9/11

I was in Guatemala, doing my morning study routine and getting ready for a district meeting in a nearby town. Someone from the ward called and talked to my companion. My companion looked confused and told me it was something about a plane hitting the Twin Towers. I thought he meant a small plane like a Cessna or something. My initial thought was, "Too bad for that plane." Our neighbor looked over the fence and told us the towers had fallen, and I said "Yah, right."
On the way to district meeting we passed an electronics store where the television was showing a smoldering building, and I began to believe. It was weird because I remember district meeting being mostly normal that day.
We went about our work mostly. People kept talking to us about it, and we didn't know how much to believe. One guy told us they had destroyed the Statue of Liberty. I said to companion, in English, "I don't believe it." Then the guy surprised us by speaking in English too, "No man, it's true. For real." I remember stopping at a member's home and watching President Bush's speech where he called upon England for support. You could see the resolution in Tony Blair's face. Was that the same day? I don't remember.
I do remember a change in the letters I got from home. When I got home from my mission I read articles and editorials from the days directly following 9/11. I got the sense that there was a nationwide uniting process and a change in priorities. I think being out of the country blunted the experience somewhat for me.
Am I wrong or has the 9/11 mentality mostly faded away?