Lahtinen December 2011

Merry Christmas 2011

We love having John home from BYU, for the holidays.

We enjoy our family relationships. 

John and Grandpa Osborn

Our Christmas Eve program featured some new performers.

Maygan on flute

Justin on trumpet. Nolan, Allison and Maygan on piano.

Hyrum singing. Emily dancing hula. Brandon and Emily singing.

And of course the "Bugler's Holiday" performance, on trumpet

by Brent, Bryan, John and Christopher. What talent!

"The Nativity" was performed by the children.

Brandon and Emily were "Joseph and Mary".

The highlight of our Christmas was skyping with Mark (Elder Lahtinen)

in Peru. This was our first skype with Mark. We loved being able to see him,

as well as hear him. He grinned from ear to ear, the entire 2 hours. We met his

Companion, and the Pensionista and her family. They practiced their "English"

on us. They told us how much they love Elder Lahtinen and what a great

missionary he is. We thanked them for taking care of our son.

We loved every minute of our skype.

Lahtinen November 2011

John has taken up the hobby of rock climbing.

 He loves climbing the rock faces in Provo Canyon

The view is so beautiful.

 It is cold, and fingers need to be warmed often,

but it is worth it!

John wanted climbing shoes, a harness and rope, for Christmas.

We had him pick them out, while he was home at Thanksgiving.

He took them back to Utah, with him, and has used them several times. 

We will wrap his used equipment for him to open, Christmas morning.

John got new glasses at Thanksgiving too.

This is his new look, when he is not wearing his contacts.

Mark continues to baptize in Peru.

He works really hard, keeps the mission rules, and follows the Spirit.

Mark got transferred to Zarate, which is a part of Lima, on Oct 26th

It is the most modernized area, he has ever been in.

It technically is in the Lima Centeral Mission,

but it is part of the Campoy Stake, which is in the Lima East Mission.

Mark is back in Lima, where there is Dominos Pizza, and McDonalds.

Mark weighed himself, after partaking of the fast food,

and he now weighs 170 lbs and is 6 ft 2 in.

Most of the Peruvians, and Latin missionaries, are around 5 ft tall

Duncan, Jane and John are enjoying BYU football games, in Provo.

We are wearing our Peruvian BYU hats that Mark had made for us.