"come back"

This came in the mail just before I left town.

Dear Brother & Sister FTA:

I have been asked to acknowledge your recent letter in which you request that your family's names be removed from the membership records of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

I have also been asked to inform you that the Church considers such a request to be an ecclesiastical matter that must be handled by local priesthood leaders before being processed by Church employees. Therefore, your letter and a copy of this reply are being sent to President Name F. Removed of the County State Stake. He will have Bishop Name F. Removed of the Local Area nth Ward contact you concerning the fulfillment of your request.

In view of the eternal consequences of such an action, the Brethren urge you to reconsider your request and to prayerfully consider the enclosed statement of the First Presidency.

The enclosed pamphlet has a picture of the Christ statue from the Salt Lake Temple Square Visitors Center, and is entitled "An Invitation." Inside, Hinckley, Monson, and Faust stare out at me with staged smiles.

An Invitation to Come Back

We reach out to members of the Church throughout the world in a spirit of love and brotherhood inspired by the Lord Jesus Christ.

Our interest and concern are always with the individual man or woman, boy or girl. Our great responsibility is to see that each is "remembered and nourished by the good word of God" (Moroni 6:4). If any have been offended, we are sorry. Our only desire is to cultivate a spirit of mercy and kindness, of understanding and healing. We seek to follow the example of our Lord, who "went about doing good" (Acts 10:38).

To you who for any reason find yourselves outside the embrace of the Church, we say come back. We invite you to return and partake of the happiness you once knew. You will find many with outstretched arms to welcome you, assist you, and give you comfort.

The Church needs your strength, love, loyalty, and devotion. The course is fixed and certain by which a person may return to the full blessings of Church membership, and we stand ready to receive all who wish to do so.

Sincerely yours,
[signed]
Hinckley, Monson, and Faust
The First Presidency

I knew that even though I asked for no contact from the church other than a letter of confirmation of name removal, I would get the letter and pamphlet above. So I wasn't surprised or bothered much. I took it as confirmation that Dodge got our letter and started the process. We also cc'ed the stake president and the bishop, so hopefully things are moving along. If either of them have tried to call us to discuss "the eternal consequences" of our resignation, I wouldn't know, as we moved and discontinued our phone number.

I laughed at the "eternal consequences" line, and was annoyed at the "if any have been offended, we are sorry." I told this to my fellow non-believing friend, and she said, "I find that so ridiculous that they could possibly think I could be so petty as to go through all that hell of leaving just because someone said some comment that offended me!" No doubt.

Oh, and "the happiness I once knew"? It was a fantasy. I prefer the happiness I currently have, thanks.