Translated by DeAnna Y. Johnson, Barbara B. Yates' sister-in-law.
Dear Son and Daughter Panguitch Jan. 28, 1876
Since it has been a long time that we have heard from you, I will write a few lines and let you know how it is going with us. We are all well and so far our health and our needs are well taken care of and for that we thank the Lord. And we hope the same is true for you. I have heard that you think we may have hard feelings because we haven't written for so long, but that is not the case. But I have so much to do with my tailoring and so the time is very precious for me. I have sold my sewing machine and I am going to get a commercial machine which will be a lot better for my work.
I wonder if you know that Andrue's oldest son, Little Andrue is dead, which was very hard for Andrue and Anne and all the rest of us, but it must have been the will of the Lord that he have to go now. James Schou's Anne has a little daughter and they are all well. Andrue and James cannot think of much else than Potato Valley. Andrue has been called as president there. He and James are over there now and they have worked there all winter. Andrue tells me to say hello and ask if you will come over there to live. If so, he will give you 20 acres of good land. There is a good climate there and you can raise every kind of produce and seed. There is really a lot that are going over there.
I have heard that you have built yourselves a new home which really makes us happy, although I hope that you will not put your stakes too deep into the earth that you cannot pull it up again. [Danish meaning: put not your treasures upon the earth.] My thought is that as time passes on, the United Order will be presented to us again, through the Lord's servant Brigham Young, and it looks to me like few will accept it. Although there is a place called Long Valley, forty miles south from here where they have worked the United Order for a year and a half. There are about 20 to 24 families that carries the work. They are all equal, eat at the same table and their lifestyle is all alike. All the chickens are in one coop and all the pigs are in one sty. They have a garden on 15 acres, two men take care of that. Andrue and Christian went over there to see it. They went all around and then they went out to Kanab, to do some threshing. Andrue said that he had never seen any more beautiful work than he saw there and they couldn't help making themselves rich. While the Lord has shown us an example that He will bless those that are as one and will do his will, it looks to me that maybe the Lord can get us together through the United Order, if not He will do it through the United States law. We have heard that all the polygamists have been advised to move out of Idaho into Utah, and I'm thinking that it won't be long before all the believers in the gospel will have to do the same. Missionaries have been through here to Colorado or Mexico to prepare a place for the Saints, and I have heard there are good prospects. I will prepare myself for that event. And our only hope and prayer to the Lord is that our children will be steadfast in the gospel and do whatever has been asked of them through the servants of the Lord. There have been many days of warning [or of calling to repentance] but the time is at hand for the elect and our wish is to see all our children as well as ourselves among the elect, so dear children, we wish to know your feelings in regard to the gospel and if you are willing to follow God's people. I don't think the time is very far when the separation will be made.
I greet you and thank you from your Mother for your presents and such. Christain, Stine [girl's name]* and Mother Halling see all of your good hearts to her [direct Danish translation] and your kindness to her which will always be a dear memory of you. We have heard there is lots of sickness in Peter Christain's family, but we are happy to hear through little Josephine Nicol's letter that they are all well now. We ask you to send our greetings to Josephine. We have received Josephine's letter and we surely want to thank her. I hear that Rasmus Nielsen has been sent on a mission. I have my own thought on that, but I think that he is in need of a good rest, he has had a lot of trouble in the Little Valley. And I wish to hear from him. We are having the hardest winter we have ever had since we have come to this place. It is snowing every day and hard frost, so it is very hard on the stock. I greet you from Stine and from your brothers and the rest of the family. They are all well and you are greeted most warmly from your Mother and Father
N. Chr. Schou
We ask you to greet all our many friends many times from us. We wish you all a happy New Year. We hope that you will write back to us and let us know how everything is going.
[*Stine was N.C. Schow's daughter Christina Rasmine Henrie.]