Posted by:
Finally Free!
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Date: August 29, 2013 11:00AM
As was stated, you were legally and officially resigned from the church the moment they read your initial letter telling them that you were done. Everything else is paperwork and busy work on their end.
The fact that they are trying to intimidate a self described "grandma" into remaining a member is despicable. There was no need for any meeting. One short discussion to confirm that you are who you say you are and confirm that you want to resign might have been understandable, but to try and scare you with threats of losing divine gifts is a unforgivable.
You asked why this hurts you. It's because you have been trained from the moment you stepped in an LDS church building that they have real and actual power over you. They have become so good at it that they believe it themselves and it perpetuates through their entire religion. The truth is that they don't. I don't know if you believe in God or not, if you do, do you really think that he would deny you any of his blessings for removing yourself from a church started by a man like Joseph Smith? No all loving creature would do that.
I suggest no further contact with that man. You can and probably should contact the Membership records department. I would call them directly. Let them know that the Bishop of the local ward (Note, he's no longer "YOUR" bishop, no need to call him such) is not only NOT processing your paperwork, but is harassing you and you want it to stop. Let them know that you want your paperwork processed a soon as possible and will accept no further contact from that Bishop. If you feel so inclined, you could suggest that you might contact a lawyer or the media (I would imagine that your local media would love to have a story on how the LDS church is harassing a grandma to keep them a member, to pay tithing and eventually sign her estate over to the church)
Contact information for the Membership office is:
Member Records Division, LDS Church
50 E North Temple Rm 1372
SLC UT 84150-5310
801-240-2053 - Phone
801-240-1565 - Fax
1-800-453-3860 ext 22053 - Toll Free
See:
http://www.exmormon.org/remove.htm for more information.
BTW, congratulations! You are discovering your freedom!