The DI Fostered My Self-Reliance

"I will always be grateful to Deseret Industries for taking me in and giving me a chance."

My husband of almost 31 years suddenly passed away in 2009, leaving me with two daughters and a son to care for. We had our own accounting business, but even though I had my degree in accounting, I felt I couldn’t run the business by myself. So I closed down the business. To say that I was in a deep depression at this time was an understatement. In the midst of this dark and lonely time of my life, I was brought to Deseret Industries in 2010 by a family friend, who was a bishop in the Church.

I started working on the sales floor on some days and in the accounting office on the other days. I remember trying to dodge our store manager when he would look for me to start training on the register. I was so fearful that I would make a mistake while ringing up customers, or that I would be short in my till.  But I survived and it even turned out to be one of my favorite jobs at DI. Since my degree was in commerce, I had primarily focused on finding accounting jobs. With my job coach's guidance, I learned to be open to other fields of employment.

My mentor—a family friend and wife of my bishop—was very supportive of me and was there for every meeting I had with my job coach. She always encouraged me not to give up hope, even when I was frantic that I wouldn't be able to find employment during the time I was at the DI.

My utmost goal was to be self-sufficient and able to face life on my own and to work again in an accounting office; most preferably at a local law firm. So, I was more than ecstatic when an opportunity to work at a well-known firm came up as their administrative assistant through a business partnership. I learned the fundamentals of basic filing of client documents like correspondence, pleadings, applications, and other court-filed documents. After the business partnership was completed, I was asked to work permanently as their bookkeeper and to be responsible for reporting various accounting activities within the company.

I will always be grateful to Deseret Industries for taking me in and giving me a chance, and for embracing me for who I am, even with all the drama in my life. I am truly thankful to our Heavenly Father for opening this door to me, causing me to be at the right place, at the right time, and for turning my life around. I am grateful for dedicated individuals, who kept me motivated with their support and encouragement. 

"I am grateful for dedicated individuals, who kept me motivated with their support and encouragement."

For more amazing stories like Roni’s, visit the DI’s Facebook page by clicking here.