Jessa and Jill Dugger spoke of their heartbreak at the scandal caused by disgraced brother Josh Duggar following a child molestation scandal and cheating on his wife.
Jessa broke down in tears on the premiere of Jill & Jessa: Counting On as she talked on Sunday about how difficult the situation has been for the famed reality TV family.
‘Life over the past four months has been pretty crazy for my family. Everybody makes their own decision and makes their own choices but they are not the only ones who suffer the consequences,’ said tearful Jessa Dugger, 23, to kick off the three-part series on Sunday.
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Reality star: Jessa Duggar spoke about hter disgraced brother Josh Duggar on Sunday's premiere of Jill & Jessa: Counting On
‘It was just seeing all the pain. People are like ''You aren’t perfect?'' and we’re like ''We never claimed to be perfect.''
‘It has been tough days but I feel that as every week goes by there is healing and goodness.’
Jill also spoke about the trauma the family had been through.
Totaly unexpected: Jill said the last four months have been different than what she expected
'The last four months of my life have been different than what I expected,’ Jill told the cameras.
‘You always think at the beginning of the year what the year will hold and it has not been like what we thought.’
’We definitely learned from that situation, we are not responsible for somebody else’s life choices, but it hurts when you are there,’ said Jill.
Molestation scandal: The release of police reports about Josh molesting girls as a minor was criticised by Jill
‘It doesn’t mean it doesn’t leave a scar but you move on, you have boundaries then you start to rebuild and you go on with life, but that was really, really hard.’
Jill got emotional while discussing the outbreak of the molestation scandal in which it was learned that Josh molested several girls as a minor, including sisters Jill and Jessa.
'The police report was released to the world, and I know that wasn't right. Whoever released that, that wasn't right,' Jill said crying.
'It shouldn't have happened. We had moved on from there, so for this to be released right after Isreal was born, and all these happy occasions in my life, and to be thrown under the bus was really, really hard,' she said.
Jessa said that she and Ben found out she was expecting a baby after four months of marriage.
‘We were really excited to get the positive pregnancy test, but then it hits you and it is like ‘Woah, we’re going to be parents, like, that is a huge responsibility and a lot to prepare for,’ said Jessa.
Baby news: Jessa and Ben found out they were expecting a baby four months after they were married
Jill’s husband Derrick explained that he had to have oral surgery because of dental work he required and that he had been through a tough recovery.
Jessa said that she had been through a ‘pretty typical’ pregnancy at 35 weeks.
‘It is all for a good cause,’ she said cheerily as she admitted she was withholding the sex of their baby as a surprise for the rest of the family
Scandal plagued: Josh was linked to a cheating website just months after the molestation scandal
Before the storm: Josh and Anna welcomed their fourth child - daughter Meredith Grace - on July 19. A month later, the eldest Duggar son admitted to cheating on his wife and entered a faith-based treatment program
Derick and Jill were moving to Central America for missionary work for one month of preparation and language training before they will go on a longer mission.
‘It is no secret of how dangerous it is down there, we are not naive to the risks but we want to be true to our calling,’ said Derick.
‘The last four months of my life have been having just about any emotion you could just about have in that short amount of time.
Leaning on faith: Jill and Derick leaned on their faith to get through the tough time
Ben also admitted it had been a tough few months for the family.
‘Looking back I am learning a lot through these four months, it has helped mine and Jessa’s marriage get closer and stronger I believe.
‘It has definitely been tough, I am not going to lie about that.’
Straight shooter: Ben flat out said the last four months have been tough
Jessa was asked if the stress of the past four months had impacted the joy of being pregnant.
‘Of course not,’ she replied as she was doing her hair.
‘I don’t know what to say about that.’
Happy pregnancy: jessa said her brother's scandals have not impacted the joy of being pregnant
She then addressed the cameras more fully on that.
‘Here I am, most joyful time of my life, newly married and baby on the way and then people go digging up old bones and it was really, really frustrating,’ said Jessa.
‘It is shocking, you do not expect something like that to happen. It is your older brother, someone you love and trust and so definitely there was period of time in our family when Josh was not to be trusted. He spent time away from home getting help and counseling.
Really frustrating: Jessa said it was frustrating to have Josh's past brought up while she was newly married and pregnant
Jill also addressed it directly.
‘Years ago, when that situation took place, um, it is not like, this is something that should be hidden and we don’t talk about it, no we had to go through lots of different steps, complete with counseling.
‘After that time, it was a really, really hard time on our family. You know that was 12 years ago and the healing process started shortly after that happened.
‘You know when something happens you go on with your life, you move on. We have chosen, Jessa and I can say that, we have chosen to forgive Josh and that is an important part of our own healing. If we do not forgive then we cannot move on.’
Moving on: Jill said that she and Jessa have forgiven Josh
Jessa said that she had been on a ‘journey’ with her siblings and her parents and that it had not been an easy one.
‘My parents would talk about that trust is not instantly rebuilt, and that you can forgive in your heart as much to say I am not going to hold bitterness against you but at the same time it is a period of time and a journey to rebuild the trust.
‘Over the next couple of years it was Josh being able to prove to us and the family that he was worthy of being trusted and that relationship was really restored between us siblings and our parents.’
Sister act: Jill patted her sister's baby bump
‘A few months had passed and things were getting back to normal somewhat and then another big news break, which shocked and surprised us all. Over the years Josh had worked hard to rebuild our trust in him and had become someone we could look up to.
‘Josh ended up confessing to us that he had become addicted to pornography and that he had been unfaithful to his wife and we were devastated. It seemed like it was a bad dream, like, how could this happen?,' Jessa said.
As we as a family looked into this situation you have to wonder how did this happen? How do you get from this point to that point? How do you go from being in this wonderful marriage relationship to sort of living a double life and being unfaithful to your spouse?’
On the road: Jinger drove Jessa around to pick up items before the baby arrives
Jill was also stunned by the developments.
’Just thinking about what Josh has been speaking for and how our family believes as a whole, that is what made it so unbelievable, like ‘No way this cannot be true.’
‘Everybody makes their own decision and choices but they are not the only one who suffers the consequences everyone around them does,' Jill said.
Jill was asked how she felt after publicly defending her brother.
Comfortable seat: Jessa tried out a seat while shopping with Jinger
'Derick and I talked about how earlier this year when Jessa and I were talking with Megyn Kelly we wanted to come out and tell the truth and I feel like we did that. But knowing now what Joshua was hiding I feel like it was not right for him to let us speak our words without having the full knowledge of what he was hiding.
‘I think we have to understand that nobody is strong enough, that is why it is so important to set boundaries for yourself and be accountable and just really focus on your relationship with the Lord and not being a hypocrite, you have to be real and open.
‘If anything our family’s faith has been strengthen. When the boat rocks, you do not jump out, you cling tighter to it. That is the same with our faith. It is not easy and oh you say your prayers and everything works out. It is a daily struggle and a daily battle.
Daily battle: Jill said the struggles has made her family's faith stronger
Happy family: Derick, Jill and baby Israe. were headed to Central America for missionary work
‘Going forward we will come out of this fire stronger as a family unit as life is full of challenges and struggles and this is just one of those, it is a big one, but it is just one of them and the rest of our lives are not going to be easy and I am grateful that I am part of a family where we all love each other and we want what is best for each other even though it is tough sometimes.’
Jessa also felt massively let down by her brother withholding the whole situation from her.
‘It was one things months before when you look at a situation that happened when he was a teenager but this was something that was present day and happening right now,’ she said.
‘The other situation, we had already brought closure to that, it was in the past, but for sure it was really difficult to come to grips with that.
Cute couple: Jessa and Ben were expecting their first child together
‘We have all really had to pull together. There are times when you cry together and some tough days but I feel like as each week goes by there is even healing in this and we are getting through.’
Later on the show Jessa and younger sister Jinger went shopping for baby items and Jinger got her chance to address the family’s scandals.
‘The last four months our family, I think when we first heard these reports were about to be released, the first thing that came to your mind is what is this being released? It doesn’t make sense, we kind of worked through this and it is kind of reliving all this,’ Jinger told the cameras with tears streaming down her cheeks.
‘With younger kids there it was seeing all of the pain, all of that come back up, and one of the toughest times in our life by far.
Getting emotional: Jinger got emotional while talking about the family's recent struggles over Josh
‘A few weeks after our faces were not on the covers of the magazines any more we could go to the grocery store and it was kind of a more normal life.
‘And then we got word that something new had come out. I think when we heard all this stuff it was so unreal we still had trouble comprehending it today. Just the reality of this person we thought we knew and love greatly and still love, just the hard pain that has caused.
‘When my mom told us about this we were so grieved and overwhelmed by what had happened it seemed like this person we knew is no longer the same person so we stopped and prayed and asked God to help us get through it.
Baby practice: Ben practiced being a father with Derick and baby Israel
‘It is hard to know what to do and just continuing on with everyday life and stuff is hard.
‘On a daily basis we have to work through that and knowing our future from here on out is going to look completely different than we would have expected and we have to comprehend what that means.’
Jill went over to Jessa’s home and the family all listened to the unborn baby’s heartbeat together.
‘Jessa is going to be an awesome mom, really caring but also no-nonsense,’ said husband Ben Seewald.
Pregnancy tips: Jill shared pregnancy tips with jessa over lunch
Jessa said she was ‘excited’ about meeting the baby for the first time but not in a rush to have the experience over.
Jessa told Jill she was trying not to think about the birth to much as it made her ‘nervous’ as Jill tried to soothe her over her upcoming experience.
Jessa told her sister Ben was not sure he could face being in the delivery room and seeing his wife in pain.
‘I guess it is better for me in there as she says it does help,’ Ben told the cameras.
Rare sighting: Family matriarch Michelle Duggar was briefly seen during the special
Jana and Joy Duggar then got their chance to talk about her brother Josh’s scandal.
‘The last four months have been really difficult, I would say and different things thrown into our path that is like ‘Woah, where did that come from?’ and shocking news and just a lot of stuff to work through,' Jana said.
‘When we heard a police report was going to be released it ended up being a lot bigger than what we thought it was going to be, and just people’s reaction to it all.’
It is still affecting us knowing that it is still out there and people know about these different situations. It has been interesting to see how others have spoken up and said they have been through this to. It has been encouraging to know that we are not the only ones,' she added
Close sisters: Jessa and Jinger enjoy a close relationship
‘The last four months of our lives has been very different, lots has gone on, it has probably the hardest we have ever had to go through but we are getting through it,’ said Joy.
Joy said that the family had forgive Josh for the earlier incidents but that his latest bad choices had been too hard to handle.
‘He was my role model and I had looked up to him,’ she weeped.
Jana said her dad had sat down with Josh and found out the truth before her mother broke the news.
‘It was like a lot of thought and things going through, you know who do you trust? Are people who they appear to be or do they have these masks on and are something they really aren’t?
‘As awful as this situation has been it has made us really think through a lot of things in our lives and as the days have gone on you have moments when it is a good day and other days when you are discouraged and down and that is where being sensitive to each other and knowing that we are all going through this grieving process together.’
In it together: Jana said the situation has been discouraging but the family has stuck together
Joy said Josh was still her brother and she loved him and forgave him.
John David Duggar said the hardest thing he had ever done was telling Josh he no longer wanted to be like him.
‘The past four months have been very difficult for our family, we have been going through a lot and a lot of surprising things that have happened and it has left us all somber.
Forgiving type: Joy cried while recounting the past four months but said she forgave Josh
‘After everything settled down from the first thing we got word about the second thing we had no clue about that was a bit more a shock than the first. You look at your brother and you want to think the best about him.
‘I am trying to make sure I am the man I need to be and that I am an example toothsome around me, and it is a big load, a big weight upon me now, I have got a whole bunch of younger siblings looking up to me. Whatever I am they want to be, that is how it was for me and josh, I always wanted to be like him. One of the toughest things I have ever had to tell my older brother is ‘I do not want to be like you anymore.’
Brother Joseph told the cameras that Josh had ‘broken his heart’ with his actions.
Hard to do: John said it was hard to tell Josh that he no longer wanted to be like him
Young love: The special alternated between tender moments and family members talking about Josh
‘Our family has put itself out on the line and if anything comes up they are going to question us on it.’
‘I don’t think there is anyway to know my brother was living such a secret life. Just whenever someone you respect the most is willing to get up and proclaim what we believe as Christians about being true to your wife, you do not expect that person to be involved in it. That broke my heart.’
The Duggar sisters ended the show by talking about how positive they are for the family’s bright future.
Broken heart: Joseph said that Josh's actions had broken his heart
Big secret: Jessa knows the sex of her baby but was keeping it as a surprise
‘I think there is hope for our family. We are not going to get back to that normal life but there will be a new normal and we are getting there slowly but surely and we do see some exciting things coming up,’ said Joy.
‘It is amazing how just everyone has come closer to each theory through this and I am just so grateful,’ said Jinger.
‘We do feel like we are stepping on and looking forward to the things that are ahead, there are exciting things and I am sure more challenges down the road but we are taking it one step at a time,’ said Jill
‘Definitely with all the difficulties that our family has walked through there are still lots of exciting milestones ahead,’ said Jessa.
Looking forward: Jill and Jessa said they were looking forward to the future after the recent family drama
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