I wasn't in the States when 9/11 happened. I was on my mission in Guatemala. My companion and I were walking past an electronic store and I saw a TV in the window that was showing the first tower had been hit.
I remember thinking it could not be real, it had to be for a movie, but as I kept watching I realized I was watching a news show and knew it must be happening, but I couldn't believe it. I told my companion I needed to go back to the apartment. They pulled all the missionaries in and had zone meetings. But I just couldn't believe how the towers could really have been hit.
Since I wasn't in the States when 9/11 happened, I have tried to learn about the events of that day. When we were in New York, our hotel was literally right next to Ground Zero. We were able to see and hear the construction from our hotel room and see the corner of the fountains.
This is the new Trade Center Building. In New York, we were able to see the 9/11 Museum. It was very emotional.
This is "The Survivor" he sits right off of Ground Zero. He was there before 9/11 but was blown off of his seat. They found him and put him back where he belongs. He now has marks and scratches from that day, but he survived.
All the fire trucks in New York now have all the names of the fireman on their trucks that were lost from their stations.
The City view of where the Twin Towers used to be and were the new Trade Tower is. Our last day in New York we went to the Miracle Church that is right across the street from Ground Zero, where the rescue teams rested and got their meals. It was the only building around Ground Zero that did not have any structural damage.
I still remember hearing from a news show someone said, "We were running out as the rescuers were running in."
