Q&A for How to Leave the Mormon Church Gracefully

If you believe so strongly about Jesus, it doesn't matter about what other people think! It may be hard trying to explain to your friends, but if they where your real friends, they will accept you for whatever religion you are a part of. Be strong in the Lord.

I think it would be better to write the letter yourself, but either method would be fine.

That is a standard response to your resignation. Your bishop or stake presidents will probably try to contact you to make sure that you want to resign. You don't have to meet with them to have your resignation go through. In 1-2 months, you should get a final letter telling you that your names have been removed from the records of the church. If you don't get a final letter, you might want to resign again with quitmormon.com. That site is run by a lawyer who helps people resign for free.

My suggestion is to respectfully discuss your beliefs. While true friends will not be angry with you for leaving, it would be a shame to get in an argument and end the friendship with a member or anyone else. Also, it should be mentioned that in church meetings, bringing up politics is very much discouraged. The LDS Church also chooses to stay politically neutral unless something goes against core doctrines. I would suggest praying to determine if you should leave the church or if you should stay, despite disagreements. In the end it is your choice, and it is between you and God.

Yes, you can still leave the church. The only reason why they want to know what ward your in is so they can send a bishop or someone willing to convince you to return. Just leave.

Baptism is simply a public announcement that you believe in God and Jesus (for more information, you can look up How to be a Christian on WikiHow). If you are confused about Christianity, you can always speak to the pastor after a service for advice. If you later discover that the church in question (or Christianity) isn't for you, you can always follow another path, whether or not you've been baptized.

Your Branch President essentially has all the same roles and responsibilities as a bishop. Consult with him if you have any questions about the process. Alternatively, you can ask your Stake President.

Just share your positive experiences with them and let them know how being part of the Mormon church has made your life happier and more fulfilling. You can't force anyone to stay in the church, but you may be able to convince some people that it's better to stay than leave, especially if they might have similarly meaningful experiences.

Leave the church. If this means your family will turn against you, find another church family first. But to be honest with you it might not be easy. Ask God to lead you as you stop going to the Mormon church and stop doing what they do. Read the Bible (NIV is easiest to understand) and follow what God tells you.

It was probably just not known about. Feel free to edit the article if you feel its inclusion would be helpful.

At your age it is hard if your parents are devoted to the church. It will be best to just be quiet and go through with it until you are 18 and can go your own way. I sadly have kept doing this quiet streak into college because my parents are helping pay but I am going to transfer to another college and start my own life even though it means I am on my own. Just be smart when you are young to prevent drama, maybe your parents are more cool with your doubts. Whatever you do, don't let someone else's truth/believes control you. Find your own way. Just be patient and it'll work out

Certainly. You don't have to formally resign from the church to consider yourself an ex-mormon; just stop going to church if you feel like that's the right path for you.

I recommend looking into cult tactics (the Mormon church uses many of them), the CES letter, Mormon history from reputable sources other than the church's website, and arguments against the church.

It's not secret, but the church keeps track of names of members and non-members alike through Family Search. You could contact customer support and ask them to remove your information.

No, you are not damned to outer darkness. If you still believe in the church, trust that the Lord has a plan for everyone. He is aware of your disability and can make accommodations for you. If you no longer believe in the church, you're free to join another one or none at all. Follow your heart and do what you feel is right.

If your son and daughter have been baptized, they can leave in the same way as you (just make sure you include that they have parental permission). If they were only blessed as babies, you should be fine.