Bios

Julie and Russ Rogers live on their 20-acre ranch along the Virgin River in Glendale, Utah. They are the parents of 5 children.
Julie grew up on her family's working cattle ranch in Goshen, Utah, as the oldest in a family of five girls and one youngest brother. A typical summer day would see Julie cutting and baling hay and working with the livestock. Julie loves and cherishes this lifestyle and often depicts it in her work. Julie drew constantly as a small child, concentrating much of her talents on her love of horses and other animals. Julie has always raised horses. She currently raises Welch and Quarter horses and a cross she calls Quarter Welch. Julie received a Bachelor of Art Degree from Brigham Young University and has also studied with renowned artists. She has also taught art in elementary and high school, privately and on a college level. Her work has been selected for numerous private collections and received many and varied awards, including:

• American Women Artists National Competition - Best of Show, People's Choice Awards - 2006
• Springville Museum of Art Shows - Awards of Merit - 2004, 2007, 2011; Spiritual Art Show - 2nd place - 2009
• Robert N. And Peggy Sears Dixie Invitational - 1st place, 3rd place, Best of Show and Purchaser Awards - 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011; 1st place - 2012.
• LDS Church International Art Competition - 2003, 2006, 2012 Purchase Award for ""Charity Never Faileth,"" (Emmeline B. Wells).

Jolene Spendlove Allphin is the daughter of Clifton and LeOra Isom Spendlove of Hurricane, Utah. She and her husband, Michael, are the parents of 11 children. They have lived in Arizona, California and Utah.
    Jolene is the author of Tell My Story, Too. (2001-2019) The book contains 300 biographical sketches and over 650 pictures of pioneers and rescuers of the Willie, Martin, Hodgett and Hunt companies of 1856. Since 1999, in preparation for a Stake Pioneer Trek, Jolene has been researching, writing, and publishing stories of these people who paid such a tremendous price to reach the Zion of their hopes and dreams. Jolene has developed a deep love for these people and considers them friends whose stories of courage, faith and testimony continue to bless her every day. The digital book and stories can be found at tellmystorytoo.com for free download.
    Jolene served as a historical advisor for the movies Ephraim's Rescue and 17 Miracles by T.C. Christensen. Jolene and T.C. Christensen co-authored the book More Than Miracles, published by Deseret Book in 2012.
    Jolene also co-authored an art, story, and history book with Andrew D. Olsen and artist Julie Rogers, published by Deseret Book in 2013. It is titled Follow Me To Zion: Stories from the Willie Handcart Pioneers.
   Jolene's latest publication is an in-depth article in the scholarly journal Latter-Day Saint Historical Studies (formerly Mormon Historical Studies), Fall 2019, Vol. 20, No. 2, published by The Ensign Peak Foundation (formerly Mormon Historic Sites Foundation.) The article was co-authored with Andrew D. Olsen, and titled "We Buried 13 Souls": Identifying the Willie Handcart Company's Campsite and Mass Grave after the Tragic Ordeal on Rocky Ridge. 
     Jolene is currently working on two papers: 1) accurately identifying Martin handcart company deaths, and 2) accurately identifying the historical Martin's Cove site. 

Andrew Olsen is the author of The Price We Paid: The Extraordinary Story of the Willie and Martin Handcart Pioneers. He is also coauthor, with Jolene Allphin, of Follow Me to Zion: Stories from the Willie Handcart Pioneers. He was an editor for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for 38 years. He and his wife, Linda, are the parents of three children.