HEART AND SEOUL Sept.11 - 18, 2005

HEART

Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow was a Korean holiday called Chusak. It is a major holiday, one perhaps equal to our Thanksgiving but with far less commercialism. Many stores close on Saturday, most on Sundays and we won't know until tomorrow how many observe the third day of commemoration where people as families visit graves, join in family dinners and pay honor to their ancestors. Travel throughout the country is horendous but few seem to let that keep them from carrying on their traditions. Our Temple President even bestowed a gift of fruit to us as missionaries. The holiday was so major that the temple was closed on Saturday, which is very unusual. This holiday seems the same if we were to combine our Memorial Day & Thanksgiving.
We spend many of our Saturday nights watching a DVD with our neighbors, the Hess's, as they have a DVD player. This weeks movie was "Daddy Day Care". A silly but enjoyable movie which probably many of you have seen.

SEOUL

Many of the historic/places of interest are not opened on Mondays. The Korean War Museum was opened Saturday and since we had that day available we along with the Hess's and Kastendick's decided to visit this museum. As we left it was pouring rain and we thought our umbrella's would protect us but we were soaked pretty much from the waist down by the time we arrived at the Subway, but none of us were any worse from the adventure.
The War Museum is a huge and beautiful building depicting all of the wars to which Korea has been subjected. Their displays are so well done it made you feel very close to the carnage and missery Koreans have known throughout their history. Especially did it make us feel a part of the Korean War in which the United Nations and primarily the United States took such an active part in the early 1950's. The United States stands heroically in the eyes of the current older generations of Koreans, but memories are short and many of the younger generations view the United States as a less than welcome intruder in their country. Only the wise of this generation recognize that the presense of our Armed Forces is the greatest deterrant of their enemy, communist North Korea.
This museum tells well the gratitude Korea should have for America and the United Nations. Though we spent three or four hours we could have spent twice the time and not seen it all so we hope to go back at some time again when the opportunity arises. As we were leaving the complex, one of the guides approached us and ask if we were Americans to which we replied yes, from the state of Utah. He then said: "We love you, Thank you America."