Alec's Mission to Colombia: Climbing Piedra del Peñol

Hola Everyone,

So first off to explain the phone call you got the other day. The phone call was from a member trying an app that he downloaded from the app store. He could call any number in the US for free but he did not have any US numbers of his own. He didn’t tell me why he need my number. He just asked for it (I should have known that he was up to no good.) I told him that I was not going to talk at all because I am only allowed to talk with you guys once a year by phone so as much as I wanted to I won’t brake that rule. You just got a quick 1 minute call from him and my comp which it sounded like you did not understand much of their spanish/english at all. You might have been able to hear me talking to them in the background but it was just in spanish so its not like you could have known. But apparently the app works.

P-day this week was awesome and also the reason I’m writing late. We went to the Piedra del Peñol (Rock of Penol). They said it was 659 stairs, well that was a lie, it ended up being 740. It was super cool though. The view was amazing. On the little plaque it says they think it was created from a volcanic eruption. That sounds pretty sweet to me. It is also stands all alone, kinda like Devils tower so its an icon for this part of Colombia. We had to sleep in the zone leaders house because we had a bus pick us up at 7:00 am and it took 2 1/2 hours to get there. We all pretty much slept the whole way since we were all up late the night before. It was really cool to go and climb all the stairs.

Its seem like everyday now I’m doing tons of stairs. I don’t really even do exercises in the new place, since all of my area is a huge hill. I just choose to walk every day, I also always walk straight up the hill and not in a zig zag pattern to get the most out of it. Yep, I’m getting to be the stair master.

Any ways, some of my packages finally came. Good news and bad news. Good news, I got my Valentine's package and the birthday package. Bad news, I have a right hand Brutus in my district. The comp of the district leader opened my box “thinking it was his”, no likely, then stole the Dr. pepper and the candy you sent me. They gave it to me only after someone from the other house told me that he thinks they opened my package. Totally retarded right? At least I got most of it. I love my birthday shirts and stuff. They are sweet. My comp would really like you to send him some and would give you money to buy and mail. He never saw stuff like them before since they don’t have Think Geek here.

As for the letters people have sent to me and had returned, the office is having problems claiming letters and packages that say Elder on them. They cant say Elder on the envelope or the box if you want me to get them. That is lame I have missed stuff but hopefully that will sort it out for everyone for my last half of the mission.

Lydia’s Prom pictures are awesome. She looked really good, I don’t know why she does not see herself like that in regular life. Ya she doesn’t understand that she is “a smoking ball of hotness” (words of several latins here, not mine.) I always show missionaries the photos of my family. They always stop on the same photo and tell me that they are going to be my future brother in law. So she may be happy or creeped out by that. I tell them thats not going to happen. That Nova was way better than a limo ever could be.

Thats all for now, I have to get in to the bus again. We stopped in a small town to eat but I didn’t bring enough money for food so I am writing instead.

Love you guys,

Alec

P.S. I almost forgot about this part. I don’t know if you remember this episode of Psych but Carlton had something to keep his shirt tucked, I don’t remember what it was called, but if you can find it and its not crazy expensive can you send it to me please. And yes I am serious I do in fact want it. I don’t like how my shirts are always hanging out if I bend over.

Elder Sanchez took a photo with my camera when Elder Benitez and I were out of the house.