This story is written by Boyd K. Packer.
I always think of that when I visit Vor Frue Kirke in Copenhagen!
I always think of that when I visit Vor Frue Kirke in Copenhagen!
“In 1976 an area general conference was held in Copenhagen, Denmark.
Following the closing session,
President Kimball expressed a desire to visit Vor Frue Church,
where the Thorvaldsen statues of the Christus and of the
Twelve Apostles stand.
He had visited this some years before.
Others of us had also seen it but some had not,
and he felt we should all go there.
The church was closed for renovation,
nevertheless arrangements wire quickly
made for us to be admitter for a few minutes.
There were just a few of us.
To the front of the church, behind the altar,
stands the familiar statue
of the Christus with his arms turned forward and somewhat outstretched,
the hands showing the imprint of the nails,
the wound in his side clearly visible.
Along each side stand the statues of the Apostles,
Peter at the front on the
right side of the church, and the other Apostles in order.
It is not a large building,
and these beautiful statues make an impressive sight indeed.
Most of the group were near the rear of the chapel, where the custodian,
through an interpreter, was giving some explanation.
I stood with President Kimball, Elder Rex Pinegar, and President Bentine,
the stake president, before the statue of Peter.
In his hand, depicted in marble, is a set of heavy keys.
President Kimball pointedto them and explained what they symbolized.
Then in an act I shall never forget,
he turned to President Bentine and with an unaccustomed sternness pointed his finger
at him and said with firm, impressive words,
“I want you to tell every Lutheran in
Denmark that they do not hold the keys!
I hold the keys! We hold the real keys
and we use them every day.”
This declaration and testimony from the prophet so affected me
that I knewI would never forget it - the influence was powerfully
spiritual and the impression
was physical in its impact as well.
W walked out to the end of the chapel where the rest of the group were standing.
Pointing at the statues,
President Kimball said to the custodian who was showingus the building,
“These are the dead Apostles. Here we have the living Apostles.”
Pointing at me he said, “Elder Packer is an Apostle.”
He designated the others and said,
“Elder Monson and Elder Perry are Apostles, and I am an Apostle.
We are living Apostles.
You read about seventies in the New Testament, and here are living seventies,
Brother Pinegar and Brother Hales.”
The custodian, who to that time had shown no particular emotion,
suddenly was in tears.
As we left that little chapel where those impressive sculptures stand, I felt I had taken
part in an experience of a lifetime.
The word key is symbolic. The word sealing is symbolic. Both represent, I repeat,
the consummate authority on this earth for man to act in the name of God."
Following the closing session,
President Kimball expressed a desire to visit Vor Frue Church,
where the Thorvaldsen statues of the Christus and of the
Twelve Apostles stand.
He had visited this some years before.
Others of us had also seen it but some had not,
and he felt we should all go there.
The church was closed for renovation,
nevertheless arrangements wire quickly
made for us to be admitter for a few minutes.
There were just a few of us.
To the front of the church, behind the altar,
stands the familiar statue
of the Christus with his arms turned forward and somewhat outstretched,
the hands showing the imprint of the nails,
the wound in his side clearly visible.
Along each side stand the statues of the Apostles,
Peter at the front on the
right side of the church, and the other Apostles in order.
It is not a large building,
and these beautiful statues make an impressive sight indeed.
Most of the group were near the rear of the chapel, where the custodian,
through an interpreter, was giving some explanation.
I stood with President Kimball, Elder Rex Pinegar, and President Bentine,
the stake president, before the statue of Peter.
In his hand, depicted in marble, is a set of heavy keys.
President Kimball pointedto them and explained what they symbolized.
Then in an act I shall never forget,
he turned to President Bentine and with an unaccustomed sternness pointed his finger
at him and said with firm, impressive words,
“I want you to tell every Lutheran in
Denmark that they do not hold the keys!
I hold the keys! We hold the real keys
and we use them every day.”
This declaration and testimony from the prophet so affected me
that I knewI would never forget it - the influence was powerfully
spiritual and the impression
was physical in its impact as well.
W walked out to the end of the chapel where the rest of the group were standing.
Pointing at the statues,
President Kimball said to the custodian who was showingus the building,
“These are the dead Apostles. Here we have the living Apostles.”
Pointing at me he said, “Elder Packer is an Apostle.”
He designated the others and said,
“Elder Monson and Elder Perry are Apostles, and I am an Apostle.
We are living Apostles.
You read about seventies in the New Testament, and here are living seventies,
Brother Pinegar and Brother Hales.”
The custodian, who to that time had shown no particular emotion,
suddenly was in tears.
As we left that little chapel where those impressive sculptures stand, I felt I had taken
part in an experience of a lifetime.
The word key is symbolic. The word sealing is symbolic. Both represent, I repeat,
the consummate authority on this earth for man to act in the name of God."
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