[Islander]

My wife and I are both converts. My mother in-law is a sweetheart. She had no clue why her daughter wanted to leave the traditions of her fathers and become something else. She was never critical or hostile towards me or the Church but she was not happy. My other in-laws (my wife's bros, sisters and their husbands/wives) in the other hand, made fun (behind my back), criticized us, antagonized with us and even spoke to our children in negative terms about the Church. We stopped letting them go by themselves to visit (they live just down the street from us).

Fast forward 5 years. Two years ago on Thanksgiving I offered a prayer at dinner time. After meals we went walking and some of my in-laws that stayed behind started their favorite sport (Mormon-bashing) infront of our children. My MIL was present and told them she found them (comments) offensive, disrespectful and dishonest. She asked them "what is so bad about believing in Christ, trusting in God and honoring one's wife and family? What is so bad about not getting intoxicated every weekend and going out with the guys to the strip joints like so-and-so-your-husbands-and-brothers?" It is all on tape. They were recording the kids doing Karaoke when the exchange happened. They still don't care but they have never said another word about it.

I baptized my mother in-law and one of my brothers in law a year ago. I bit my tongue too many times to count. Anyone that knows me also know that I am not the tongue-biting-kind. I still have, after 10 years of being converted, somewhat of a difficult time "turning in the other chick". In years past, I would have dislocated somebody's jaw without letting go of my turkey dinner plate if they would have offended me or my wife like that. But I kept my peace.

I am getting better and these issues with the family helped. Great are the rewards that come from listening to the Spirit and the scriptures:

"And faith, hope, charity and love, with an eye single to the glory of God, qualify him for the work.
Remember faith, virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, brotherly kindness, godliness, charity, humility, diligence.
Ask, and ye shall receive; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. Amen." D&C 4.