Former LDS Church Members out there?

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gk59

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Is there a thread or community of individuals who have left the Mormon faith? I’d like to start one or hear from those who have, either publicly or privately.

I was raised in the LDS Church and served a two-year mission. In addition, I have also been a member of the Presbyterian and Methodist churches. I always feel like I’m a square peg trying to fit into a round hole. I’m searching. 52 years old and still searching.

Most recently (past decade) I have been drawn to adore the Blessed Mother, delight in the solemnness of the Catholic Mass, find comfort in using the Rosary as part of my prayers and meditations, and feel comfort in the thought and action of confessing my sins.

Is there anyone out there with similarities? I don’t intend or want this to be a bashing thread of Mormons. I have a deep respect for those who belong to that church. It just wasn’t for me.

gus
 
I was a member of the LDS faith for many years. Everyone in the family and small town are or were Mormon. I married in the LDS Temple. When blacks couldn’t hold the Priesthood I thought the religion was less than true because under Joseph Smith they did. I was taught all my life this was the perfect true church. The foundation began to crumble away. I was bitter hurt and didn’t ever want to belong to a organized Church again. They have the best indoctrination and business sense possible and their are very many good people believing in it. When I saw the change in my son after he joined the CAtholic Church I was very interested. About 8 yrs ago I went thru RCIA. The more I learn the more I love. It has changed me much to the better and makes life wonderful to live.
 
gk50 and ccarter – welcome to CAF. 🙂

gk50 I don’t know of any specific groups for Catholics who were formerly LDS that have the intent of discussing Mormonism. There are quite a few former LDS here, who are now Catholic. I was raised LDS, left for atheism, converted to Catholicism in my late 40’s. Currently in our RCIA there are several former LDS, a couple of those people are over 50.

RCIA is an excellent place to meet people who are seeking. If you’re in Utah or any other area with a large Mormon population, there will be former LDS in RCIA classes. That’s the best place I know to start. (You don’t have to convert and will never be pressured to convert.)
 
RebeccaJ said:
gk50 and ccarter – welcome to CAF. 🙂

gk50 I don’t know of any specific groups for Catholics who were formerly LDS that have the intent of discussing Mormonism. There are quite a few former LDS here, who are now Catholic. I was raised LDS, left for atheism, converted to Catholicism in my late 40’s. Currently in our RCIA there are several former LDS, a couple of those people are over 50.

RCIA is an excellent place to meet people who are seeking. If you’re in Utah or any other area with a large Mormon population, there will be former LDS in RCIA classes. That’s the best place I know to start. (You don’t have to convert and will never be pressured to convert.)
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Since you are in the heart of Mormonism, I would tend to believe your RCIA classes would be careful not to step to hard on any LDS toes in preaching the Gospel. When I went through the RCIA experience as a Catholic a few years back, I knew my wife would never like the class since crass remarks occasionally dropped about those non-Christian Mormons. Hmmm…😦
 
From my phone, so this is kind of challenging…

I’m actually in Florida. I walked away from the Mormon church back in about 2001, but the ties back to Mormonism are strong from my 5 siblings, and son who served a mission. I’m sort of the black sheep of the family.

If I pursue my path to Cathoicism, will I be required to or need to officially be “let go” by the Mormon Church?

I think one of the draws to the Catholic church are the need to confess sins to a clergy person. As a Methodist, confession to a pastor is almost absurd, but letting go verbally of a sin, as part of the act of repentance is important to me. Nice meeting you folks.

Gus
 
gk59 said:
If I pursue my path to Cathoicism, will I be required to or need to officially be “let go” by the Mormon Church?

Gus
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My father converted from Mornonism to Catholicism as well. There was no requirement for him to be officially “let go”. The catch was that he continued to be contacted by the LDS church missionaries for the next 25 years and figured out he needed to submit a letter of resignation for them to stop showing up.

Just a thought 🙂
 
Welcome!!

Im another. 👋 former Mormon.

Live in UT for 12 years. Provo to be exact.

If you mean by “let go of the Mormon church” you mean officially resign, no there is no need to do that if you dont want to.
 
gk59 said:
From my phone, so this is kind of challenging…

I’m actually in Florida. I walked away from the Mormon church back in about 2001, but the ties back to Mormonism are strong from my 5 siblings, and son who served a mission. I’m sort of the black sheep of the family.

If I pursue my path to Cathoicism, will I be required to or need to officially be “let go” by the Mormon Church?

I think one of the draws to the Catholic church are the need to confess sins to a clergy person. As a Methodist, confession to a pastor is almost absurd, but letting go verbally of a sin, as part of the act of repentance is important to me. Nice meeting you folks.

Gus
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As a Methodist you’ve already gained a good Christian understanding. RCIA would teach you Catholic doctrines, dogmas, etc. I recommend going to Mass every week, at least, study the Bible and prayer. Since you are developing a devotion to Mary, learn and pray the rosary (if you arent already). Talk to a priest about where you are and what you need.

It is not required that you resign from the Mormon church. I have not, for similar reasons that you have, and also, I left Mormonism long before I converted to Catholicism, so I made the break before I heard of the idea of sending in a resignation letter.

Everyone is different. Some need that letter from SLC saying they are no longer a member.

God bless you on your journey.
 
gk59 said:
From my phone, so this is kind of challenging…

I’m actually in Florida. I walked away from the Mormon church back in about 2001, but the ties back to Mormonism are strong from my 5 siblings, and son who served a mission. I’m sort of the black sheep of the family.

If I pursue my path to Cathoicism, will I be required to or need to officially be “let go” by the Mormon Church?

I think one of the draws to the Catholic church are the need to confess sins to a clergy person. As a Methodist, confession to a pastor is almost absurd, but letting go verbally of a sin, as part of the act of repentance is important to me. Nice meeting you folks.

Gus
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It can be embarassing confessing your sins to God thru a priest. I think that is because when we confess verbally in front of a person who will then say, is that it, we have no choice but to hear God saying is that it. When we ‘confess’ in our mind or in our ‘prayer closet’, it is easier to fool ourselves into thinking we’ve said it all. As someone who stayed away from confession for many years for this reason, I understand your reluctance. But once I did go, it was a) not as bad as I feared and b) much more rewarding than I deserved.

The result of saying it out loud before God as represented by the priest turns out to be tougher yet much more rewarding. As are most things God asks us to do.
 
blueadept said:
Since you are in the heart of Mormonism, I would tend to believe your RCIA classes would be careful not to step to hard on any LDS toes in preaching the Gospel. When I went through the RCIA experience as a Catholic a few years back, I knew my wife would never like the class since crass remarks occasionally dropped about those non-Christian Mormons. Hmmm…😦
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Some or more sensitive than others, and sometimes people vent, but for the most part, we’re talking about Catholicism. 🙂
 
Former mormon here with roots on both sides back to pioneer days. I was raised in the church, served a mission, married in the SLC temple, became an atheist in my '30s and a Catholic in my '40s. My wife and sons are still LDS. As the boys are tweens, that means I help corral them on Sunday mornings and help my wife take them to church. They would refuse to go otherwise and I would be in the dog house. It is what it is. Baby steps…
 
I had to learn to respect the parts of the Mormon Church that are good and they do a lot of helping in the Catholic Community Services. I have had to keep my opinions of what I really think to myself because 3/4 ths of my family are all LDS. After I got thru RCIA I started learning what it was all about thru EWTN Radio here in SLC. I didn’t know it was a mortal sin to miss participating in the Eucharest on Sundays. I didn’t know Christ was present at this time. I didn’t know I could pray to the Blesssed Mother Mary when my dog was in pain. Anything to do with Children or pets I have asked her to get help for me. It has always seemed to me a miracle for the help I have received. I think realizing how far back the Faith goes adds a richness to life. Christopher Columbus was a surprise to me in how much he practiced the Rosary and overcame problems. When I first went to confession after 2 yrs of being a Catholic it was so emotional for me I hyperventilated. Now I look forward to it.
 
ccarter, for a year after RCIA I struggled with what it means to be Catholic. While God led me, and I learned so much so fast, I lived a life before for many years that had no religion, at all. Being alone as I am, as a Catholic, I just showed up for stuff. Mass, ministries, parish stuff. I always had, and sometimes still do, a sense of being in a foreign land where I don’t know the customs or language. But each step, God shows me things I never knew, sometimes things so profound I don’t know what to do or say.

I didn’t know you could get personal statues blessed, or that there was a special mass for blessing advent wreaths, or hundred other things that cradle Catholics just seem to have imbedded at the cellular level. Saints I never heard of in my life that everyone else has known about all their lives. The first time I heard of Thomas Aquinas, I looked him up, read some of the Summa and was irritated to no end that I didn’t “discover” him long before I had…I was 45 years old at the time.

Going to mass alone sometimes is difficult. Times I’d rather stay home with my family. For a while I had a pie in the sky idea that I wasn’t alone, not really, but experiences have made it clear that I am.

But it’s OK, while all this is going on I am happy and at peace. God is with me where i am at. I rely a lot on the basics. Mass, Bible study, prayer.
 
I am a former mormon who just attended my first Mass this past Sunday. I have been learning about the Catholic church on my own for about a year.
I live in Utah, actually just celebrated my 10 year anniversary of my baptism into the LDS church. I was baptized by my husband just prior to his mission, we married in the temple after he got home. He still believes but is not active, and seems to be supportive of my interest in Catholicism.
 
a_soft_answer said:
I am a former mormon who just attended my first Mass this past Sunday. I have been learning about the Catholic church on my own for about a year.
I live in Utah, actually just celebrated my 10 year anniversary of my baptism into the LDS church. I was baptized by my husband just prior to his mission, we married in the temple after he got home. He still believes but is not active, and seems to be supportive of my interest in Catholicism.
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Beautiful!
 
a_soft_answer said:
I am a former mormon who just attended my first Mass this past Sunday. I have been learning about the Catholic church on my own for about a year.
I live in Utah, actually just celebrated my 10 year anniversary of my baptism into the LDS church. I was baptized by my husband just prior to his mission, we married in the temple after he got home. He still believes but is not active, and seems to be supportive of my interest in Catholicism.
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Hello, Soft Answer.
Weclome!

So glad that this isnt causing problems between you and your husband.
If we can be of any help or support let us know.

And if you husband is supportive of you, try and get him to go to Midnight Mass with you. It really a beautiful liturgy, regardless of faith affiliation.
 
a_soft_answer said:
I am a former mormon who just attended my first Mass this past Sunday. I have been learning about the Catholic church on my own for about a year.
I live in Utah, actually just celebrated my 10 year anniversary of my baptism into the LDS church. I was baptized by my husband just prior to his mission, we married in the temple after he got home. He still believes but is not active, and seems to be supportive of my interest in Catholicism.
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I agree. Beautiful. I can totally relate.

gus
 
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