In 2003, I wrote a letter to the church telling them I am no longer a member, saying I wanted to be removed, and wanted no further contact towards me or my (then minor) children. I sent a copy to the bishop of my ward back then. I got a letter from SLC stating my name was removed from the rolls and I am no longer a member and would not be contacted.

Eight years have passed and I have had no contact. Awesome. As my kids turned 18 they occasionally got a mailer from BYU or an invite to some church thing, but not too often, and they weren't interested. (They were all baptized at 8 but are not at all interested anymore).

So, yesterday I get a paper slip in my mailbox. It says there is a certified letter that requires my signature for delivery. It will be returned to sender if I do not go pick it up and sign for it. It says, sender's name: "Bishop Baxter."

Now, I am assuming this is the current local Bishop of the ward I was in. Not someone I ever heard of before. Why would they be sending me a certified letter that requires my signature? Any ideas? I figure it can't be anything wonderful, so I will probably not pick it up and just let it return to sender.

The Bishops usually mail out Christmas cards and then send members out to those addresses that get returned. They go out and verify that the person does not live there and then try to track them down.

Using a certified letter (paid for out of the ward budget) will get the answer faster.

Plenty of people ignore certified mail, so that doesn't prove anything. When businesses want to find out if you live there, they request a forwarding address if one is on file with the post office.

The only explanation for a religion sending a certified letter is for proof of notification. What might they be notifying you about? A "Court of Love"? An official notification that a sealing has been canceled?

Something where they need proof they sent you the info at your last known address.

Anagrammy

Heaven knows *what* it is. You resigned years ago. They've got no hold over. Did the rest of your family resign with you?

The only thing I could think of if it isn't proselyting materials is maybe a summons to a bishop court or something, but that's pretty harsh without talking to someone first, and its pointless since you resigned. Why now even so?

It's nothing good for you or your family whatever it is, that's for sure *especially* after all this time.

If it's important, somebody will tell you more, but until then, my advice to you is to forget about it and let the post office send it back.

Maybe they'll think you've moved and leave you alone.

sounds like a plan!

Never sign for anything.....trust me...

The only reason you send something certified mail is to prove somebody got whatever you are sending.

That makes me think its something punitive, but what?

For them to spend $....???

Only one way to know for sure and that's to get the letter. Why not? It's not going to cost you anything. I'm sure we're all curious here to know why a bishop is sending certified mail to a person who has resigned.

Please return and report.

Have your ever been married/sealed in the temple? When I got a certified letter from LDS Corp, it was from my ex's bishop. She wanted to get our sealing cancelled so she could marry her boyfriend in the temple, and the letter I received was part of the process. BTW, I did respond with enough information that I thought would put a wrench in the works for her, but it was ignored.

you to sign unless you exactly what it is and why it was sent that way.

It can only be used against you. For all you know, someone is using the title to get your curiosity up (and it's working). It could be a neighbor who wants to sue you.

Don't do it. If it's important, they'll get in touch some other way, and they'll know you aren't a chump.

Just had a thought. Maybe this is a way to get around the do not contact request. I don't think mormons really care about that, but...let's say this guy is careful.

If you accept his certified mail...then maybe that opens the door for future contact.

Its a stretch, but...

Perhaps its your tithing refund check --lol--

JB

It's not like they're mailing you a check, now is it?

Given the circumstances mentioned ... specifically confirmed resignation 8 years ago. My money is on the sealing cancellation request for an ex to remarry in the temple (assuming there is an ex?)

Hmmm. Interesting thoughts.

There is an exhusband, we were sealed in the temple, but I am female. He married someone else and was sealed to her in the temple without ever asking me permission. I guess because he can have as many wives as he wants, right? I am also remarried but to an atheist.

I just think it is a bit suspicious that they want my signature. The only reason they'd want that is for evidence I recieved something. Why would they need evidence?? Does not seem like a 'nice' or positive thing to me. You guys are right. If it is important they can give me a call or a normal letter. After all, there is not a legal "no contact" order... just a request I made back then.

LOL at the tithing refund check!

Update... not much of one, but...

I decided to let it go back to the sender but on Monday I will call the post office and see if they can give me a return address on it to see if it is from the local bishop or some other bishop, like perhaps the one where my ex lives.

Also, interesting timing here, 2 missionary elders showed up at my door yesterday asking for my 19-year-old son! What a surprise. I have not had that happen before. I have plenty of faith in my son, smiled, called him to the door, and let him tell them HIMSELF he is not interested. That way they won't keep trying to find ways around his big bad apostate mother to get to the poor innocent kid victim.

Maybe they're not related incidents, but I thought it was interesting. My kids, BTW, were not resigned when I was simply because their father was adamant they stay LDS and I figured they could decide when they got older.

hmmm, not sure why my reply posted in the middle instead of at the end of this thread.

+1

Checking to see if you live there seems like the best answer given the elapsed time and your situation.

Scan the letter and host it somewhere with a link here. We would all like to read it, and perhaps some ideas may come up.

I smell a complaint to law enforcement regarding criminal stalking.

Deco Wrote:
host it somewhere with a link <----ROFL!

Some how the words "host it" made me laugh.

In any event, I received a summons in the mail, certified, with no prior notice from the BP nor SP. Neither did I receive a request to meet with them. It came blindly in the mail. It is of little wonder that it did not postage due.

I did not attend the luv court. I was exed. Still am!

Don't pick up the one he sent, but send him one explaining you are no longer a member of his church, therefore he has no business with you.

the law firm of Bishop & Baxter or some other similar type of business.

Can you go to the post office, ask to see the letter, and then decide whether to accept or refuse delivery?

Take the slip to your local police station and tell them that the cult is harassing you against your wishes and you'd like to press charges.

Works every time.

Ron

The LDS Church handles resignations for adults and children differently. Most of us know that an office in Salt Lake handles notating resignations from adult members. However, resignations of minor children are done locally - and the problem is most LDS bishops don't realize that the process is different. The effect is that the resignation of the minor children are never processed and while the resignation of the adult has been recognized and noted by the LDS church, the children remain members on LDS records.

The letter might be regarding your children. It might be worthwile for them to ensure now that they are not listed as LDS members.

Just my opinion.

I received a letter from SLC noting the resignatiOn of all but one of my minor children.

Okay, update:

Have not signed for letter but called the post office and it IS NOT from my local ward's Bishop! It is from the Bishop where my EXHUSBAND lives in another state, with his new wife and kids!

I was told they are already sealed in the temple something like 6 years ago so I don't know what on earth their Bishop would want from me but I sure don't like the looks of it, so I am not picking up that letter!

I don't understand all the angst regarding this letter. Personally, I would just go get it and see what they want.

It doesn't seem like anything important, however. Hopefully, it will end with that.

One poster replied to them that she wasn't about to give personal information about her and her ex husband to strangers. They have no authority to contact you and ask about these things.

They assume that by claiming to be a Mormon bishop that everyone will sit up straight and answer their probing questions. Call them on that!

And ask him why he didn't give you a heads up.