Active Wife, inactive and unsure husband, baby on the way! Advice?

[hmcd]

So basically when I was about.. oh.. 3-4 months pregnant, married about a year and half my husband talked to me about how he had never really gotten an answer about the church being true, which lead to doubts about the existence of God, he doesn't disbelieve, but he also doesn't "know" As a hormonal, pregnant woman, this hit me pretty hard. He has been raised in the Church, although his parents were only members shortly before his birth. He served a full time mission, we got married in the temple. It was all really overwhelming. I love my husband so much, and the only thing that would cause me to leave him is if he broke his covenants to me, which he hasn't. Leaving has never been, nor will be the option unless that happens. He wants to raise our children in the Church, which is a good thing, and he is still looking for answers and reading support groups for men struggling with the same issue. I'm very thankful he is at least still putting effort into it and not just giving up.

I am just looking for support from other people who have dealt with this situation. What have you done to help your spouse? What things did not work or caused controversy? How have you been able to deal with the situation and feel OK with everything happening? Please share your story if you are alright with it and help me figure out this difficult road.

[pam]

Hopefully those support groups he's reading are really supportive and not one of the many anti groups out there that will just push him away further.

[LiterateParakeet]

I have not had that experience, so I will keep this short.

Has he seen FAIR I have been spending a lot of time there recently and found it really helpful.

I have also found meeting with my Bishop regularly and discussing my concerns helpful. John Bytheway counseled the youth, "Instead of questioning your faith, question your doubts."

For you: unconditional love. Make sure that he knows that you will love him no matter what happens.

Pray. As a pregnant woman, you can't fast, obviously, but when I was pregnant I did what I called a "modified" fast. I would eat a very plain breakfaat and lunch....toast with no butter , the key being sacrificing something while still nourishing your baby. Even modified fasting can be powerful in my experience.

[skippy740]

Doubt your doubts.

"Sometimes the things that may or may not be true are the things a man needs to believe in the most. That people are basically good; that honor, courage, and virtue mean everything; that power and money, money and power mean nothing; that good always triumphs over evil; and I want you to remember this, that love... true love never dies. You remember that, boy. You remember that. Doesn't matter if it's true or not. You see, a man should believe in those things, because those are the things worth believing in." - Secondhand Lions (2003)

[hmcd]

Thank you so much for the advice so far, it has been helpful! My husband isn't ready to meet with the Bishop, but the Bishop is aware of the situation and often asks how things are.

@Pam they are very supportive groups. They are for men who feel they have not received answers to these questions and ideas on how to hear the answers and ask for them.

[garryw]

It always seems peculiar to me when a person serves a full time mission then claims not to know of the existence of God. If that is the case, he should have spent those 2 years doing something more productive, like obtaining a testimony in the first place.

[Loudmouth_Mormon]

Yeah, 'should have'ing seems pretty easy right now, but the question is what to do with things as they stand now.

Hmcd, you say he came to you? Well, deciding to be honest with one's wife about something so important, would seem to indicate that honesty is important to him. Not sure if there's anything behind the timing of the issue, but it's good that he finally told you. Another husband might have decided just to live a lie in order to keep you from hurt. Since you have a little leeway in how to react here, I'd say kudos to him for being honest with you and trusting you with the info.

[RMGuy]

Originally Posted by garryw

It always seems peculiar to me when a person serves a full time mission then claims not to know of the existence of God. If that is the case, he should have spent those 2 years doing something more productive, like obtaining a testimony in the first place.

It is good to hear a voice of reason that perhaps people should be making decisions for missions based upon their individual circumstances and not based on social pressures or expectations. I hope you are as vocal when counseling the YM and YW that come to you for advice.

-RM

[anatess]

This is how I would approach this problem... (I understand you are at a hormonal stage and may find it difficult to control your emotions):

I would treat this like your husband is sick. He knows something is wrong, he knows he needs to get better, he just doesn't quite know what's wrong and how to get better. My role here would be to offer support, offer kind advice when necessary, and just allow him to heal himself. So that he can heal, you will have to be the strong one - the one clinging with all your heart, mind, and strength to the iron rod for the both of you. He will follow your example when he realizes the fulfillment of God's promises to you for keeping your covenants. Love him.

I was devout Catholic when I married my LDS husband. My husband felt temple blessings are important in his life, but he had faith that because I am always diligently searching for truth, that I will find it. If not in this life, then in the next.

What you can tell yourself and your husband right now is this - It's okay to be confused. It's okay to go back to the basics. It's okay to lose your testimony. What is not okay is to stop searching for the truth, to stop asking God to show you the way, to stop listening for the voice of the Holy Spirit...

[hmcd]

@Loudmouth_Mormon: Yes he did come to me. And I respect him completely for that and am grateful he did, although it hurts. I know that it's better he tells me these things. We talked last night, it didn't go well. He has decided that the Church is hiding things and lying and now is pretty positive that it isn't true. I pray we can work something out. He won't pray or read scriptures with me because he says it makes him feel "sick". I'm kind of at a loss again. I keep praying and doing what I need to do.

@garyw: I agree with you, but that isn't what happened. Can't change the past, so I'd appreciate if you are going to comment to make it helpful, not telling me what he should have done in the past. As I said before, that can't be changed and I need help for the now. I say that with all due respect, and hope you take no offense to it. But telling me what he should have done really doesn't help my situation. Or make me feel any better.....