I knew that it would be depressing, and I knew that it would be emotional. I did not, however, anticipate the anger that quickly built up inside me when they had on display 4,000 pounds of hair that had been shaved off and collected and planned to be sold, from those who either had their head shaved upon arrival, or who had been gassed.
And the thousands and thousands of shoes on display, a lot of them small children's or the high heels of women who thought they were being sent to a new country to work.
The small facts about the lies the German Nazis told these people five minutes they were being sent to a gas chamber, using their religious faith as false hope, literally made me ill.
Seeing with my own eyes the barracks and gas chambers that the Germans had burned down in efforts to cover up what they knowingly knew was wrong made me livid.
I wanted it all to be gone. Why do they display these terrible things? Why haven't we destroyed all of Auschwitz? This shouldn't be here, it is too terrible of a memory.
My entire experience changed when we were guided to the hidden area of the ruins of the gas chambers, and the memorial site the Polish had build at the center. As our tour guide spoke to us, I saw in the distance large fields of grass and canola fields. I heard birds singing in the nearby trees. It was truly peaceful and God's spirit was there like I had never experienced before. It was that feeling of familiar love you feel when you are comforted when sad, but far more. How could a place so terrible as this feel momentarily so peaceful? I was strongly reminded that God's son, our Savior and Redeemer, suffered for us to make all unfair things right. He made this heart-wrenching, awful, and gruesome scene beautiful. The families and loved ones affected by the Holocaust could be healed.
All that seems unfair about life can be made right through the Atonement of Jesus Christ.
This reminded me of Alma and Amulek's experience witnessing the many women and children being burned right in front of their eyes:
8 "And they brought their wives and children together, and whosoever believed or had been taught to believe in the word of God they caused that they should be cast into the fire; and they also brought forth their records which contained the holy scriptures, and cast them into the fire also, that they might be burned and destroyed by fire.
9 "And it came to pass that they took Alma and Amulek, and carried them forth to the place of martyrdom, that they might witness the destruction of those who were consumed by fire."
10 "And when Amulek saw the pains of the women and children who were consuming in the fire, he also was pained; and he said unto Alma: How can we witness this awful scene? Therefore let us stretch forth our hands, and exercise the power of God which is in us, and save them from the flames."
11 "But Alma said unto him: The Spirit constraineth me that I must not stretch forth mine hand; for behold the Lord receiveth them up unto himself, in glory; and he doth suffer that they may do this thing, or that the people may do this thing unto them, according to the hardness of their hearts, that the judgments which he shall exercise upon them in his wrath may be just; and the blood of the innocent shall stand as a witness against them, yea, and cry mightily against them at the last day."
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