SAN DIEGO, Calif. — A million dollars worth of community service — that's what missionaries serving in the California San Diego Mission have done here during the past year and a half.

At least that's how the San Diego Parks and Recreation Department has calculated their efforts. Instead of compiling service hours, department officials have calculated what would have been the contract labor cost had not the some 200 missionaries — under the direction of mission Pres. John S. Boyden — donated a day a month to the city for service projects during 1998 and two days a month since January 1999.

"The missionaries love to work with the city. The city has enjoyed very much working with the missionaries. It's been a win-win situation all the way," Pres. Boyden said during a telephone interview.

"The city has plenty of work, and we have plenty of workers. It's a real match. The thing that I like particularly is that we build bridges of understanding between the Church and the community. The Church membership is seen as full-fledged community members who are interested in contributing to the welfare of the community."

In fact, city officials have been so grateful for and impressed with the efforts of the missionaries that a "Thank you Dinner" was held for the missionaries this spring at Mission Trails Regional Park. After a barbecue dinner, certificates were presented to each missionary by Ed Smrt, volunteer coordinator for the Parks and Recreation Department.

Plaques were also presented to each member of the mission presidency, including Pres. Boyer and his counselors, Pres. Scott Gill and Pres. Craig Dixon. Also receiving plaques were Elder Craig Bullock, an Area Authority Seventy, who previously served in the mission presidency when the projects were initiated, and Sister Shirley Harris, secretary to Pres. Boyden, who coordinated the missionaries' work assignments.

In addition, during the dinner, the Paradise Hills Recreation Council, a local neighborhood council, recognized the good the missionaries have done in its area. "This is significant," Pres. Boyden said, "because it shows the fact that this isn't just something that builds understanding with the city fathers, but it also has an effect in the neighborhoods."

Serving the city began when Pres. Boyden became concerned that monthly missionary service time be truly useful to the communities in which they serve. He attended a meeting with city officials and became acquainted with Ann Hix, volunteer coordinator for the city.

"I told her I was interested in doing group service projects, particularly if it would benefit the city, and she was enthusiastic about it, especially when I told her that we had built-in leadership and organization. I told her if they would show us what to do we would handle it as a group. This was attractive to them because their challenge is managing large groups of volunteers."

Thus, the "partnership" with the city began, mainly with the Parks and Recreation Department. Since then, missionaries have done work projects in the inland, metro, coastal and northern areas of the city.

They've painted buildings, removed graffiti, poured concrete pads for picnic benches, upgraded children's playgrounds, removed brush and weeds from fire hazardous areas, cleared trails and even improved the natural habitat of an endangered bird.

An especially interesting project for the missionaries was reburying archeological dig sites in Presidio Park, where the first Spanish settlers of San Diego lived. Many projects, according to Pres. Boyden, are done by groups of elders and sisters separately, according to type of work needed.

To Ed Smrt, the missionaries' service "spells relief." He said the missionaries were helping with the city's "wish list."

In speaking of the missionaries' work, he added: "Boy, believe me, they work hard. They don't complain. They do it willingly. It's unbelievable."