Stormy the Cat

HUMBLE, Texas — Two Mormon missionaries in Texas, usually tasked with serving mankind and preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ, recently rescued a member of the animal kingdom.

Little did Elders Allen and Lacusta know when they left home a recent spring morning that they would save a small, furry life by the end of the day.

A kitten's cries for help got the attention of the two young men, serving missions for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, who were riding their bikes home from an appointment on May 20.

After collecting the necessary tools, Elder Benjamin Allen, of Kaysville, Utah, and Elder Darren Lacusta, of Calgary, Alberta, Canada, lifted the manhole cover off a storm drain and Elder Allen wandered in to respond to the frightened kitten's pleas for help.

Elder Allen eventually beckoned the kitty to hobble over to him. (Note: The attached video captures the rescue, and was shot from above the storm drain by Elder Lacusta. Little happens until about 2:05, when the little kitten wanders out.)

The missionaries, who are serving in the Texas Houston East Mission, called their mission president and received permission to keep the kitten with them until they could find it a good home.

Saturday morning the elders sent a text message to Heather McGhie, a member of the LDS Church who lives in the area and who already houses two rescue cats, asking her to adopt the cat. She agreed and took the kitten — who had injured one of its back legs — to a vet the following Monday.

Early in the week, the kitten — the now aptly dubbed "Stormy" — faced brief scare in which it almost faced the amputation of its back leg. Elder Allen's father, who heard about the rescue from his son via-email, said he would pay for the cost of the animal's medical expenses, and an orthopaedic specialist said Stormy's injury could instead be fixed by having pins inserted in her leg through surgery.

As of Saturday, Stormy was recovering from surgery and was happily settling into its new home with the McGhies.

Editor’'s note: The Missionary Handbook for missionaries serving for the LDS Church encourages missionaries to follow safety rules and avoid dangerous situations.