I sent my resignation by email about a month and a half ago, haven't gotten any response yet. Hopefully they're so bogged down with resignations right now that's the cause of the delay. Anyone who can weigh in on this?

"Results may vary." It depends a lot, too, on how you did it. If you handed your resignation into the bishop, maybe you'll never get the letter. If you write the letter correctly, waiving any waiting periods and such, it could just take a week or two. But the good news is that you have submitted a resignation and you are legally no longer a member. Anyway, a month and a half is a bit long, but with many people here it has taken even longer. You can call the records office and just ask if it has been processed, and ask that it be expedited a bit. Of course, your first response will be that letter claiming that it's an "ecclesiastical" matter between you and your bishop. That can add a month, but you're already technically and legally no longer a member. So rejoice, ye.

If it's any longer than a few weeks, they're toying with you. It's a local matter. I got my letter from the local bishop. He can make things happen in Salt Lake as quickly or slowly as he wants to. Send him a letter threatening legal action and copy the church headquarters on it.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/09/2016 08:40AM by azsteve.

It can take up to 60 days. They apparently give the bishop 30 days to respond to SLC. If he sends the paperwork back quickly, the final letter comes quickly. If he drags his feet or never sends it back, they issue the final letter after the 30 day clock runs out on the bishop.

Give them a couple more weeks, then call. I called at exactly 60 days. They apologized, saying it was the height of summer vacation season (August) and the letter was in the mail. It arrived in the Midwest the next morning, so it was indeed in the mail.

Not like there is a big rush. Your membership is terminated when they receive the resignation, not when they sent the final letter.

Letters can take as little as a week or as much as two or three months. Sometimes the resigned former member has to phone SL and tell them to remind the bishop to do his job or send the letter without his input.

Well as one of the early resigners in 1991 I sent my letter to the SP who kicked it back to the bishop. The whole process took less than a month.

I've seen a wide range of times from start to finish among the folks here who resign.

As with everything else in Mormonism, there is no consistency, no standards to follow.

Besta luck friend.

It only took mine three weeks but I told them at the beginning that if I didn't get my resignation soon I would email them
every day until I got it.

30-60 days.

Depends on what you have in your email, too. If it's just "Hi, this is Bob Smith, and I'd like to resign," they're not going to know *how* to handle it; the church probably has lots of Bob Smiths.

If you provided an address and some identifiers (membership record number, baptism date, birthdate, etc.), it usually gets processed without delay.

Hi OP,

Mine took 45 days. In November, I emailed a polite but firm resignation letter that followed the format at RfM. I heard nothing for a long time.

Then I upped the stakes by sending a second email with a nicely-worded threat to talk to a reporter from the Arizona Republic.

About a week later, I got my confirmation letter in the mail. (Magic! Amazing!) I think the squeaky wheel is getting the grease now because of all of the requests.

If it will make you feel better, write another note to them with a threat to go public, or contact an attorney, or do something else that will light a fire under their asses. It will help you to feel better and might move your request toward the top of the pile.

Good luck and try to hang in there,

wondercat

I got a letter today telling me that my letter was received and passed on to the Stake and then the Stake will contact the Bishop who will contact me. Guess I'll have to send another letter to Member Records. Oh, well, I'm not a member anymore. Don't want to be a member anymore. I do not believe in the Mormon church and do not want to talk to the Bishop. Jim

You got a routine letter which means they'll send their final confirmation in due time. They're waiting for a go-ahead from your local leadership which means the bishop might contact you. If he does, tell him you're out and not interested in discussing it.

I'm not sure they send a confirmation letter to everyone. They usually send a letter telling you that your letter has been sent to the local leaders, ignoring the fact that you are no longer a member and what they do with your letter is now no longer any of your business. They like to think they have some authority and power over you. Not true. They don't.

It took them 14 weeks to send me a confirmation letter as they don't send it until the local stake president sends in the paperwork they want. I found out he was lagging and got on them to get it done. Took a couple of phone calls but they finally sent a confirmation letter address to me as "sister"! Really? Calling me "sister" to let me know I am no longer a member. Stuck me funny! Had a good laugh.

If you want to rattle their cage, call them in SLC and tell them you want that confirmation letter ASAP or you'll take it to the media. Threatening legal recourse or going to the media usually gets their attention.

I presume that they get dozens of resignation letters a week and never get caught up. But that may be wishful thinking! :-)