This is my arrangement of a song by Marvin Payne that I've listened to and loved since I was a child. He originally wrote it about the passing of Joseph Fielding Smith; here I've updated the lyrics for Thomas S. Monson. Also, his original accompaniment was acoustic guitar with a backup vocal; I've converted it to a solo with piano.

I sang this in church just after I finished it.

Do you want to hear the original version? Here you go.

V1

Thomas Monson was a kind and gentle giant with a smile
And an epic tale for everything in sight.
Thomas Monson was the keeper of the keys for a while
'Til he went on home to heaven on a peaceful Tuesday night

What will happen to the keys? What will happen to the keys?
We were asking together, what will happen to the keys?


V2
There are doorways that he opened, doorways old, doorways cold
Precious books, precious hearts, precious names.
Oh, the keys were never magic, nor of silver, nor of gold
But they opened all the doorways back to heaven, just the same.

What will happen to the keys? What will happen to the keys?
We're all asking together, what will happen to the keys?

(instrumental break)

V3
Oh, the King, He wants us home again to claim all that is ours
There is no poet who can tell us what that's worth
So the King, in tender mercy, gives us access to his towers
When He passes on the keys to new apostles on the earth.

Oh, the passing of the keys, the passing of the keys
Twelve princes meet the king for the passing of the keys.
Oh, the passing of the keys, the passing of the keys
Twelve princes met the king for the passing of the keys.


V4
Thomas Monson loved the children; loved the widows; loved his wife
Indeed, he loved the entire human family.
Thomas Monson went back home at the conclusion of his life
To be with his beloved Frances; Oh, the passing of the keys.