Real Stories – Richiefeatured

What is your name? (pseudonyms are acceptable)*

Richie

1. How old were you when you lost your membership?*

21

2. How long were you out of the Church, and how long have you been back?*

almost 10yrs been back 14

3. What were your feelings in the days after losing your membership?

Despair. Loneliness. Not being wanted by God

4. How did losing your membership affect your relationships with your family and friends?

My dad felt incredibly guilty for not coming to where I was and being a character witness. My grandfather couldn’t understand how they could do that to me.

5. What was your relationship with Church leadership like during the time your membership was withdrawn?

Student wards and Young single adult wards – Minimal

6. As you went through this, what was your relationship with the Godhead like?

Fairly non-existent

7. What were some of the hardest things for you as you went through a loss of membership in the Church?

When people asked me to participate and I had to tell them no

8. What experiences do you appreciate and maybe even treasure from your experience?

The empathy that I gained for people that didn’t have the “typical” LDS experience

9. What went into your decision to get re-baptized?

Always knew and never doubted I would come back

10. What callings have you had since being re-baptized?

Elders Quorum Teacher and Sunday School Teacher

11. How long after getting rebaptized were your priesthood and/or temple blessings restored?

1 year

12. What do you think is misunderstood by others about this process of losing your membership?

They don’t understand what it feels like and the loneliness that accompanies it.

13. What advice do you have for people who are going through a loss of membership in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints?

Do what you need to make it through. Allow yourself to grieve your loss. Ask others for help.

14. What advice do you have for people wanting to minister to or help someone who has lost their Church membership?

Talk to them. Love them. Share your faith.

* Thank you so much for sharing your experience Richie! Your answer to #3 of “Despair. Loneliness. Not being wanted by God” highlights something I am finding in seeking people to answer these questions; It is VERY hard for many people who have returned to the Church to go back into that period of excommunication and recall their experience. I truly appreciate you wading back through your pain to share with us – I also appreciate all you are doing to help others through www.culturalhall.com!

** If you are reading this and have also accomplished this heroic task of returning to be re-baptized after having your membership taken away, we would love to hear your story! Please click on this link to find the questionnaire: https://forms.gle/5hKAxjJ5Lkhj1w5U7