[Spelling and grammar not corrected]
May 2001
I just wanted to let you know how much my husband and I appreciate your website. We were both raised in the Mormon Church by zealous parents.
We both went to BYU. My husband served a 2 yr. mission, and we both married in the temple. Yet, we had both been feeling dissatisfied with the Mormon Church. I’d push doubts aside and keep trying to be faithful. After all it was my duty to raise the kids to be strong in the Gospel. My husband was leaning toward inactivity.
Towards the end of Feb. of this year our Mormon paradigm came crashing down. My husband was watching a TV show which talked about Mark Hoffman. He wondered how the Church authorities could be tricked by the forgeries. They were supposed to be men of God. Apostles and prophets weren’t supposed to be deceived. My husband did an internet search to learn more about the salamander papers. Up came the websites that led to more websites and disturbing accusations regarding the Church.
We researched the terrible claims against the Mormon Church and it all checked out. We were able to get our hands on the History of the Church books and verify that Joseph Smith was not a humble man. The boasting of himself against Jesus was very disturbing to us but did not seem to faze my husband’s parents. Needless to say we are having problems with parents and siblings still in the Church.
Luckily, my husband has a wonderful Christian extended family. His parents are the only Mormon converts on both sides. His extended family has been praying for 30 years that my husband’s parents and children would see through the deception of the Mormon Church. So they have really been there for us and helping us learn about who God really is according to the Bible. I’m pretty angry at the LDS Church. It’s painful to feel so betrayed and have such turmoil with the parents, but I am thankful to know the truth.
May 2001
. . . I just want you to know that it was through the reading and study of many of your books and letters that i was able to stay separated from the LDS church after having been a member for the first 31 years of my life.
I found the Lord’s truth through reading the New Testament but spent the next 5 years struggling to break all ties with what I had been taught. It was a difficult process and I couldn’t have done it without all the work you have done for the Lord. God Bless you as you serve Him.
March 2001
I just praise the Lord for your voice crying out in the wilderness & hope anything we send will help your ministry. Bless you.
May 2001
Hi Jerald and Sandra, My name is ______. I joined the Mormon Church in January. Well shortly after I joined I got my hands on what they call Anti-mormon literature but it was actually their own literature. I couldn’t believe how fast the word spread that I was mormon bashing and I was only asking questions because there was alot I didn’t understand. I am not writing you to understand it all. But it has been really hard for me to break away from the church. I have believed and have been raised a christian. So I know God is up there and cares for us all. However for some reason the mormon religion hung me up so bad it is hard to recover really. I find my self confusing there beliefs with the bible and etc. It is hard.
Anyway I guess in a way I wanted to say thanks for having this literature up here for me to read it helps me understand what Mormonism really is . . . Thanks so much.
April 2001
OK you two, After wading through all the lies you call information on your web site, it’s easy to see how you could be swayed from Christ’s path to one of abomination and heresy. You were weak and easily fooled.
March 2001
I find it amazing that people take all this time to put together this complex website. . . . I am sorry to see that you have been so miss led . . . All I can do is pray for people like you. . . . Hope you can get your facts straight someday! Good luck.
April 2001
. . . I was in the mormon [church] for a very long time . . . I thank God all the time for Jerald and Sandra Tanner for your dedication and work you people do. I cannot describe the peace and hope in my heart because of your efforts. May God bless you both. July 2001. Tanners, Why do your publications do the same thing that you accuse the mormon church of doing— namely brainwashing? With due respect, your publications sound like a bunch of whining babies wrote them. Don’t mean to be rude, but the tone of your publications are too whiney. Thanks.
March 2001
Your website is horrible. There is so much false information about the Mormon church. What are you anti-Mormon or something? You really need to talk to some Mormon Missionaries and get things cleared up, because you are obviously confussed out of your minds.
August 2001
My husband is a ex-Mormon who has been born again. We are so happy to have found your web site. It has taught us so much! The most impressive thing of all is how the Lord led both of you to himself.
April 2001
. . . When I found your website and read some of the material there, my first thought was, “Looks like someone has taken something true and put their “spin” on it.
It saddens me when people have nothing better to do with their time than twist the truth into something unrecognizable. I didn’t see the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in your website. I saw a campaign of lies. It’s a shame.
June 2001
I want to thank the Tanners for their in depth research into the LDS church. It has helped me to make a more informed decision about this church that still holds my membership records. . . . My husband and children are still “believers” and I am dealing with this completely alone, given the fact most people I associate with are LDS! I am so very afraid of losing my family because of this decision . . .
July 2001
I’m in the medical field. . . . My analogy of mormonism, as one who was raised a mormon, is this: I see mormonism as a melanoma tumor. It is a cancer that grows at an alarming rate, that spreads in all directions and levels. It is deadly if not caught in time and cut out. It has gotten into the body of christ and people do not see its deadly potential spiritually. It is not selective of its victims, in their Race, Nationality, Religious preference, Gender or finacial status. I was willing to look under the microscope at mormonisum, I saw the evidence I know the truth now! to L.D.S. members I say the devil is very Clever! thank you for being there utlm . . .
August 2001
Are you guys still around?? I am amazed. . . . NO Tanners, true CHRISTIAN mormons aren’t upset about your constant silly attacks on us. It doesn’t bother us really cos every idiot under the sun has attacked the True Church and where has it gotten them? Nowhere! . . . we have deep pity for you both knowing what is going to happen to you. To be honest even Hitler doesn’t get what you 2 have to have.
September 2001
Hello, My wife and I just wanted to thank you for the time you’ve spent on your site and it’s contents! It’s very hard here in Salt Lake to find an open and honest source of information about the LDS Church. When coming to our decision to leave the church, we often found ourselves at your site looking up information that other wise would have been unavailable to us! We have recently parted ways with the church and have truly found Christ in our lives for the first time!! Now if our families would only speak with us!! Thanks again for a wonderful source of information. God Bless.
Originally appeared in:
“Extracts From Letters and Emails,” Salt Lake City Messenger, no. 97, October 2001, 14-15.