Meet Kevan and Terri Clawson:
Kevan
Kevan Clawson was born in Salt Lake City, Utah. He served a full-time mission to Pennsylvania, where 
he first met his wife, Terri. Kevan and Terri Hopkins were married in the Salt Lake Temple and have five children (and five grandsons...so far.)
Kevan has served as a missionary, Seventy, Ward Mission Leader, and in a Stake Mission Presidency--in all, over 15 years serving as a missionary. Also, Kevan and Terri served a part-time mission working at the Utah State Prison, teaching inmates ESL, English,and job skills.
Kevan has served in many teaching positions over the years (Gospel Doctrine, Gospel Essentials, Temple Prep, Missionary Prep, Stake Institute, Teachers Quorum, Seventies Quorum, High Priest Group, and other classes)--in all, over 10 years as a teacher.
Terri
Terri has served faithfully in many callings in the Church (Stake Missionary, Gospel Doctrine Teacher, Primary Chorister, Primary Pianist, Choir leader, transcriptionist for the Church Historical Department, Ward Librarian, Genealogy Teacher, and in other ward and stake positions.)
Terri was born in Steubenville, Ohio. She was raised in Columbus, Ohio, and then her family moved to Bloomington, Indiana, and eventually to Warrington, Pennsylvania, where she first met Kevan. Terri attended BYU and graduated with a degree in Microbiology. It was at BYU that Kevan and Terri met again, and courted.
After raising their five children, Terri decided to go back to school to gain a Masters Degree as a Physician Assistant, with the goal of serving in some underprivileged area. Terri was well prepared for this step: she had worked in medicine all of her life. From a candy-striper when she was young, she worked on an ambulance in inner-city Hartford, as a Medical Assistant for several doctors, and worked as a Medical Transcriptionist for years. Because of her wide experience, she taught Medical Assisting at Utah Technical College, prior to going back to college.
Perhaps Terri's most unusual and impressive accomplishments were associated with home construction. Terri began by finishing a basement, then built a garage, then an addition to a home, and finally ended up building her own 3,000 sf home in South Jordan, Utah. Terri built her home with her own two hands: from framing the home to installing the plumbing, the copper heating system, the electrical systems, etc.
She is also a gourmet cook, has wonderful needlework, and is a computer wiz (she worked as a consultant to doctors and medical offices, working with them in selecting and installing computer programs for medical use; and helping to organize medical offices to make them more efficient). Time would not allow a list of all the talents Terri has developed over the years (she also sings beautifully and plays the piano), so let the foregoing simply wet your imagination!
Terri is also missionary-oriented, serving two Stake Missions prior to getting married and serving a part-time mission with Kevan at the prison.
How the books came to be
Kevan was prompted to begin writing books by Elder Hugh Pinnock, who had served as his mission president in Pennsylvania. In his 'real life' Kevan was a roofer, working for several large commercial roofing companies around the country to provide for his family. Writing had been just a hobby for years until, in 2000, Kevan was laid-up with back surgery and decided that he should finally do what Elder Pinnock had been prompting him to do--write a book. Unfortunately, Elder Pinnock died before any of Kevan's books were published.
The book "Becoming a Great Missionary" was written as a tribute to Elder Pinnock. It contains the teachings and lessons Kevan learned from Elder Pinnock over the years.
After reading an entry from his great-grandfather's journal about a special blessing he received at the hands of the Prophet, and because of Terri and Kevan's mutual interest and inspiration concerning the subject of obtaining one's calling and election to the Celestial Kingdom, they co-wrote the book on that subject. Sister Anne Pinnock helped to edit the book, and wrote the introduction.
It may surprise people to know how difficult it is to write books and get them published for people to read--even after the book is written, it often takes over a year to get it edited and printed, ready for sale.
Family Life
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. They have recently moved to Tinian, a tiny island that is a part of the Northern Marianas in the Pacific Ocean. Terri works as a Physician Assistant at the small clinic on the island, and Kevan spends his time taking care of Terri and writing.
You can read about Kevan and Terri's adventures on the island of Tinian on their blog.
Kevan and Terri's children and grandchildren are scattered around the world: Michael and his wife Priscila (from Brazil) have two sons: Robbie and Gabriel. Mike served a mission to Brazil, and has been a Marine for almost ten years. He is currently stationed in Germany, aiding the wounded returning from Iraq. Jeremiah and his wife Jaime (from Utah) have two sons: Ben and Kael. JJ served a mission to Chicago, attended the University of Utah, and is a nurse living in Sacramento, California. Isaac and his wife Jackie (from Mexico) live just outside Mexico City. Isaac served a mssion to Mexico and is an executive with FedEx-Kinkos. Seth and Meg (from Pennsylvania) have one son: Joshua. Seth served a mission to New York, and is a carpenter and wood-worker. Seth and Meg will soon be moving to Pennsylvania. Elizabeth graduated from Utah State University and is a photographer living and working in Salt Lake City.
