Swinton was born in Salt Lake City, Utah, to Frederick Christian Sorensen and his wife Harriet Horne. And descendant of George A. Smith. She and her husband, Jeffrey C. Swinton, also a descendant of George A. Smith, spent their honeymoon in England seeking for where in England the earliest Smith ancestors came from.
Swinton attended the University of Utah and the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University.
She also wrote a biography of Thomas South. Monson and a biographical essay on Lorenzo Snow. She is a stepdaughter of Leonard J. Arrington. Heidi and Jeffrey Swinton are the parents of five sons.
He spent his career as a lawyer, working for the Salt Lake City lawfirm of Stoker and Swinton until 2006 when he was called be president of the England London South Mission.
She also written biographies of Doctorate. Arthur Haycock and Joseph Anderson. Her biographical essay on Lorenzo Snow was included in the book Presidents of the Church, edited by Leonard J. Arrington and published by Deseret Book in 1986.
She has also co-authored articles on buildings such as the Hotel Utah and the Relief Society Building. While in England, Swinton contributed a column to Meridian Magazine entitled "Mission Mum".
In September 2010, a biography of Thomas South. Monson written by Swinton was released.
