Joseph Duggar from "19 Kids and Counting" brought even more drama to his family's already scandal-ridden name by admitting to having an inappropriate encounter with a minor ... as we wait to find out his fate, we're taking a look back at the 31-year-old's life with wife Kendra in much happier times.

Joseph and Kendra tied the knot in 2017 and share 3 children together -- 7-year-old son Garrett, 6-year-old daughter Addison and 5-year-old daughter Brooklyn.

It was three years after their wedding that Joseph's alleged actions took place ... which, as we reported, is shocking.

Remember ... Joseph's older brother, Josh, was arrested back in April 2021 and later sentenced to prison for receiving and possessing child pornography.

Joseph commented on the scandal in a clip for TLC's spinoff "Jill & Jessa: Counting On" ... saying, "Whenever somebody you respect the most is willing to get up and proclaim what we believe as Christians, about being true to your wife, you'd never think that that's the person who's involved in it."

Sift through the gallery to see Joseph and Kendra when they had a lot more to smile about.