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

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.