This book is written with members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in mind. It describes the doctrine of Election, and the process everyone must go through in order to obtain the highest degree of glory in the Celestial Kingdom.
Kevan Clawson was born in Salt Lake City, Utah. He served a full-time mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Pennsylvania, where he first met his wife, Terri. Kevan and Terri Hopkins were married in the Salt Lake Temple and have five children (and many grandchildren).
Kevan's occupation was a roofer and project manager (his father and uncle were roofers), but his secret passion was writing! Kevan was prompted to begin writing books on religious doctrine by Elder Hugh Pinnock, who had served as his mission president in Pennsylvania. In 2000, Kevan was laid-up with back surgery (from all that roofing!) and decided that he should finally do what Elder Pinnock had been prompting him to do for years-- write a book! He has been writing books ever since.
Kevan's first two books were doctrinal books about Jesus Christ: "The Atonement of Jesus Christ" and "The Second Coming of Jesus Christ."
Because of Kevan and Terri's mutual interest and inspiration concerning the subject of obtaining one's 'election' to the Celestial Kingdom, they co-wrote the third book, "Obtaining Your Calling and Election." It has become one of the most popular books from this author!
Kevan's fourth book, "Becoming a Great Missionary", was written as a tribute to Elder Pinnock, who had died at a very young age. It contains the teachings and lessons Kevan learned from Elder Pinnock over the years; and Sister Anne Pinnock helped to edit the book, and wrote the introduction.
Kevan's desire to write about religious doctrine and missionary work came as a result of years of missionary service. He served as a full-time missionary, a local Seventy, a Ward Mission Leader, and as a counselor in a Stake Mission Presidency-- in all, over 15 years serving as a missionary!
While serving as a missionary Kevan became an expert teacher. Over the years he has taught classes in Gospel Doctrine, Gospel Essentials, Temple Prep, Missionary Prep, Stake Institute, Teachers Quorum, Seventies Quorum, High Priest Group, and many other classes-- in all, over 10 years as a teacher!
Kevan's wife Terri shares his passion for service. Together they served a part-time mission working at the Utah State Prison, teaching inmates ESL, English, and job skills. They also recently returned from a five month mission with LDS Charities on Pacific Partnership 2010. While aboard the USNS Mercy (a hospital ship on a humanitarian mission to Vietnam, Cambodia, Indonesia, and Timor Leste), Kevan worked with the Seabees remodeling 32 medical clinics and schools, while Terri worked in-country as a medical provider.
Kevan and Terri have lived in a number of placed over the years. After they were married, Kevan and Terri lived in Salt Lake City, and then Bountiful, Utah. They then moved to Granby, Connecticut for about seven years. Job changes sent them to Cleveland, Ohio for three years; then to South Jordan, Utah, where they still own a home.
After their children were grown, they moved to Middletown, Connecticut, while Terri attended graduate school to become a Physician Assistant. They then moved to Tinian (a tiny island that is a part of the Northern Marianas in the Pacific Ocean), where Terri served as Chief of staff of the small clinic there. During their two years living in this tropical paradise, Kevan wrote his most recent two-volume work "The Enhanced New Testament".
After serving aboard the USNS Mercy, Kevan and Terri moved to South Dakota. While Terri works in medical clinics in Martin, and at Ellsworth Air Force Base in Rapid City, Kevan spends his time taking care of his beloved wife, and, of course, writing.
