In answer to a question posed by Pilate, Jesus said, “To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth.”  (John 18:37).

Why was I born?  For what purpose did I come into the world?

I used to be a spirit.  I didn’t have a body.  My Father and my Mother had bodies.  Through their love and teachings I learned that my destiny was to become like them.  I learned that the time would come for me to obtain a body like theirs which would enable me to taste, and to feel, and to marry, and to create other bodies, and to have children, and to have physical experiences that were impossible for me to have as a spirit.

I think that you could say, “To this end was I born.”

I spent a magical childhood running, playing, and working on a farm.  I learned many things about my physical capacities as I bucked bales, stacked hay, climbed mountains, cared for my flock of sheep, cuddled my little nephews, pulled them and my little sister around the farm in my red wagon, and dreamed of the day when I could have babies of my own.

I became a teenager, and life became hard.  I wasn’t a member of the Church.  I didn’t know a thing about God.  My mother told me that there was a God, and she prayed to Him.  She taught me the prayer, “Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray the Lord my soul to keep.  If I should die before I wake, I pray the Lord my soul to take.”  I tried it a couple of times as I laid down in bed, but it seemed pointless.

Life became very hard.  I became very depressed for a long time.  I didn’t know it, but my hard life and problems were leading me to God.  One day when I had reached rock bottom, all of my anguish and pent-up problems and pressures came spilling out in a long, verbal, 4-hour prayer to a God who I initially didn’t know was really there.  By the end of the prayer, I knew that He was there, and that He had heard me.  I spent the next five months learning about Him, repenting, and preparing for baptism.

I think that you could say, “To this end was I born.”

I had previously been attracted to a beautiful girl who had been God’s instrument in showing me where His truth lay.  Two and a half years after my baptism, I was able to take her to the temple where she was sealed to me.  As we changed rooms during the endowment session in the Salt Lake Temple we ascended a staircase.  She and I came together on those stairs leading to heaven, and we’ve been ascending ever since.  I was astounded at how beautiful she was.  In my mind’s eye I can still picture that moment.  I was astonished that she would condescend to marry me.  Life was finally beginning.

I think that you could say, “To this end was I born.”

Our marriage took place during a two-week leave from the Navy as I changed duty stations.  I came home from Japan, got married, and left for Morocco, North Africa.  My wife joined me there one month later.  We had a 15-month honeymoon far from family, friends, and everything familiar.  It was a glorious time as we learned to depend upon one another.  Our arrival in Morocco increased the membership of the Kenitra servicemen’s branch from five to seven.

Back in the states, my first calling in the Church had been to be a Primary teacher, as leader of the Guide Patrol.  The Guide Patrol consisted of 7 rambunctious 11-year-old boys.  Today we’d call them Blazers.  I loved them, and they loved me.  We learned much from one another.

Marjorie was still in Primary when she was called to be that organization’s accompanist.  Then she was called to be organist for the Sunday School.  In Morocco she was the gospel doctrine teacher, and I taught priesthood, and was branch clerk.  Because of other Latter-day Saint families that came to Morocco, the branch grew to 26 by the time we left.

Since that time Marjorie and I have served in every calling imaginable.  In one branch that I was in I held 5 different callings simultaneously.  I never kept any calling for more than a year.  The Lord was teaching me.

One day the bishop called me into his office.  It was obvious that I was about to receive a new calling.  I laughed and said, “Bishop, you can’t call me to a position that I haven’t already had.”  It was his turn to laugh as he proceeded to call me to be ward chorister.

I couldn’t have been more shocked if he had called me to be Relief Society president.  For the next two weeks I directed music as Marjorie sat at the piano and played.  She taught me how to lead music.  That was the scariest calling I ever received.  True to form, I only had the calling for less than a year; but also true to form, it prepared me for other opportunities.  When I was later asked to lead the accapela singing of stake presidencies in regional meetings, and to lead the singing of temple workers in their preparation meetings, it was no big deal.  I have been serving for 48 years.

I think that you could say, “To this end was I born.”

Marjorie and I really, really wanted children.  We thought that five would be the magic number.  That’s how many children both sets of our parents had.  We were hugely disappointed when our first pregnancy resulted in a miscarriage.  We didn’t know enough at that time to be able to see that the miscarriage was a very great blessing.  Had our first baby been born in Morocco, it would have been delivered by Caesarean section, and we’d have been limited to having no more than three children.  When our first baby was finally due to be delivered, he was too big, and was in the wrong position.  The doctor told Marjorie that he was going to do a Caesarean operation.  She refused, and asked for another hour to work at having the baby.  She had been given a Priesthood blessing in which she’d been told that she would have the baby naturally.  At the end of each hour the doctor returned and announced that he was going to do a Caesarean operation.  Three times Marjorie pleaded for one more hour.  Finally another doctor came in, did an examination, and stated, “I think we can deliver this baby,” and did it.  Because of Marjorie’s faith, and because of the Priesthood, we now have 19 children (10 children and their spouses).  We also have 50 grandchildren.  These are our best friends.

Without hesitation I can say, “To this end was I born.”