About 24 hours after evacuating, Iran launched missiles. One landed just three to five minutes from the apartment in Erbil where [we] slept.”

Lori Holgate

In September 2018, Carey and Lori Holgate were flying to Kurdistan when Carey made Lori a promise. He told her that he would never withhold any information regarding safety and would tell her if they were ever in serious danger.

Earlier this year, he kept that promise.

The Holgates were volunteering as humanitarian service missionaries for Latter Day Saint Charities, a nonprofit supported by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Carey is a retired U.S. colonel. On Friday, Jan. 3, he received an Armed Forces alert, relaying the United States’ killing of Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani, who had Shia forces occupying Baghdad, Mosul and Kirkuk.

Lori said it was unclear what that would mean for their assignment in Iraq. But little did they know the impact their story would have on the many church members in Queen Creek and the East Valley.

The Holgates became well-known by the locals through their humanitarian work.

“The Kurds love Americans,” Lori said. “They are so kind and honest. They all knew where we lived, because they were always wanting to bring us food, play games, or just to talk to us.”

Kurdistan is only 18.5 miles from Iran. On Dec. 26, 2019, the U.S. Department of State issued a travel advisory for Iran at Level 4: Do Not Travel. They warned that U.S. citizens in Iran were at risk of being kidnapped, arrested and detained on spurious charges.

An hour before their Friday morning service, Carey informed their local Kurdish church leader about the assassination. Their leader said that an Iranian loyalist could offer him or anyone $50,000 --- a lifetime’s worth of earnings in Iraq --- or they could take a child as blackmail, in exchange for getting into the American’s door. He thought they would be safe in Kurdistan, but warned them that they needed to be extra careful.

After returning to their apartment, Carey said to Lori, “I’m going to keep my promise.” He told her what happened and what their church leader thought. They were unsure if they would be evacuated, but remained optimistic.

That night, the Holgates received a call from the American safety team over missionaries, who said they needed to leave Iraq immediately.

The road to the airport was dangerous at night, so they waited until the next day to leave. It took a few days to finish some final charity business in Kurdistan and Erbil, but the Holgates were able to board a flight, stopping in Jordan and then going on to Cairo.

“About 24 hours after evacuating, Iran launched missiles. One landed just three to five minutes from the apartment in Erbil where [we] slept,” Lori said. “We were not able to tell anyone from the church group we had left until we landed in Jordan. When we had contacted them, we were moved by how dedicated all the members were, even the newest ones, to continuing to grow their faith and carry on.”

After being temporarily reassigned to the Cairo, Egypt humanitarian mission, the Holgates decided with the Middle East Africa North area presidency over missionaries that they should return home.

They secured the Holgates a flight to Phoenix. Carey and Lori arrived safely at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport at 11:30 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 10.

The Holgates are now returning to their normal lives. They are parents to several children in Queen Creek and visit them often. The Holgates are still serving their neighbors, but now in their hometown of Gilbert.

Since returning, they have been contacted by many East Valley congregations to share their experience. The Holgates returned only four months ago but have already shared their story multiple times.

“The church is an interesting establishment where when word gets out about a story that stirs people’s souls, others want to hear about it,” Shaun Cullimore, the Holgate’s Gilbert stake president, said. “The remarkable thing about [the Holgates'] experience is that it strengthens people’s resolve to do and be better. It strengthens people’s love for the freedom that we have here in America.”

Editor's note: Sarah Hunt wrote the story for a class at the Arizona State University Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication.