Monday, Mom and I ventured to the Deseret Industries (also known as the DI, a fabulous thrift store of sorts). I'd spent the day doing homework and was in dire need of a break and since the DI has moved so conveniently close, Mom and I pop by there occasionally when I'm home. On the way there we discussed why we like to go to DI. Our conclusion? Tradition and the possibility of finding a treasure--colorful pyrex dishes, jadite, cool record for Craig, good church books--yes we go mostly for the 'antiquing aspect.' So we wandered in, took our usual route back to the glass dishes and then met back up at the books/collectibles cases. Mom asked me what books I was looking for when something caught her eye in the glass case..."Oliver Cowdery, Second Elder and Scribe" by Stanley R. Gunn. It took a minute for me to connect the dots but I clued in when she said, "Its Uncle Stan's book."
You see my whole life I've heard about "Aunt Mary." Aunt Mary this and Aunt Mary that. To me, she rivaled Wonder Woman, the way Mom talked about her. It seemed she taught my Mom everything from sewing to painting. She was in so many of my Mom and her sister's childhood memories that my cousin and I have joked for years how we can't wait to one day meet this "Aunt Mary" who is so 'highly acclaimed' by our mothers.
Well, Aunt Mary's husband was Uncle Stan who once upon a time in 1962 published a book--the very book we found in the DI. My Mom had always wished she had a copy of the book and there it was, sitting underneath the class in the collectible session in perfect condition. Coincidence? I think not.
Why do we go to the DI? Well apparently sometimes we go because we're inspired, because there is something we're supposed to find when we go.
Another treasure? Uncle Stan had also personally addressed the book to a former seminary student of his and signed it.
That is so cool!! I'm glad that your mom was able to find such a treasure! It makes it even better that it was signed.
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