Dear Gramps,

I met my husband in Aug 1996. We have been married almost 10 years. He brought me to the church in 1997 when we were struggling in our 1st couple of years of marriage. I have never been married before and he has been. He was baptized into the church and this is it. He did not have the support through his parents. An older couple helped get him to the church. Now, our four children are back and forth ages 16 - 7. They have the foundation. My husband is inactive but supports me. I have been to the Temple for my own endowments with his counsel. I have tried for 10 years to get my husband back to church. What will it take…. I am running out of patience. Thanks for your guidance.

Valerie, from Linwood, North Carolina

Dear Valerie,

There is an Article of Faith that comes to mind in situations like these–

We claim the privilege of worshiping Almighty God according to the dictates of our own conscience, and we allow all men the same privilege, let them worship how, where or what they may.   

 

That article of faith does not exclude other members of our own family. It is also true that the closer we are in our relationship with another person the harder it is to assume a teacher role. 

So, what is to be done? In the first place, a good example is by far the most powerful teacher. If you are faithful to the principles embodied in the Mormon Church, and are fully active in all that it offers to its members–especially regular temple attendance–you will have a greater beneficial effect on your husband than by any other means. As he supports you in your beliefs, you should support him in his beliefs.. Next, instead of arguing with your husband about his interest in the Mormon Church, it would be well to start arguing with the Lord. Never a day should go by without your fervent prayer that the Lord will touch his heart that it may be softened toward the truth. Now, you should pray in faith. To have faith is to act as if you had knowledge. So, as you pray, acquire the deep seated confidence that in his own due time the Lord will bless him with a true testimony of the truthfulness and infinite value of the gospel of Jesus Christ, and he will return to full activity in the church

Gramps