I have been thinking of some amazing talented people I know, and well trying to come up with talents of my own. That just got me thinking this morning...
When I was in Copenhagen I was able to see the original Christus created by Bertel Thorvaldsen which resides in The Church of Our Lady. Learning more about the brilliant sculpture who created it, come to find out was never Christian and although Catholic found the church harsh and didn't seam to favor it.
Which leaves me so interested in a man who not very religious, was able to come up with such a magnificent master piece. Learning more I found out he had trouble with the placement of Christ's arms. Deciding with up reaching over head or folded across chest. It seems it came from divine intervention when the vision of "out stretched arms" came to be. It just is amazing to me how this not "religious" man was able to create such a work of wounder for all to see. Especially since The Church of Jesus Christ of Later Day Saints requested to have a replica placed on Temple square in Salt Lake City Utah. When I walked into the empty Church of Our Lady there was not one person in there at the time. In the 30 min or so we stayed there was one person who walked in. He definitely looking down and struggling it seamed with his life. Just walking next to the original Christus as he sat next to it, you could see it gave him hope. Now that replica in SLC Utah is such a icon of sorts for the LDS church. It is the mosted viewed Christus through out the world, with not only the visitors on Temple square but also as it's image is used on publication of meda, websites, ect.
Here is a quote from Pres. Kimball
“Take a da Vinci or a Michelangelo or a Shakespeare and give him a total knowledge of the plan of salvation of God and personal revelation and cleanse him, and then take a look at the statues he will carve and the murals he will paint and the masterpieces he will produce (Pg. 5, Ensign , Jul., 1977).”