I am taking this entry from my personal journal:

This morning Adam wanted to go visit BYU campus to see and feel his old stomping grounds. It was fun. COLD day. 20s. It was fun to drive through campus (we could because school wasn’t in session). Then we parked in the visitor parking east of campus and walked into the ELWC, going first to Jamba Juice by the Varsity Theater, where he’d go for breakfast when he was a student there–he got his favorite Chocolate Moo’d drink with peanut butter, banana and chocolate.

Then we walked through to the BYU Store (no longer a book store). That always makes me sad. I loved going to the Bookstore to look at the books. Now it’s mostly clothing and gifts. Adam wanted to get some sweat pants. Didn’t find any he liked. He picked out a BYU CMS tie. We got a BYU shirt for Clark and a BB Jersey for Aaron like the one we got Adam for CMS–their favorite player.

[This used to be one of the book areas filled with brimming full shelves of books on every topic.  Now it’s a place to watch BYU sports highlights.  It almost feels blasphemous.]

Things are so different there now.  The Administration Building has been torn down and a new one will take its place.  There are so many new buildings all over campus.  They are big and beautiful.  It all feels so different.  I’m grateful for my years there–1977-1984, then again from 2004-2013.  I spent many years on campus, learning and I loved it.

It all feels so technical now.  I feel like I could never do again what I did then as a student.  The technology would kill me.

Then we drove over to the new Creamery on Ninth. It’s moved out of the old Carson’s Market, later The Creamery, location on 9th East to a big new building behind it. It’s like a full grocery store now with a bakery and a snack bar/eating area.  Adam wanted to buy some of his Favorite BYU Chocolate milk.

[One of the happiest days of my BYU life happened in Carson’s Market on 27 May 1980.  You will read about it below.]

Here’s news from this week on what’s happening there now (Carson’s Market is long gone):

THE DAILY UNIVERSE
An ode to the original BYU Creamery on Ninth
By Christian Salazar, January 9, 2026

The original BYU Creamery on Ninth building on Nov. 26, 2025. The building closed a week later on Dec. 2, 2025. (Christian Salazar)

The original BYU Creamery, located on Ninth East in Provo, closed on Dec. 2 after serving millions of happy customers for 25 years.

The original building on Ninth East opened Aug. 24, 2000, and was the first full-service grocery store on any college campus in the United States. The building that remains will be demolished to create more parking lots for the new BYU Creamery on Ninth, which opened Dec. 4.

Before it became the Creamery on Ninth, Kent’s Market (also known as Carson’s Market) operated on that location for 59 years before closing its doors in 1999. The widow of the owner bequeathed the building to BYU, which renovated it and turned it into the flagship Creamery on Ninth.

Customers shopping at the original BYU Creamery on Ninth. When it opened, this creamery was the first full-service grocery store on any college campus in the U.S. (Christian Salazar)

On July 15, 2024, BYU announced its plans to construct the new Creamery on Ninth. The announcement stated, “The new store will feature over a 70% increase in retail space, allowing critical updates so the store can meet the evolving needs of the campus community.”

Visited by more than 1.3 million guests, the building has served the needs of BYU students and the community at large. . . .

I’ve been searching through my 1980 journal and I finally found the entry–my Carson’s Market memory:

Tuesday May 27, 1980 9:50 p.m.

I had a feeling it would come today. . . .

11:00-12:00 Missionary Prep.  Then home.  Checked the mail.  2 letters for old roommates, 1 big envelope . . . addressed to Ann Laemmlen and Jackie Owen from Deseret Book Headquarters for LDS Publication, 1620 So. Empire Road, P. O. Box 659, Salt Lake City, Utah 84104.

Nonchalantly, I walked into the apartment, moved the phone into my bedroom, and tried to find the number for Carson’s Mkt. where Jackie was working.  Meanwhile, I could vaguely see that the reply letter was a full page. . . . Does it take that long to say, “I’m sorry, but we are not interested in publishing your manuscript.”  Carson’s was unlisted.  I called info. & she gave me a number.  Meanwhile, I carefully eased the licked flap up, so I’d be able to pull the letter out quickly to read to Jackie.  The number was for some other Carson’s place.  So there I sat with the open-ended manila envelope & a promise that Jackie & I would open it & read it together.  Dilemma.  Couldn’t stand it.  Peeked inside.  My eyes found the salutation: “Dear Ann and Jackie:” My eyes moved anxiously to the first line . . . .

“Our staff has read your manuscript, Articles of Faith Learning Book, and their reactions are unanimous: raves!”

I continued . . . .

“They think you have some excellent material, well thought out and thought provoking.”

I shut the envelope & stood there, eyes tightly closed, grinning, scared to read on without Jackie.  I furiously dialed Paul’s, asked for the car, & ran to his apt. got his keys, waving the manuscript in one hand, and ran for the car.  Couldn’t find it.  Found it & headed for Carson’s Market.  Found Jackie, revealing nothing.  We went to the side and slowly pulled out the reply letter.  Our eyes raced.  Hers were ahead so I covered up the end till I caught up.  Then we read it together.

“I think we’re all agreed that we feel strongly we would like to recommend publication; now we need to work on how to present it to the board. . . .”

Our eyes met & we started screaming –”They liked it–They liked it!!!”

They Did Like It!!!  We read it again.  Customers stared.  They liked it!

I have never been so excited.  They RAVED.  THEY RAVED.  Unanimously.  And they liked it!  We never expected this news.  As I drove to Carson’s, my mind had completed the letter: “. . . we loved it, but we’re sorry, we won’t be able to publish it. . . . vague reasons . . . keep trying . . . better luck next time . . .”

BUT they liked it!!!!  And they Raved!

DESERET BOOK.  The top.  The very top.

Jackie had to get back to work.   JOKE.

I ran to the car & headed for Bro. Boyce’s office.  He wasn’t there.  Left a note, quoting part of the letter. Ran back to the car (Paul was waiting for it), & drove home.  Ran to Paul.  Read him the letter.  We called home.  Mom was leaving in ½ hr. for LA Dr. Check up.  We talked for awhile & then I read the letter.  She’s Excited & Proud.  It was good.

Eric was named Most Inspirational Swimmer.  Baccalaureate Ceremonies are Sun. And his Eagle Scout Court of Honor.  He graduated June 5.  We’re packing Red Beaut plums today.  This morning was was a 2nd earthquake–(1 was Sun.) both measuring 6.1 on the Richter Scale.  They centered at Mammoth Lake just up the mts.  They felt both at home.  No damage done.

Then ran home & Jill [roommate] read the letter.  What an exciting day!!

Jackie came home at 2:00 & we’ve spent the large part of the evening being amazed & overwhelmed.  Not studying.  Tomorrow I have 2 Eng. Papers due, 2 possible research paper topics, & a CDFR Midterm for which I haven’t studied.
Right now it’s 11:15 & 1 paper is done.  1 to go.  No topics yet.

But mostly I’m Excited.

I must go.  Work to do.

It’ll be a long night.

Ann

RAVES.

I’m grateful for my journal entry that allowed me to relive the excitement of that day.  A series of 3 Learning Books were published in 1982, then for the 2nd printing, they were combined into one book.

These books were my first publications.  What a thrill to see our words in print!