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Attached to this sheet is a copy of what can be called a
‘representative sample’ of a letter that requests that a
person’s name be removed from the rolls of the Mormon Church.
Some introductory comments are necessary.
First, there are some folks who leave Mormonism, come to
Christ, and have no desire whatsoever to have their names
removed from the rolls of the Mormon Church. We know of some
folks like that. However, most of the time a person who finds
out the great deception they have been under in the Mormon
Church have a great desire to have their names removed from
the Church’s membership rolls. They can’t handle the idea of
still being counted as one of the “Saints.’ However, it has
been proven more than once in the past that the Mormon Church
does not like to remove anyone’s name from their roll. In the
past people have spent great amounts of time, even money, in
trying to get their names removed. Others have found that the
LDS Church has “excommunicated’ them, even though it was
they who requested that their names be removed. Some have
suffered loss of friends and loved ones because of the stigma
associated with “excommunication.”
In
recent years, certain lawsuits have demonstrated that the
attached letter should make removal of one’s name a
simple, easy process, if done correctly. Certainly there will
be some who encounter more resistance than others
- however,
generally, we have found that following the outline here given
will result in action being taken within a month’s time, or
even less. The Mormon Church has no right to maintain your
membership in an organization that you do not want to be a
part of.
It
is important to include each of the following elements to
assure a smooth procedure:
1.
Send letter in triplicate, certified mail, return receipt
requested. Many people have written letters that the Church
denied having received
- make sure that
doesn’t happen to you! The letter should be sent to three
persons - first, to the Bishop of the ward where you are
currently assigned. If you don’t know who that would be,
contact a local ward and ask. There shouldn’t be any problem
in getting the information, even if you have to write to Salt
Lake first to get it. The second person is the President of
the Stake of which your ward is a part. Once you know what the
ward is, there should be no problem tracking this person down,
either. Finally, send a copy to the Office of the First
Presidency, 50 East North Temple Street, Salt Lake City, Utah
84150.
2.
Make your intentions clear. This means that they must
understand exactly what it is you are saying - you want your
name removed from the rolls. Let them know that you do
understand what this means in their eyes (see second paragraph
of the letter).
3.
Give a positive testimony of your salvation in Christ. This
letter can be an opportunity of witness, and even if you are
confused at this time and have feelings like ‘I’d just like
to get this over
with,’
you won’t regret
having taken the time to share with these men later.
4.
Give reasons for rejecting the LDS system.
This is for two reasons: 1) they need to know that there are
problems in their belief system. Exactly what you bring up
will be up to you and your own situation. What most concerned
you about LDS teaching? Was there something that God
particularly used to open your eyes to the false teachings and
deception in Mormonism? Talk about whatever it was that was
important to you. 2) This functions to give the Mormon Church
what it needs to have a reason to remove your name
- “heresy.”
5. Lay the groundrules. It
is at this point that you must make a decision. The sample
letter requests
that no
representatives of the Church try to contact you to change
your mind. We suggest this as the best possible course of
action, as many people who wish to leave Mormonism are in a
state of flux at this time, and don’t need home teachers and
Mormon missionaries banging on their door while they are
working on getting into the Word and getting to know the Lord
in a personal way. However, at the same time, if you are in
touch with a solid, Biblical church, or with a counter-cult
ministry that can be of help, you may wish to allow the
opportunity for dialogue to have the chance of sharing the
gospel with these folks. The decision is yours. Remember,
however, that if you are looking for a quick, simple process,
it would be best to close off communication immediately at
this juncture.
Also, the mention of legal action is not meant for spite -
there have been such legal actions, and the Church has come
out on the losing end enough times that they aren’t interested
in playing around.
6.
Sign your name! May sound simple, and it is, but it is
important. If you are a parent, and are including the name(s)
of your children, make sure they sign as well. The signed
names must correspond to the name(s) listed at the beginning
of the letter.
If
the above procedures are followed, there should be no problem
in having your name removed, and that quickly. If there should
be a problem, we would like to hear about it. You may wish to
contact a Christian lawyer as well, if need be. Be assured of
our prayers and support at this time, and if you should need
any information, counsel, whatever, just let us know. We would
be happy to help.
Bishop Jones
Phoenix 20th Ward
Address
City, State, Zip
Dear
Bishop Jones:
This
letter is being sent in triplicate to Bishop Jones, State
President Robinson, and to the Office of the First Presidency
in Salt Lake City. These letters are being sent by certified
mail, return receipt requested.
I am
writing to ask you to remove my name, <give full name as it
appears in the signature at close of letter>, from the roles
of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I do this
with full understanding of the consequences as taught by the
LDS Church. I ask this due to my having found the real Jesus
Christ as my personal Savior. I have found that Jesus is
not the spirit-brother of Lucifer, and just one of
many gods, but that He is the eternal God of creation who died
on the cross for me. By simple faith He has become my personal
Savior, and all my sins have been washed away. I now know that
my salvation comes as a free gift of God (Romans 6:23), and
that there is absolutely no way that I can earn it, and that
even to attempt to do so is to insult the One who offers
salvation to me. I have been born again, saved by grace, which
is totally inconsistent with the teaching of the Book of
Mormon at 2 Nephi 25:23.
I
have also found that the LDS Church has not been honest and
open with its people. Joseph Smith was not a true prophet of
God, as he violated the Biblical standards of a true prophet
as laid down in Deuteronomy 13:1-3 and 18:20-22. He violated
the first passage by proclaiming, “...you have got to learn
how to be Gods yourselves, and to be kings and priests to God,
the same as all Gods have done before you...” (The King
Follett Funeral Discourse as recorded in Teachings of the
Prophet Joseph Smith, pages 345-348). This is in direct
violation of what God has said in Isaiah 43:10: “Before me
there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me.”
This teaching is causing people to follow after ‘another god’
as Deuteronomy 13:2 said would happen. This alone makes Joseph
Smith a false prophet. However, it is quite easy to list a
number of false prophecies of Joseph Smith that allow him to
qualify under the teaching of Deuteronomy 18:20-22. Some of
these would include Doctrine and Covenants section 111, 114,
and 124:59-60. The most amazing, however, is the entire Book
of Abraham, which is, in reality, the Egyptian Book of
Breathings taken from the Egyptian Book of the Dead,
all of which is totally pagan material.
I am
taking this action of my own initiative. This is my right as a
citizen of the United States. I am not to be
excommunicated. No communication from the LDS Church
is to contain the word “excommunication," - as I am the one
initiating the action. Should the word appear in any
of the letters from the LDS Church concerning this matter,
legal action would definitely be in order. Also, I am hereby
requesting that no elders, home teachers, or any other
representative of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints visit my home to attempt to persuade me against this
action. I trust my request will be honored.
It
is my hope that you, too, Bishop Jones, will come to know
Jesus Christ in a personal way. He is the ‘way, the truth and
the life.’ He is not an organization. Accept Him by faith, and
the gift of eternal life can be yours.
I
sign my name in witness of this request that my name be
removed from the rolls of the Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints:
(Signature of full name)
Name
and Address |
