Author: Lindsey Williams

Utah Valley is Lindsey's home away from her Colorado Springs home. She writes for Utah Valley Magazine, UtahValley360.com and Prosper Magazine. Follow her on Twitter: @lindsey5brooke.

No new temples announced at LDS general conference, update on 182 current temples

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints currently has 157 operating temples with 12 under construction, 13 previously announced and 11 announced to undergo extensive renovation. While the LDS Church typically announces new temples during general conference, no new temples were announced during the 187th Semiannual General Conference. In April General Conference, President Monson […]

President Monson and Elder Hales will not speak in LDS general conference

President Thomas S. Monson and Elder Robert D. Hales, a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, will not speak in general conference this weekend. Deseret News reported that the LDS Church president wouldn’t be attending conference Thursday afternoon. The LDS Church explained why President Monson would not be speaking by pointing to its […]

Alison Faulkner builds awesome brands in Provo

As told to Lindsey Williams The Alison Show started as a blog called, “She Blogs She Blogs,” like the Ricky Martin song. Blogging and Instagram have always been my main channels. It’s changed a lot over the years, but the central message has always been only you can be you and you’re already as awesome […]

Spanish Fork’s Lil Shepherd shows how Iceland intersects with Utah

As told to Lindsey Williams When I was serving my LDS mission in Iceland, I got an email from FamilySearch on Pioneer Day saying I had pioneer heritage. I looked through the list and found the name Gudmundur Gudmundson. I thought it must be a different one but I did some research and it’s true […]

Carl and Carol Butler remain active in the 80s in Payson

As told to Lindsey Williams Carl Butler I was born in Santaquin in 1935 in an old two-room sandstone house straight across the street from the cemetery. When I die, I’ll be 50 feet from where I started. I’ve always said the first date with Carol was a knockout because I can’t remember it. We […]

Lone Peak Ultimate wins with Alpine’s Dave Kroupa

As told to Lindsey Williams I teach math at Timberline Middle School. I was in charge of the high-level math kids who compete in the state math competition, and I wanted to make it a little more fun and not sound too nerdy by calling it “The Math Club.” I decided instead to call it […]

Taekwondo champion Jared Reed kicks it in Orem

As told to Lindsey Williams I got kicked out of karate — not by the instructor but by my parents. At daycare, another kid took my action figure toy so I kicked him. After that my dad kicked me out of karate. Six months later, my uncle recommended I try taekwondo. So at 8, I […]

Kim Christensen brings books to life for teens at Springville Library

As told to Lindsey Williams I started at Borders bookstore in the Riverwoods. When they closed their doors, there was an opening for a part-time teen librarian at the Springville Library and I thought it would be a good fit — I love that age and I love planning events. It turned out to be […]

Eagle Mountain’s Brady Bills strikes a chord for David Archuleta

As told to Lindsey Williams I started playing violin when I was a kid. It was awkward to hold under my chin, so when I was 4 or 5 I practiced with the violin in my lap. After seeing that, my mom decided I should try guitar lessons instead. My first real paying gig was […]

LDS teen Evie Clair performs in ‘America’s Got Talent’ semifinals

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ek0SgxbC-YQ LDS thirteen-year-old Evie Clair continued her journey on “America’s Got Talent” with a performance of “Yours” in the show’s semifinals. While Clair’s angelic voice captures the hearts of America, her story pulls at the country’s heartstrings. Her father, Amos Abplanalp, was diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer a year ago with a 5 percent […]

The most-referenced verses of LDS general conference by session

In just one month, members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from around the world will join together to hear messages from the leadership of the church. The conference begins with the general women’s session on Sept. 23 at 6 p.m. The following weekend includes four general sessions on Sept. 30 and […]

Utah-Tube: BYU Vocal Point gets Michael McLean dancing with EDM

  BYU Vocal Point’s latest music video may have the same effect on viewers it had on Michael McLean, spontaneous dancing. The music video is an electronic dance music (EDM) mashup featuring songs like Calvin Harris’ “Outside,” Zedd’s “Clarity,” Krewella’s “Enjoy the Ride” and Flo Rida’s “Good Feeling.” In the video, McLean goes from janitor to […]

Fourth round election update shows Utah County elections will be close

The fourth round update for the Utah County primary elections moved the needle in close races across the valley. But the election tally is still not official, according to Utah County Clerk/Auditor Bryan Thompson. Official results won’t be available until Aug. 29. At that time, the Board of Canvassers will meet at 3 p.m. to review […]

Angels lighting the valley: 5 Utah Valley do-gooders that share their light

The world might be getting darker, but that just makes these angels stand out even more. Meet the women who create tiny diapers and make a huge impact, the parents who established a network for families with special needs, the couple finding light amidst the darkness of mental illness, the instructor adding confidence through self-defense […]

9 lessons learned from Elder and Sister Renlund during LDS Face to Face in Africa

Elder Dale G. Renlund of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and his wife, Ruth, presented the second regional Face to Face event in Africa on Saturday.  The Face to Face event originated from the Ghana Missionary Training Center of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Elder Renlund began the Face to Face […]

Jeremy Guthrie announces retirement in The Players’ Tribune

Major League Baseball pitcher Jeremy Guthrie announced his retirement on Monday in an article entitled “Headed Home” on The Players’ Tribune. “I don’t know what the next chapter holds for me, but I look forward to the additional time with my family,” Guthrie wrote. “I’m excited to see what opportunities are out there.” In the article, […]

New Provo MTC expansion is changing the way LDS missionaries study

When entering one of the new buildings at the Provo Missionary Training Center, missionaries encounter a life-size mural of the Book of Mormon prophet Nephi. A scripture accompanying the mural helps missionaries ponder on Nephi’s experience: “And I was led by the Spirit, not knowing beforehand the things which I should do” (1 Nephi 4:6). […]

Intricate gingerbread houses light lives annually at the Festival of Trees

When Thanksgiving rolls around, Orem’s Jim Lauret isn’t just thinking about his turkey feast. Instead he’s planning his next gingerbread creation. But Jim’s houses go beyond a few gum drops and peppermints. He depicts popular scenes from movies like the Millennium Falcon from Star Wars, the house from “Up” with 10 pounds of Dum Dums […]

Creating beams of confidence through self-defense

Karen Knudsen’s favorite moment as a self-defense instructor is watching women stand a little taller — largely because she had to grow along her own journey. The first blow to Karen’s self-confidence came when she was raped at age 9. “It really impacted my self-esteem,” says Karen, who lives in Spanish Fork. “I no longer […]

Finding light and spreading joy in the darkness of mental illness

When Josie Thompson Solomon found herself unable to serve an LDS mission because of mental illness, she decided to take a road trip to visit a friend in Farmington. After her visit she headed home to Arizona. When she stopped in Alamosa, Colorado, she picked up a hitchhiker named Nate. As Josie got to know […]

Creating rays of hope for families of children with special needs

Before Mark and Amber Leck married, she had a dream where she learned her daughter’s name would be Aubrey. In the dream, she and her husband thanked God for sending them one of His choice spirits. Now, Aubrey is 7 and the sign above her door reads, “A dream come true.” Mark, who is CEO […]

Teeny Tears helps diaper stillborn infants with dignity

As the calendar days were being crossed off on the way to November, Megan Bradshaw knew she would soon face the day that brought her both joy and sorrow each year — the birthday of her twins. At 28 weeks, the boys were born via emergency C-section. Crew survived. Dex did not. “For their third […]

Roasting the competition: Nancy Judd crafts award-winning creations

At age 3, Nancy Judd received a miniature baking set for Christmas. She shadowed her mom in the kitchen using a fraction of the ingredients in her own little pan. When she made her first cake, she presented it to her dad after dinner. “My dad tasted it and said, ‘Nancy, this is better than […]

Gifting through grief: Sunny Mahe starts foundation in daughter’s memory

Elsie Mahe loved the color pink and feared Cosmo the Cougar (she’d cry in the stands if he was on the field). This 3-year-old would mimic her mother who put mousse in her curly hair by doing the same with peanut butter. Her laughter brought light into the Mahe home, and now when the family […]

Aaron Fielding and Dalton Johnson bring the write skills to ‘Studio C’

When Studio C’s Matt Meese called Aaron Fielding, he assumed it was a pocket dial. After all, he knew his name would be in Matt’s phone directory since he rented from him earlier that year and his double-A name lands him at the top of most contact lists.  So he let it go to voicemail. […]