they can help themselves and thus be free. (Albert E. Bowen, The Church Welfare Plan, Gospel Doctrine Manual, 1946, p. 77.)

This great principle does not deny to the needy nor the poor the assistance they should have. The wholly incapacitated, the aged, the sickly, are cared for with all tenderness, but every able-bodied person is enjoined to do his utmost for himself to avoid dependence, if his own efforts can make such a course possible, to look upon adversity as temporary; to combine his faith in his own ability with honest toil... seldom do circumstances arise in which men of rigorous faith, genuine courage and unfaltering determination, with the love of independence burning in their hearts, and pride in their own accomplishments, cannot surmount the obstacles that lie in their paths. (Henry D. Moyle, Conference Report, April 1948)

Since the beginning of time, man has been counseled to earn his own way, thereby becoming self-reliant. It is easy to understand the reason the Lord places so much emphasis on this principle when we come to understand that it is tied very closely to freedom itself…. Many programs have been set up by well-meaning individuals to aid those who are in need. However, many of these programs are designed with the shortsighted objective of "helping people" as opposed to "helping people help themselves." Our effort must always be directed toward making able-bodied people self-reliant…. Can we see how critical self-reliance becomes when looked upon as the prerequisite to service, when we also know that service is what godhood is about? Without self-reliance, one cannot exercise those innate desires to serve…. There is an interdependence between those who have and those who have not. The process of giving exalts the poor and humbles the rich. In the process, both are sanctified. The poor, released from the bondage and limitations of poverty, are enabled as free men to rise to their full potential, both temporally and spiritually. The rich, by imparting of their surplus, participate in the eternal principle of giving. Once a person has been made whole or self-reliant, he reaches out to aid others, and the cycle repeats itself. We are all self-reliant in some areas and dependent in others. Therefore, each of us should strive to help others in areas where we have strengths. At the same time, pride should not prevent us from graciously accepting the helping hand of another when we have a real need. To do so denies another person the opportunity to participate in a sanctifying experience. (Marion G. Romney, General Conference, October 1982)

It is the responsibility of the bishops to give emergency help to see that neither the individual nor his family suffers. The obligation of the priesthood quorum is to set in motion those forces and facilities which will equip the needy member to provide on a continuing basis for himself and his family. (Gordon B. Hinckley, Ensign, November 1977, pp. 84-86) No true Latter-day Saint, while physically or emotionally able, will voluntarily shift the burden of his own or his family's well-being to someone else. So long as he can, under the inspiration of the Lord and with his own labors, he will supply himself and his family with the spiritual and temporal necessities of life. (Spencer W. Kimball, Conference Report, October 1977, 124)

One who really understands and practices empathy doesn't solve another's problems, doesn't argue, doesn't top his story, make accusations or take away agency. He merely helps the person build his self-reliance and his self-image so he can try to find his own solutions. (Marvin J. Ashton, Conference Report, October 1981, 128-29)

The growth required by the gospel plan occurs only in a culture of individual effort and responsibility. It cannot occur in a culture of dependency. Whatever causes us to be dependent on someone else for decisions or resources we could provide for ourselves weakens us spiritually and retards our growth toward what the gospel plan intends us to be. (Dallin H. Oaks, Conference Report October 2003, 42)

But:

There should not be the slightest embarrassment for any member to be assisted by the Church. Provided, that is, that he has contributed all that he can. (Boyd K. Packer, Ensign, May 1978, p. 91)

Under such guidance, that principle of charity accompanied by pursuit of self-reliance has been duly written into all of the relevant church handbooks. For instance:

Principles for improving temporal welfare include caring for the poor and needy and becoming self-reliant individually and as families…. Through the Church, the Lord has established a way to care for the poor and needy and help them regain their self-reliance…. When Church members are doing all they can to provide for themselves but still cannot meet their basic needs, they should first turn to their extended families for help. When this is not sufficient, the Church stands ready to help…. Church members should become self-reliant in six basic areas: education; physical health; employment; home storage; resource management; and spiritual, emotional, and social strength. (Church Handbook of Instructions Book 2, pp. 255, 256, 257)

A bishop considers the causes of members' needs when determining what welfare assistance to render. He also helps needy members evaluate what they have done and may do for themselves and their families. If he feels that welfare assistance is justified, he helps needy members complete a Needs and Analysis form…. The stake president ensures that welfare resources within the stake are made available to the wards as needed and determines how to encourage members to be self-reliant. (Church Handbook of Instructions, Book 1, Stake Presidencies and Bishoprics, 2006, 17-18, 315-316)

As part of his church, the Lord has organized a way to help members as they work to regain their self-reliance…. In caring for the poor and needy, the bishop directs the use of ward resources other than fast offerings, including the time, talents, skills, compassion, and materials of ward members. He does this as chairman of the ward welfare committee by directing the committee's efforts, by counseling as appropriate with priesthood quorum leaders and Relief Society leaders, by asking families, home teachers and visiting teachers to serve the needy in particular ways, and by using resources made available to the ward by the stake welfare committee…. The Lord's storehouse includes the time, talents, skills, compassion, consecrated material, and financial means of faithful church members, these resources are available to the bishop in assisting those in need…. While the bishop is responsible to help ward members meet immediate needs, the priesthood quorums and the Relief Society have the responsibility to help members resolve long term needs…[Bishops] direct priesthood quorums and Relief Society members in teaching new skills to the needy and helping them become self-reliant…. Members are taught to provide for themselves and their families…. The stake welfare committee develops ways to encourage members to be self-reliant. (Providing in the Lord's Way, pp. 5, 11, 14, 15, 16, 18)

In August 2000 the Presiding Bishopric introduced a revised Needs and Resources Analysis form which contains the following instruction: "The bishop helps the individual with immediate needs as the ward welfare committee, including the priesthood quorums and the Relief Society assist with a plan leading to self-reliance" Included are instructions to "identify immediate and long-term needs of recipient and family, identify resources available from person, family, Church and community, and help the member develop and implement a self-reliance plan.

Hence we are to exercise personal productive efforts to bring about temporal prosperity and help and encourage others to do the same, adding spiritual prosperity thereafter. But that does not promise a free ride: Again, "Thou shalt not be idle; for he that is idle shall not eat the bread nor wear the garments of the laborer." (D&C 42:42). We do our fellow man no favor by meeting all of his or her temporal needs. Only if he or she is doing all reasonably possible under the circumstances can the feeling of self-esteem be enjoyed and appropriate eternal character be developed. Only to the extent that we provide emergency and temporary help while we assist him or her to return to productive capability to the extent possible have we provided appropriate siblinghood. We are all to be self-reliant. To be otherwise would unnecessarily impose the burden of supporting us onto others, hardly a brotherly approach. To be self-reliant does not necessarily mean being totally self-supporting. Only hermits practice total self-support.

Rather, ideally, we each produce the goods or services for which we have the greatest capability and then exchange our output, either within families or through the economic exchange system. Then if our spiritual siblings lack the current capability of meeting all of their needs, we add our contributions to bring them to comfortable status. The Doctrine and Covenants describes the ideal system of economic brotherhood thusly, as already quoted:

…you are to be equal…every man according to his wants and needs, inasmuch as his wants are just, and all of this for the benefit of the church of the living God, that every man may improve upon his talents that every man may gain other talents…to be cast in to the Lord's storehouse to become the property of the whole church, every man seeking the interests of his neighbor and doing all things with an eye single to the glory of God. (D&C 82:17-19)

Many of our fellow human beings are not capable of producing the equivalent of their full self-support, perhaps because of age, conditions of physical or mental health, inadequate knowledge or skills, or reasons of location. In terms of age, if they are doing all they can, they are self-reliant to the extent possible and love of fellow man implies subsidization. Brotherhood implies alleviation of health limitations to the extent possible in order to achieve self-reliance and continued assistance to the extent continued physical and mental health limitations dictate. Skill limitations entail a response within which access to education and skill training is offered and welcomed. Brotherhood and self-interest both require also assistance to our brothers and sisters in other lands to assist their economic development wherever they reside, but always to enable their self-reliance and their subsequent assistance to their fellow man.

Work is a holy word. Examine the 78 times it appears as a noun in the Holy Scriptures and see.

The Historical Base

It is also useful to review the Salt Lake Inner City Project in a longer-term historical context. The entire philosophy upon which it is based is contained in scriptures at hand upon departing from New York State in 1831:

And now I give the church in these parts a commandment that certain men among them shall be appointed by the voice of the church. And they shall look to the poor and needy, and administer to their relief that they shall not suffer; and send them forth to the place which I have commanded them; and this shall be their work, to govern the affairs of the property of this church. And they that have farms that cannot be sold, let them be left or rented as seemeth them good. (D & C 38:34-37)

Being in an agricultural era, they needed access to land to enable their production and, of course, lacked adequate funds for its purchase. Given that there was at least one member of the church in the vicinity of Kirtland, Ohio who had more land than needed for his own sustenance, the Lord, in a February 1831 revelation designated as "the law of the church" directed:

If thou lovest me, thou shalt serve me and keep all of my commandments; and behold, thou shalt consecrate all of thy properties, that which thou hast unto me, with a covenant and a deed which cannot be broken, and they shall be laid before the bishop of my church…who… shall appoint every man a steward over his own property, or that which he has received, inasmuch as shall be sufficient for himself and family. And the residue shall be kept to administer to him who has not, that every man may receive according as he stands in need… There shall be as many appointed as must needs be necessary to assist the bishop in obtaining places for the brethren from New York that they may be together as much as they can be…and every family shall have a place that they may live by themselves. (Book of Commandments, Chapter 44: 26-29, 57)

Unfortunately, that landowner was not so disposed. Some of the New York immigrants went on to Missouri and others survived by employment in temple building while living on the contributions of farm owners. Lands were purchased in Missouri and Illinois using contributions of scattered and incoming Saints. Throughout, they were reminded that the earth contained an abundance and "if any man shall take of the abundance which I have made, and impart not his portion according to the law of my gospel unto the poor and needy, he shall, with the wicked, lift up his eyes in hell, being in torment. (D & C 104:18)

In the mountain west, land was free. The need was for donated labor to construct irrigation and other infrastructure, which was accomplished largely by donating one hour in each ten as tithing labor. One can continue with reminders of the Perpetual Emigration Fund and the United Orders of the pioneer Deseret. There follows the gradual urbanization of society, the introduction of fast offerings, the sharing of unsalable farm surplus with unemployed but willing worker urban dwellers during the Great Depression, the subsequent introduction of welfare farms, canneries and other production facilities, Bishops' Storehouses, and Deseret Industries stores. [18]Garth L. Mangum and Bruce D. Blumell, The Mormons’ War on Poverty (Salt Lake City: University of Utah Press, 1993) With industrialization and internationalization, there followed Employment Resource Centers, educational support and humanitarian aid. The point is that the LDS Salt Lake Inner City Project is simply an application to the current Salt Lake Valley setting of eternal principles historically applied. The pioneering is in the application but not the philosophy nor the theology.

Other Relevant Citations

In formulating the Inner City Project in 1997, a 1977 statement of President Spencer W. Kimball was used to stress the self-reliance principle:

While often seen as temporal in nature, clearly we must understand that this work is spiritual at heart! It is people-centered and god-inspired…. As we travel and visit the people throughout the world, we recognize the great temporal needs of our people. And as we long to help them, we realize the vital importance of their learning this great lesson: that the highest achievement of spirituality comes as we conquer the flesh. We build character as we encourage people to care for their own needs. As givers gain control of their desires and properly see others needs in light of their own wants, then the powers of the gospel are released in their lives. They learn that by living the great law of consecration they insure not only temporal salvation but also spiritual sanctification. And as a recipient receives with thanksgiving, he rejoices in knowing that in its purest form—in the true Zion—one must take of both temporal and spiritual salvation. Then they are motivated to become self-sustaining and able to share with others. When viewed in this light, we can see that Welfare Services is not a program, but the essence of the gospel. It is the gospel in action. It is the crowning principle of a Christian life. (General Conference, October 1977)

Relevant Statements of Salt Lake Inner City Project Leaders

Elder Alexander Morrison addressed the service missionaries assembled in a 13 November 1998 Quarterly Conference:

"We now have a year of experience and scores of thousands of hours of devoted donated service from which to draw lessons. Perhaps the greatest lesson learned is the power of love in assisting the poor and needy in the Lord's way. Caring for those in need, binding up the wounds and strengthening the feeble knees of those who suffer, clothing the naked, blessing the sick, providing for the widow and orphan, are at the very heart of the Christian gospel, the highest expression of Christian stewardship. It has always been so….

Love and charity to wards others, including those not of the household of faith, was and still is a central characteristic of Christian communities. The Prophet Joseph Smith understood this principle and taught it repeatedly. "Let the Saints remember that great things depend upon their individual exertion, and that they are called to be co-workers with us and the Holy Spirit in accomplishing the great work in the last days…let every selfish feeling be not only buried but annihilated, and let good to God and man predominate and reign triumphant in every mind that their hearts may become like unto Enoch's of old…."

Saints throughout the ages have followed the Savior's admonition to love one another, to appreciate and care for each other. No community can long exist without such feelings of love and charity, expressed through service to others. The principle of love and mutual concern for each other by pioneer families inspires us all, points to higher levels of personal performance and helps us avoid the problems of our deteriorating society. [He then refers to handcart company examples.] the pioneers shared in each others joys and sorrows. They wept and rejoiced together, sharing the good and bad of life. Theirs was a brotherhood and sisterhood, a sense of community, which transcended ethnicity, age or their mutual trials and suffering. In our world of transient relationships and over concern about self to the exclusion of others, we would do well to learn from the pioneers noble examples. Their life stories, majestic in their simple heroism, can teach much in our Inner-City work.

A second great lesson we have learned and relearn daily in the Inner City Project is that daring to get involved in the life of another entails risk on both sides—the risks of rejections, of betrayal, of misunderstanding. Patience, love and the ability to share the sorrows and joys of another's life are essential ingredients for the success being achieved. It is cheap benevolence that wants to help poor people but isn't willing to know them….In the end, then, it is love which breaks down the barriers between the giver and the receiver and permits each to see the other as a whole person.

We are learning that help, to be useful, must be holistic. In other words, we must deal with the whole person if we are to move someone from dependency to self-reliance. A common feature among the poor and needy is that they suffer from multiple problems, often of long duration. In many instances, the problems are related to and feed upon each other. Thus, for example, low levels of educational attainment are closely associated with low income and that leads those involved to living in substandard housing in rundown neighborhoods. Substance abuse may lead to incarceration, which leads to family disruptions, lack of job opportunities on release, and so on. Our Church-service workers quickly find that they are dealing with a multi-variate system which requires a number of problems to be dealt with more or less simultaneously, but with the usual contrariness and unpredictability of the human race, made the more difficult because many of those concerned lack the essential life skills needed for personal and family success. The idea that we must deal with the whole person if we are to be successful extends to the family. It does little to accomplish long-term goals if an individual is moved toward self-reliance while other members of the family remain dysfunctional. Thus, just as we must deal with the whole person, we must deal with the whole family.

We have learned that providing help is much more a matter of time than of money…. The Inner City Project is not financially intensive. It takes a lot of volunteer time, but it does not require large amounts of money for its operation. All of you wonderful workers are volunteers. The thousands of hours you give every week are provided without charge. How grateful we are for your Christ-like service. Money needed for recipients comes from fast offerings to the Church. In this project such financial needs as exist are provided by the local bishop who controls the expenditure of fast offering funds. Furthermore, we think that many of those who become self-reliant will in turn serve other to help them achieve that goal.

We have learned, as many other aid workers have had to find out sooner or later that expectations must be clearly defined and individual responsibility required of those who receive help. Many Inner City Project participants do not have much experience in working or keeping commitments. They have not learned—and no one has required they learn—that if an employer asks you to be at work every day at 8 a.m. and to work until 5 p.m. you must do so if you expect to remain employed…. Our project participants simply must come to understand the need to make and keep commitments, and that they are responsible for the decisions they make. For the giver of help to expect less is patronizing and, at worst, insulting because it infantilizes the needy and assumes that they can't be trusted as adults.

We have found that those who provide help don't need to reinvent the wheel. In Salt Lake and other communities numerous, government, business and public agencies are already deeply involved with the provision of assistance to the needy. Unfortunately, many of the poor and needy do not know how to access such resources. They tend to be intimidated by bureaucracies and bureaucrats, by forms to be filled out, and declarations, which must be made before authority figures whom they do not trust and perhaps do not even understand. An invaluable contribution of our Church-service workers is to teach recipients how to use existing community and other resources in ways that are legal, appropriate and non-intimidating. Off-times our workers must serve as advocates for recipients before landlords, employers, government bureaucrats and others. This is all part of being a true friend.

….At the operational level, helping the unfortunate is always, for pragmatic reasons, an urgent business. The hungry must be fed without delay, the homeless provided shelter from cold and storm as soon as possible, the ill given treatment at once, if we can. But above and beyond that operational urgency there is a more generalized urgency in this inner city work, the reality of which is impressed on our hearts by the whisperings of the Spirit. We live in a world careening out of control; a world of growing darkness; a world where the family is under unprecedented assault; a world where a super power of only a decade ago can no longer feed its people; a world where shadowy international terrorists hold the ability to kill millions. It is an increasingly unstable and fragile world, its peoples interconnected as never before by technology, living in a house of cards in which market failures in Japan can cause the American economy to tremble and even fall. We must do all we can to put our houses in order and that without delay, as President Hinckley has pointed out. I fear that if we are unable or unwilling to provide the help needed in the Inner City now, before the storms break, it will be so much the more difficult in the future. For much of the twentieth century, social assistance programs in this and other countries have been characterized by massive government involvement. Today, however, there is increasing understanding that local voluntary efforts can do much to bring new insights and much needed new initiatives to solution of the problems of the poor and needy. How best to accomplish this daunting task remains a major challenge.

[He quoted Olivia Hill, The Befriending Leader, Social Assistance Without Dependency, Sandpoint, ID: Lytton, 1997] Her work…established correct principles upon which social assistance must be based if it is to achieve needed results without fostering soul-destroying dependence on the one hand and inefficient, manipulative indifference on the other…. the purpose of charity is not to provide temporary relief to the recipient and momentary feelings of well-being to the donor. The purpose of aid is to assist the individual helped to achieve self-reliance and independence. The twin pillars upon which this goal rests are, first, a requirement that individuals receiving assistance assume responsibilities for themselves and become faithful in carrying out their responsibilities to others. Secondly, there must be trust, patience, and love on the part of those befriending leaders who provide help….

I cannot conclude these few observations without paying heart-felt tribute to you wonderful Church-service missionaries. You are the real heroes of this project. You have discovered or had re-emphasized the truth of Jesus' statement "it is more blessed to give that to receive." You have come to realize that you are little different from those who need help and that God truly "hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth." You understand that all men everywhere are your brothers and all women your sisters. You have found a higher purpose in life than self-indulgence. You understand that it is in losing one's life in service that the true meaning of life is discovered and life eternal may be obtained. How great will be your rewards.

Jesus, as always, put it best. Speaking of those who are in need, who hunger and thirst, are naked, sick or in prison, He said, "Inasmuch as ye have done it unto the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me." (Matthew 25:40) There it is in a single sentence, the very essence of what Christ expects of us and the reward, which awaits us if we are true to the call to service. He is the author of this work as He is the best expression of all that is holy and noble, pure and lovely, excellent and of good report. His work is ours, "for God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness hath shined in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ" (2 Corinthians 4:6) Let us then be men and women of valor and so acquit ourselves that those in those in our charge will become "partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world." (2 Peter 1:4) May we look forward with an eye of faith, longing to be worthy to receive these words from Him whom we serve: "Come unto me ye blessed, for behold, your works have been the works of righteousness." (Alma 5: 16)

In the name of the one who fills our hearts with joy, even Jesus of Nazareth. Savior and King, Amen

Alexander Morrison identified as lessons learned from the Salt Lake Inner City Project the following:

1. The temporal and the spiritual are inextricably intertwined.
2. Temporal needs are much greater than we had originally thought. They are complex, multi-faceted and interdependent.
3. In evaluating needs, obtaining the views of the sisters is vital.
4. If we are truly to help the poor, a check is not enough; we must bear one another's burdens.
5. Welfare must be provided in the Lord's way. Priesthood direction and attainment of self-reliance are essential. The standard priesthood structure is fully capable of meeting needs. We need no new program or structure.
6. The Lord's storehouse is much more than commodities and cash. The time, talents, skills and compassion of people are vital components. Church members are remarkably generous with their means when their hearts are touched.
7. People's problems usually come in bunches: multiple social pathology is common; and employment, housing, literacy are common generic issues.
8. Patience is required to solve long-standing problems. Restoring hope takes time.
9. Volunteers must be trained to be effective.
10. Sweet are the joys of service. Both givers and receivers are blessed.
11. Attitudes of both leaders and members change. Leaders are no longer overwhelmed and overburdened. Worthy recipients now have hope. They feel that they are moving down the right road.
12. What we are doing to help people function successfully in a complex post-industrial society must be the next great Church welfare thrust. Propelling us into the 21st century.

Jeffrey Swinton

On 24 November1999, reflecting upon the first two years of the Inner City Project, Jeffrey Swinton identified "Fundamental Principles Learned from the Inner City Project,"

The project was founded upon doctrine and long-established welfare principles and practices and fits naturally within the welfare committee structure of wards and stakes. Multi-stake participation is directed through Regional Welfare Committees. Service missionaries from other stakes participate only where they are invited in by local Stake Presidents and Bishops.

The Ward Welfare Committee administered by the Bishop is the mechanism to report problems, seek solutions and counsel together, decide upon action and assign accountability. The bishop must determine who is helped, when help is given, and the extent of the help. He is assisted by the Relief Society and the priesthood quorums working together. Welfare specialists expand his capacity to deal with long-term needs. Wards with significant needs should hold welfare meetings frequently and invite the participation of welfare specialists. Calling people to assist as welfare specialists from outside the ward (from another ward or even another stake) softens the inherent reluctance to share one's deepest failings with neighbors.

Welfare specialists must be patient, loving and open in sharing the joys and sorrows of another's life and recognize that success often comes in very small steps and over a long period of time. They require careful training to teach them to effectively deal with those with long-term needs and to bridge cultural differences. They may serve as advocates for recipients before landlords, employers and private and governmental agencies. Calling welfare specialists as "missionaries" allows them to be set apart, increases their expectation of dealing with difficulties, and bestows an endowment of power to overcome those difficulties. Typically they carry no significant leadership responsibilities in the ward where they are serving except in stakes where the long-established leadership missionary program continues to operate. The Inner City Project supports the leadership program. Fixing the term of service of welfare specialists allows them to see the light at the end and to focus their attention more fully during their term of service.

Using couples together as welfare specialists:

1. Creates a partnership that spends more time focusing on needs
2. Offers the male and female perspective to problem solving
3. Models good marriages
4. Strengthens the marriages of the givers
5. Allows couples to serve together close to home, even while fully employed.

Welfare specialists are more successful when they:

1. Refrain from imposing their ideas on the receivers
2. Listen to people's wants in addition to their "needs"
3. Do not do anything for people that they can reasonably do for themselves.

People who are poor and needy over the long-term often lack the essential life skills required for success and have multiple problems that must be addressed simultaneously. They must be taught how to access appropriate community and other available resources, including experts and professionals (the Storehouse of Specialists) identified by the project who are willing to help. The goal of self-reliance must be constantly stressed in an atmosphere of patience and love where recipients come to understand the need to make and keep commitments and take responsibility for their own decisions.

Elder Jeffrey Swinton left behind as a lasting lesson on 5 September 2003, Things I Have Learned

It was more than 7 years ago that Elder Alexander Morrison called me to direct a project that would save the inner city without spending a dime and would utilize the voluntary resources of members of the Church from throughout the valley.

Before this project began:
I thought the problems in my own Stake were tough.
I thought the "Inner-City" and its problems encompassed only a few blocks.
I didn't understand self-reliance planning.
I hardly knew any of you.

Before this Project began:
I knew that Bishops in many areas were over-burdened and ward-members were underserved, but I didn't know how to help them.
I knew that the way Bishops were dealing was with welfare needs with a signature.
I knew that many people in this valley were not being given the opportunity to fully live the covenants they had made.

Since my involvement with this project:
I have learned that the poor and the needy are my brothers and sisters in my land.
I have learned that the poor will never cease out of the land.
I have learned that that is not a curse but a blessing.
I have learned that there is a difference between being "poor" and being "needy."
I have learned that many people are poor but not needy and others have it all but are desperately in need
I have learned that there is a difference between being temporally needy and spiritually needy, between being poor as to the things of this world and being poor in spirit.

I have learned that the Lord's storehouse is everything a Bishop can access to assist those in need.
I have learned that problems usually come in bundles.
I have learned that I never really understood the significance of home and visiting teaching.
I have learned that most of us, at one time or another, has been one or both, temporally or spiritually needy.

I have learned that 'substance' is more than stuff; it is all that we are.
I have learned that many people in this world don't think or respond the same way that I do.
I have learned that once people begin to become more confident in their temporal self-reliance, they become more concerned about things spiritual.
I have learned that our willingness to help should not predicated upon how a person got into a problem; but knowing that information may help us assist in finding a solution.

I have learned there is a difference between "wants" and "needs."
I have learned that it is harder to understand a person's wants than it is to diagnose a person's needs.
I have learned that if we diagnose with out listening and feeling, we will often be wrong.
I have learned that people won't change unless they want to.

I have learned not to be cynical when hearing people express their dreams.
I have learned that the Bishop holds the keys and that we are bound to follow his direction.
I have learned that when we ignore the Bishop we ignore the Spirit.
I have learned that if Bishops have the assistance of service missionaries, the duration and satisfaction of their calling will be significantly enhanced.

I have learned that I don't have all the answers.
I have learned that among the many gifts of God, "To some is given one; and to some is given another, that all may be profited thereby."
I have learned that drawing from the experience and expertise of others in the Storehouse of Specialists significantly expands our reach.
I have learned that success is often measured in millimeters.

Rather than expecting miracles over-night, I have learned to repeat the words
Have I done any good in the world today?
And if so, to count that as a success.
Has anyone's burden been lighter today?
Have I helped anyone in need?
Have I cheered up the sad and made someone feel glad?
Only if not, have I failed indeed.

I have learned that it is better to give.
I have learned that feeding the hungry means more than leaving cans of food at our front door.
I have learned that clothing the naked means more than leaving old clothes that have shrunk in a trailer for Deseret Industries.
I have learned that visiting the sick and administering to their relief requires that we take our bodies to them.
I continually reflect on the counsel of a Prophet telling us that regardless of how challenging the task, we are asked only to do the best we can.

I more clearly understand the doctrine about how to retain a remission of my sins from day to day that I may walk guiltless before God.
I learned that King Benjamin really had it figured out.
I have learned that we can never save the Inner-City because each time one person becomes self-reliant a vacuum is created and someone else requires the next hour of our time.
I have learned that serving together as a couple is unifying, satisfying and sanctifying.

I have learned that women see problems differently than do men.
I have learned that extended family members and home ward members of missionaries are blessed through a missionary's service.
I have learned that most missionaries feel a need to extend the length and depth of their service.
I have learned that missionaries are quiet, yet significant examples in the wards where they serve.

I have learned that friendships can be formed with people we never would have imagined meeting or with whom we never would have otherwise associated.
I have learned that the Lord loves each person we are helping as much as He loves us.
I have learned that Christ's atonement eases our burdens because it enhances our ability to carry the load.
I have learned that helping others takes time and patience.

I have learned that the best guidance we can receive often comes directly from the Holy Ghost.
I have learned more how to mourn when other weep.
I have learned more how to hurt when others bleed.
I have learned that "all men every where are my brothers, and all women, my sisters."

I have learned what it means to "succor" (or run to) the weak.
I have learned the difference between lifting up the hands, which hang down, and retrieving everything for people.
I have learned the difference between strengthening the feeble knees, and taking people everywhere they want to go.
I have learned that many more people now have someone, when the water is troubled, to put them into the pool.

I have learned that two can fit into the water and when they do, both will be healed.
I have learned to read the scriptures with a different heart and with different eyes.
I have a greater appreciation of the urgency of living the law of consecration.
I have learned that God loves each of his children.

I have learned that only the best of God's children are willing to serve in this project.
I have learned that no one is truly self-reliant, not even us, until we are comfortably living temple covenants.
I have learned that the elements of this Project were inspired, but that its success was guaranteed by the inspiration and efforts of hundreds of Saints like and including you.
I have lived to see the fulfillment of the plea of one Bishop who wrote me and said "I can see an army of faithful Saints in our valley coming to the aid of our wards in this area, being the reinforcements needed to assist in bringing salvation to our members, and keeping our community."

I have learned that "only to the extent that we are willing to 'bear one another's burdens, and mourn with those that mourn, and comfort those that stand in need of comfort' can we ever become a Zion people of God."
I continue to hope to be among the people whom the Lord will call Zion because they will be of one heart and one mind and will dwell in righteousness and there will be no poor among them.
I have learned where I can turn for peace.
I have learned that over time, most missionaries truly do see what I see.

Area Authority Seventy Kent Murdock "Reflections on The Salt Lake LDS Inner City Project" February 9, 2008, I assumed the responsibility of advising the Director of the Salt Lake LDS Inner City Project in April 2006. Earl Maeser was the Director then, and old friend from jogging days and a wonderful saint and human being. In 2007, pursuant to conversations I had had with Earl over a period of several months and his recommendation, I obtained permission to call Dean and Pam Hodson to replace Earl and his wife Sondra, a devoted and very able Assistant Director. Dean continues as the Director as of the date of this writing, and he and Pam, as Earl and Saundra before them are leading the service missionaries in a spiritual and kind manner to the successful and rewarding fulfillment of their missions. They are surrounded by other wonderful Assistant Directors and Resource experts.

The Inner City Project is a remarkable venture founded upon the finest principles of Christian doctrine. Matthew 25: 35-36, 40. "And remember in all things the poor and the needy, the sick and the afflicted, for he that doeth not these things, the same is not my disciple." D & C 52: 40. It is a veritable army of more than six hundred faithful saints, armed with a bit of information and guided by the Holy Ghost, who go into the inner city and help less fortunate people obtain their temporal, and thus their spiritual, salvation. The genius of the work performed in the Inner City Project lies in its anchorage to the priesthood of God, being directed in all cases by the bishop of the ward or president of the branch where those assisted reside, and thus conforming to the divine pattern given us in performing His work upon the earth. Assistance is truly "done in mine [the Lord's] own way." (D & C 104: 16)

The service missionaries who volunteer to serve in the Inner City Project for 18-36 months should be viewed in the light of Paul's admonition to Timothy:

Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not high minded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy;

That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate;

Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life. (1Tim. 6: 17-19)

Certainly the missionaries are a living example of this charge given by the Savior through the Apostle Paul. In a literal fashion, they do good, perform many good works, distribute, and communicate [love and faith and comfort] daily. By every observation, the work of charity—the pure love of Christ—goes on day after day in a hundred instances and more in the Inner City. (Moroni 7: 48)

The foundation of the Inner City Project is of course concern for the poor and needy. It is a project, or thousands of acts, of charity by those who serve there, and often by those served. It is also a monument to faith, because the results are unknown, and the service missionaries labor in the inner city without always knowing the impacts or results of their service in the long term. As the Lord admonished us, "be not weary in well-doing, for ye are laying the foundation of a great work. And out of small things proceedeth that which is great." D & C 64: 33. We know that individuals and families are constantly helped by the small, and great, efforts of the Inner City Project missionaries, and that great things will co me to pass as a result of the lives touched by these faithful saints in the inner city.

It is easy to discern the humility and courage of those who labor as missionaries. Their stewardship is not easy, nor is there a prepared answer for the problems they encounter. They must truly work the problems out in their minds and hearts, waiting upon the inspiration of heaven to know what they should do. They are as Nephi in the streets of Jerusalem as he approached the house of Laban without a plan, as he observed: "And I was led by the Spirit, not knowing beforehand the things which I should do." I Nephi 4: 6. Inner City missionaries enter the lives of the people they are assigned to help without knowing the people, their needs, their infirmities, or the steps and processes that might help them become self-reliant and learn how to come unto Christ. What great humility and courage they demonstrate in every assignment!

Although many aspects of the work of the Inner City Project could be discussed at length, I conclude with my testimony that the service missionaries are performing the work of the Lord, in His place, and with His blessing and guidance. As they serve, their growth is apparent, as are the results of their work in the lives of wonderful saints in the Inner City who receive the help they need through the instrumentality of the missionaries. Truly in this work, "intelligence cleaveth unto intelligence; wisdom receiveth wisdom; truth embraceth truth; virtue loveth virtue; light cleaveth unto light; and all is accomplished "before the face of him who sitteth upon the throne and governeth and executeth all things. He comprehendeth all things, and all things are before him, and all things are round about him; and he is above all things, and in all things, and is through all things, and is round about all things; and all things are by him, and of him, even God, forever and ever." (D & C 88: 40-41)

I testify that the Inner City Project is the work of God and of His Son, Jesus Christ in this corner of the Father's vineyard. May the Lord bless the Inner City Project to continue so long as the need appears to send faithful saints to assist their brothers and sisters.

The 2002 Salt Lake Winter Games, along with the Cultural Olympiad, have come and gone, leaving us with delightful memories and some valuable lessons. One significant message hit us like the proverbial ton of bricks. On a Sunday evening we tuned the TV to a rebroadcast of the final concert by the Tabernacle Choir for the Cultural Olympiad. On stage with the choir and the orchestra was the soloist, a percussionist, behind an impressive array of instruments among which were bongos, a huge marimba, cow bells, cymbals and a kettle drum filled with water. Interesting as the instruments were, however, it was the soloist who caught our attention. There she stood in her peasant-like dress, stooped over instruments, with bare feet, no less. Her concentration and focus as she played were almost trance like. "Isn't she weird," we thought, "It's almost like she's possessed." We continued to watch the concert, not finding the music particularly to our liking, but unable to pull away from the spectacle of this strange person. At the close of the concerto, the audience applauded and stamped their feet with marked enthusiasm and appreciation. Obviously, they had found more to enjoy than we had.

Two days later, we happened upon a group conversation concerning the concert and the soloist, Evelyn Glennie. "Isn't amazing," on said, "that she could play like that, being deaf?" "What did you say?" we asked in shock. The speaker replied, "Yes, she is totally deaf. Didn't you know that.?" Knowing it, the picture in our minds changed totally. Miss Glennie's deafness explained everything—how she bent over her instruments, how she felt them with her hands, her total focus and concentration, even her bare feet. She needed to be able to feel the vibrations in the floor. How wrong our initial conclusions had been. Instead of a strange, seemingly possessed person, we now saw a skilled artist, playing with all of the faculties available to her, though missing one important element—the ability to hear sounds. Her performance was a testimony to her triumph over what might seem a hopeless handicap, especially for a musician. No wonder the audience stamped their feet. That thunderous sound sent vibrations of their approval back to the artist….

Once again, we were shown how risky it is to make snap judgments about others, and we asked ourselves, "How many times does this need to happen before it actually sinks into our heads and hearts?" How many times could our initial impressions be changed by one simple statement such as, "She's deaf, you know." Would a man appear different to us if someone said, "He's discouraged," or "He 's despondent," or "He's hungry?" Would we look at a women with different eyes if we were told, "She's lonely, you know," or "She's been abused," or "She just lost her job."

…"Prejudging people makes you wrong about most things most of the time." Jesus told us in John 7:24, "Judge not according to your traditions, but judge righteous judgment." We judged Evelyn Glennie according to our traditions. After all, what sort of a person would appear with bare feet in the Tabernacle?...Inner –city missionaries know well the need to "judge righteous judgment." They know well the pitfalls of making snap assessments of people and their circumstances. It takes patience and love and an open mind and heart to soften opinions and postpone conclusions until more is known of the person and his situation. Sometimes it may take a reminder from someone like, "She's deaf you know."

Farewell Comments of Earl and Saundra Maeser, 1 June 2007

Earl: On many occasions the question has been put tome: "Why are we just a Project and not a Mission? " I used to wonder that myself and have prayerfully approached the question. The answer has come with the realization that we are not a mission because within the organization of the Salt Lake Inner City Project we do not have Priesthood Keys. When I was set apart by Elder Kofford, I was not given priesthood keys to direct this work. The nature of this organization is such that we do not need priesthood keys. In fact, using them might interfere with its orderly administration.

The Salt Lake Inner City Project is a miracle because you marvelous missionaries work under the direction of the bishops of this valley who DO have the keys to make it work in the lives of their ward members. ICP leadership seeks to provide training, resources, information, and the spirit to guide you as you serve, but in actual fact it is the priesthood keys and mantle of the bishop and your willingness to serve under that mantle that makes it work so well. As I have observed your work under the wonderful bishops of wards within the Salt Lake Inner City Project, the word "project" has been redefined and become a glorious word.

Saundra: The Salt Lake Inner City Project stands for serving the Lord by serving the least among us. It stands for retaining a remission of our sins by giving to the poor of our substance, both spiritually and temporally. It means non-judgmental service to others. It is made up of faithful couple missionaries, loving single sister missionaries and dedicated single brethren missionaries, some of whom became single but continued to serve after their spouse passed away while serving.

Earl: The Salt Lake Inner City Project means honoring agency, praying, planning, teaching, learning and applying the principle of self-reliance. It means a Storehouse of Specialists which provides sufficient resources to meet the needs of the poor through the law of consecration. It means magnifying our talents by sharing them with others. It means bridges out of poverty; it means employment and educational opportunities. It is linked with Deseret Industries, the Humanitarian Center and means giving loving assistance to single parents, kind care to the elderly, and being an example of righteous living to inner city youth and doing things in the Lord's way. It means performing our service under the direction of the bishop of our assigned ward.

Saundra: The Salt Lake Inner City Project stands for some of the most meaningful ward welfare meetings we have ever attended where the needs and sorrows and wants of the needy are lovingly addressed by ward leaders and missionaries with a firm determination to solve problems. It means putting the poor in a position where they will seek ways to serve others with their new-found strengths, freedoms and abilities.

Earl: The Salt Lake Inner City Project, in my heart, is synonymous with love, service, help, guidance, strength, comfort, fellowshipping, commitment, covenants, faith, sacrifice, lifting, cooperation, communication, friendship, work, blessings, giving, testimony, truth, warmth, equality, understanding, caring, selflessness, growth, improvement, power and humility.

Saundra: The Salt Lake Inner City Project means to succor those in need of succor by running to them. It means heartfelt kindness. It means gratitude, repentance, forgiveness, exaltation, dependability, contrition, listening, monitoring, responding and counseling. It means continuing to serve faithfully, even when experiencing personal tragedy, death of loved ones, and, in some cases, in the face of terminal illness. The Salt Lake Inner City Project means teaching and guiding those we have come to love into the waters of baptism. It means going to the temple to obtain for ourselves the spiritual strength necessary to accomplish the work the Lord has called us to do. It means taking some of the Lord's children to the temple for the first time to be endowed with power from on high and guiding others back to the temple, allowing them to renew their commitment to the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Earl: The Salt Lake Inner City Project is a welfare system having very specific scriptural foundations; to do things in the Lord's way; to seek to exalt the poor in that the rich are made low; magnifying our talents even an hundred fold by sharing them with others as we cast our offerings into the Lord's storehouse. It means missionaries finding joy in His service as they work in wards to which they were assigned under the influence of the Lord. It means learning by experience that by helping others our difficulties and challenges are often overcome; it means that as we serve others in their infirmity, our own infirmities are healed. It means that there are no ordinary people, that we can take our challenges and theirs to the Lord and receive guidance in our hour of need. It means the realization that through the atonement of our Savior all things are possible.

The Project means and is all of these things and more to Saundra and me and we shall be forevermore grateful for the experience that has made this redefinition of the word Project such an important part of our lives. For this we give credit and eternal gratitude to you missionaries and to our Father in Heaven and thanks for allowing us this too brief time in the Salt Lake Inner City Project.

God lives, Jesus is the Christ who lovingly and faithfully gave himself as He showed us the way to serve as he suffered and died for our sins. This is the work of the Lord; He stands at the head of this Church; Joseph Smith is the prophet of the restoration; Gordon B. Hinckley is His prophet today. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Dean and Pam Hodson, "Go and Do…" 15 June 2007

It was wonderful to meet with you missionaries at our missionary conference June 1. In Doctrine and Covenants 6:32 we read, "Where two or three are gathered together in my name…behold there will I be in the midst of them." We feel that every time we have the occasion to be with you. You come with such pure hearts that lift and build others. One can tell that you are on the Lord's errand and are willing to do whatever is asked.

Directors Earl and Saundra Maeser and Assistant Directors Ed and Pat Ross, Ivan and Sherri Fabert, and Eric and Kaye Jackson were released from leadership. They have given such dedicated service and touched many lives. Their testimonies have been given in word and action as to the love they have for Heavenly Father and His Son, as well as all of their brothers and sisters. What a legacy they have left. We know that these couples will continue to give faithful service in many other callings and we express our love and appreciation to all of them.

Many of you have stated that you have felt inadequate as you have started your service in the Inner City Project. As newly called directors, we have felt those same feelings. We take great comfort in knowing that whom the Lord calls, He will qualify. In D & C 84:88 the promise is given to all the faithful who are called of God to be his missionaries: "And whoso receiveth you, there will I be also, for I will go before your face. I will be on your right hand and on your left, and my Spirit shall be in your hearts, and mine angels round about you to bear you up." What a promise that is. This scripture should give us all confidence as we trust in the Lord. The call has been issued to each of us and now it is our duty to Go and Do as Nephi of old did.

We too know "that the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the things which he commandeth them." In Samuel 17:48, we read that David ran toward the army to meet the Philistines. Genesis 18:2 says that when Abraham saw three messengers of God approaching, he also ran to meet them. When the angel announced the birth of the Savior, the shepherds came with haste. Mary Magdelene entered the empty tomb and she too ran to Peter and John to tell them what had happened, and then the two apostles ran together. (John 20:2-4)

In our inner city service we are counseled to succor or run to those in need. Do we approach these challenges with that same eagerness? Thomas S. Monsen has said, "What power, what tenderness, and what compassion did our Master and exemplar demonstrate. We too can bless if we will but follow his noble example. Opportunities are everywhere. Needed are eyes to see the pitiable plight, ears to hear the silent pleadings of a broken heart. Yes and a soul filled with compassion that we might communicate not only eye to eye or voice to ear, but in the majestic style of the savior, even heart to heart."

What a wonderful opportunity we have to help strengthen individuals and families who are in need. As each of us put our arms in the Lord's, we will be able to elevate and lift others. He offers hope and gives them courage to walk new paths. In Ether 12:4 we read: "Wherefore, whoso believeth in God might with surety hope for a better world, yea, even a place on the right hand of God, which hope cometh of faith, maketh an anchor to the souls of men, which make them sure and steadfast, always abounding in good works, being led to glorify God."

We testify that this is what we are all working towards. Thank you for your tireless efforts in making this a reality. We love you and feel it a privilege to serve with you in the Lord's work. May He bless all of us in this great calling.

Training Sessions

Throughout the ten years of project history, initial preparation has pursued these principles. On a Saturday morning, all of the newly called Church-service missionaries are assembled to hear the underlying doctrinal principles, expressed for the first eight years by Jeffrey Swinton, for five years as project director and then three years as Area Authority Seventy, and subsequently by Area Authority Seventy Kent Murdock. That has been and is followed by an introduction to the problems of life in the inner city and the likely mindset of the individuals and families to which the service missionaries will be assigned, presented by inner city bishop and university professor and one of the original designers of the Inner City Project, Don Herrin. At that point, the significance and guiding principles of self-reliance are introduced and the service missionaries are exposed to the process of self-reliance planning. They learn of the primary responsibility of the bishop for short-term survival issues and of the priesthood quorums and Relief Society officers for longer-term solutions but with overall guidance from the bishop. Service missionaries are then taught to gain the trust of each of their assigned families and then lead them through a self-reliance planning process, which consists of the target families:

• Describing current circumstances and problems
• Determining desired outcomes and setting goals
• Identifying resources required to accomplish those goals
• Reviewing available individual and family resources
• Identifying church, community and other resource availability
• Determining actions to be taken to achieve self-reliance
• Determining efforts to be made to assist others in need
• Becoming temple worthy

The Needs and Resources Analysis Self Reliance Plan form is introduced as the preferred document to be used in the self-reliance planning process along with a Monthly Personal Budget Worksheet. A Needs and Resources Analysis Supplement is provided for dealing with "complicated situations involving more than $ 2500" which is true in most cases. Guiding principles of the process are:

1. Every (welfare) need will be addressed so that "none is forgotten, overlooked or neglected." (Gordon B. Hinckley)
2. Charity is to relieve present wants and put the poor in a way to help themselves so that in turn they may help others. (Joseph F. Smith)
3. Service is unconditional. It disregards status, ignores conditions and is color-blind.
4. There are sufficient resources to help any welfare need by drawing on the Lord's Storehouse.
5. Because resources are available, the poor and needy are sought out with confidence that they can be served.
6. Discovery of the true conditions and needs of the poor and needy is the result of gaining their trust and confidence.
7. The bishop attends to short-term needs. The priesthood quorums and the Relief Society have the responsibility to help members with long-term needs.
8. Agency is respected. Nothing is done for others that they can reasonably do for themselves. The recipient makes every decision that affects him/her.

The Storehouse of Specialists is introduced with instructions as to how to use its twenty present categories, including employment, education, skill training, medical services, dental services, mental health, legal services, housing, home repair, transportation, family/personal counseling, financial counseling, addiction recovery services, single parent services, youth services, refugee services, transient services, service projects and community resources. Employment, prepared for by education and skill training is emphasized as the primary route to self-reliance with the other resources available as means for removing obstacles to self-reliance. Housing costs and single parent issues are given special attention. Mentoring is stressed as a process of winning the trust and confidence of those in need. The ward welfare committee meeting is introduced as the process by which the needy are identified, their problems are discussed in confidence and plans are laid for providing assistance and guiding them to self-reliance. Quarterly conferences are used too build spiritual commitment and review over the course of a year each of the Storehouse specialties, the specialist describing what he/she is attempting to provide and the service missionaries reflecting on their experiences, posing problems, and jointly seeking improvement in the process.

Exportability of the Process

The originators of the Salt Lake Inner City Project were convinced that they were developing a process, which could and would be used throughout the Church and have been surprised that has not happened to a greater extent than it has. Many observers have been impressed by the effort but have expressed doubts that it could be replicated anywhere that was not characterized by an LDS near majority. That doubt has been so far tested only by a one-year experience of Loy and Emily Despain and 18 months by Richard and Marjorie Wright—but the results appear positive. Self-Reliance Work in a Small Branch in New York City Proves that the Equivalent Can Be Done Anywhere.

Loy and Emily Despain

We had worried because the work accomplished in the Salt Lake Inner-City Project was attributed by many to there being the potential for 600 Church-service missionaries at a time to work in those inner-city wards and the fact that most of those available to provide services of various kinds are Latter-day Saints. It is true that both groups are doing yeomen work. But those missionaries are using the self-reliance process which includes making effective use of the councils of the Church and it is the Lord's storehouse which is making the difference and that is universal. Before the self-reliance process was added to the mix there was very little self-reliance work being done by those called to the Salt Lake inner city as leadership missionaries. We felt that we could make the self-reliance process work as effectively in any branch as we did in the Salt Lake Fourth Ward. We were originally told it couldn't work in Salt Lake City either and later that when we left it would die. It didn't die; it continues to bless the lives of many people, both givers and receivers.

We wanted a chance to demonstrate that the self-reliance process could work in the most difficult of circumstances. We hoped that when we were called on a mission that we would be called to an inner city and would be sent to a branch with few resources. We were delighted when we received a call to the New York, New York South Mission and even more delighted when we were sent to the Far Rockaway Branch and invited to develop a model of the self-reliance process in that struggling branch. We feel our mission call was directed by the Spirit. Because we had offered our all, we felt that the Lord had spoken loud and clear as to where he wanted us to serve.

What we found in the Far Rockaway Branch was a dream laboratory to demonstrate the power of the self-reliance process. The branch was multi-lingual, multi-cultural and multi-national with all the differences found in those conditions plus poverty. Everything that was spoken had to be spoken in both Spanish and English. Most of the members were newer to the Church than the Branch President, who had been a member for four and one-half years when he was called. The Primary President had been a member for one year. A member of the Relief Society presidency had been a member for less than three months. The Branch Clerk had been a member for six months. The Second Councilor in the Branch Presidency had been a member for two years. Home teaching wasn't organized. The teachers in the organizations attended at their whim. The only welfare help was given by food order or check. With those circumstances we went to work.

Several months later the District President visited the branch and was told of the activities of the branch welfare committee. He said to the branch president: "You a respending two hours in that welfare meeting each Sunday. Is that a good use of your time?" The branch president answered, "Oh yes, I am getting a lot more done now that we are having that meeting. A lot of things are happening. More people are getting involved. The council suggested and organized the Labor Day picnic. More than seventy people attended the event. The council suggested a picture board, which is now up for the branch members so that the members can recognize and know each other. We are doing a better job with our Proclaim the Gospel efforts. In each meeting, we review with the missionaries their progress report. As a result, our members are getting more involved in missionary work. The missionaries are accompanied by members more frequently when they teach investigators. With the council's help we are seeing that the new members are receiving the new member lessons. One couple is giving the lessons to the Spanish-speaking new members and another is giving the lessons to the English-speaking new members. In both cases they have first accompanied the Elders to learn the material that is in "Preach My Gospel" before giving the lessons. Because of the work in the council, the members are more missionary conscious than before and greet and include new members and investigators quickly. New member retention is high. The missionaries are pleased with the branch support for missionary work."

The branch president also told the district president that in the work of perfecting the saints, resources were being found to do the self-reliance work. If an active member could not be found the inactive list was examined and even non-members were approached for the help needed. He told of a sister who needed specific help with financial issues. There was no active member with the skills needed. After discussion in the welfare council meeting an inactive member who is a banker was suggested. When asked, he accepted the assignment and said that he knew an attorney who would help make sure the work was done right. Soon thereafter, another sister needed some work on her car. Again an inactive member was asked to help and he accepted. A sister was getting ready to move and needed some plumbing repairs. There were no members, either active or inactive, with those skills in the branch. A member mentioned a non-member who was a plumber. He was approached and agreed to help.

Using resources within the branch, career workshops were undertaken. Through the efforts of the branch employment specialist, many members found jobs. The need for a literacy class and a self-employment workshop were identified and provided in both English and Spanish by branch members. The committee worked on a strategy to encourage members to learn English and provided them that opportunity. Other members were assisted with self-reliance planning. A notable case involved three sisters. The sister taking the lead as the specialist in helping another sister develop a self-reliance plan was one who needed to be needed. The sister she was helping spoke French Creole and English with an accent that was difficult to understand. To help with the language problem the committee searched for a Creole speaker to translate. During discussion in the committee a member mentioned an inactive French Creole speaker in the branch. She was approached and agreed to be a part of the team to translate to make sure communication was understood. This is a branch president's dream. He is charged to see that members have the opportunity to serve one another. This one case affected and strengthened three different sisters.

The district president inquired about fast offering expenditures during the implementation of the self-reliance process. We found that during the first seven months of self-reliance commitment the fast offering expenditures had been reduced by half from the preceding seven months. We were also able to report that seven of the families we had worked with were currently providing for themselves. There is more, but this is a sampling of what we found that a welfare council could do to bless the lives of the members in helping them to spiritual and temporal self-reliance even in a small branch where resources were slim.

We were also put on the district welfare committee immediately after we arrived in Far Rockaway. In that role we had the responsibility of teaching the self-reliance process in the other branches as well. For the self-reliance process to function required that there be councils in the branches. The branches were small and the membership was mostly women and children. As a result many branch leaders told us that they could not form councils and do the work expected. They said that they did not have enough priesthood. It was at this time that we felt the unmistakable assistance of the Spirit in our assignment. We were using women to do much of the work assigned under the direction of the branch president in the Rockaway branch but we did not know how other branches would respond. One evening I (Loy) was in a branch presidency meeting and Emily decided to straighten the library. In doing so she found a video made by Elder Ballard titled Ward and Stake Councils. She had been in the library many times and moved the videos around when straightening them but this was the first time that she had encountered Elder Ballard's video. At first I wasn't very excited because I thought I had seen Elder Ballard's work plus we already were using his book Counseling with Councils. A few days later Emily went to a women's meeting and I took the occasion to watch the video. To my surprise it was about the role of women in branch and ward councils and how much they can contribute.

In listening to Elder Ballard's presentation on women in the Church and their potential contribution in the councils of the Church, I realized we had from an apostle instruction on how councils in small branches could be effective. Even though the councils were primarily made up of women, that were acceptable because the branches had a higher percentage of women than men. The attendance and strength of the women could make the councils effective. Under the direction of a branch president they could be the manpower and see that the necessary work got done. They could help with the self-reliance planning. They could meet with and strengthen investigators and new members. They could provide much of the leadership in Family History work and in friend shipping members. All this answered the concerns of some leaders when they said that they couldn't utilize councils because they had so few priesthood holders. That we had demonstrated in Far Rockaway. We could do the work with the resources at hand and women were the major resource.

When we reported the activities and growth of the branch two-thirds of the way through our mission, the mission president commented, "that is wonderful but what will happen when you go home?" Because we were applying the self-reliance principles to the branch organization, we were confident that the results would continue. We told the mission president, "When we leave, they won't miss us and they will think they did it themselves".

As a result of the application of the self-reliance process and its attendant dependency on an effective branch council and the Lord's storehouse, confidence soared in the branch and among the members. One measure was attendance at meetings which increased from the mid-twenties in January to an even hundred on the day we left to come home the following December. But the best part is that the numbers continued increasing after we left. Six months after we left the branch, the attendance at Sacrament meeting had increased to over 125.

Loy Despain and his first wife, Sylvia, had similar experiences several years earlier in Mexico during the interim in their Liberty 4th Ward experience cited in Chapter 3. These are worth reviewing briefly to indicate the prospective universality of self-reliance pursuit:

• A temple excursion group was returning from Mexico City to their far away home when an accident occurred about midnight wounding some 30 passengers. They telephoned back to people at the temple who called the regional welfare chairman in the city closest to the accident who commenced to use the Lord's Storehouse. He called a van owner who picked up the victims and took them to the closest chapel. He called stake presidents and had them contact doctors and nurses among their members to assemble at the chapel. Neighboring stakes also supplied food. By mid-morning the accident victims were stitched up and on their way home.
• With many members lacking education, two stakes took advantage of a government open school program by recruiting members with the necessary credentials and experience, obtaining government certification, providing elementary and secondary education to over 200 adults, and handing out the diplomas in sacrament meetings.
• A mother was abandoned by her husband and needed to go to work to support her children. The bishop realized that she did not have appropriate clothing to seek employment. The bishop provided the clothing which built her self-esteem and self-confidence leading to success in finding and keeping as job which made it possible for her to support her family without further church assistance.
• Various members were assisted by their bishops through fast offering funds in undertaking successful micro-enterprises including preparing food for resale.
• A member owner of an appliance business had his tools stolen. The bishop provided funds for replacement of the tools to continue the business
• Members in wards helped each other with home repairs and even participating in constructing homes for each other.

What we were able to take with us from our 8 years in the Inner City: Richard and Marjorie Wright

In March 2005 we were called to serve in the New York, New York North Mission. Our assignment was to work in the Manhattan Employment Resource Center. Because of our experience in the Salt Lake Inner City Project, It did not take long before we realized that people, branches, ward and stakes needed more than employment. We were able to train leaders in 12 stakes and 27 wards in the northeast. We were asked to be participants in the Manhattan Stake monthly Bishops training. The state president asked us to give a 15 to 20 minute of instruction. About 50% of our training was what we used to train in the Inner City. The other part was finance, debt and budgeting.

Individuals would come into the Employment Resource Center and say that they needed a better job that paid more than what they were earning. They would also say that they liked their jobs but needed more money to pay their bills. We would assist them in finding additional opportunities and then talk about finances. This would lead to helping them prepare a budget. As they reviewed the numbers many times the person would say, "I do not need a new job, but to better manage the money I have." We used the budget sheet the Ed Ross used in the training for the Inner City project. We took his budget sheet and expanded it out to cover a rolling 12-month period, and added lines of expenses.

The other important principle that we added to the budgeting process is what we call the "leakage" that everyone has. That is the money that is not accounted for the $1, $5 or $10 here and there. The problem that every budget we have seen is that everyone knows what they spend on major items, housing, food, utilities, car payments, gas, cable, etc.. The area missing is no one else accounts for the leakage. It can represent 10% to 20% of their total monthly expenses. That is if the monthly expenses are $1850 the leakage could be $185 to $370 a month and that is enough to keep the budget in the negative. We then developed a simple process to account for the leakage. We now have individuals who can budget within $10 to $20 a month including leakage. These are the ones who are moving in the right direction to becoming debt free. We talked about credit cards, quick loans and the many other tricks marketing departments use to entrap people. We worked with individuals that had net income of $10,000 to $350,000. Many times the ratios of net income to debt would be about the same.

One of our assignments was to teach the employment Career Workshop throughout the northeast. As part of the workshop we would tie in financial management. We were then invited back to teach our budgeting and debt elimination workshop. We also would invite the people to call us if they wanted one-on-one assistance. We found it important to present the budgeting concept in a workshop but the real benefits came when we worked with the person or couple one-on-one. Even though the concept is presented in the workshop 90% needed one-on-one encouragement and suggestions. The initial session would take from 1-½ hours to 2 hours. Additional sessions would be less than an hour depending on the complexity of the budget and debt. We realized that it took individuals time to get into the situation they are in and it will take time to work through the problem. About 10% we would meet with once, the rest we would meet every week or month until they felt comfortable with handling their budget and debt on their own. It is one thing to teach the concept and another to spend the time to help the individual become successful. We have found there are two many who are willing to teach the concepts, not enough people who are willing to work and help. People in debt lack self-confidence and are afraid to do anything, so they just keep doing what they have always done and kept getting what they have always gotten.

When working with couples we quite often would have to stop the budgeting process and talk about marriage and the roles of each partner. A few of the things we always stressed are:

• Pray together morning and night, ASAP (always say a prayer)
• Read the scriptures daily together
• Attend the temple together
• Do not talk of problems (Children, finances, jobs, family, etc.) after 9 PM. That is the time to talk about each other and prepare to settle down for the night.
• Have a date once a week. That means that by Tuesday each week, husbands, you call your wife with a plan and ask her out. Wives like that. Wives, that means that you need to be ready for the date, just like when you were courting.
• When there is a major decision to be made (Children, finances, jobs, family, etc.), you make it together. If one does not agree, then nothing happens until you both agree. That does not mean that we nag each other into agreement. There may be situations where you never agree and so it does not happen.

We assisted 140 individuals and families during our 18-month mission and are still assisting 16 in the east by e-mail and telephone. Of the 140, only two have been referred to bankruptcy and five to debt consolidation. Since we have been home an additional eight in the east are now debt free. The debts, not including homes, ranged from $10,000 to $78,000. For instance, in June 2005 we worked with a 30 year old man whose net income was $24,000 and his credit card debt was $54,000. We worked with him every week for six months and then every month. Today he is debt free.

Since we returned to Salt Lake in September 2006, we have given similar help to 13 families at the request of Inner City Project Church service missionaries. One of the first principles we teach is the blessing of tithing. We have seen the promise of Malachi fulfilled over and over. When individuals are in debt one of the first things they do is quit paying their tithing, denying their families the blessings that are promised. To help individuals with finances and budget we have found it takes time and one must be willing to spend the time with love and patience. When we first meet with them we always start with a word of prayer and bless them that they can have the strength to rid themselves of the burdens of debt. We have found that this process works and changes lives. We are currently serving in the Laotian-Thai Ward, which extends from Provo to Ogden. Though we do not know the language, we are still able to help them with both budgeting and self-reliance. We love these people who have gone through so much.

Chapter 8

Outcomes, Lessons and Implications

Looking back over the ten years, October 1997-October 2007, the following are the best estimate results:

• Total number of Church Service Missionaries having served, 10/1997-10/2007 - 4,670
• Average number serving at any point in time in 2007 - 600
• Average number of months served by Church Service Missionaries , 9/1997-9/2007 - 24
• % extending their service beyond its original duration or repeating their call after 30 months - 70
• Total number of families served 1997-2007 - 37,360
• Average number of families served per missionary couple - 8
• Average total number of families served per month 2004-2006 - 2,325
• Average hours served per missionary per month 2004-2006 - 65
• Average hours spent with each family per month 2004-2006 - 13
• Average % of families served making impressive positive advancement in life commitment - 22
• Average % of families served making substantial positive advancement - 33
• Average % of families making no substantial positive change - 45
• Average % added church meeting attendance - 20
• Average annual added temple attendance - 250, with existing endowments - 80 and with new - 330
• Average annual baptisms contributed to 146
• % of responding service missionaries enthusiastic concerning the impact of their service experiences on their own lives - 97.4
• % of bishops welcoming the introduction and continuance of the Inner City Project - 100.0

The statistical limitations of this data are discussed in Chapter 6. Nevertheless, the data is adequate for general conclusions. The types of services performed to and on behalf of the assigned families, both by the service missionaries themselves or obtained by them and by those recruited from the Storehouse of Specialists, are recorded and discussed in Chapter 5 and need not be repeated here. Since all of the families served were considered by their bishops to be troubled families with service missionaries assigned to encourage them to and guiding them in finding solutions to their problems, the conclusion that over one-half made substantial progress and 22% impressive progress is itself impressive. The conclusions are those of the service missionaries but also undoubtedly reflect the impressions of the bishopric and other ward leaders involved in the Ward Welfare Committee, amounting to a consensus. The service missionaries in essence performed the services that home and visiting teachers are expected to provide but rarely do in most wards and could not have been realistically expected to perform in these troubled wards. Hence, the ideal has been approached if not totally achieved.

The service missionaries were trained to help their assigned families to progress toward self-reliance. There is an old saying, "when you are up to your neck in alligators, it is difficult to remember that you were sent to drain the swamp." Often when observing the problems confronting their assigned families, there is a temptation for the service missionaries to attempt to step in to solve their problems for them, rather than teaching and encouraging them to confront and solve their own problems. But the self-reliance goal has been persistently reiterated so that the service missionaries recognize that as their assignment. Hence, it seems reasonable that they would recognize self-reliance as the goal, which the progress toward was being queried. Asking specifically whether that had, in the service missionaries' judgment, been accomplished seemed too complicated under the circumstances, given that the service missionaries were being queried by mail rather than in person. Still, that is assumed to be the essence of what would have been in the mind of the responder as he or she considered and delivered the answer to the question. Ideally, we would have liked to have the judgment of the served concerning the quality and results of the services they had received, but that was not practical. The conclusions of bishops as reflected in Chapter 6 are even more positive. The fact that the service missionaries look back on the experience with such enthusiastic reflections as shown in Chapter 6 is also reassuring. Had they considered the outcomes doubtful, they would have been unlikely to have considered the service worthwhile.

We conclude therefore that the results of the Inner City Project are as positive as it is reasonable to expect it to have been. Could it be replicated elsewhere? Some have expressed concern that it could not be accomplished outside an environment in which the majority of the population is made up of committed Latter-day Saints. Loy and Emily Despain and Richard and Marjorie Wright have put that to the test, as described in Chapter 7. What they participated in was not of the magnitude of the Salt Lake Valley version, but it was of the same characteristics. Wherever a committed Latter-day Saint is assigned by a dedicated bishop to demonstrate loving brotherhood and sisterhood to any troubled individuals or families, the odds are that enough of them will respond positively that the effort will prove worthwhile to the receiver and rewarding to the giver. As the Despain's and Wright's New York experiences demonstrate, family and community resources are almost universal in the United States and one at a time replication of the Storehouse of Specialists seems to be made possible by tugging at the heart of individual practitioners. One on one presentation and response is all that is required. "Wherever two or more are gathered together...!"

Nearly everyone who has been involved in the Salt Lake Inner City Project appears to have reached the same conclusion: It is a realistic and practical yet spiritual demonstration of the brotherhood of man under the Fatherhood of God. It has been a joy to service providers and a comfort and a thrust forward for most of the recipients. It should be continued where it is in place and replicated where it is not. For this is our work as well as that of our eternal parents to bring to pass the eternal life of our spirit siblings and therefore ourselves!

References

[1] Alexander B. Morrison, The Dawning of a Brighter Day: The Church in Black Africa (Salt Lake: Deseret Book, 1990)

[2] Alexander B. Morrison, Zion: A Light in the Darkness (Salt Lake City, Deseret Book Company, 1997). Related thoughts are expressed in his 2002 Deseret Book, His Name Be Praised: Understanding Christ's Ministry and Mission.

[3] Minutes of 16 January 1992 meeting at Ogden Utah Mt. Ogden Stake Offices

[4] 8 September 1996 Ogden Inner-City Welfare Committee Report and interviews with September 2007 officers.

[5] December 27, 1995 letter, Wayne Peterson to stake presidents, February 18, 1996 minutes, August 26, 1996 Report from the Salt Lake City Inner-city Task Force.

[6] The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Historical Department, the James Moyle Oral History
Program, Interviewee: Jeff Swinton, Interviewer: Blake Miller, 23 November 1999.

[7] Excerpted from remarks of Jeffrey Swinton at various subsequent training sessions for service missionaries called to serve in the Inner City Project

[8] Jeffrey C. Swinton and Loren G. Burton, "The Salt Lake Inner City Project Under the direction of the Presidency of the Utah North Area, Becoming the Zion People of God," 30 October 1996.

[9] Inner City Sampler, 3-7-97 Draft.

[10] Presented in reflection at the 2nd Annual Micro Enterprise Conference, Investing in the Poor, Brigham Young University, 26 March 1999.

[11] Prepared by Garth Mangum in January and February 1998 as "Self-Reliance Planning in the Salt Lake Fourth Ward" and designated "Confidential: Not for General Distribution. Modified from present to past tense and Updated to a minor extent for inclusion here.

[12] Providing in the Lord's Way: A Leader's Guide to Welfare, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Salt Lake City, Utah, 1990.

[13] "Neighborhood Improvement and Rehabilitation Effort," Inner City Messenger, 15 March 2000, p. 3.

[14] Elder Alexander B. Morrison, "This Sacred Work: Caring for the Poor and Needy," The Inner-City Messenger, 15 September 1999, pp. 1-3.

[15] "Welfare Questions and Answers," The Inner City Messenger, 1 August 1999, pp. 1-5.

[16] Research Information Division, "Salt Lake Inner-City Pilot Program: Phase One Evaluation," Research Report, June 1999.

[17] Elder Cecil O. Samuelson, "Helping Others Lift Themselves," The Inner City Messenger, 1 December 2000, p. 1.

[18] Garth L. Mangum and Bruce D. Blumell, The Mormons' War on Poverty (Salt Lake City: University of Utah Press, 1993)