Hi, I'm Niki

I have a PhD in Physics and a six-month-old daughter. I'm a Mormon.

About Me

I have always loved science, so I went to school and got a PhD in physics. My research was in lasers and optics, and I even helped make a mirror that is on a satellite orbiting Venus. I married my best friend after I finished college, and we have a beautiful six-month-old daughter. I recently left my job doing research at a university so I could be a full-time mother to my baby girl. I just know that I want to be the one raising her. Maybe she'll love science just as much as I do!

Why I am a Mormon

One of our beliefs as Mormons is that by following the teachings of Jesus Christ and His church, we can gain the greatest happiness in life. I have found that to be so true!! Some things are difficult, like when I chose to leave my rewarding and challenging career to serve my family. However, I have found so much happiness because of it, and I know that it is what I am meant to be doing right now. Our Father in Heaven has a plan for us, and it is greater than the plan we have for ourselves!

Personal Stories

What are you doing to help strengthen your family and make it successful?

Our religion believes that the mother's primary responsibility is the nurture of her children. As a woman with an advanced degree and a promising career (I have a PhD in physics), it was difficult to give that up to stay at home with my young daughter. However, I believe that this is what will bring the most happiness to me and to my family in this life. Relying on this belief, I can put my career off for later. It will be difficult to come back to once my children don't need a constant caregiver, but I am up to the challenge. Right now, at home with my family is where I am supposed to be.

How can your talents and gifts bless others?

How I live my faith

My job in our church is to choose the hymns we will sing each week. I try to prayerfully study the upcoming lessons and choose songs that will complement and expound on them. I hope that by the songs we sing to open and close our meetings, the Holy Spirit will choose to be with us.

Why don’t Mormons drink coffee, tea, or alcohol? What is the Mormon Church’s law of health and proper diet?

Niki answered...

I love the Word of Wisdom. It especially emphasizes that we should avoid certain items that are harmful and addictive. It may be true that one drink won't hurt, but how many can stop at just one? There is safety in avoiding harmful addictive substances completely. I have never had a sip of alchohol or a puff of a cigarette, and I am sure I have never regretted it. How many can say the same about their first drink or smoke?
Braden Scothern answered...

We do not drink coffee, tea, alcohol, use tobacco, or illegal drugs because of a commandment known as the Word of Wisdom.

The Word of Wisdom was a commandment revealed to the prophet Joseph Smith in 1833. It tells us the importance of keeping care of our bodies because they are temples. (1 Corinthians 3:16-17)

We know that while from the outside it may seem restrictive it really gives us freedom it blesses us physically and spiritually. The things that we are counseled to stay away from in this law from our loving Heavenly Father help us keep our agency. When you are addicted to something you have given up some of your agency, it controls you. Satan tries to use addictive things to bind us down so we cannot focus on our relationships with the Lord.

In addition to us keeping our agency we are promised these things in the Word of Wisdom: "all saints who remember to keep and do these sayings, walking in obedience to the commandments... shall find wisdom and great treasures of knowledge, even hidden treasures... And I, the Lord, give unto them a promise, that the destroying angel shall pass by them, as the children of Israel, and not slay them. Amen." (D&C 89:18-21

So those who keep the commandment are able to be in tune with the Holy Ghost more. That is a great blessing because it is the Spirit that helps us stay on the path to eternal life and teaches us all spiritual truths.

Do Mormons worship Joseph Smith?

Rachel answered...

No. We only worship God. Joseph Smith was not a god. He was a prophet. Just like Moses and Abraham and all of the other prophets in the Bible. He is not a god, we do not worship him, however, as a prophet, God used him as a tool to communicate with us by giving Joseph Smith revelation. God spoke to us through Joseph Smith. Therefore, we accept what Joseph Smith said to be the word of God.