Wk 15 BJF Feb 23

YaY for Preparation Day

HEY THERE
It's been a little while. I thought I could get away with not sending
any big emails but alas, I've got too much to tell and I can't
possibly contain it.

PREPARE FOR AN OVERLOAD OF EMAIL

SO QUICK RECAP OF THE LAST FEW WEEKS.
First off Pday is officially now on Thursday. I think this is nice as
many more places are open on Thursday cuz everyone in Germany is at
home on Monday (which makes Monday a good day for knocking doors)
For Pdays I have since been to Mainz and explored some of the biggest
most decorated churches I have ever seen. One of which "the dome" as
it's called is one of the largest buildings in Mainz. I don't have any
pictures that do it justice, it's honestly massive and has so many
crazy sculptures, antechambers, and even tombs, it was magnificent
although a tad eerie.
I've also played soccer on multiple occasions with other Elders. (They
normally kick my butt at it)
Being in Offenbach we have standing permission to go to Frankfurt
which we spend most of our Pdays since we're able to join up with
Elders and Sisters from all over.
A few Pdays ago E. Davis and I went to the "Main Tower" in Frankfurt.
Highest building in the city, they charge you 10€ or so and you get to
take some cool pictures. From the tower we could see all the way to
the airport and even father than that. Realizing just how big
Frankfurt is.

Met a few other Texans as well. In total we Have Elder Deus and
myself, Sister Case, Elder Thaxton, Sister Williams, The Kirks (a
senior couple), and one of the new guys who just came from the MTC
(Probably not best to share their names for the sake of privacy, I
just was curious if any of you happen to know them)

Otherwise, the last few weeks have been slow missionary wise. Not much
progress with our investigators and most people just wave us off. The
classic thing they say is "ich habe keine Zeit" or "keine Interesse".
Course I'm sure this is mainly attributed to my lack of faith, but God
has a nice way of turning that around.

Just yesterday we counted about 25 separate recognizable miracles.
None of our appointments fell out, and everything just so happened to
fall into place perfectly. It was amazing to see and I don't think
we've had so much success in one day before. Nor have I ever been so
excited. we got a call from Präs Stoddard asking if it would be okay
if an Elder from Wiesbaden joined us in Offenbach for the last 2 weeks
of the transfer, so we're going to be a tripanionship! With all the
excitement I'm pretty sure one of the neighbors told me to shut up
because I was too loud.

SO fun story. Tuesday evening we went to the church to set up an
appointment for my German Drivers license. We ended up wasting a bit
of time and we weren't sure why we hadn't left yet. When we finally
stepped out the door, we bumped into a Man and his daughter walking
along he sidewalk. Elder Davis asked them (in English oddly enough) if
they needed help finding something. As a matter of fact they were
looking for their hotel and we were able to take them right to it. We
learned that he was on a business trip from Kenya (fancy that Dan) So
I mentioned that my brother is currently in Mombasa and he knew all
about the place saying it's very nice this time of year. We hadn't
even mentioned that we were missionaries but when we got to his hotel
he asked if we could exchange numbers. The following evening we
randomly got a text message from him saying he would like to meet up
and talk. I was ecstatic. So we set a time and met up with him this
morning (it's Pday but I don't care this guy is awesome) we met at a
quaint little Bäckerei and had some Pfefferminztee and the
conversation eventually turned to what we do as missionaries. We
discussed the restoration and he had genuine interest. We gave him a
BoM and got him the address for the church in Nairobi. I'm calling you
out Daniel, if you teach this dude with me I'll shave my eyebrows.

So yeah, it's been awhile. I could write more but I wouldn't dare send
everything, then I wouldn't have any other stories to tell haha.

Random information....
Elder Davis will be going home next transfer, so I'll probably need to
introduce the next Elder for a transfer then I'll probably be shipped
off to my next area somewhere else in this crazy country. I've taken a
habit of telling people I'm actually from England because when they
find out we're American they usually start asking about Trump and
random politics. Nice opportunity to work on my accent hehe.
I've made about 5 cakes, 9 pots of soup, 59 bowls of cereal, 82
sandwiches, 1 bowl of stuff that shall never again be attempted,
cinnamon rolls, and lots of noodle dishes. So cooking is nice here. I
drank an entire liter of German water (it's carbonated) and was
burping for about an hour. I've since obtained a Russian Bible (don't
ask how) and I am learning how to count in Persian.

That about wraps up my summary. Lots to read I know, just be glad I
didn't write more mwahaha

Hope you're all still alive, let me know how life is. If you write I
might share more stories. (No bribes I swear)

Große Liebe -Elder Benjamin J Füller.

NOTE:
I used my translate app for some of the words above.  He was talking about meeting at the "bakery" for some "peppermint tea".  People on the street brush them off by saying "no time" or "not interested"
Große Liebe means Great Love!!  We greatly love this Elder ;) 
Please send him your love and thoughts.

Week 3A DTF Jan 10 2017 Johannesburg MTC

These are the pictures we finally got of when he was at the temple in Johannesburg and the MTC pics with his companions there.  So glad he took a bunch so we could see the beautiful temple grounds.
Enjoy!

Six-Spired Temples.  President Spencer W. Kimball initiated an aggressive international temple building program in the mid-1980s using a detached six-spire, sloping roof design that brought temples to all habitable continents of the world for the first time. These temples include the Boise Idaho Temple (1984), Manila Philippines Temple (1984), Dallas Texas Temple (1984), Taipei Taiwan Temple (1984), Guatemala City Guatemala Temple (1984), Stockholm Sweden Temple (1985), Chicago Illinois Temple (1985), Johannesburg South Africa Temple (1985), Seoul Korea Temple (1985), Lima Perú Temple (1986), Buenos Aires Argentina Temple (1986), and Frankfurt Germany Temple (1987), which features a single detached spire only.

Johannesburg was completed a year after the Dallas Temple in 1985, almost 3yrs after the revelation given to the prophet Spencer W. Kimball that all worthy males could receive the priesthood.  It looks very similar indeed.

Johannesburg 1984

Dallas 1985

There he is, my boy working hard and keeping the faith!

Wk 9 DTF Feb 20

They walk a lot that's why I asked him about his shoes.

Hey mom!

the shoes are holding up great! i bought another pair of proselyting shoes here and switch them everyday so they don't smell so bad. but my legs are usually sore. right now elder soita and i live in one of the nicest flats in the whole mission! (its considered really nice because it has air conditioning and usually has power and running water. which i'm really grateful for. we don't have mosquito nets tho. but they aren't that bad in mombasa so we don't really NEED them. yeah we eat with members every once in a while, i ate papa (shark) just yesterday (it was really really salty) but we usually cook and eat our selves. haha mee too! but the problem is together with my knowledge and his put together we can cook probably like 4 dishes, so there's not a ton of variety. haha believe me there is a ton! but i don't know what to talk about, maybe ask some specific questions about what you wanna know. OH yeah he totally got arrested (he has a different dad then her current husband so his name is actually Elder covarubious) it was because he was sitting in the front seat of a tuk tuk which is like a covered tricycle, the cops arrested him for attempted hijacking and attempted suicide (which is totally bogus they just wanted money because he is white) it was so dumb. but he is an awesome guy! legit my best buddy out here. i'm with him right now at the cafe, i'm sure he is emailing to clarify right now. yeah the torries usually just go to zone conference in Nairobi so i probably wont show up for a while. but yeah a couple white members like to send pictures of elders to there moms back home! another guy brother troy should have sent a picture to dad too. hes a nice guy. yeah we actually have a music player in our flat so we get plenty of music. its mainly Kenyan music but i listened to this one song my comp has the other night called photograph by ed sheeren and it totally made me cry not gonna lie. i guess i just really miss home. but i will be fine. all the music we hear in the matatus is total junk man! but its all good! 

that's such an amazing story, i haven't encountered anything too crazy like that yet but i do see little stuff once in a while that makes me grateful for the protection of the lord. and that other story is so powerful. its amazing the story of pioneers, even the pioneers of the church here in mombasa. the stories are powerful.

love you so much! i miss yall a ton. BYE

The story of his companion getting arrested is crazy. And quite a miracle getting out of it too. These missionaries have amazing blessings and constant heavenly prote

ction.  His mother said we could share it here:

Sorry this is long, but this is what Anthony wrote about being arrested...

So Mombasa is an island and because im on the island some of my area is across on the other side. so we usually have to take a boat across to  get to the other side. we met our 2 investigators at the boarding gates and we crossed. after crossing we usually have to take a Tuk Tuk or a three wheeled car thing . so we get in and there wasn't enough room in the back and the driver told me to sit in the front with him, so i did and we went our way...then we were stoped by two jerk police officers. they had just got done beating two kids and put them in there truck..they stopped us and told us we were all under arrest. we ask for the reason and they didn't give one. me being the only white guy in this tuk tuk the officers then decided to just arrest me..mainly to get money out of me because i was white.(its a common thing here). They tell me to get out and i said no and told them to tell me why i was being arrested..they then told me to get out again with a playful push and so i was like "okay fine". i get out and my companion was telling them that because we were missionaries we had to stay with each other. and they said that if he wanted to come with me they will gladly arrest them. I told them no and my comp gave me the phone. so they put me in the back of the truck with these two kids. as were driving the officers are yelling and cussing and i got so sick of it i told them to be quiet...surprisingly they became quite. So i took the opportunity to teach them about the gospel. haha I taught them about the Word of Wisdom because one of them was smoking. It was funny seeing there reactions when i was teaching them!! But they Then took me to a camp They told me to stay IN the truck, and then this guard tells me to get OUT of the truck. So while trying to tell him that the officer told me to stay in the truck he starts yelling and he raises his rifle and tells me to get out...so i freaking did.... i get out and he escorts me and puts me in a small metal room (which is so hot because of the sun) i stayed in there for like 20 min and then they tell me to get back in the truck. so i did. they took me to the jail/courthouse. THIS IS THE BEST PART. i ask them for the reason why i got arrested and this was their answer and what they tried to Charge me with.

1.Attempted Suicide
2.Hijacking a TukTuk

Those are the charges and the reasons they arrested me for. haha its probably the biggest load of crap I have ever heard in my life! i was so mad and so when i got to the jail house my companion and a couples Elder were there, so we were all trying our best to talk our way out of it, our mission president wasn't picking his phone and these guys were dead set in getting me tried. but then a miracle happened. A man walks into the room and says" I can see your a man of God...Get out" and just like that i was released. i then gave all the men pamphlets and told them they were welcome to come to church...they all laughed haha. but it was only through Gods grace that i was released. I know that our Father in Heaven always watches over us. And that if you are bold and not afraid to talk about the gospel and your love for it God can only bless you. I know this church is true and i love it with all my heart and i hope you all have a great rest of the week filled with the spirit. and that you will ALWAYS turn to the Lord.

Love Elder Cova

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Wk 9 RLF Feb 20

2 peachy creamys - Both Finnish blood
Sisters of the heart also.

Alright Americans here is what happened this week.  
Hermana Laine and I contact like crazy so we always get really fun news(new investigators)  
And I love just talking to any random person on the street!  

We had enfoque de zona,  which was fun cause we got to travel to batelona and see the huge chapel they have there that is new and beautiful.   And then because my Hermana is the sister training leader for our zone I got to go on an intercombia to gernollers where I spent the day with Hermana Cortez,   I learned so much and realized how some areas can be so much harder, the people there are pretty cold compared to the people in Girona, then despite all that I invited a bunch of random people to be baptised into the church even though I had only spoken to them for about 3 minutes.   Then this older member decided we needed to gain 20 lbs right then and there in our sita(visit) and I have never been so full in my life.  Ha and because we apparently were not full enough, another member decided we had to go eat at their house too,  so basically i died that night.  
I am so grateful to be where i am and i really hope i get to stay a while cause people here actually listen when we stop them, Secretly I think it's only cause my companion looks like a model, although she would never admit to it.  
So after that, I came back and we had a very busy weekend teaching our investigators and doing classic missionary type stuff.  
Then on Sunday our mission president decided to attend church as well as one of our investigators we thought would never come.  So that was incredible,  we also have a baptism this weekend for an adorable little 9 year old who is so excited to be a member and go to the temple with her family.  Then next week we have another baptism,  and hopefully we will keep this streak going.

All in all its been a really incredible journey so far.  I can't wait to see what else the Lord has in store for us.  2 weeks down in the field,  weird.  

So quick story for you.  Obviously,   I'm learning spanish,  and obviously I'm not afraid to speak it and be wrong.  So there have been two very memorable experiences so far where I have told a member i was excited for him to make a baby for me and I said that elder bednar was my favorite pimp in spanish.  The first one was supposed to be I was excited for him to make me a certain drink(beber) but I said baby (bebe)  and the second was supposed to be a talk or (charla)  but instead I called him the Spanish word for pimp which is bad so I won't type it.  My companion found that absolutely incredible and decided that all of Spain should know my stories.  But it's okay cause she likes to skii in hell (inferno, the word was supposed to be winter)  oh how  I love spanish!!   

I love this gospel,  I see miracles every single day and I absolutely love the person God is designing me to be.  I will forever be grateful that I let go of what I thought I knew and trusted in his plan more than my own.  The true church of Jesus Christ has been restored to the earth,  families can be together forever,   God is our father and he loves us more than we can comprehend.  President Thomas s Monson is the prophet on the earth today, and I know he speaks with our father in heaven.   

So I have a favor, if any of you have music that would be GOOOOD for missionaries I would be so grateful!  No Disney but anything that brings the spirit would be very very helpful. 

The Barcelona Mission home in the background.

Sent to me from a member in the street.  Gotta love social media!

The new group arrives from Madrid!

Wk 8 DTF Feb 13

hey guys sorry i didn't email last week, times were tough and we didn't have time! BUT much has occurred since then!

I'll only give y'all a short story today because I'm out in the bush (chyulu) for zone conference and i have to get back soon, but i will include a couple photos for y'all.

SO here in Kenya there are a lot of different greetings that you give for different people! when a young person is greeting someone older then them they say "shikamo" it is extremely respectful, which a person will reply "marahaba"

which is the respectful response. Kids will come running up and say it because i am older then them and they think i don't know any Swahili so they want to harass me but i will reply, they are always really surprised and all start saying it or calling me a white African or other random stuff. one day i was feeling more devious then usual and a little bored while walking so when a group came and started saying it i turned around really fast and said in a smooth deep country voice "marahaguay" which just means "beans". the kids LOST their minds laughing! i regretted my actions soon after because they followed us for a solid mile just chanting "mzee marahaguay" which means "oldman beans" it drove me and my companion nuts. hehe. anywho! much love! email me pictures of whats happening in your lives! i always love to get emails from y'all. 

nice man getting us some fresh drinks

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soccer this morning

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got a camel pack on a camels back​​ (his name was Obama)

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a wild sand flee mid flight ​​

Wk 8 RLF Feb 13 Girona

Hello world!

Wow so much to tell! 

So here I am in the field.  It's the first day of my second week in Girona and it is WONDERFUL!  

my companion is the sweetest,  the members are incredible and my Piso is so beautiful.  

Girona is a smaller town about an hour or two south of France.   It's cooler here but not cold.  

My companion only has 6 weeks left so she knows what she's doing.  I am so grateful to have her.  We already have 10 potential investigators and 2 Fechas(dates)  for baptism.  But beyond that just finding people is incredible.  We were contacting on the street and Hermana Laine  (who's Finnish by the way.  She also learned English and Spanish while on her mission, she's incredible)  she stepped in front of this mom and her daughter and we started to talk to them and set up a second visit.  A couple days later we met with them at a park and this time they brought their 16 year old kid.  His name is Johnathan,  then the mom is Lilly and the daughter is Tatiana,  we talked to them and they committed to Come to church and read the book of mormon and pray as a family.  We find out that they've only been in Spain for 2 weeks and they have no friends and live in a single room apartment where the boy has to sleep on the floor.  I can't believe how God works,  we met them so quickly and these people here in the ward are so incredible! They literally accepted them and loved them and made them part of the family so so quickly.  I love them.  Then we went on this insane hike (I've attached pictures)  I'm really realizing how out of shape I am but I get to walk so much every day so esta bien.  Spain is so different just in how it looks and feels and how people act but they're so humble here and I have such high hopes for this branch.  I really want to help them become a ward so that means we need a lot more priesthood holders.   I get to be here for my first 12 weeks so that's a possibility,  just lots of work.   The Spanish is actually coming along very well for as much time as I've been learning so I'm very grateful for the gift of tongues.  

Ha so in this mission there are a few words president does not like and some of them include: cool, awesome, fetch,freaking,  and a few more in spanish. Entonces, my compañera decided everytime I said cool or awesome she had to do 5 pushups. So she got pretty buff really quickly.  Then everytime she didn't like something she would say,  I hate that, so I decided I would do 5 push-ups for each time she said that,  let's just say I've got arms like a ripped man now.  (Justkidding)

So we get two hours to write here, I get to share lots and lots

This mission is actually amazing. It's  called the lighthouse cause it's the highest baptizing mission  in Europe.   And it's true,  but only because we as missionaries are exactly obedient.  We follow Gods commandments perfectly so we can be part of miracles,not just recieve blessings. I know now why dancing on the line of disobedience isn't even an option.  Follow every guideline every rule perfectly.  God is perfect he's not going to tell you to do something if it isn't good for you or doesn't have a point.  Everyone is like duh, but that's a new concept for me. If you need a miracle find out how you can be more obedient to Heavenly Father and then just do it.  He knows the better path.  

I feel so blessed to have this experience and be able to serve the Lord this way.  It's only been about 2 months but I already feel so much closer to the spirit and the Lord,   I trust in him so much more and I cannot wait to see what he has in store for me this next 16 months (so weird how fast time goes.)  I wish I could tell every single person to go on their mission.  Like if you haven't gone GO  it's only a  year and a half,  or 24 months and you will learn so many lessons so much quicker and save yourself so much hurt and hard trials,  cause you experienced them in a quick 18 or 24 months. Dont just go with your spouse when youreold.  Go now!  in reality,  we owe it to our father to share his Gospel with every single one of our brothers and sisters.  You know something they don't and if you keep this gospel from them, there's a chance they may never get to be with our father in heaven again.   Don't skip it for anything.  Whoa sister fuller calm down. I CAN'T!! THE GOSPEL IS TRUE  go share it with no fear.  If you share it with love you can never be too bold.  

Anywayzzz no more preachy!  

Hermana Laine is a gem and I am grateful to have a trainer like her. Today it's raining but it's beautiful. what an amazing world we live in.  

Here are some pictures! Feel free to check my mom's Bloogg...and email me!!!  

Also if you know of anyone who wants to be on my email list lemme know!  

Love, 

Hermana Fuller 

NOTE:
Rachel has tons of pics and I will be posting as soon as I can figure out how to get them off my google drive, which is where she is saving them.

Wk 14 BJF Feb 16

BUT WE DO HAVE PICTURES!!

His companion is there on the end.
Not the girl, silly.

Wk 7 DTF Feb 6

That moment when you think you are the ONLY one getting a priceless email only to have these thoughts invaded by paranoia thinking his letters are so short because he is writing to everyone else as he pecks out only a small paragraph to you.  Naaaaoooooohhh...

 I know, I know...they don't have much time.  bUt, I am the momma afterall.

So here is my small paragraph and I cherish every word.  I hear his voice and I think of him having the time of his life.  Being faithful and true through and through...I love you.

ma! yes i am drinking plenty! the was here is all out of the ocean so its incredibly salty! but a member in our branch owns a company called "bamba water" which is a purified water company and he supplies us with good drinking water every week! hes a really nice guy (he is one of the only white guys in the branch) 

and yes ma'am i will! i love you so much! and thank you for the up lifting words! our teacher brother wetsle bet that if we could lift his car after we washed it he would buy us fast food! we couldnt do it because we were affraid of breaking the tiny car haha. anyway! i hope life is amazing for you! lett me know if anything happens! love you!

Preparation Day for Elders on (not in) the Indian Ocean

hey dad! its insane how fast time flies here on mission! im glad you liked
them! hes an awesome guy! and he knows how to cook too! a lot has happened
this week and crazy stuff but the main thing is that we are teaching a whole
school staff (as in the teachers) the gospel all at the same time! they are
powerful! yeah he was telling me that! mine is still on Monday but this week
we were not able to email because of appointments so since we had DDM today
we decided to just come today and email! yeah i saw that email! thats
awesome! so that way we can just share everything we got in one area! you
are a smart man! i'm glad you like my tales of woe and sorrow! man my butt
clench is strong! haha.

yes sir i will!  anyway i love you so much! i will tell you guys more when
i can email on Monday!

NOTE:
I do have lots more pics that Dan has sent.  Just getting them off google drive is the hard part.  This is a learning process.  But a very good way to journal and organize right?

Wk 7 RLF Feb 6 CCM

 

Mañana me voy!  I'm so excited!

I have loved my experience here in ccm but I'm ready to share this incredible gospel and Jesucristo con las TODAS PERSONAS.  It's going to be wonderful.  I won't be able to write until next Monday,  but I am leaving tomorrow morning on a train for Barcelona at about 5:45 AM 

Thank you sososoosooooo much for helping me with everything.  I'm gonna be so careful and follow the mission rules exactly.  I'm realizing how little I actually need and will probably wind up giving a lot away or sending it back to you in a package. Thank you so much for thinking of me and supporting me to do this I cannot begin to express the incredible this has all Been :)  

You will never know the way that this has already changed my life and I cannot wait for 16 1/2 months from now.  

I will let you know how it all is and give you details next Monday.   Please tell everyone how much I love them (micaela, Rachel t etc)  

And I'll talk to you in a week from BARCELONAAAA!!!

Te amo! 

Hermana Fuller

Wk 13 BJF Feb 9

 

This picture has many an allegory!  

From waxing poetic about mountain grandeur or the reflection and clarity seen in the lake as if it were a mirror, to the peaceful beckoning of calm water, smooth as glass.  What about the ripple effect?  I love the story of one individual's influence being sent out in every direction.  Also the physics of sound waves bending and bouncing with the various shapes they make before reaching our eardrums.  You can imagine as the trees stare longingly at the water that their roots are all reaching down deep into the earth to quench their parched roots.

In looking for a picture of our DE (Dear Elder) today to post here, I thought I could post more family photos but I found this picture and it struck me as being very profound indeed.  I will call this picture "INFLUENCE".

in·flu·ence

ˈinflo͝oəns/

noun

noun: influence; plural noun: influences

1.

the capacity to have an effect on the character, development, or behavior of someone or something, or the effect itself.

"the influence of television violence"

synonyms:

effect, impact; More control, sway, hold, power, authority, mastery, domination, supremacy; guidance, direction; pressure "the influence of parents on their children"

• the power to shape policy or ensure favorable treatment from someone, especially through status, contacts, or wealth.

  
  

  "the institute has considerable influence with teachers"

  
  

  synonyms:

  power, authority, sway, leverage, weight, pull, standing, prestige, stature, rank; More informalclout, muscle, teeth "political influence"

• a person or thing with the capacity or power to have an effect on someone or something.

  
  

  "Frank was a good influence on her"

There are many ways we can influence someone.  However, we can only be influenced by something if we allow it to take hold, sway, control or power over us.  For example, the world of alcohol and all it's enticements has no influence on me when referring to my actions because I never chose to drink it.  However it has affected me and certainly made an impact on our society.  My husband's father was an alcoholic.  I had no idea of it's effect on families.  Alcoholism affects families for generations.  I like to think my husband broke this band, this horrible cycle of abuse.  And in so doing, those both before and after will be truly free.  However, some qualities and characteristics of behavior still have a hold on both my husband and his sisters.  We are just referring to alcoholism here.  My own family has various problems I inherited as well.  All of us do.  Some are more destructive than others and substance abuse and addiction is a tough row to hoe.  It manifests itself in ways other than drinking, as all addictive behaviors do.
Sin often happens by first abhorrence of it, then tolerance with it, later acceptance and then finally embracing it.  Satan is so cunning.

So we have a stunningly beautiful picture of a mountain lake!  How did it degrade so fast?  Well I have been thinking a lot lately about the effect of the gospel in our lives.  As you would probably guess.  Currently all three of our children are exerting their influence all around the world.  Missionaries have a very distinct power as messengers of the Lord and His great gospel.  They are on His errand.  I have come to learn, surprisingly enough, that when we have great spiritual experiences, it triggers the same feel good hormones in the brain as do the negative addictions.  But imbalance is the problem.  I came across this article and I know there are plenty of talks to read on the subject as well.

10 Things To Increase Dopamine Production Naturally:

Don't get addicted.
“Many people get addicted to something because it gives them some kind of instant gratification – drugs, alcohol, sex, pornography, shopping, and other addictive behaviors actually have the opposite effect on dopamine levels in the long-term. In essence, when we get overly addicted to something, the ‘reward circuitry’ of our brain kicks into overdrive and we crave the ‘quick hit.’ This is not a sustainable solution for dopamine production, which can and should be done naturally.”

Checklist Small Tasks
“Dopamine increases when we are organized and finish tasks – regardless if the task is small or large. So, don’t allow your brain to worry about things that need to be done. Instead, write these tasks down and then check them off one at a time. It’s been shown that it’s more satisfying to the brain’s dopamine levels when we physically check something off of our to-do list. Also, write down and check stuff off regardless if you can mentally remember the tasks.”


Create Something
“For us writers, painters, sculptors, poets, singers, dancers, and other artists, we can identify with this. When we’re in creative mode, we can become hyper-focused. As a result, we can enter a state called flow. Dopamine is the brain chemical that allows us to achieve this state. The lesson is this: take up a hobby or activity in which you actually create something tangible. Try something like arts, crafts, auto repair, drawing, photography, or something else that sounds interesting.”

Exercise
 “Same ‘ole, same ‘ole, we know. We’ve discussed repeatedly the importance and benefits of physical exercise, and we’re just going to add to this list again. So, not only does exercise help us relieve stress, achieve better physical health and make us more productive; it boosts our dopamine levels. More specifically, exercise increases multiple neurotransmitters – serotonin and endorphins, besides dopamine, receive a boost. Here’s something else cool: the exercise needn’t not be arduous. Simply taking a stroll or climbing some stairs will achieve a good dopamine jolt.” 

Get a Streak Going

“As with creating a checklist, getting a streak going is a great way to increase dopamine levels. For the purpose of this article, a streak is a visual reminder of how many days in a row you’ve achieved something.

Get a calendar specifically for this purpose: write down whatever goal you have and the days of the week or month when they are scheduled. For example, if you work out on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, mark these days on the calendar for the month. As you finish a workout, mark it off on the calendar. Keep a streak going, and you’ll keep the dopamine coming.”

Increase Tyrosin
“Of the chemicals that make up dopamine, none are more important than tyrosine. In fact, tyrosine is considered the building block of dopamine. Therefore, it is important that you get enough of this protein. There’s a large list of foods that increase Tyrosine, including: Almonds, Avocados, Bananas, Beef, Chicken, Chocolate, Coffee, Eggs, Green Tea, Watermelon, Yogurt.”

Listen to Music
 “Do you ever wonder why music makes you happy? I mean, we can be in the dumps one moment but once we put on our favorite jam, we’re swaying and shaking away…feeling pretty good about ourselves too! The reason for this is that listening to music increases dopamine levels. In fact, scientists say that listening to music has the same effect as eating our favorite foods or watching our favorite T.V. show. So, when you’re feeling down, throw on some of your favorite tunes and jam out!”

Meditate

“As with exercise, we are discovering more and more benefits to meditation. We are again adding to the list. As we discussed, the human brain is susceptible to a variety of addictions. One other addictive habit that we have is overthinking. In fact, some Buddhists have a phrase for this addiction: ‘monkey mind.’

Overthinking is not merely a distracting habit, it’s also a genuine compulsion that leaves us in a perplexing state, while also having a negative effect on our spiritual development. However, scientists are finally catching up to what Buddhists have known for thousands of years: meditation and mindfulness are essential to a healthy mind.”

Take Supplements

“While there are some great ways to increase dopamine levels, sometimes we’re facing a time crunch. Fortunately, there are natural supplements on the market that have been shown to increase dopamine levels. Here are a few:

Acetyl-l-tyrosine: Another building block of dopamine. A healthy dose of this makes it easier for the brain to produce dopamine.

Curcumin: An active ingredient that’s also common in curry spices and turmeric.

Ginkgo Biloba: A tremendously popular wonder supplement that’s also believed to boost dopamine levels and keep it circulating in the brain longer.

L-theanine: Increases multiple neurotransmitters in the brain, including dopamine.


Toxic Cleansing
 “As miraculous as our bodies are, we do accumulate toxins and bacteria that is bad for us. Endotoxins are the kind that can cause our immune systems to get out of whack, and it also constrains the production of dopamine. Here are a couple tips for helping cleanse the gut of endotoxins: eat fermented food, get enough sleep, and resist the urge to indulge in fatty or sugary foods.”

 For more info here is the URL for this article:
http://www.collective-evolution.com/2016/01/20/10-ways-to-increase-dopamine-levels-in-the-brain/

What great suggestions!  It's amazing to me to find I am in the process of doing each and every one of these.  It is an ongoing process and a daily challenge.  But I feel great!!

This is the story of the pebble:

The Ripple Effect©

Have you ever thrown a rock or pebble into the still waters of a pond or lake? Did you notice how the little waves ripple away from the center in circles and continue on and on? The same thing happens every day in our lives. Little things we do create ripple effects that can sometimes result in good things and sometimes make bad things happen to other people, even people we have never met.

Suppose one morning you happen to see a friend who is grumpy and somewhat unhappy, and you give her a big smile and say hello. Since smiles are contagious, she gives you a smile right back and suddenly feels better. If so, she may smile at someone else. The ripple effect can continue to others, all from that one smile you gave.
One early evening on a lonely country road, an old man was standing on a bridge, high above a deep river. He had just dropped a pebble over the railing to see how long it would take to hit the water. As he watched the ripples fanning out, along came a pickup truck. It slowly came to a stop, but the motor was kept running. The old man noticed the name painted on the door: Todd’s Greenhouse Nurseries. Walking up to the window, he saw a man behind the wheel with his head bowed low, breathing heavily.
“Is anything wrong?” he asked.
“Yes,” the man said quietly, “I think I am having a heart attack. I am trying to get to the hospital.”
“Let me help you,” said the old man. “You shouldn’t be driving. The hospital is a good ten miles from here.”
“I know,” mumbled the man. “I’m Jack Todd. I’m a widower. I was all alone at my nursery, after my employees had left for the day.”
“Don’t worry, Jack,” said the old man. “I’ll drive you there.”
He opened the door, took the wheel, and drove as fast as he could down the road. When they arrived at the emergency entrance to the hospital, the attendants rushed out with a wheelchair and quickly wheeled Jack Todd to the emergency room. The old man waited throughout the night. He knew what it was like to be all alone, without family or friends in times of need. He, too, was a widower. He had lived alone since his wife had died several months before.
The doctors were able to save Jack Todd’s life. They told the old man that Jack Todd would have died if he had arrived just a few minutes later.
A week passed. Jack Todd was getting well. Several of his employees came to visit, as did the old man. While everyone was gathered around his bedside, Jack Todd took the hand of the old man and said to his employees, “This dear and gentle man saved my life, though we were perfect strangers. And I want you to know, he created a ripple effect in all of our lives. By saving my life, he saved my business. By saving my business, he saved the jobs of thirty families. We all owe him so much.”
There was silence as all eyes turned toward the old man. He gave a gracious smile, but there were tears in his eyes. He gently leaned over the railing of the bed and whispered to Jack Todd, “I must tell you something, Jack. You saved my life. Just about the time you drove up in your truck, I was about to jump off that bridge. Now I know how important every life on earth is to every other. It is just as you said, Jack, the ripple effect.”

Words of kindness, deeds you do
Touch lives and ripple through.