Six-year-old Carter Wells was puzzled.

He had a good buddy, Lexi Moore, in his gymnastics class, and he looked forward to seeing her each time.

But now the young Mormon boy missed her. She hadn't been at the class for a while. "Lexi's not here," he told his mother, Kari Wells, shortly after Christmas.

Where was Lexi? Had she dropped the class? Had her family moved away? He had to know.

The answer wasn't a good one.

Lexi had been diagnosed with non-Hodgkins lymphoma and was undergoing chemotherapy treatment. No more gymnastics class for now.

Carter, a member of the Biloxi Ward in the Gulfport Mississippi Stake of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, wanted to do something to help her, but what?

Then the idea hit him. He had heard about the LDS Church's Day of Service coming up in April in the southeastern United States. He would collect pennies -- lots of them -- to help Lexi and her family.

He started asking people to donate their pennies. Carter wanted to go door-to-door, and his project grew into "Pennies for Lexi" and spread to his school, Beauvoir Elementary School in Biloxi. "My friend has cancer," he would tell anybody and everybody. He told his classroom teacher Leslie Hunt and his physical education teacher Michael Capers. Hunt helped him do a commercial about the project for the school's little TV station. In it, he talked about wanting to raise "500 bucks" for his friend so she could pay for the medicine she needed.

Carter, who turned 7 on April 2, asked people for their loose change, which all went into a No. 10 can (yes, the big ones) that his mom got at the Mormon bishop's storehouse. The collection grew, and news of his project kept spreading.

He was recognized by the Biloxi School Board. WLOX-13, a local television station did a segment honoring him as one of its "South Mississippi Heroes." At Keesler Air Force Base, where his father Andrew, a military fireman, was stationed, the base newsletter featured Carter's story. And he got to meet the mayor when the city of Biloxi honored him for being the city's "Youngest Volunteer."

All the while, Carter was thinking of Lexi, also 7, who was going back and forth to Children's Hospital in New Orleans for long, aggressive treatments ­ -- chemotherapy, MRIs, spinal taps, shots to alleviate blood clots. And because her immune system is so weak, any time she gets sick with a fever or cough, her family makes the 90-mile trip to New Orleans for her to be treated. Her treatment will go on for at least two years.

Carter was able to get together with Lexi a couple of times during the ensuing months. His parents became friends with Lexi's parents, Tara and Patrick Moore, and the families e-mailed each other about once a week.

Throughout Lexi's illness, the Moore family, who attend First Baptist Church in Biloxi and are deeply spiritual, have kept their faith strong. Tara Moore, who writes an online journal about Lexi's treatment and progress, says in an e-mail that she recognizes Carter's help as inspired.

"There are not words to describe how precious (Carter) is," she said. "So selfless, so thoughtful and what a big heart. His actions moved me and many others to tears. It is a blessing to see the pure, deep honesty, and innocence of a child who just wants to help their friend get better. The 'Pennies for Lexi' campaign renewed my spirit and reminded me that my Savior is in control and can use all circumstances to glorify his name if only we allow ourselves to be used. ... Nothing is impossible with God and he can use anything, even the heart of a small child, to fulfill his greatest blessings."

Those No. 10 cans Carter was using were filled with his goal of "500 bucks" -- and then some. The loose change and other donations have amounted to more than $2,100.

Carter won't get to visit Lexi again in person anytime soon, however. His father has been transferred to Portugal, and Carter and the rest of the family have already gone to Colorado to visit relatives before leaving for overseas soon.

"I wish Carter would have had more time to spend with Lexi before he left," Andrew Wells said.

But back in Biloxi, there's a little girl named Lexi who knows that she has a true friend named Carter.

To read Tara Moore's online journal about Lexi's treatment, visit www.caringbridge.org/visit/leximoore.

E-mail: rwalsh@desnews.com