Its been about three years now since we chatted last. When I first contacted you it was after finding your ministry online, I had just split with my fiance of the time, her leaving because I wouldn't join "the church"... the catch being that I was Wiccan, and I really didn't know much about Mormons, until then.

Anyhow... wow... what the past few years have brought. Since chatting with you, getting your newsletters, and doing a lot of reading and thinking, I took an interest in Christianity - While I find a great deal to admire, and my own beliefs have changed dramatically, I am still a Wiccan... just now I suppose of a different breed .. LOL... - I live in far east Mesa, Arizona, which is heavily... HEAVILY Mormon.

Being Wiccan amongst Mormons might as well put a big target on my back, but in my immediate community things are changing. I am a person who draws some attention, for a lot of reasons, and the attention I started to receive when I moved into this new neighborhood almost three years ago was not what I was looking for.

I remembered a lot of the things you have shared, and what I was learning about Christianity, and my own perspective on all of it as a Wiccan. Truth humbles men and exposing the lies of their faith led to some pretty unusual circumstances. It also revealed alot about my own which changed me in many ways.

Without all the boring details, there a number of people who are leaving the LDS church in my area (mostly older members), and attending some other... churches... geeeze... there is a can of worms in itself, but a good number of them talk with me regularly (some are bothered that I am Wiccan, but seem to respect my decisions to some degree). I notice that they seem to struggle with this transition from being mormon to not. Its something I can't relate to. I encourage them to pray, to go to church, and to fellowship with Christians who can relate. I offer them whatever help or advice I might be able to give... but I wonder if there is something more.

Jim, I was curious to know what you think I should advise them to do or where to look for answers and help? I don't feel really comfortable trying to give them that spiritual shoulder when I know how many of them regard my own convictions.

At your leisure.

Keep Up The Good Work!

Your Brother In Life,
DL Sanders

I think you could help them by saying something like this:

"The first thing you need to do is decide that Mormonism is wrong at its root, not just in its fruit."

Here what I mean:
A lot of Mormons become disenchanted with Mormonism because they see "fruit" like: arrogance, hypocrisy, and and pride. But they somehow think such fruit cannot be tied to the origins of Mormonism, i.e. that Joseph Smith did _not_ hear from God, etc. They think that the "modern Mormon Church" has somehow departed from the purity of early Mormonism. To be entirely free, they need to understand that the fruit comes from the root. There were no gold plates. There were no Nephites (i.e. DNA vs. the Book of Mormon).

Thanks for your insight.

We'll deal with _your problems_ later.

:)

Jim