Testimony

Paul Werner
Sacramento, CA
New Age Frontiers – January 1, 1964

I was born as one of eleven children in 1927 in Germany. We were of Lutheran faith. My parents lived Christianity and were real examples for us children. During the Second World War we lived in Poland for over 2 years. I then had to join the army. Being a soldier for about 6 months (I was 17 years old at the time). I was taken prisoner by the Americans and then turned over to the French.

After working in different places for short periods of time I was sent to northern France to work in a coal mine. Being in dangerous situations, constantly deep underground, I was crying for God to help me, making promises, that I would follow him. Just before Christmas 1948 I was released and sent home to Germany. Then I began to look for a deeper spiritual life. Even though my father was a minister, he could not help me, to make a decision. After searching and praying I received Jesus Christ as my personal savior. I felt a deep love for Jesus, as my wife did. I applied for scholarships in two seminaries to become a missionary, because I felt the urgency to help people find what I had found. However I was not accepted because there were too many applicants and not enough openings.

In 1953 my family and I (our son was 8 months old then) decided to immigrate to Canada, where we lived for about 4 and a half years. Being in a strange country we were very isolated and alone and our spiritual life declined. Over a period of time we gradually became lukewarm. We went through a very low period and the whole family was hit hard by serious illnesses and operations. We felt so far away from God and yet we didn't know how to find what we had lost. We decided to move to Cleveland Ohio and finally to Sacramento, Calif. During all those years we felt a deeper longing.

Last August, on a Sunday afternoon, Sandi Pinkerton, who worked with my wife, brought Pauline Phillips (Verheyen) to our house. That's when it all started. We were told that Christ is on earth -- Of course we were all waiting for Christ to return eventually, as it is prophesied in the Scriptures, to come in the clouds etc. How could someone come and tell us, that he is already on earth, in the form of a man.? I said to my wife, after they left, this is crazy and way out, but we have to be careful. Let's test it, after all we don't want to make the same mistake the Jews did by rejecting Jesus. So we went to Sandi's house almost daily to hear more and have arguments.

For 40 days I had the most severe headache (as I had never before experienced in my life) and one day I was almost paralyzed by pain. I fell on my knees and cried to God for answers and signs. One night I woke up and saw a person sitting on a chair at the foot of my bed, holding a baby in its lap -- it was either our Leader or Miss Kim. This was not a dream, but a vision with open eyes, God had answered my prayer.

One Friday noon, after praying all morning (while I was working), peace came over me, a peach that other people could feel. Even though I could not fully understand the complete message I accepted. Now I began to learn and see who Satan really is. He was after me ever since. But God and his Principle are much stronger. Slowly I am beginning to understand how much our Leader has done for us; and this is to testify, that I will go with him all the way.