Albert L. Zobell

We were fighting the battle of the Bulge near the town of Ammonius, Belgium.  By that time the Germans were on the defensive.  We had just succeeded in cutting off or surrounding a section of the German line.  They were surrendering in large numbers.  As we were disarming the soldiers, one of them said to me in broken English, "Would you know if there are any Mormon soldiers in your unit?"

I replied, "Yes, I am a Mormon."

He asked,  "Do you hold the priesthood?"

"Yes, I do," I answered, "I was married in the temple."

"Would you be so kind as to come with me to that shell hole over there and administer to my buddy? He is pretty well shaken up, and pretty badly wounded."

Of course I consented to go.  We found that his buddy was in a bad condition and was suffering much pain.  Then the two of us, who a few short hours before had been on opposite sides in a bitter struggle, knelt down and administered to the wounded lad.  And as we did so, I felt the Spirit of the Lord very strongly.  I know that the feeling was shared by them, too.  As we finished, the litter bearers were there.  We lifted the broken body to the stretcher.  Then our ways parted: the wounded boy was taken to the hospital, the German soldier was sent back with the other prisoners, and I went on with my other duties.

Albert L. Zobell Jr, A Storyteller's Scrapbook, 1948, 112- 113