Five years ago, Mormon missionaries began receiving assignments to work in neighborhoods that were particularly downtrodden -- suffering from poverty, crime and urban decay. Those neighborhoods happened to be right here, in Salt Lake City.

Now, the so-called Inner City project is an established presence in those neighborhoods.

Religion Specialist Carole Mikita has an update on a very interesting kind of mission.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints sends hundreds of service missionaries and millions of tons of relief supplies around the world every year to help those in need. In June of 1996, church leaders decided there were plenty of people to help here, and also plenty of people who would be willing to serve in "A Calling Close to Home."

The so-called inner city project is an unusual mission in many respects-- it's not called a mission, and the job of the missionaries is to contribute, not to convert.

Bruce Lake, S.L. Inner City Project/"WE CAN'T BE JUDGMENTAL IN ANY SENSE. THESE ARE CHILDREN OF THE SAME GOD THAT WE'RE CHILDREN OF, AND HAVE THE SAME KINDS OF CHALLENGES, JUST IN A MAGNIFIED SENSE. SO, THEY'RE NON-JUDGMENTAL, THEY'RE COLORBLIND."

This project began with six volunteers in 1996 and now more than 1,000 have served. Their motto is to help people help themselves.

Carole Mikita reporting/"This project has now expanded to 82 wards around the valley, and its boundaries are now from Davis County to 45th South and 13th East to Bangerter Highway."

On this day, the Mahoneys are visiting Arva Jones. She's a young widow with children who needed insurance advice and guidance on home maintenance. She says the moral support has been just as important.

Arva Jones: "MY HUSBAND DIED IN FEBRUARY, FEBRUARY 3RD, AND BROTHER MAHONEY JUST STEPPED IN AND HELPED US WITH THE FUNERAL." "THEN I NEEDED, I KEPT PUTTIN' OFF THIS SURGERY... I THOUGHT I COULD DO IT BY MYSELF, BUT SISTER MAHONEY CAME UP AND STAYED WITH ME THE WHOLE TIME AND THAT HELPED OUT A LOT."

Arva says a bond has formed between them and when she asks, the Mahoneys are there for her and others.

Connie & Allyn Mahoney/Service missionaries: "IT'S NOT UNUSUAL FOR A 2 O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING CALL, OR A 3 O'CLOCK OR A 5 O'CLOCK THAT 'I NEED HELP HERE' OR 'THIS IS HAPPENING WITHIN OUR HOME, CAN YOU COME?'"AND WE CAN."

And these volunteer missionaries don't have to be a certain age to qualify. Ken and Erin Judd are 40- something with children at home and he has a career.

Ken & Erin Judd/ service missionaries/"WE SEE OURSELVES AS COMING IN AND FINDING OUT WHAT PEOPLE'S GOALS ARE, AND SAYING, 'YEH, YOU'RE A LITTLE HUNG UP RIGHT NOW, THERE ARE SOME THINGS WE CAN DO TO GET YOU OVER THE HUMP."

Robbie and Tiffany Heaps, with little Joshua, call this couple the best thing that ever happened to them.

Robbie Heaps: "MY LIFE WAS REALLY LEADING TO NO DIRECTION. AND WHEN THEY CAME THEY SHOWED ME TO A SCHOOL. AND NOW I'M GONNA START NEXT FALL AN APPRENTICESHIP TO BE, HOPEFULLY, A MECHANIC. AND I'M REALLY LOOKIN' FORWARD TO IT. IF IT WASN'T FOR THEM, I THINK I'D STILL BE AT ARBY'S MAKIN' ROAST BEEF SANDWICHES."