How To Leave the Mormon Church

There are many reasons someone might decide to quit the Mormon Church, often stemming from a deep desire for authenticity, integrity, and personal freedom. For some, the decision arises after discovering inconsistencies in the church’s foundational narratives, such as the lack of evidence for the Book of Mormon or the troubling aspects of Joseph Smith’s history. Others may feel disillusioned by the church’s discriminatory policies, such as its historic and ongoing treatment of LGBTQ+ individuals, women, or people of color. Emotional and spiritual manipulation, often disguised as “obedience” or “faithfulness,” can also drive individuals away, leaving them yearning for a more empowering and less hierarchical spiritual path. Additionally, the church’s high demands on time, money (tithing), and conformity can stifle individuality and family dynamics, especially when loved ones leave or question the faith.

Faith Crisis: A state of intense emotional distress resulting from the discovery of “uncorrelated” Church history facts that do not align with the traditional LDS narrative. This distress—and ensuing analysis of LDS truth claims—often results in members losing literal belief in the LDS truth claims. - BYU Study | wasmormon.org — Faith Crisis: A state of intense emotional distress resulting from the discovery of “uncorrelated” Church history facts that do not align with the traditional LDS narrative. This distress—and ensuing analysis of LDS truth claims—often results in members losing literal belief in the LDS truth claims. – BYU Study

Once you realize that the Mormon church is not what it claims to be, you are faced with what to do about it. The answer depends on your specific situation, but there are several possibilities.

Do nothing, continue life as is but as a non-believer. This can become difficult as an active member.
Many become an unofficial PIMO member of the church (Physically in, Mentally out).
Just stop going to church. Become what the church would call “inactive” or “less-active”. You can stop performing your calling or ask to be released.
Have the difficult conversations: Tell your family and close friends, make a public post on facebook, live your true authentic life (and let the consequences follow).
Remain on the church records. Some prefer this due to not wanting to upset family or refusing to play the membership game with the church.
Resign from the church – this removes your name from the records of the church.
Get excommunicated – speak out publicly and risk being disfellowshipped and even excommunication, or as they call it these days, having your membership withdrawn.

For many, the decision to resign reflects a commitment to intellectual honesty and emotional well-being. Quitting can provide a way to reclaim autonomy, heal from feelings of guilt or unworthiness perpetuated by the church’s teachings, and embrace a path that aligns more authentically with their values and truth. Resignation is often the culmination of a long, painful journey but also the beginning of a liberating and empowering new chapter.

The Church cannot legally require members to formally resign if they wish to leave. Members are free to stop attending meetings, participating in church activities, or engaging with church leadership without submitting a formal resignation. However, the decision to formally resign offers certain advantages that simply “stepping away” does not provide:

If You Just Stop Showing Up:

Membership Status: The church will still consider you a member, and your name will remain on the church’s records. This inflates the reported church membership totals. Your membership and standing in the church remain unchanged unless disciplinary actions occur, like excommunication.
Contact: Local leaders, missionaries, or other members may continue reaching out, assuming you are inactive rather than having chosen to leave. The ward members and missionaries will contact you from time to time in an effort to bring you back or perform their ministering duties.
Tithing Settlement and Callings: You may still be listed in ward directories and could be contacted for church obligations, such as tithing settlements, callings, or even cleaning the church building.

If You Formally Resign:

Membership Ends: You are no longer counted as a member, and your name is removed from church records.
Legal Protections: In the U.S., your resignation is a constitutionally protected act under the First Amendment, which guarantees freedom of religion, including the right to leave.
No Further Obligations: You will not be contacted about tithing, callings, or other church-related matters.
Finality: Resignation provides closure and prevents the church from claiming you as part of its active or total membership numbers.
No Strings: When you have contact with friends or family who are still members of the church, you can rest assured that the contact is not motivated by a church assignment or calling.

Why Some Choose Not to Formally Resign:

Some individuals prefer not to formally resign due to family dynamics, fear of upsetting loved ones, or a lack of desire to engage with the church further. For others, resigning feels unnecessary since they no longer identify with the faith.

Ultimately, the decision to resign or simply step away is personal. While resignation is not mandatory, it can serve as a powerful way to assert autonomy and formally sever ties with the institution.

How to Resign from the Mormon Church

Leaving the Mormon Church is a deeply personal decision, and there is no one “right” way to do it. Whether you choose to leave quietly, formally resign, or share your story publicly, the journey is yours to define. If you’re unsure where to start, reaching out to supportive communities or resources can make the process less daunting.

Though theoretically, one can just leave an organization, leaving the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and removing your name from its records involves a formal process. Since the church owns the membership records, it has the authority to determine how those records are maintained and what information is included. (European law is stricter than American law in this regard, placing limitations on how much personal information an organization can retain without an individual’s consent.) Even after your name is removed from the membership list, the church will still retain a record of your previous membership and your resignation. This ensures that if you ever choose to rejoin the church, they will have a record of your past membership and can restore your blessings upon rebaptism.

Below are the steps to resign from the church and take control of your spiritual journey:

1. Understand What Resignation Means

Before you begin, understand the implications of resigning:

Your name will be removed from church records, and you will no longer be considered a member.
You are no longer subject to church policies or disciplinary actions, such as excommunication.
Resignation effectively erases the record of your membership, or in church terms, your record is blotted out.
The church states this includes cancellation of baptism, priesthood authority, and any temple blessings. If the member should ever wish to return to membership, a thorough interview and rebaptism would be required.

2. Draft Your Resignation or Exit Letter

Your resignation letter should include the following:

Full name and date of birth, and your current (or last known) ward/stake information.
Your membership number – can be found in your tithing settlement statements or your online account.
A clear statement of your intent to resign from the LDS Church and have your name removed from its records.
A request for written confirmation that your resignation has been processed.
Optional: A statement requesting no further contact from local leaders or missionaries.

Example:

[Your Full Name]  
[Date of Birth]  
[Address]  

To Whom It May Concern,  

I, [Full Name], born on [Date of Birth], and baptized on [Date of Baptism], with membership number [Membership Number], residing at [Address] in the [Name of Ward/Branch], hereby formally resign my membership from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, effective immediately.

I respectfully request that you remove my name permanently from your records, in accordance with my decision to sever all ties with the church. Furthermore, I do not wish to receive any further communication from representatives of the Church except for written confirmation that my name has been removed from your membership records.

I kindly expect to receive such confirmation within a reasonable time frame, and I trust that this request will be processed without delay.

Sincerely,  
[Your Name]

3. Notarize the Resignation

The Church has stated that they have received numerous fraudulent resignation requests, which led to the implementation of the notary requirement. They require a notarized resignation letter to verify the identity of the person requesting to leave the church, preventing fraudulent or unauthorized removal of membership records, including situations where someone might try to resign on behalf of another person without their consent. A notary public acts as a neutral third party, confirming the person signing the resignation document is who they claim to be.

The fraud the church references with no examples doesn’t seem very real, and this notary requirement seems to be more about adding hurdles and making the resignation process harder.

4. Submit Your Resignation

You can submit your resignation in one of the following ways:

In Person Resignation

Give your resignation to your Bishop. The church policy is to give a handwritten letter with signatures. For some, this is easier than going through QuitMormon since a notary public is not required, but not everyone wins bishopric roulette.

Email Resignation to Church HQ

Send your resignation letter to “Membership Records” [email protected]
Subject: Resignation of membership in the LDS Church.
Be sure to include identifying information, such as your date of birth or membership number.

Mail Resignation to Church HQ

Send a physical copy of your resignation letter to:
Member Records Division
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
50 East North Temple, Room 1372
Salt Lake City, UT 84150-5310
Send a physical copy to the First Presidency:
Office of the First Presidency
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
47 East South Temple St
Salt Lake City, UT 84150

Use QuitMormon.com

For an assisted and legally supported process, consider QuitMormon quitmormon.com. The service that grew out of a need for members seeking assistance with the complicated steps the church requires to remove your name from the record. The service has played a pivotal role in facilitating the resignations of over 140,000 individuals from the church since its inception, becoming a major resource for people seeking to formally sever ties with the institution.

QuitMormon Resignation Process | wasmormon.org — QuitMormon Resignation Process

You do not to write your own letter, just provide the website with your contact information, and they will create one for you.
This free service handles the legal process on your behalf. They will upload your resignation letter to Kirton McConkie, the church law firm, directly.
QuitMormon ensures your resignation is processed quickly and protects against unnecessary contact from church representatives.

4. Handle Potential Contact

After submitting your resignation, local leaders (such as bishops or stake presidents) may attempt to contact you to confirm your decision.
Even if you requested no contact in your letter, they may still attempt contact. You are not obligated to engage, and can politely remind them of your request if necessary.

5. Wait for Confirmation

Processing your resignation can take several weeks to months.
You will receive a formal letter confirming that your name has been removed from church records.

6. Find Support and Community

"Don’t you dare bail. I am so furious with people who leave this church." Jeffrey R Holland, Mormon Apostle - wasmormon.org — “Don’t you dare bail. I am so furious with people who leave this church.” Jeffrey R Holland, Mormon Apostle

Resigning can be an emotional experience, especially if it impacts relationships with family and friends. Don’t expect sympathy or understanding from church members, and especially leaders.
Seek support from others who have left the LDS Church through online communities like the ex-Mormon subreddit, Facebook groups, or platforms like wasmormon.org.
Sharing your story on wasmormon.org can also help others who are navigating similar decisions.

By following these steps, including the use of services like QuitMormon.com, you can take this important step with confidence and support, ensuring a smooth transition out of the church.

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