2007
Holding Priesthood Keys
December 2007


“Holding Priesthood Keys,” Friend, Dec. 2007, 32–33

From the Life of President Spencer W. Kimball

Adapted from Robert D. Hales, “Examples from the Life of a Prophet,” Ensign, Nov. 1981, 20.

Holding Priesthood Keys

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Spencer W. Kimball
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Events from the life of Spencer W. Kimball

Illustrations by Sal Velluto and Eugenio Mattozzi

President Kimball and some other Church leaders traveled to Denmark for an area conference.

While there, they visited a cathedral to see Thorvaldsen’s original famous sculpture, the Christus.

President Kimball: Isn’t it beautiful?

In the cathedral stood a statue of Peter holding a large set of keys.

President Kimball turned to a nearby caretaker to explain.

President Kimball: The keys of priesthood authority that Peter held as President of the Church I now hold as President of the Church in this dispensation.

President Kimball: Every day you are near Apostles in stone, but today you are in the presence of living Apostles.

President Kimball presented the man with a Danish Book of Mormon and bore his testimony of the Prophet Joseph Smith.

The man was moved to tears.

Caretaker: Today I have been in the presence of servants of God.

President Kimball never feared to share his witness of the gospel and bear his testimony to people around the world.