How can I leave the LDS church?

What fellowship can light have with darkness? … Therefore come out from them and be separate, says the Lord.
—2 Corinthians 6:14-17

Hanging onto the trappings of Mormonism prolongs the agony. A healthy step is to let go of the past and go forward. Paul says in Philippians:

Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
—Philippians 3:13b

Many who have a sincere desire to leave the LDS church fail to take this step right away and cause themselves further hurt.

Letting go of Mormonism was a priority for our family. It symbolized turning away from false teachings and looking heavenward. I recommend burning all of your Mormon paraphernalia—books, garments, family preparedness charts, etc. I sold some food storage items and discarded the rest.

Many have told of the great load lifted from their shoulders after relinquishing the above and acknowledging the following:

1. Acknowledge Joseph Smith as a false prophet and those succeeding him as false prophets.
2. Acknowledge that Mormon scriptures contradict the Bible and cause confusion.
3. Acknowledge the Latter-day Saint Church as a false religion as compared to historic Christianity.

Persevere in Finding a Bible Based Church

We needed time together as a family to get in touch with each other again and to focus on what we wanted to achieve as a family. We needed an unhurried time in the wilderness to search out God's will for our lives. We also needed other mature Christians for encouragement and examples. Thus, the importance of seeking a fellowship in the body of Christ. We prayed as a family for God to guide us to a church that pleased Him; we didn't want to be led astray again.

A life reformed, but lacking spiritual direction, is open to other false religions as Jesus taught in Matthew:

When an evil spirit comes out of a man, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. Then it says, "I will return to the house I left." When it arrives, it finds the house unoccupied, swept clean and put in order. Then it goes and takes with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition of that man is worse than the first.
—Matthew 12:43-45

Don't jump into just any church. Wait for God's guidance. But don't put this off. The sooner you find your church family, the sooner the healing will begin.

Persevere in a Bible Reading Program

The Bible became brand new to us because we looked at it trying to discern God's will, not trying to make it fit Mormon doctrine. It's important to have a good study Bible. The King James is only one of many versions. Many find that the newer translations make studying easier.

I began by reading the King James alongside the Living Bible, a paraphrased version, until I was able to let go of the King James. It's amazing how many habits are entrenched and hard to change. The Mormon Church only accepts the King James Version of the Bible and teaches it's the only reliable translation. Today, I use the New International Version.

The important thing is to put on the full armor of God as Ephesians 6:10-18 tells us.

Your pastor may recommend a devotional or Bible study method. A trip to your local Christian bookstore will be enlightening. There are many daily devotionals available. Some include:

• Our Daily Bread; RBC Ministries, Grand Rapids, MI 49555-0001
• The Upper Room; Daily Devotional Guide, PO Box 10926, Des Moines, IA 50347-0926
• My Utmost For His Highest by Oswald Chambers

The important thing is to study God's Word daily.

Persevere in Removing Your Name from LDS Membership Rolls

Even though it took two years for our names to be removed from LDS church records, it now can be done in a much more efficient way. Some suggestions are as follows:

Include these six points in your letter:

1. State that you are asking that your name(s) be removed from the records of the LDS church
2. State your testimony that Joseph Smith is a false prophet and that the Mormon Church is not Christian. Elaborate as much as you'd like using whatever scriptures from the Bible that pointed you in this direction
3. Include a strong statement for Jesus Christ being the Lord of your life and the Bible—the only Word of God
4. State that you have no intentions of attending a bishop's court, because you are not guilty of anything and you no longer recognize them as having any authority over you
5. State that their letter in return is not to contain any mention of ex-communication because this is your decision and not theirs.
6. State that you expect them to observe your right to privacy and not to send letters to anyone or call in an attempt to change your mind. Let them know you are aware of what they believe are the eternal consequences of your decision. Let them know your decision is firm.

If you have any questions concerning removal of your name from LDS Church records, please visit our Web site for our contact information.

Author: Judy Robertson of Concerned Christians. Content excerpted with permission from her book, No Regrets: How I Found My Way Out of Mormonism, Light and Life Communications, 1997.

For further reading

• What are the differences between Mormonism and Christianity? answer
• Is there any archaeological evidence for the claims made in The Book of Mormon regarding Jesus' visit to the Americas? answer
• With so many cults and denominations, how can I decide which are true and which are false? answer
• Should a Christian pray about the Book of Mormon? answer

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