Week 35: TTFN 💯

What's Gucci FAM

We got transfer calls this past Saturday, and there are some changes going on in my life.Drum roll please........ I'm going to a place called Elche!!! It's about 2 1/2 hours north east of Almería and my new companion is Elder Lowry! He's from Canada so I'm pretty stoked. From what I've heard, he's a cool kid. He served here in Almería and everyone has said he's their favorite (behind me of course) so I'm pretty excited. I leave on Wednesday morning to catch a bus over there!! Here's a s'cute little update on my week other than that -

We'll start on Tuesday - had our last district meeting together. We didn't know for sure if it would be our last, but the sister missionary who is staying here is training, so she left today to go pick up her newbie. Then that night we went and did our weekly correlation and ward counsel sessions.

Wednesday - we had a pretty good lesson that morning with an investigator named Ramon. He's straight up from Spain, pretty quiet dude, but that makes it pretty easy to feel the Spirit in the lessons with him which is good. We taught him lesson 3 and talked about the 5 things we need to do to get back and live with our Padre Celestial. :) We told him all about how our ultimate goal should be eternal life with our families and with Heavenly Father. He seemed a little confused but hopefully he'll be able to progress. After that we went to a member’s house and ate with them. Jose Miguel and Janeth. They taught us how to make paella which is a way good Spanish dish. ;) You’re gonna love me when I'm making all these Spanish foods. 😏😉

Thursday - we had a way awesome lesson with a new investigator named Alejandro! His girlfriend is a member, but less active. They have a kid together and Alejandro straight up told me that once they get married (which they are in the process of doing) he wants to be baptized. We talked about families being together forever, and how God gave us this plan so that we can be with our families and be happy throughout our entire lives and in the life to come. We talked about how big of a blessing it is that we can be in love with one person forever and have kids sealed to us and be sealed as a family so that together we can have this happiness in our homes. :) That night after the lesson, we went and ate with Pablo and his family. It was their way of saying thanks to us for helping them move. It was really fun. :)

Friday - our weekly family home evening at the church. I was on babysitting duty hahahahaha. Our ward mission leader Franci has two kids. An 8 year old kid named Pablo and the cutest little freakin 2 year old girl named Inoa. They love me and when the thing started, they were both sitting with me while everyone was singing and listening to the hermanas teach the lesson. So I was just playing with them and keeping them entertained. We are eating with Franci and Lucia tomorrow so I'll be sure to get a pic with the whole fam. :)

Saturday - busy day. Like I said, that morning we got transfer calls. We were playing soccer. I was kinda bummed cuz not a lot of people came but there was 10 so we played 5 on 5 the whole entire time it was kinda fun. We played one long game. The final score was 53-39 for us. It was a good time. Later that day we went to Silvia's house and I said bye to her, another lady in our ward named Nidia and our friend Charlie. Nidia made these empanada things and they were freaking incredible. Oh my gads! They were phenomenal! 😫 Ecuadorians can cook people. So good. That night, we met with Angel and Mayra for the last time, which was more sad than I thought it would be. They took us to get some Kebab. I was still so full from the empanadas, but it was fun to be with them. They say they're still gonna be mad if I don't come to Ecuador after my mission with my future family. :)

Sunday - lots and lots of goodbyes, and pictures. At church is where I said most of my goodbyes. It was mostly to all of the little kids who love me and I love them, and a couple of families who I have gotten really close with. After church, the hermanas made some food and we all ate as a district for our last hoorah together and then we played some games in the church. We then went to the Corrados house to say bye. They're the people who we spent Christmas Eve with, they are the nicest family ever I love them. The daughter’s name is Sofia and she is engaged to Hyrum who is from England and they served their missions together and got together after he came home about a year ago and now they are waiting to get their papers so they can get married. He lives with them and they're way fun so we just hung out with all of them. After that, we went and I said my last goodbyes to Emme, Lina and Joseba. I'm gonna miss them so much. I've really come to love those three like family. Joseba almost started crying when I was saying bye, but he said he's not a little girl and he's a man and won't cry haha. I love that kid he's so funny. We ate there and said our goodbyes to each other, bittersweet moment. 😐

Today - Hermana Portas left to go get her new companion and Hermana Herrera left to go to her new area. So we said bye to them this morning and then we went and ate with some other people in our ward who wanted to say bye.. Tonight we are going to my boy Barbosa’s house to say bye to him, that could potentially be the hardest goodbye here in Almería. I love him so much so I'll have to let you all know how that goes.

I hope you all have a great week. I hope you all know how much I pray for you all and how much love I have for each of you. Thank you for all you do and thank you for "reading" my emails. 😜 Have a great week and you'll be hearing from me next week when I'm in ELCHE!!!!

Lots of Love,
Elder Tanner Brady Hammond

Saying goodbye to John Carlos

Last Ward Selfie in Almeria

Photoshoot with my gorro

The Corrado Family

Emme, Lina and Joseba

Dominica, Hector, Eliana and Juan saying goodbye

Jose (black sweater), Juan (shorts), Hector, Eliana

I promise I’m not using my middle finger, my other two fingers are cut out of the picture. Throwin’ up a three for the three amigos. Jose and Hector.

Elio and his family. They are the best and I’m going to miss them so much.

My mains. Barbosa and Charlie

Gian (John) Carlos!!!! This guy rides around on a little Vespa and looks like Pedro from Napoleon Dynamite. It’s so funny. He’s hilarious. He’s the best!

Pablo and his family minus his wife and two kids. The daughter looooves me!

Naysha and Kiara

More goodbyes. Franci and his family with a couple of other people. Franci is the guy on the far right down below. I love this man. We are eating with them tomorrow to say our final goodbye before I leave.