The Great Story of the Lost Luggage

(names have been changed to protect the identity of individuals)

On Wednesday night, in Atlanta, the Peruvian airline (LATAM) messed up the baggage claim tags for two missionaries traveling to our mission (ultimately 9 north americans, one Argentinian, and five Peruvians arrived---10 elders and 4 hermanas).  

The LATAM employee put Elder Smith´s tags on Elder Easton´s luggage and Elder Easton´s tags on Elder Smith´s luggage.  Neither Elder was aware of this.  Then, Elder Easton missed the flight from Atlanta to Lima (long story).  It was midnight and Elder Easton had no phone with him.  So, he was stuck in Atlanta.

Meanwhile, Elder Smith and the others arrived in Arequipa together on Friday at noon.  Elder Smith saw that LATAM sent with him Elder Easton´s luggage.  Somehow, SLC travel contacted Elder Easton at the airport and rerouted him through Miami and, eventually, Lima.  Elder Easton arrived on Saturday morning at 6:20 a.m. with no luggage.  He had no idea what had happened.  (This stuff happens with frustrating frequency here.)

So, Elder Easton had his luggage (it was with Elder Smith) but Elder Smith had nothing.  Our office contacted LATAM.  LATAM had no idea where the luggage was.  They thought it might be in Lima but they were not sure---Atlanta? Miami? Lima? With Elder Smith family in Wyoming?)

I was getting frustrated because Elder Smith´s companion is waiting for him in a small town two hours from Arequipa.  Someone from LATAM wrote our office that the bags might arrive this morning at 8 a.m. but they were not sure.  Lisa and I have the only two cars in the mission and delivering the baggage to us (as they often do in the states) does not happen here.  So, I drove to the airport this morning and asked.  The luggage was not there and they had no idea where it was.  So, I drove home frustrated and a little ticked off.  

I wrote LATAM a long message on whatsapp explaining what happened and attaching all of the documents and I called the LATAM baggage division many times.  There was no answer to the phone calls or the written message.  

So, frustrated, I drove back to the airport late this afternoon determined to find out if Elder Smith´s luggage was in south or north America.  Before I left, the thought flashed through my head, “maybe you should say a prayer before leaving.”  So, I did.  I asked for help finding the luggage. 

When I arrived, the airport (fairly small airport) was very crowded.  I went to the  check-in area (they have no special desk to deal with luggage problems).  I eventually got the attention of a young LATAM employee named Melanie.  I told her the problem and showed her the written explanation I had sent earlier with all the documentation.  She said they did not have the luggage and suggested that I leave and wait for a phone call someday.  

Amazingly, I kept my cool (my own little miracle).  I told her that I was not going to leave the airport until I knew where the luggage was (states? Lima?).  She agreed to look into it.  I then noticed that she was being overwhelmed with people trying to check their bags and make their flights.  So, I told her to help the other people.  I told her I would wait until the wave of travelers passed.  She said thanks and started helping others. 

 In the meantime, I met this super nice Chilean couple who decided to visit Arequipa.  I hoped to share the Gospel with them.  So, I offered to take them to their hotel near our house once I figured out what happened to the luggage.  

Then, the first LATAM employee I spoke to (Melanie) ran after me and detained me.  She said she needed to do something else before I left.  I thought, “oh no, here we go with some more procedures.”  The Chileans had to go, so they caught a taxi.  I was disappointed.  Then, after the Chileans left, Melanie looked at me and asked, “Can you help me know more about your Church?”  I said, “Sure, write down your name and number and where you live.”  I told her that the Hermana missionaries would call her and teach her.  She seemed very happy and nervous.

So, Hermanas Spencer and Gomez will call her and invite her to come unto Jesus Christ through faith in His atonement, repentance, baptisms, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost and enduring to the end.  They will invite her with great diligence as the Lord´s official and authorized representatives.  Then Melanie will decide what she wants to do.  

I do not think Melanie felt anything before I got there.  But despite the crowds and the noise and the hassle, the Holy Ghost told her to run after me.  She exercised faith and did it.  

It is good news that we found Elder Smith´s luggage.  It is better news that we found Melanie.  I am becoming more and more convinced that there are no coincidences in the Lord's work.  There was a purpose behind the lost luggage.  

Love you all.