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I read two books in the past year pertaining to Hoffman and his forgeries. . . . the tanner name kept appearing in Gathering of Saints & Mormon Murders—to the extent that I became interested in your writings. I am halfway through your Mormonism [—Shadow or Reality?] . . . and was released sunday as 2nd Coun[selor]— in the . . . ward bishopric . . . about 4 weeks ago I gave a note to the other counselor . . . that said—this will probably be my last Sacrament Service and promptly left the podium . . . I hav[e]n’t returned to church . . .

As you can imagine—I am going through a difficult time. My wife is very upset . . .

Thank you for your research—It has been overpowering to me—and answered many of my questions.

(Letter from Texas)

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I wish to thank you warmly for your faithful ministry and sending of printed material of foremost importance to us, keeping us abreast of so many events occurring within and without the Church . . . I have almost finished perusing your last book EVOLUTION ON TEMPLE CEREMONY; it is confirming what I have been feeling for years, so as to lead me to discontinue attending temple Sessions—the only strong link that keeps me still tied with Mormonism is the Book of M. . . .

(Letter from Switzerland)

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I count you as very special friends, although we’ve never met. Questions that were unresolved in me for years were clarified and openly discussed in your literature. My story, in brief, is that I rebelled against parental and church authority from age 12 to 17 when I was caught up and repented of smoking and drinking, returned to the fold, serve a mission, married in the temple, acquired a PhD . . . had five children . . . was Pres. in a Quorum of Seventy, read much church literature . . . was an officiator in the Oakland Temple, became inactive, rejected both God and Christ, drank again casually at age 36, discovered I was alcoholic at age 40, joined AA and found the spiritual basis for my life that had always eluded me as both child and man. I found God rather soon, but spent several years coming to Christ . . .

In AA I discovered that I was bankrupt in all areas of my life: spiritual, mental, moral. When I abandoned myself to God, His Grace entered to expel my obsession and begin to restore me to health. I understood Paul for the first time. Service to others is the key to my life . . . For several years, theological correctness became secondary to recovery and service, but after my mother died . . . I put more time into the search, read much of your literature and on Oct. 31, 1989, I requested that my name be removed from LDS church rolls. This was quietly done soon thereafter. Life is now a coherent whole and my inner peace is great. . . .

Thank you for your good work. I feel you have been used as an instrument that could reach me because you are committed to the truth and not merely to a ‘cause.’ The difference is important to me. I have had dear friends in the church advise me that I should suppress my doubts because of the good the church does and because of the good people in it. With far baser motives, some enemies of the church use untruths or distortions to attack it (and now you), in the belief that their ‘cause’ is just (as if God needed a human defender). . . .

Your dedication to thorough, open research, no-holds-barred for the truth, makes me feel that I want to count you among my friends. I am thankful that you are making yourselves sharp tools in God’s service. I am over 17 years sober . . . you may use my story if it can help a soul to Christ.

(Letter from California)

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