Norma Linder was absorbed in her tedious task of sorting clothing at the local Deseret Industries store one day in August when she suddenly felt an envelope in the sleeve of an eccentrically colored blouse.
She supposed it was a shoulder pad, but pulling her hand from the sleeve she discovered a clump of mostly $50 bills.
Stunned and a little overwhelmed, she began thumbing through a few bills. She noticed they were tattered and worn. In her work, it wasn't unusual to find an odd dime or quarter in the pockets of discarded clothing, but she had never seen anything like this and reported it to her supervisor.
After unraveling and smoothing the money, they counted $6,200.
"You should have kept it," some taunted.
It would pay for repairs of her porous roof, she thought. But Sister Linder of the Wilson 2nd Ward, Ogden Utah Stake, knew that without personal honesty, she had nothing.
She might live in a modest, humble home in west Ogden, but it was better to keep her character unsullied than sell her soul for a new roof. Her wealth, she figured, was in character.
Widowed when she was a young mother, Sister Linder provided for her three boys, and later for her mother in her failing health. Finances over the years were tight as she struggled to make ends meet.
"She works every day and begins early," said her friend and visiting teacher, Erma Montierth. "At night she comes home tired and fatigued."
Her honesty was rewarded by ward members who replaced her aging roof. Directed by a contractor in the ward, a group of elders and young men ripped off layers of old roofing, laid new tar paper and reshingled the roof.
"She is one who is appreciative of every kindness and generosity shown to her," said Sister Montierth. "She is grateful for every little gift."