Copenhagen is a beautiful city! Our apartment was right in the center of town so we were able to walk to every site we wanted to see...unless, of course we were in a boat. On our way to the famous canal, we passed the "Happy Wall". What a great idea!
The Optimist could not pass up writing a note.
I wonder what he wrote?
We reached the area of Nyhavn. The homes along this colorful side date back to the 17th century.
The boys couldn't resist the enormous Memorial Anchor. This genuine anchor from a frigate navy ship commemorates the Danish men who gave their lives in WWII.
Our turn to ride on this famous canal.
The boys stretched high for every bridge we passed under to see if they could touch.
One of the places we were most excited to visit was the Church of Our Lady.
This famous church houses the original sculpture that has become so familiar to those of our faith.
At Temple Square in SLC and in numerous temples and other buildings throughout the world,
the "Christus" stands as a remembrance of our Savior and His sacrifice for each of us.
The sculptor, Thorvaldsen, has a museum dedicated in his honor in Copenhagen, but the original of the statue is not in the museum, it is housed in the church is was commissioned for in 1838.
Along with our visit, we read a wonderful talk by Elder Boyd K. Packer. The last few paragraphs recount a visit he made to the church with President Spencer W. Kimball.
See the full talk here.
In 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.
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