Imperial War Museum

For some reason, I was really interested in going to the Imperial War Museum so I got some friends to go with me Friday after we were done at the Banqueting House.  It was definitely worth it.  The museum covers war from the First World War up until present times, but we spent our time looking at the period of time covered during the Great Wars.  

One of my favorite parts of the museum was the "Trench Experience" where you went inside this dark room that was basically a model of the trenches.  It felt pretty realistic, smell and everything!  Haha.  No but really, I can't even imagine having to fight in a war.  The sometimes monotony and most of the time terror... I just can't even imagine.

It was really interesting seeing all these exhibits about the wars from a different (meaning non-American) perspective.  We saw the British version of Uncle Sam, British uniforms, etc.  If you really think about it, Britain was in the wars longer and also much much closer to the wars, and closer meaning bombs were dropped in London.  What a scary time.  I'm so grateful that I've been blessed to live in how peaceful a place I live in.

We also went through the Holocaust Memorial in the museum.  I most definitely cried, and I most definitely had quite a few soul-searching moments.  One of the things that really got to me the most were the pictures and videos of Jews before the whole incident even started.  Happy pictures, videos of dancing and parties.  They had normal lives before all of the terrible things that happened.  

Also after the Holocaust exhibit I felt a little guilty about how selfish I have been over the past few weeks, and how worried I've been about stupid things like the details of traveling around Europe after my time here in London.  I have a healthy, happy family that is sealed in the temple.  I have a strong foundation in the Gospel.  I am going to school at an extremely good university.  Heck!  I'm spending the summer in London!!  I am so blessed and sometimes it's so hard not to get too caught up in the stupid things that don't really matter in the long run, instead of enjoying and being grateful for everything I have that is more than I need a hundred times over.  

(This is a picture of the museum that I found online because I had accidentally changed my camera settings while I was there and couldn't get any good pictures myself)