We were, as the Mormons say, “true blue Mormons” (TBM) through and through. When we learned the church wasn’t true and many of its core beliefs were lies, it was like a punch in the stomach for us. After we had learned our whole belief system was wrong, we wondered what to do next. Becoming atheist, however, wasn’t an option for us. Speaking for myself, I knew I couldn’t give up on Jesus. Thankfully, the Lord led us to a local church that took us under their wing and discipled and supported us. We will always be grateful to them and to Michelle at Life After Ministries for encouraging and leading us to the truth.
Leaving the Mormon Church isn’t an easy thing to do, it’s not like leaving a Christian church and going somewhere else. In the October 2016 General Conference, Russel M. Nelson said
“If any one of you is faltering in your faith I ask you the same question that Peter asked; ‘To whom shall you go’. If you choose to become inactive or leave the restored the restore Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Where will you go? What will you do? The decision to ‘walk no more’ with Church members and the Lord’s chosen leaders will have a long-term impact that cannot always be seen right now.”
Comments like this from trusted church leaders make people feel they have little to no choice if they want to leave the church. Do they stay and play the part, keeping their thoughts and feelings to themselves? Should they try to speak up and talk about the things they’ve discovered about the Church in hopes that maybe they have it wrong? Or do they walk away from everything they’ve believed and, in many cases, all their friends?
One of the first things you learn as an investigator and as a child in the church is Joseph Smith’s First Vision. In his vision, he saw God and Jesus, he asked them which church he should join. In the vision, he was told not to join any of them. He was told:
“all their creeds were an abomination in his sight; that those professors were all corrupt; that: ‘they draw near to me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me, they teach for doctrines the commandments of men, having a form of godliness, but they deny the power thereof’” (Joseph Smith—History 1:19)
When you’re told more times than you can count about the truthfulness of Mormonism, and how you have no place to go if you leave, you leave at your peril because anything else is false, what do you do? In many ways, the Church is holding you emotionally hostage. You fear what will happen to your worldview, your children, and your relationships with family and friends if they’re members of the Church. You may also worry about your spouse and how leaving will affect your marriage, and maybe you worry about your eternity and what will happen to you when you die without membership in the Church.
My heart goes out to everyone who leaves the Church, especially those who become Atheists. Your whole world was wrapped up in this Church, they made it feel you couldn’t leave without repercussions in every area of your life.
I’m here to tell you there is hope after leaving Mormonism. Your identity doesn’t have to be wrapped up in a region that makes you feel stuck as though you have no place to go if you leave.
The person you can go to is Jesus Christ, the real Jesus Christ. He tells us in Matthew 11:28-30
“Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart and YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light. “
You can have rest in Jesus. You can go directly to Him in prayer and pour out your heart to him. He will give you a peace that “surpasses all comprehension”. (Philippians 4:6)
In Christ,
Melissa Grimes melisssa@lifeafter.org
References:
1.M. Russell Ballard October 2016 (Time Sample 3:14-4:13)
2.Joseph Smith and “The Only True and Living Church” – Robert L Millet