I left approx. 1984 when resignation was not an option and I wanted to leave on my terms, not theirs (excommunication). I resigned officially in 2005-- 21 years later. So glad I did!
With me it wasn't a case of discovering it was false. Being a Mormon was bad for my mental health, so I stopped going. Once I was away from the indoctrination machine and the culture I realized I just didn't believe any of it. That was in the late '70s. So I went happily on my way.
Then, one day in the mid '90s I was researching church-state separation when a series of links led me to RFM. Hey, my people!
After a few years here I decided to make my separation from the church a divorce. I had to find out what ward I was in. I surprised a bishop who had no idea who I was. But he processed my resignation. And here I am.
I sent in my resignation last month but am still waiting for the final letter to confirm (at least in the church's opinion) that I'm out!
It took me 8 or 9 months after converting to realize I really hadn't thought through the decision to join well enough and I sent in my resignation a few months later :).
Similar to missblue. Converted in 2010 and resigned 2 years later in 2012. After researching I couldn't get my resignation in the mail fast enough!...got that monkey off my back.
I can't WAIT to get out... unfortunately, I teach in the same area I used to attend church and I have to deal with fallout from that, so I'm waiting another month until school's out... but I can't freaking wait. I want out of this nut sham.
I think it was a month or 2 before I formally resigned after reading "anti" material. It was right about winter break of grad school, and did it as a Christmas present to myself. It was almost 9 years ago, so the details might be off.
RfM was not my first foray into "anti" material. I had found an anti-Mormon blog in the late 90's while looking for Mormon temple pictures. I was surprised to find full descriptions of the Mormon temple ceremony online, complete with how they were stolen from the Masons.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/19/2013 11:58PM by T-Bone.
2002. I resisted resigning for two years, but then vandalism to my house (eggings) and other upsetting behavior by ward members necessitated it. It all stopped instantly when I resigned, and I hardly even saw Mormons around town anymore. Freaks.
Dismantled my testimony while 1st counselor in the Bishopric back in 2007. Walked away in 2008. Bishop was my brother, so I waited until he was no longer Bishop to formally resign in 2012.
In 1998, I exercised my personal priesthood authority, (that granted to me by the Jesus character of the new testament) to Ex Communicate LDS Inc. President Gordon Hinckley as any kind of a holy man for LYING, in his utterly pathetic attempt to justify and cover up Joseph Smith's corruption related to MORmON Institutional Adultery more commonly and incorrectly referred to as "polygamy", and for Hinckley's involvement at the very least on a de facto basis for LDS Inc. being involved in the funding of the 2002 Olympic bid scandal, and then for Hinckley's refusal to root out, expose, and clean up such corruption at LDS Inc that he is ultimately responsible for in one way or another.
I also posthumously Ex Communicated Joseph Smith and Brigham Young for LYING, Adultery and financial malfeasance, a move that also effectively nullifies all their plural marriages and that LDS Inc. failed to take despite Hinckley's adamant public proclamation that LDS Inc. has nothing to do whatever with LDS "polygamists"/ ADULTERERS.
After these administrative actions of mine, LDS Inc. claims of authority are completely shattered. I might have asked to be removed from formal LDS inc membership, but since I know how much they lie and that they have no real authority, it would mean even less to me as an American citizen than some formal declaration from the U.K. that I am no longer a subject of the British Monarchy.
that said, every person needs to handle their MORmON membership/ "membership" as they see fit, not how LDS Inc sees fit.
Found out about Joseph and the "Merry Wives of Nauvoo" in Jan 2011 went on a 10 month research of church history/doctrine, resigned along side my husband on Nov 18th 2011 after 38 years as a faithful member.
from my email to the final letter, including a minor runaround from my bishop Mr. Mustard. He wasn't mean, but just didn't seem to know what he was doing.
I'm multi-generational from pioneer stock. My name shows up all over mormonism's relational databases. I could resign and "make a statement," but by remaining on the rolls my inactivity makes a statement. And I get to make statements everytime people dutifully come by to see me. Some people want to be left alone; I say "bring'em on."
In fact, I've had family/friends tell me I SHOULD resign. That would make it easier for them, I suppose. I haven't attended in years, yet they want me to fill out paperwork and sign my name to it so that THEY aren't obligated to visit me?
Does "You need to formally resign so we can stop visiting you?" make sense for a church? Maybe to mormons.
I was inactive for about 3 years, did some reading on this board and filed for my resignation 6 months later. Still, my attitudes against the church were dealt with by family members as if I had discreetly burned a chapel to the ground with kitten and puppies inside and kept it all to myself. Suddenly I was considered evil, because they couldn't manipulate me (or try to) because they suddenly knew For Sure that I did not (still do not) believe in reality the same way they do. Anyway My Resignation was sent in about 5.5 years ago, but I came a "church reactivation project" , so my resignation letter is conveniently ignored, my church records were transferred without my ever asking them to be transferred after we had moved. The screws with my marriage, tries to use my kids to go back to Mormonism. I get unwanted visitors who never call before-hand, etc....
I LOST FAITH INIT ABOUT 2000. WROTE Them a quick letter to resign. thought that would do it. Found out in 2006 it never happened. (interesting TBM relative told me they contacted him. wtf!?!) Tried again in 2009 ...no results. Thried again this Jan. w/the proper wording etc. 3mos ago they said it would be done. Yet still no conformation. Im torn by the fear that I'll loose my TBM DD's contact if I push it. And loose ALL my TBMs contact. This may sound trivial But Ive been alone w/o family 4 YEARS!!!
I had had doubts for maybe 10 years, and never liked certain things. I was dead sure that the Book of Mormon was a fraud, and had ceased to quote from it in talks or use it in lessons. It was not until I got too close to the beast when serving with the government in the Congo and had very close weekly encounters with the local mission president and senior missionaries and got to see how things worked from too close of a vantage point. Moreover, I also had many encounters with local Christian churches and their charitable organizations, and got to compare the non-LDS with the LDS. I became convinced that any of the LDS church's so-called "humanitarian efforts" were mere eyewash intended to convince those who were already convinced that the LDS church was doing marvelous stuff, when really they did not even bother to learn the local language; all their projects were truly lightweight.
After a violent military episode in the Congo which involved the missionaries, I was asked to consult with LDS church security about the situation, and invited to their offices in SLC. There I got to know the beast a little bit better. In the end, I doubted that I wanted to be associated with them, and began studying stuff--especially LDS history--in 2006 and 2007. When I saw how many people were actually resigning their membership, I got on board with that, too. I notified DW, bishop, close family and friends that I was doing it in late 2008, then resigned Jan 1, 2009.