Lahtinen September 2011

Duncan, John and LaDawn (in back ground) wear their BYU

football shirts on game day. Paul and LaDawn have allowed

us to stay with them, once a month, for BYU football games.

This year, none of the family wanted to get together on Labor Day,

so Duncan and Jane hiked Mt Spokane together. It was great fun.

John joined the BYUSA club. He puts up game day flags, gets to meet the

BYU players and coaches, and gets a field pass. John is on the 5 yard line.

In Cerro de Pasco, Peru, the baptismal font is like a jacuzzi. Jets of hot water

heat the cold water in the font. Elder Lahtinen let out a little scream, when he

walked down into the font, and it was freezing cold. The propane tank was empty,

so no way to heat the water. It took several weeks before approval came from

Salt Lake, to spend the money to fill the propane tank. Baptisms were a little cold for a few weeks.

Lahtinen August 2011

John moves in to Building #9 Helaman Halls at BYU

This hall is new, and has not been named yet,

so it is just "#9". It is a very short walk

 to the northwest end of campus.

John gets settled in his dorm room

After getting John moved in, and finishing parent orientation,

Duncan and Jane are guided on a hike, by Paul, Kaden and LaDawn Osborn.

It was 98 degrees and higher elevation than Spokane. It was tough.

Time to get in better shape!

The hike was to Stewart Falls up by Sundance.

The spray of the falls felt great on this very hot day.

Elder Lahtinen was transferred to Cerro de Pasco, Peru on June 27, 2011

Cerro is 14,600 feet in elevation. Mark struggeld with altitude sickness

the first week or so. After that, he just got used to not breathing.

Cerro does not have any heat, and it snows year round.

Water freezes at night, so you have to wait to take a shower, until it melts, around 10am.

Cerro is one of the highest cities in the world.

Lahtinen July 2011

This summer we painted our house.

We thought it was the same color, but clearly, it had faded a lot.

New color on the left, old on the right.

Elder Schulties (from Utah) and Elder Morris (from New Zealand)

moved in with us. Their appartment flooded with sewage.

Duncan is the Ward Mission Leader, and we have no kids at home,

so we have plenty of room. Of course we put them to work.

We really enjoyed having them here.

They loved it too, and did not want to move back to their place.

We got our waterfall running this summer. We love the sound of it.

John took a job, this summer, with a mining company.

He hiked mountains all day, to GPS points, and collected soil samples

John loved hiking the mountains. There were no trails, so he got really physically fit.  

He loved being in places where no one has been

 before and seeing the majesty of God's creations

Osborn Family Reunion

This is our tradition, to hike Mt Spokane and have a picnic lunch.

The kids all had fun in the waterfall

Paul, Bryan and Brent Osborn, ride the trails at Mt Spokane

Lahtinen June 2011

John's last Lilac Parade

"Uniform Mom" Jane's last Lilac Parade too.

John was a featured soloist at the concert of Spokane British Brass Band

John graduates from Mt Spokane High School

Elder Lahtinen takes a hike in the mountains for P-day

A P-day hike in the beautiful mountains of Peru

Lahtinen May 2011

John and his friend Derek picking up their dates for Prom

John at State Solo competition.

A road side trail with, picnic tables, has this sign.

Welcome to the Gorge.

The Columbia Gorge

The studly Elder Lahtinen, with his new tie,

 that he bought at a flee market in Lima.

Elder Lahtinen's "room". Concrete floors and walls,

cold shower (pipe coming out of the wall), a toilet and sink,

one light bulb, no heat or air, torrential down pours of rain

that turn the streets into rivers.

No stove, oven, microwave, refridgerator, or sink.

Just a room with a rough bathroom.

This is a nice place for Peru

Lahtinen April 2011

Mt Spokane Band goes to Huntington Beach for a little

splashing in the ocean. Then on to Disneyland for a 5 days!

Mt Spokane Wind Ensemble, just after their performance

in the Heritage Music Festival, Anaheim Calf.

Duncan and John at the Zoo in San Diego

Sea World in San Diego

Universal Studios with the Mt Spokane Band

Mormon Battalion Museum in San Diego.

John puts on the "uniform" they were issued.

This is a great interactive museum, with full time missionaries

dressed in period costume, guideing the tours.

San Diego Temple

Elder Lahtinen got transferred to Huaycan, Peru

Emergency transfer. Some missionaries were not following the rules,

so they were transferred out of Huycan,

and Mark was transferred in, made a Trainer and a District Leader.

These are his shoes. They were identical.

The one on the left is his unused pair. The one on the right,

is the pair he has been tracting in. Lots of walking!

Happy Birthday to Elder Lahtinen. Mark turns 20!

His Zone helps him celebrate.

Lahtinen March 2011

Elder Lahtinen got transferred to Manchay, Peru.

"It is freaking hot here, I am dying."

Manchay is literally a desert. It is around 107 Fahrenheit

They do not have a hot water heater,

but the water comes out hot, because of the air temperature.

This will probably be the only "hot shower" he gets, his entire mission.  

Elder Lahtinen and Elder Vizcarra at the Lima, Peru Temple

It has been 6 months since Elder Lahtinen was able to attend the temple.

John got accepted to BYU Utah.

He will attend the Fall / Winter semesters of 2011/2012

This has been a life long dream.

John adds church basketball to his already busy schedule with debate tournaments,

band competitions, pres. of the math club (organizes the "Math is Cool"

 regional competitions for the Elementary and Middle Schools),

comedy improv performances, and 1st assistant to the Bishop.

We have also been having missionary lessons, in our home,

to teach several of John's friends. John is way too busy, but he loves it.