The Suitcase

It was just a small suitcase. Very small, very black, and very insignificant, except for it's contents. What Oma Becker placed in it were things that were important to her and Opa Becker. He was the Branch President of a Berlin Branch and never knew when he would be suddenly called away. So, to be prepared, as Oma always was, she packed a white shirt, a tie, dress slacks and a copy of The Book of Mormon and The Bible. After completing her little task, Oma went downstairs to the cellar and added the suitcase with the stash from other apartment owners. She pushed huge suitcases out of her way until she got to her final destination, the wall. She then placed her suitcase on the floor in the corner, hidden from view by multi-sizes of other suitcases. She put all the suitcases back the way she found them and went back upstairs without giving her little black suitcase another thought.

A little over a year had past. Germany had lost the war and for now Oma's apartment building was being occupied by Russian soldiers. The German families were huddled together in the cellar. It was very quiet. Faces were sad, frail and thin. For attention, a Russian soldier stopped in the doorway and sharpened his knife blade on the metal door frame hardware. A few looked up to be greeted by a demonic smile. Not receiving the reaction he was hoping for, he simply walked away as another soldier quietly walked in un-noticed.

What could they all have been thinking about. A missed birthday maybe or the way a good pot roast smelled as it was being served to the family on a wonderful Sunday afternoon? Whatever it was, it was interrupted by the booming voice of a fierce looking Russian soldier. Everyone went from deep thought into gasping for air after being so startled. The Germans looked at the Russian soldier trying to comprehend what was going on. Oma Becker looked up and to her horror she saw her little black suitcase opened on the table with it's contents displayed for all to see. In his hand, the soldier held a book of scripture and he tapped on the cover hard with the tip of his index finger and pointed the same finger around the room. Oma realized what he was asking "Whose book is this?" Oma actually feared for her life. She said a quiet prayer in her heart asking her Heavenly Father for the strength and the faith to stand up. Her eyes were big and beautifully blue as she got up and stood with her knees shaking so much she thought she might just fall down again. She then pointed to herself and said "meinz" translated "mine".

He must have felt something as this beautiful young mother stood up. Was it the Spirit of the Lord or the bravery he saw behind the fear in her eyes or maybe just the kindness that her every feature announced? Whatever it was, his voice softened as he walked up to her and met her face to face. He said something to her in Russian, smiled and carefully replaced the scriptures. He then closed the suitcase making sure the clasps were securely fastened and carried it as if it's contents contained raw eggs and placed it back in the corner where it was taken from. He then left the cellar as Oma Becker slowly sat down again thanking her Heavenly Father for the unbelievable scene they all had just been apart of.