Ye Are Gods Skarin self-published her first book,
Ye Are Gods, in 1948. In the book, her daughter Linda Lee was described suffering from a severe illness, and was then healed miraculously. Skarin wrote, "Dear God, this child is Yours first -- and then she is mine. If you want her -- take her -- I love her so! But all that I have is Thine." The book's most controversial claim was the possibility of attaining physical immortality through the ardent pursuit of Christian principles, which she summarized as gratitude, praise, and love. She later wrote, "Death is the dreary, backdoor entrance into the other world. It is the servant’s entrance. But there is a great front door of glory for those who OVERCOME." Correspondence indicates that this initial version was soon followed by a second volume in 1949. She published a new edition in 1952 that combined the two volumes. This edition removed explicit references to the LDS Church but still widely quoted early LDS leaders and scripture. Skarin sent copies of her books to all the church leaders. In an October 12, 1949 letter to her daughter Hope, she wrote, "From many have come beautiful letters --- the one from President George Albert Smith was filled with love and kindness." She also referred to letters from apostle (later to be President)
Spencer W. Kimball and from "Stake, Mission, and Temple Presidents…". In promoting her book, she apparently claimed endorsement by some of these leaders, and was corrected for doing so by Kimball. Church leaders felt the book had serious doctrinal flaws and her refusal to renounce the principles taught in the book led to her
excommunication.
Excommunication In 1952 Skarin's daughter and son-in-law, Hope and
Lynn M. Hilton, sent an unfavorable study they had made of Annalee's book to LDS
apostle and president of the
Deseret News,
Mark E. Petersen. A
Sunstone article by Samuel Taylor describes the ensuing events: == Later life ==