Your Hardest Family Question: How Do I Make Friends in My Ward When My Spouse is a Non-Member?
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Comments | Return to Story
Carolyn SantosSeptember 23, 2013
Thank you for addressing this situation. It made me realize how odd I felt as the only LDS in my family. My husband is not a member/nor his children. My daughter was raised as a member. She has chosen another faith. Due to a sad situation with our faith. I hadn't been active for many years and recently started attending meetings again. Happy to be back in the fold
twinkSeptember 21, 2013
how good to know I am not imagining these feelings.My husband is a member but less active. I often feel like telling friends at church not to worry about me, I love my less active husband and much as I would love him at my side at meetings and at the Temple, I dont need to feel the (poor thing) feelings I have from other members. There is always hope that he will come back, and in the meantime I will carry on happily in my callings , somethings are best left to me(or the Lord). Be his friend please but dont preach to him,I think my example and love can achieve more.
Katie B.September 20, 2013
I really appreciated this woman's question. In my last ward (which is my parents' ward), there are several women with non-member husbands who are in the same situation. They are blessed with husbands who support their children's activity in the Church, but not everyone has a spouse who is so generous. As the last member of my family to convert to the Church, I would urge members to stop treating the "non-member" spouse as a project and treat them as a valued member of the family and as a treasured friend. NO ONE likes to feel like their worth is measured only by whether they will do something to please someone else, especially when it comes to something as sacred as making covenants. And guess what? I'm quite sure this lovely woman who asked that question isn't alone. How many of us have a family member who isn't all there when it comes to a major commandment? Church activity? Suffers from depression? Struggles with an addiction? Is angry with or feels betrayed by another Church member? What if WE are that person? We should focus on included everyone within our ward boundaries, not just the "model" members of the ward!
hamon5September 20, 2013
Tell the Ward Council (any member of it) to put a stop to the approaches to your husband that are awkward.
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