SALT LAKE CITY -- Next February, Olympic visitors won't be barraged by Mormon missionaries on the streets, church officials say.
But at Utah's most popular tourist attraction -- Temple Square, the mecca of Mormonism -- the church is beefing up its missionary presencein anticipation of thousands of visitors during the 2002 Winter Games.
And church leaders, presented with a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to spread their message but nervous about seeming aggressive, are trying to walk a fine line between polite and pushy.
"We do not have the goal of proselyting," said Bruce Olsen, managing director of public affairs for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. "If people come here and want to know more about the church, we'll be delighted. But as a church, we have no plans to force that issue at all."
That means no name-tagged missionaries at downtown celebrations or Olympic venues, and no Mormon literature littering the streets. Olsen said that will be a change from the 2000 Summer Games in Atlanta, where religious groups even passed out tracts at the opening ceremonies.
Although the games might give the church a chance to improve its image, it probably won't bring many converts, said Rodney Starks, a University of Washington sociology professor who has written about the church's growth.
"I don't see anything major about it," he said. "That's not quite how conversions happen. People build bonds."
But the Mormon presence will still be felt.
Church President Gordon B. Hinckley has encouraged followers to volunteer to help during the Games, and they have responded.
The Salt Lake Organizing Committee has received more than 50,000 applications, and Janette Beckham, who is heading the church's Olympic volunteer effort, estimates that at least half of those are probably Mormon, although there's no way to track the figure exactly.
There also will be extra help on hand at the most popular church sites, including the Family History Library, the faith's massive new Conference Center and the Brigham Young University Campus. BYU will cancel classes during part of the games so students, many of whom have been on missions and speak foreign languages, can volunteer.
"I think Utah as a whole feels a responsibility to community and citizenship," Beckham said. "I think it's part of our value system here."
Volunteers will be trained not only to give tours, but to answer questions about everything from bus routes to the best place to have lunch.
But Beckham said they are being told to refer anyone who asks about religion to Temple Square, where between 150 and 200 missionaries -- most of them young women from overseas -- give tours. Along with explaining histories of the church's temple and Tabernacle, the friendly guides decipher Mormon doctrine and encourage visitors to add their address to a missionary visit list.
The square already draws more than 5 million visitors a year. During the 17 days of the games, crowds could reach 70,000 a day.
In anticipation of the deluge, Olsen said, the church plans to call in about 40 former missionaries to help. Full-scale tours may be curtailed to leave more people free to answer questions and point the crowds in the right direction.
The church also is remodeling its two visitor centers on the 10-acre square and adding exhibits on the Book of Mormon, the church's humanitarian services and strengthening families.
This story appeared in The Daily Herald on page A5.