We Can Do Hard Things
It’s almost July! If you are like me, your thoughts turn to the amazing stories of the pioneers and their heart-wrenching stories of sacrifice. The story of Ellen Breakell Neibaur is one of my favorites…..it’s worth telling to the kids in Family Home Evening!
Ellen Breakell Neibaur
Ellen was the daughter of a wealthy farmer in England. She married Alexander Neibaur, a French and Polish Jew. He also belonged to a very wealthy family and had been educated to become a Rabbi in the Jewish faith. They lived in Preston, England when Heber C. Kimball served his first mission there and they were converted to the Church. Ellen and Alexander left almost everything they had to join in the second company with Brigham Young in 1848 to cross the plains and join the Saints in the Salt Lake Valley. It took all their money to buy a team and wagon and supplies for the journey. Ellen didn’t even have enough money to buy a pair of shoes. She wrapped her feet in rags and came all the way across the plains barefoot!
After arriving in the Salt Lake Valley, the family, which included 7 children (eventually 14 children were born to them), lived in a tent. They often went hungry. Alexander became a teacher and Ellen took in laundry. For the next eight years, any time she could save a little money, she put a penny or two aside. After eight long years, she was finally able to buy a pair of shoes from a mail order company. High-top, patent leather, button shoes! She knitted herself some blue and white stockings.
Just a few days after the shoes arrived, a company led by Franklin D. Richards of the Quorum of the Twelve, rode into Salt Lake with very disturbing news. It was October, 1856 and two handcart companies were stranded out on the plains with over a thousand people struggling to survive in the Wyoming snowstorms. Brigham Young stood up in General Conference the next day and explained that these two companies were still 700 miles away. “They must be brought here. We must send them assistance,” he said. President Young called for teams, wagons, food, and clothing to help those who were stranded.
When the Brethren came around collecting clothing to take with them to meet the pioneers, Alexander said he had nothing to give them, but Ellen said, “we must give them something.”
Then, Ellen Neibaur, after 8 years of waiting for a pair of shoes, removed her brand new shoes and hand-knitted stockings from her feet and gave them to the rescue effort. Once again, she bound her own feet in rags.
When a new company came into the Valley, all the Saints would go out and line the streets to greet the newcomers. Most were looking into their faces to see if there was anyone they knew, but Ellen wasn’t looking at faces. She was looking at feet. She wanted to know who had gotten her shoes.
When Ellen Neibaur saw her shoes, she looked up and to her absolute amazement, wearing them was an old friend from Preston, England who had joined the Church since Ellen had left England! Ellen’s sacrifice had helped to save her friend’s life and had helped her come to the Valley safely.
Sacrifices must be made in our own day. Much will be required of us if we are to remain righteous and worthy to stand side by side some day with our pioneer ancestors. Their stories of faith and courage can remind us that we are capable of much more than we think we are.
We, too, can do hard things!
Matthew 22:37-40
~ Sister Pat Barton
