It's the end of Sunday and it's been a full one!! After a pretty good nights rest (we are all still trying to adjust to the time change) we got up, got ready, had a good breakfast here in the hotel, and headed out to find the church. We left almost an hour early to get us to the church on time but somehow got mixed up as to where the bus stop was. Eventually we found it but we got to church twenty minutes late and missed the sacrament. It's alright though, we still had a wonderful experience:) Although the meeting was spoken in Danish there were a number of visitors that spoke English so the talks were being translated through earphones for those of us that needed them. It must not be too unusual for a lot of English speaking visitors because they actually had an English speaking Gospel Doctrine class set apart for us as well. It was taught by a nice couple who are serving a temple mission. (The temple was just right around the corner from the church.) Anyway, it was nice to make it to church!
Our group outside the church
Hannah looks radiant! She is so beautiful:)
Rick and I
After retiring back to the hotel to change clothes and shoes we headed off again to THAT SPECIAL CHURCH that I mentioned yesterday. The one we couldn't get into because of the wedding. Well the church is called Vor Frue Kirke. (The Church of our Lady) This is the church with the statue of Bertel Thorvaldsen's "The Christus". It is breathtaking! It is in a gilded cove with burning candles on the sides. We couldn't get as close as the one at Temple Square but we got within 12 feet.
Pretty special!
Another thing that makes this church so spectacular are the twelve apostles that are lining each side of the chapel. Thorvaldsen created a statue of each of the apostles. This one with Rick standing by it is Peter. He is holding keys in his right hand. This is the statue that is referred to in the story about when President Kimball visited it and turned to Elder Perry and others with him and said,
"Tell them I hold those keys today."
Does anyone remember that story told by Elder Perry??
We had an enjoyable afternoon wandering around the streets and seeing a few more church buildings. This picture is of "The Round Tower" an old observatory built in the 1600's. We got to climb to the top to see a wonderful overview of the city:)
At the top!
Two wonderful doors to show off today!!
Rick thinks I'm a little loony for taking pictures of the doors but secretly I know he likes them too:)
What a NICE Sunday you had!! Seeing "The Christus" in that setting--how WONDERFUL! I do not remember hearing Elder Perry tell that about President Kimball holding those same Keys--but I'm going to look it up. Reading just that little bit that you wrote, brought tears to my eyes--just thinking about the Truthfulness of it!!
ReplyDeleteClimbing those steps in The Round Tower gave you a GORGEOUS VIEW!! I LOVE high places, and through the years, I've been in MANY high places!! You oughta make a List of the ones you've been in, Janell. It'll surprise you! (oh, and I also am fascinated with Doors!!) Thanks so much for this write-up and pictures!!
Love, Karen and yes--Hannah indeed is radiantly beautiful!
President Packer most recently shared that story in April's Conference 2008:
ReplyDeleteIn 1976 an area general conference was held in Copenhagen, Denmark. Following the closing session, President Spencer W. Kimball desired to visit the Vor Frue Church, where the Thorvaldsen statues of the Christus and of the Twelve Apostles stand. He had visited there some years earlier and wanted all of us to see it, to go there.
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, and the wound in His side very clearly visible. Along each side stand the statues of the Apostles, Peter at the front to the right and the other Apostles in order.
Most of our group was near the rear of the chapel with the custodian. I stood up front with President Kimball before the statue of Peter with Elder Rex D. Pinegar and Johan Helge Benthin, president of the Copenhagen stake.
In Peter’s hand, depicted in marble, is a set of heavy keys. President Kimball pointed to those keys and explained what they symbolized. Then, in an act I shall never forget, he turned to President Benthin and with unaccustomed firmness pointed his finger at him and said, “I want you to tell everyone in Denmark that I hold the keys! We hold the real keys, and we use them every day.”
I will never forget that declaration, that testimony from the prophet. The influence was spiritually powerful; the impression was physical in its impact.
We walked to the back of the chapel where the rest of the group was standing. Pointing to the statues, President Kimball said to the kind custodian, “These are the dead Apostles.” Pointing to me, he said, “Here we have the living Apostles. Elder Packer is an Apostle. Elder Thomas S. Monson and Elder L. Tom Perry are Apostles, and I am an Apostle. We are the living Apostles.
“You read about the Seventies in the New Testament, and here are two of the living Seventies, Elder Rex D. Pinegar and Elder Robert D. Hales.”
The custodian, who up to that time had shown no emotion, suddenly was in tears.
I felt I had had an experience of a lifetime.
“We believe in the same organization that existed in the Primitive Church, namely, apostles, prophets, pastors, teachers, evangelists, and so forth.” 18
When the Seventy are ordained, although they are not ordained Apostles nor do they hold keys, they have authority, and the Twelve are “to call
Here's the link:https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2008/04/the-twelve?lang=eng