Dealing with Rumors and Lies

[Gagirl]

I am perplexed on how to deal with an issue that has plagued our marriage for maybe 10 years. I am not sure how to deal with this issue. I have always been snubbed by most of my in-laws and I had no idea why. In October, my MIL asked my husband why we quit going to his brother's church and he said "it was because of the way the pastor and his brother's family treated me". She said it was because they believed that I was having an affair. He as well as I were shocked at this. His family and pastor have been talking about this years and also spread it around town. They had no regard for how this impacted him or our children. (Their own neices and nephews). When one SIL would see me, she would say, hey and I ran into so and so and we talked about you. She would not tell me what was said. The other SIL went around town and told whoever would listen, these rumors. When I go in with my husband for a visit, she won't even come over to the house. I don't know if it's because she can't the site of me, is worried that I will confront her or if she is actually ashamed of the lies she has spread. We have never had affairs in our marriage and I just don't understand why they hate me so much that they would do something so awful. This has caused so much stress on my family and I will definately tell my children what their aunts have said about me when they get older because they need to know the truth. I don't understand why they would go out of their way to do such mean, deceitful, destructive things to try to break-up my family. We have been doing great for the past two years, why keep this going?