Andrew Fish talks about his biggest regret with leaving the Mormon church

The Weight of Sacred Memory: One Man's Deepest Regret After Leaving the Mormon Church

When someone leaves the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the decision typically involves wrestling with theology, historical questions, or personal doctrine. But according to Andrew Fish on the Mormon Stories Podcast, Andrew Fish's biggest regret with leaving the Mormon church centers on something far more intimate and emotionally visceral: the rupture of a family's most sacred memory. His candid reflection reveals a dimension of faith transitions that extends beyond individual belief into the sacred narratives families construct together, and what happens when one person dismantles the spiritual framework that holds those stories sacred.

For many former members, the departure from Mormonism triggers a cascade of regrets. Some regret the lost community. Others regret the time and resources invested. But Fish's primary anguish focuses on what his departure meant for his parents' understanding of their own family origin story. This raises an urgent question many faith-transitioning individuals never publicly confront: What do we owe to the sacred memories of those who raised us, even when we no longer share their faith?

Background: Understanding the LDS Temple Sealing Ordinance

The LDS Church teaches that temple sealings, religious ceremonies performed in Mormon temples, bind families together not just for this life, but for "all eternity." For Latter-day Saint parents, the sealing of a child represents the fulfillment of a profound spiritual hope: that their family will remain united forever in the afterlife.

The sealing ceremony, according to LDS doctrine, transforms the parent-child relationship from a temporal bond into an eternal covenant. Parents who have sealed their children to them view this ritual as sanctifying their family unit in the eyes of God. It represents divine confirmation of their deepest desire: to remain a family beyond death itself.