Leaving Mormonism

En Espanol: Aqui

For any Latter-day Saint, the idea of becoming a “former Mormon” is probably the scariest, most difficult decision he or she could ever make. To make that decision could very well come at a very high price, affecting not only their spiritual life, but their social life as well.

This is especially true for those who work for LDS-run or LDS-owned companies in the Utah region or businesses with Mormon bosses. In such cases leaving Mormonism can jeopardize their job.

Leaving the Mormon faith can also mean being treated less cordially by Mormon family members and friends. It is not at all uncommon for former Mormons to be treated differently or be completely ignored by those whom they love. I experienced such behavior when a friend and I were passing out literature at the 1993 San Diego LDS temple open house.

My friend, a former Mormon, noticed two ladies whom he had known from his old ward; he made a special effort to greet them and ask how they were doing. Recognizing him, they stared with disdain. “Shame on you,” one of the women said. “When are you going to come back to the truth?” Then they walked away.

I asked him if the cold treatment was a result of the newspapers we were handing out. “Not really,” he replied. “I guess I’m used to it. Sometimes I run into people whom I have known for years from my old ward, but too often they don’t want to have anything to do with me.”

Since friends, family members, and missionaries may attempt to change the minds of those who have just left the LDS Church, it is vital for new believers to get grounded in the Christian faith. If you are one who has left the LDS Church and become a new Christian, the following points should be considered:

You are not alone. It is important that you understand that you are not the only one who has left the LDS Church and faced the crisis of starting over again.
Find a Bible-believing church. A person who has just left Mormonism needs to find a Bible-believing, Evangelical church with a body of believers who are excited about the things of God. Every Christian, new and old alike, needs to be surrounded by those who can offer Christian fellowship and encouragement. If you live in Utah, please visit UtahChurches.com and it will direct you to a Bible-believing church wherever you live. If you are not sure where a good church might be in your city, please contact us (eric@mrm.org) and we can perhaps help.
Get discipled. It is best if the one who is discipling is someone who knows enough about Mormonism to help teach you the doctrinal differences between Mormonism and biblical Christianity. Other former Mormons who have been grounded in the Christian faith are often helpful. A good place to get a Christian mentor can be found by clicking here. Fill out the application and they will try to find someone. If that doesn’t work, email me at eric@mrm.org and we’ll try to put you with somebody.
Take care of loose ends. Try not to make the mistake of succumbing to fear and not telling your LDS family members and friends about your decision, including members from your LDS ward. While these people will probably not like your decision, you should communicate with these people as soon as you feel comfortable. The bishop of the ward should also be informed. Telling these people is better than having them hear from a second-hand source and will prevent even greater hurt feelings down the road.

Officially leaving the church

If you no longer are a believer in Mormonism, we encourage you to get your name (and anyone in your immediate family) off the church’s membership roll. After all, the church uses your name (number) in their official count of the members. Why should you allow them to boast of a higher number than they really have?

There are two ways to get your name removed from the LDS Church membership.

Easier…Visit QuitMormon.com. This website is run by a non-believing lawyer in Texas. Fill out your information so they can submit your name to the church. We have found this process to be the least complicated way for those who don’t want to be confronted or contacted by their church leaders. It is offered as a free service.
More personal involvement…Send your bishop a written, signed request to be taken off the church rolls.

The second way involves more effort. Still, this can be a beneficial process for those who want to communicate with their local leaders about why they have left.

The process begins by sending your bishop a written, signed request. This cannot be a form letter. Merely asking that church representatives not contact you is not enough to have your name removed. Your bishop will contact you in order to make sure you understand what your decision entails. Of course, he will probably try his best to get you to reconsider your decision and may even pressure you to return to church activity. (If this is too difficult for you, consider the first choice.)

If your local leaders feel that you are sure about your decision, the bishop will file a “Report of Administrative Action” form that will be sent to your stake president along with your written request to have your name removed. Once the local stake presidency has reviewed the form and your request, the bishop will send you a letter explaining how your name is in the process of being removed.

Since normally a member has 30 days to rescind his/her decision, don’t expect your name to be removed right away. If the stake president does not hear from you after 30 days, the form and your written request will be forwarded and your name will be removed.

Children having their name removed must also sign a written request that is also signed by the parent(s) or legal guardian. If you don’t know where your membership records are currently located you can write directly to LDS Church headquarters. The address is:

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Membership Records Dept.
50 E. North Temple
Salt Lake City, UT 84111

The letter you send can be an excellent opportunity to explain why you have come to such a conclusion. You may wish to include the following points:

I reject Joseph Smith as a true prophet of God and I no longer follow the counsel of the general authorities
I do not believe that God is a glorified human being, or that men can become Gods (Psalm 90:2; Isaiah 43:10).
I cannot belong to a church which denigrates Jesus Christ by claiming He and Lucifer are spirit-brothers.
I have found Joseph Smith does not meet the biblical requirements of a true prophet according to Deuteronomy 13:1-3 and Deuteronomy 18:20-22.
I no longer believe the Book of Mormon is true scripture.
I cannot, in good conscience, accept the Doctrine and Covenants as inspired by God.
I find it impossible to embrace the Book of Abraham as being authentic when credible Egyptologists have agreed that Joseph Smith’s “translation” of his papyri was completely erroneous.
I cannot belong to a church claiming a priesthood that is not based upon biblical principles.
Since discovering that salvation is a free gift purchased through Christ’s death on the cross (Ephesians 2:8,9; Titus 3:5), I have experienced what Jesus called the “peace that passes all understanding.” I now have the assurance that when I die I will inherit eternal life (1 John 5:13).

Be gracious and extend patience and love. Don’t be discouraged if the local leadership “drags their feet” on this matter. Should you not hear anything after a month or so, you should re-contact your bishop to ask about the progress of your request. Be firm that you don’t want to delay this administrative procedure any longer.

If there is anything else that Mormonism Research Ministry can do for you, feel free to contact us.

Further Reading