I’ve been living with my partner for 2 years now, and we have a daughter together. But he continues to be legally married to another woman. It’s been very difficult to get a legal separation in my country. But we’re both members of the church, and we want to receive the blessings of the Lord. What can we do?
One Response to “Living with a man I’m not married to”
Luciano Delgado
2016-11-13 12:22:31
The concept of a united family that lives and progresses forever is at the core of Latter-day Saint doctrine.
Thanks for your question. It goes without saying that it was a bad idea to pursue a relationship with a married man. Separation is not the same thing as divorce. The fact that you now have a child with this man complicates things even further.
You should get married so that you can enjoy the blessings of the Gospel, but you should also get married for the sake of your child. Every child deserves to have a mother and father who are legally married. Marriage contributes tremendously to family stability.
The good news is that at least the two of you want to be married. If I were you, I'd continue to pursue marriage in any way I could. Perhaps you could hire a lawyer to resolve your husband's previous marriage. Talk with your Bishop, too. He might be able to provide some help.
In the meantime, do everything you can to stay close to God. That means you should continue to go to church every Sunday, even if it's sometimes a little uncomfortable because of your situation. You should read scriptures with your child, hold family home evenings, etc. Then when the time does come that your husband's marital situation has resolved, you'll be ready to accept the blessings that God wants to give you.
You should get married so that you can enjoy the blessings of the Gospel, but you should also get married for the sake of your child. Every child deserves to have a mother and father who are legally married. Marriage contributes tremendously to family stability.
The good news is that at least the two of you want to be married. If I were you, I'd continue to pursue marriage in any way I could. Perhaps you could hire a lawyer to resolve your husband's previous marriage. Talk with your Bishop, too. He might be able to provide some help.
In the meantime, do everything you can to stay close to God. That means you should continue to go to church every Sunday, even if it's sometimes a little uncomfortable because of your situation. You should read scriptures with your child, hold family home evenings, etc. Then when the time does come that your husband's marital situation has resolved, you'll be ready to accept the blessings that God wants to give you.
I hope this answer helps. All the best.