A New York woman is receiving an outpouring of support after losing two deeply sentimental religious items at Salt Lake City International Airport earlier this week.
While traveling home, Jackie Lonergan misplaced her journal filled with faith-based reflections and a custom-painted Book of Mormon, both of which held great personal significance. Despite spending hours retracing her steps and enlisting the help of airport staff, security personnel, and airline agents, she was unable to locate them before boarding her flight.
Determined to recover the missing items, Lonergan turned to social media, posting in a Facebook group for members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The response was immediate and overwhelming.
“By the time I landed, there were already hundreds of comments and messages from people offering to help,” she said. “Some had family or friends traveling through the airport, others worked for airlines, and a few even lived nearby and wanted to search for me.”
A Journey of Faith
Lonergan, a recent convert to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, first encountered missionaries unexpectedly while in upstate New York. She recalled initially dismissing them with a quick “carry on, boys” before realizing she had unfairly judged them. Overcome with curiosity, she sought them out again, leading to her first lesson and, eventually, her baptism.
To commemorate her faith journey, Lonergan had a custom-designed Book of Mormon, featuring the phrase “Carry on, boys” in calligraphy, alongside intricate artwork. Her lost journal included personal insights from church lessons and spiritual experiences, with a name tag from a church-sponsored dance affixed to the cover.
“These aren’t just books to me—they represent my journey, my faith, and the experiences that changed my life,” Lonergan said. “I have a few pictures of the pages, and I’m holding on to those tightly. But I won’t give up searching until I know there’s no chance of getting them back.”
A Community Comes Together
Despite no updates on the whereabouts of the lost items, the search continues. Both Delta Air Lines and Salt Lake City International Airport have active lost item reports, and airline employees have circulated her post internally in hopes of tracking them down.
Meanwhile, strangers across the country have stepped up to help. Some have driven long distances to check the airport, while others have offered to recreate the custom artwork on a new Book of Mormon. A friend even discovered a similar book at a thrift store and plans to personalize it as a gift.
While Lonergan remains hopeful that her original items will be found, she says the outpouring of kindness and generosity has already left a lasting impact.
“The way people have rallied behind me in this search has been incredible,” she said. “It shows the power of faith and community.”
