Last year Ballard famously asked, "If you choose to become inactive or to leave the restored Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, where will you go? What will you do?"

I've got that worked out. I'll putter around, then die.

By "putter around" I mean get up in the morning, tidy up, annoy the cats and/or my wife for a bit. Work a little, walk a lot, go to the store, keep taking Spanish classes. Oh, and read a lot--I like to read. History and science, mostly.

We have a new baby coming in a couple months so I'm sure I'll have a chance to help out. That will keep me busy.

Won't be wearing garments, though. Won't be going to church, or conference, or the temple. Won't be hosting missionaries or home teachers or anyone else from the church.

Won't be paying tithe.

So this is the plan, more or less, until my body gives out, and I die. And that's it. Sounds like a pretty full agenda.

Does Elder Ballard get it? I think he probably does, but he's afraid to admit it.

"Anything else."

Good post. Actually that sounds like heaven compared to the grind of Mormonism's daily hell. Since leaving Mormonism, I have found myself. I really have. I have found hobbies, talents, and abilities that I didn't know I had.

Mormonism keeps you so busy doing ridiculous mind numbing activities - you really lose a sense of who you are, what you like to do, etc.

For example, I have found that I like to build things - big things, like I recently built a 2 story addition on my home. I did everything myself, rented a mini-excavator, dug the 3' by 80' trench, built my concrete forms, poured the concrete, and then did all the framing, windows, sheathing myself. All mostly on Sunday too. I did not get injured either. It was awesome. I said, "Jesus Christ" every time I hit my thumb, and occasionally the mother of all sware words, yes even the "F" word. It was great. I enjoyed a cool one at day end (on Sunday). I have built lots of stuff in my 8-years out of Mormonism. I am much more creative.

I love backpacking and bike packing. I am planning a bike-pack through Europe, etc. Never had any of these inclinations as a morbot.

Life is beautiful (outside of Mormonism).

I worship you! I mean, "Thee." Sorry.

you'll have to tell us more about this bike trip to Europe. How to do it? stay in motels, how do you communicate to buy stuff? Saddly I don't get much past St. George when I travel.

Europe is famous for protected bike paths. We have two passing nearby us even our tiny village in France. I always find it exciting to see people making the quest.

There are hostels but people do bring tents to sleep roadside in a pinch. But they have to eat like horses to fuel through the day.

I know one biking family from Utah....he started a bike shop near SLC and is very successful....they passed thru here and literally had to eat constantly. Their jaws would get sore from the chewing, no joke.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/01/2017 02:38AM by windyway.

Drink coffee with my friends on Sundays, not worry about who sees me coming out of the liquor store.

Screenshot your post, GBL.

Thankya



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/31/2017 12:40PM by kathleen.

I could build a model railroad.

Family Home Evening would be choo-choo fun!

Make it run? Make it race against time?

Brother, can you spare....10 per cent?

Hmmm........

Isn't that what an abusive husband says to the battered wife who wants to leave him? "Where will you go? What will you do? How will you support yourself? You're nothing without me!"

That's a good analogy, Richard, and I think the Mormon church means it in exactly the same spirit as that of an abusive spouse.

Oh Rhett, where will I go, what will I do..........Scarlett O'Hara

"Where will you go?"

Well, I moved to the DC Metro area, and I am enjoying living there.

"What will you do?"
Well, work on my poetry. Publish a book, and continue to go to Poetry Open Mic Nights.

I will go back to college and I get my degree.

I'll do my Sunday volunteer work, and be glad that I'm not doing it with an ulterior motive: To get converts. I'll just serve out of love, and for the love of helping others.

I will enjoy life, and live a life that is mine - for me. Without ANYONE in the church controlling it, or telling me how I should live my OWN life.

Momos could not imagine a life without the church

No one who is currently in my immediate family is religious. What do we do? We live our lives. We work, we travel, we do service in varying capacities. We read, pursue hobbies, and spend time with each other. We rally to help loved ones with health issues. We mourn those who pass. In other words, we live completely normal lives. We are not anti-religion. We just don't currently spend our Sundays at church.

Living authentically GBL.

Keep it up!

:)

Same things as I've always done, less all those boring (and pointless) meetings.

You can say that again...

Same things as I've always done, less all those boring (and pointless) meetings.

I'm trying to get better that's what I'm doing whatever the cost

Fishing.

I really like this post. It's got me thinking of all the wonderful possibilities outside of Mormonism.

Ballard never really answers where you will go or what you will do if you stay in the church. I'll help him out a little:

-You'll go to meetings, lots and lots of meetings.

-If you're a woman, you'll spend a lifetime wearing pantyhose and trying to keep your garment top from poking out under your shirt around your neckline. If you're a man you'll wear a suit and tie for a lifetime.

-You'll clean the church as well as your own house.

-You'll miss your children while they're on missions.

-You'll miss important events in your grandchildren's lives while you go on a mission.

-You'll continually pay ten percent of your income so you're not burned at the second coming and so you can see your kids get married.

-You'll teach the same lessons over and over.

-You'll hear the same lessons over and over.

-You'll take callings that you don't want to do and usually don't have time for.

-You'll be expected to put the needs of the church over the needs of your family.

-You'll most likely spend over a year during your lifetime sitting on a metal chair.

I could go on forever. Puttering around seems so much better in comparison.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/31/2017 08:54PM by want2bx.

Oh my god that is a nightmare

getbusylivin Wrote:
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> We have a new baby coming in a couple months

Well, we know what ELSE you've been doing :) congratulations!

For Ballard, I figure that church and church-related activities take up about 2-3 hours a week for me. I could do more with my congregation, but I'd rather participate in non-church related service activities. For me, my current church helps center my life and helps me focus of my priorities.

That's me, others here either don't desire, or see no purpose in church activity. No problem! My hunch is that we're all probably more attune to being better friends and family members having left the cult.

GBL, you're wonderful! Here's sitting to sitting next to you--by a palm tree and laughing loudly!

Awesome post, GBL!

getbusylivin Wrote:
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> Last year Ballard famously asked,

As if this blowhard deserves any attention.

Where will I go? I don't have to go anywhere--I'm happy where I am.

What will I do? Useful things, enjoyable things, worthwhile things. In other words, things that have nothing to do with the Mormon church.

Good point he acts like we will be homeless and looking for a new home or something if we leave. We haven't gone anywhere we are just done with the religion its quite simple and nondramatic.