Ten Year Mission Anniversary

Ten years ago, on June 27, 2007, my family dropped me off in Provo at the Missionary Training Center to continue preparing to serve in the Ohio Cincinnati Mission. The date is easy to remember, because it's the anniversary of the Prophet Joseph Smith's martyrdom in 1844.


I'm very grateful for social networking that allows me to stay in contact, because I found there are amazing people everywhere you look. My companions, Sisters Brucker, Robbins, Holbrook, Clark, Nelson, Hovik, Wilcox, and Martineau, each taught me how to be a better missionary and a better person. I got to interact with many other extraordinary missionaries, individuals, and families. Thank you for letting me be a part of your lives, and for helping me fulfill my purpose of inviting others to come unto Christ.

MTC roommates and companion

My MTC district! So proud of these men!

Ice skating in Cincinnati

Sisters Conference 2008, (shortly before I returned home)

Mother's Day 2013

Zak's sister is a full-time missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints right now, so on Mother's Day and Christmas Day she's able to call or skype home. On our way we stopped to wish Mom Hooper a Happy Mother's Day and pick up a crib Grandpa Hooper made to refinish. The young women at church, with whom I work, sold pies as a fundraiser for summer camp, so we got to enjoy those with our Moms. We drove to my fantastic in-laws' house where Dad managed to get Skype to work. Sister Porter has only been gone for a couple months now, but we still miss her and were excited to visit. Dad had bought a boutonniere for Mom and for me. It's been interesting knowing that I'm a mother-in-the-making this Mother's Day.

On our way to my cousin Angie's wedding the following weekend we stopped at their house again, while Zak replaced some car parts and Mom took me pattern and fabric shopping for our future Baby's blessing gown (much like a Christening gown). I love spending time with family.

Mother's Day pies!

Skyping our missionary

Holding up the puppy to show Sister Porter

I'm a Mormon Profile

While weeding my "garden," which is technically the rose bushes my landlord planted along our sidewalk, the missionaries from my congregation stopped by and invited me to create a profile on mormon.org. I love getting on there and watching the videos. I've sat there watching them for hours, because they just make me feel so good. I created my profile, which isn't nearly as impressive as any of those with a video, but it shares some experiences. http://mormon.org/me/9BXT/Nicole

I've been a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints my entire life, baptized at 8-years-old, with a pioneer heritage that came west with the Saints shortly after the church was restored. I've learned about some other religions, and am just impressed with how many truths are found throughout the world. We believe that Christ established His church on the earth when He came to atone for each one of us. He had apostles and leaders, but after Christ was resurrected, and then returned to Heaven, there was wickedness, and the apostles were killed, and the priesthood keys they held were taken from the earth. Because Heavenly Father loves His children, He brought the fulness of Christ's gospel and church back to the earth, with latter-day prophets. The priesthood keys have been restored, and each individual can know for him or herself. Everyone can receive personal revelation, and receive help with struggles we have.

Some of the sisters I met on my mission!

Some of the happiest times in my life are when I get to talk about the gospel and share my testimony of these restored truths. One thing I learned while I was a missionary was that the scriptures, including the Holy Bible, The Book of Mormon, and other books, can really answer questions that we have about our families, marriages, priorities, and our eternal purpose.

If you do have any questions, check out mormon.org, The Holy Bible, and The Book of Mormon. Don't be afraid to ask Heavenly Father about your life. I know He and Jesus Christ care about each one of us, and have made it possible to repent and start over anew whenever we need to make changes in our lives.

Cohen Returns

 Zak's brother, Cohen, left on his mission shortly after we started dating. His other brother came home from his mission just before Zak and I married, and he recently married Carrie. So, last month Cohen returned from his mission, seeing the family and meeting his two new sisters.

We stayed for a few days, in order to see the rest of the family and listen to Cohen's talk in church. Niki took me to get my hair chopped off, and we had a lot of fun catching up on all the action movies from the last two years. We also got to meet some of Cohen's new friends.

In celebration of his return, Niki made a sign to post at a particular corner. Family legend goes that Cohen wanted Mom to make a fun rocket blast noise as they turned the corner. She didn't know exactly what to do, so she just said, "Rocket, rocket." Niki kept up the tradition, and for the last two years or so has shouted, "Rocket, rocket," every time she drove around the turn.