Lights over Queen Creek were from missionaries, not aliens

Those hovering lights that took the skies above Queen Creek on Monday night and captivated so many weren’t aliens after all — it was all about saving souls.

The lights came from a local Mormon mission group as part of an annual event.

Steven Lowder, counselor with the Arizona Gilbert mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, said the missionaries released around 400 balloons with lights attached to them against the night sky. The lighted balloons, which could be seen over nearby Queen Creek in the far southeast Valley, caused a stir among some in the area who wondered what they could be.

“In our mission, we celebrate Christmas every year by having a little gathering,” Lowder said. “Near the end of the night we release a balloon for every one of our friends that has agreed to baptism.”

Lowder said the practice has been going on for five years, and the mission intends to do it every year during the holiday season.

So, if you see hundreds of lights in December 2018 over the southeast Valley that appear to be UFOs, it’s more likely the annual Mormon mission event.

“We were surprised that so many people noticed it,” Lowder said. “I don’t know what made it different this year. It must have been the shape or brightness of the lights.”

Those balloons served another purpose. The Mormon church is running a December campaign called Light the World.

Lowder described it as an advent calendar, but instead of taking something every day, you do a good deed every day.

“For example, one of the days in our campaign would say you should give something you cherish to someone who would appreciate it,” he said.