Watch the video above and talk about it with a friend or mentor.

It’s not always helpful to share your faith journey zealously with LDS friends and family. How can we channel our enthusiasm in a better direction?

Once we start the journey out of Mormonism, we eagerly want to share what we have discovered with LDS family and friends. But our efforts don’t always have the desired effect. They can turn people away rather than attract them. Yet if we’re thoughtful we can channel that zeal in more constructive ways.

Video Highlights:

  • It’s exciting to discover the truth. There is great freedom in knowing the truth. It’s amazing to discover how great God is and how rich his mercy is. The Holy Spirit fills us with tremendous joy and happiness. Of course we want to share that with others!
  • Latter-day Saints don’t usually respond positively to our excitement. Our LDS friends and family will often go on the defensive. They are often happy as they are, and don’t want to think about alternatives. They may be afraid of losing their faith. After all, there a lot at stake. And sometimes people just aren’t in a place in life where they are ready to hear the truth we have discovered.
  • Cautions against sharing too zealously.
    • Use a less direct approach. Knowing that your LDS family and friends might be easily offended, don’t act like an expert. Don’t go on a rant. Instead, raise the issues as thought-provoking questions that may stimulate them to do some study for themselves.
    • Channel your zeal into prayer. Use your energy and excitement to lift people up to God.

We certainly don’t want to approach people with bitterness or anger. But even positive excitement about our new experience can be off-putting. We can have empathy for our LDS friends by understanding why our journey is threatening to them. In the long run, it’s better for everyone if you don’t burn any bridges, so find constructive ways to channel your zeal.

[Related: What Mormons Will Say When You Leave]

[Related: Frustrations in Talking About your New Faith After Mormonism]

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Key Points:

  • It’s Exciting to Discover the Truth
  • Latter-day Saints Don’t Usually Respond Positively to Our Excitement
  • Cautions Against Sharing Too Zealously

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Talk About It
  1. Watch the video together or invite someone to summarize the topic.
  2. What is your initial reaction to this video? Do you disagree with any of it? What jumped out at you?
  3. As you were leaving Mormonism, what new discoveries were you most excited or zealous about?
  4. Did you try to share your new experience with LDS family or friends? What happened?
  5. Were you surprised about the reaction you got? Explain.
  6. Why do you think active Mormons often respond to the personal journey of people leaving Mormonism?
  7. “It’s better in the long run for everyone if you don’t burn any bridges.” Do you agree or disagree, and why?
  8. Describe some ways you have learned how to channel your zeal into more constructive ways.
  9. Write a personal action step based on this conversation.

This is part of the Relationships After Mormonism series.