Removing your name from the church records
Many people decide that when they no longer wish to attend the LDS church, they will simply stop attending. If you do this, then the church will continue to keep your membership records on file, and will mark you as inactive. At first things will be fine, but after a while you will begin to recieve visits from members of your ward, and if that doesn't work they will begin to send the missionaries. If you move and do not leave a forwarding address, they will search for you to try and keep track of where you are living.
"Ward leaders, home teachers, or clerks obtain the forwarding addresses of members as soon as they become aware that members intend to move. Leaders of the new ward should contact members as soon as possible after they move in.
If a clerk cannot find out where members have moved, he sends the membership records to the administration office, where efforts to locate the members will continue." pg 126-127 LDS Church Handbook of Instruction, Book I, 1998 version
If you do not have a problem with getting visitors from the church every few months then you should be fine. Other people want to be able to have their records removed inorder to prevent this. Or some even wish to have a copy of their records sent to them just to be sure of what is in the records.
In the case of getting a copy of your records, you will be allowed to see what is in them, but the church will not allow you to have a copy of them.
"Occasionally members should review their own membership records and those of dependent children living at home, but only with a clerk or the bishop. Members may not have copies of membership records. However, they may request copies of their Individual Ordinance Summary for personal use in areas where the First Presidency has authorized the summary. Under no circumstances may membership records be given to anyone other than the bishop or a clerk."
pg 126, LDS Church Handbook of Instruction, Book I, 1998 version
Many people who wish to have their names removed do not know exactly how to go about it. Basically, what is necessary is that you must write a letter to the bishop of your current ward.
"An adult member who wishes to have his or her name removed from the membership records of the Church must send the bishop a written, signed request (not a form letter). A request that Church representatives not visit a member is not sufficient to initiate this action.
The bishop makes sure that a member who requests name removal understands the consequences: it cancels the effects of baptism and confirmation, withdraws the priesthood held by a male member, and revokes temple blessings. The bishop also explains that a person can be readmitted to the Church by baptism only after a thorough interview (see "Readmission after Name Removal" on this page).
If the bishop is satisfied that the member understands these consequences and is not likely to be dissuaded, he completes a Report of Administrative Action form and forwards it to the stake president. The bishop forwards the member's written request and membership record with the form." pg 129, LDS Church Handbook of Instruction, Book I, 1998 version
If the bishop wishes to have council with you, a meeting with you, or whatever else, and you are uneasy about it, you DO NOT HAVE TO ATTEND. When you write your letter telling them to remove your name from the church records, you can include in your letter that you will not meet with the bishop or any other members of the church to discuss your choice. You absolutly do not have to go see the bishop in order to have your name removed. If you are leaving the church because your beliefs differ from their teachings, by all means feel free to write your testimony in your letter. Telling your bishop why you don't believe in the church. Many bishops have removed names from the church, but not many have been told by the people leaving that they don't believe in the church.
If you are leaving the church, despite your reasons, if you have done something that they believe was unacceptable, (i.e. practicing homosexuallity) they will try and tell you that they will not remove your name until you go through a process with them:
"If a member requests name removal and a bishop or stake president has evidence of transgression that warrants convening a disciplinary council, he should not act on the request until Church discipline has been imposed or he has concluded that no disciplinary council will be held. Name removal should not be used as a substitute for or alternative to Church discipline." pg 129, Church Handbook of Instruction, Book 1, 1998 version
If this is what is happening to you, things get ugly. Unless you have done something illegal, you have not done anything wrong. If they tell you that you have to jump through their hoops before they will remove your name, send a written statement saying that you have officially resigned your membership from the church of Jesus Christ of latterday saints, as of the date of the letter. You will no longer be termed a Latterday Saint, and will not be treated as a member. Tell them they have sixty days to remove your name (more than enough time) from their church records or you will begin legal action. There is still a separation of church and state, but they are a church not a jail. You have the right to leave whenever you choose. This is espessially true if you were born into the church, because you were never given a choice to become a member or not. They created your record on your blessing day. (people who converted to the church in their adulthood may have a harder time with proving their rights, but they are still there)
For minors, if you choose to leave the church you will be having a much more difficult time unless you have at least one parent who supports you. You will write your letter of resignation just as an adult would, but you will be required to have the signature of a parent or gaurdian beside your signature.
If you are a family trying to leave the church, you only need one letter of resignation, but every member of the famil who wishes to leave must sign their name at the bottom.
In order to speed the process of having your name removed, and to avoid more contact with church members than necessary, be sure to include in your letter your full name as it would appear in the church records, your birthdate, and your place of birth. (city and state if in the USA) It may be done faster if you can give your date of confirmation as well, and if you know your membership number, then they will have no excuse for not getting it done as soon as possible.
You should recieve confirmation that your name has been removed with in two months. To be sure they inform you, be sure to state that you want to be sent the confirmaition that you have been removed when you send your letter. If you do not recieve confirmation withing two months, write them again stating that you will go public telling newspapers that the church will not remove your name at the end of the month if you have not recieved such confirmation. The church hates publicity.
Good luck with your letter. God bless you with strength, patience, and words of truth.
~Molly
Back Home
