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WITHDRAWL

How to Remove Your Name from the LDS Records

by Sandra Tanner

     Unlike other churches, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints does not drop peoples’ membership due to inactivity. Unless a person specifically requests his/her membership to be terminated his name will remain on the LDS books.

    The following are suggestions for writing a letter to the LDS Church to terminate your membership.

    A letter should be sent to the Bishop of the Ward that has your current membership records. Be sure to keep a copy of your letter in your files. The letter should be in your own words but start with something like:

    You can then list your reasons for leaving, if you wish. This is a good opportunity to share with them your faith in God, not man. (Many Bishops have never had a person leave the church on the basis of it not being true.) View this as a chance to plant some seeds. However, you are not required to give them any reason for your action.

    Keep in mind, they do not have the right to retain your name on their membership list after you have informed them that you have resigned. State something to the effect that you will not meet with them at their office and you do not want anyone to visit you on the matter. You do NOT have to attend their court or meet with them unless you so desire. By attending you might be giving the impression that you accept their priesthood authority to call you into a meeting. If you want to meet with one of them, as a friend, to explain your reasons for leaving, invite him over to your house or to some neutral location.

    If you have baptized children, you should include their names in your letter, stating that their membership is also to be terminated. You might want to have them sign the letter as well as yourself. Remember, they were old enough to join at eight, they should be old enough to resign now.

    It is a good idea to send duplicate copies of your letter to your Bishop, Stake President, President of the LDS Church and the LDS Church Membership Dept. in Salt Lake City.

    If you do not know which Ward has your records, you can send your letter directly to:

    You should include your date and place of birth and the last known Ward to have your records so they can locate your file.

    The Church Handbook of Instructions states that he is to wait 30 days before finalizing this action. Specify that at the end of the 30 days you want a letter confirming that your membership was terminated AT YOUR REQUEST. Inform him that the word "EXCOMMUNICATION" is not to be used in his letter to you or on the records.

    If you do not hear from the Bishop after this, write another letter to him insisting he take this action as you instructed, otherwise, you may be forced to seek legal action. You might also threaten that you will start a writing campaign to the newspapers to inform them of the church’s control and unfairness in this action.

    Remember, you are not requesting a favor from them. You have the right to terminate your membership whenever you choose. You are quitting, they did not "fire" you.

- From the UTLM.ORG website, 1/27/2002