To those who have gone away...

The search for truth has led millions of people to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. However, there are some who leave the Church they once loved.
One might ask, “If the gospel is so wonderful, why would anyone leave?”
Sometimes we assume it is because they have been offended or lazy or sinful. Actually, it is not that simple. In fact, there is not just one reason that applies to the variety of situations.
Some of our dear members struggle for years with the question whether they should separate themselves from the Church.
-- President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, Oct 2013

There are indeed many reasons why members leave the church and abandon their faith. In my experience, I've known those who separate themselves from the Church because of bad behavior, spiritual apathy, looking for an excuse not to live the commandments, or searching for an easy out. If God doesn't exist then the commandments are not enforceable and there is no sin in doing anything contrary to them. They therefore seek to justify their behavior by dismissing what we in the church consider to be sin and evil. Instead they are lead by human conscience and the greater good. Unfortunately, when sin is eliminated from the equation, so is righteousness. Goodness becomes a relative term subject to interpretation, revision, and alteration. The line between good and bad becomes a large gray area. This is not how it should be.

For it must needs be, that there is an opposition in all things.  If not so...righteousness could not be brought to pass, neither wickedness, neither holiness nor misery, neither good nor bad.  Wherefore, all things must needs be a compound in one; wherefore, if it should be one body it must needs remain as dead, having no life neither death, nor corruption nor incorruption, happiness nor misery, neither sense nor insensibility.
Wherefore, it must needs have been created for a thing of naught; wherefore there would have been no purpose in the end of its creation.  Wherefore, this thing must needs destroy the wisdom of God and his eternal purposes, and also the power, and the mercy, and the justice of God.
And if ye shall say there is no law, ye shall also say there is no sin.  If ye shall say there is no sin, ye shall also say there is no righteousness.  And if there be no righteousness there be no happiness.  And if there be no righteousness nor happiness there be no punishment nor misery. And if these things are not there is no God.
(Book of Mormon | 2 Nephi 2:11 - 13)

No-one should be forced nor coerced to believe in God and His commandments. The truth, however, is that the existence of God is not dependent on our faith in Him. He exists whether we believe in Him or not. And, if He exists, then His commandments are in force whether we accept them or not. We are, of course, free to choose to believe them or not. We are not, however, free to choose the consequences of our choices. If in this life it seems that our choice to disregard the commandments has no undesirable results, and in many cases a person can lead a blissful and happy life without heeding the commandments of God, they may find after death that they have become ineligible for great and eternal blessings. It is especially unfortunate for those who once believed and now choose to set those things aside.

But wo unto him that has the law given, yea, that has all the commandments of God, like unto us, and that transgresseth them, and that wasteth the days of his probation, for awful is his state!
O that cunning plan of the evil one!  O the vainness, and the frailties, and the foolishness of men!  When they are learned they think they are wise, and they hearken not unto the counsel of God, for they set it aside, supposing they know of themselves, wherefore, their wisdom is foolishness and it profiteth them not.  And they shall perish.
(Book of Mormon | 2 Nephi 9:27 - 28)

These scriptures teach us that not only does God exist, but an opposing force we know to be Satan, or the devil, also exists. He is the one who entices people into throwing away their faith and their God.

O, my beloved brethren, remember the awfulness in transgressing against that Holy God, and also the awfulness of yielding to the enticings of that cunning one.  Remember, to be carnally–minded is death, and to be spiritually–minded is life eternal.
O, my beloved brethren, give ear to my words.  Remember the greatness of the Holy One of Israel.  Do not say that I have spoken hard things against you; for if ye do, ye will revile against the truth; for I have spoken the words of your Maker.  I know that the words of truth are hard against all uncleanness; but the righteous fear them not, for they love the truth and are not shaken.
O then, my beloved brethren, come unto the Lord, the Holy One.
(Book of Mormon | 2 Nephi 9:39 - 41)

There is comfort in knowing that there is a God in Heaven who loves every individual even when they sin and ignore the commandments. He sent His Son to atone for our transgressions and to prepare the way to return to Him and receive immortality and eternal life.

And the Messiah cometh in the fulness of time, that he may redeem the children of men from the fall.  And because that they are redeemed from the fall they have become free forever, knowing good from evil; to act for themselves and not to be acted upon, save it be by the punishment of the law at the great and last day, according to the commandments which God hath given.
Wherefore, men are free according to the flesh; and all things are given them which are expedient unto man.  And they are free to choose liberty and eternal life, through the great Mediator of all men, or to choose captivity and death, according to the captivity and power of the devil; for he seeketh that all men might be miserable like unto himself.
(Book of Mormon | 2 Nephi 2:26 - 27)

If anyone has been offended by something in church that was said or not said, done or not done, or if there are things you have done that would make you feel ashamed if you acknowledged a belief in God, for a moment, try to set those hurt feelings aside and allow the good message of the Gospel to have a little place in your heart.

Now, as I said concerning faith—that it was not a perfect knowledge—even so it is with my words.  Ye cannot know of their surety at first, unto perfection, any more than faith is a perfect knowledge.
But behold, if ye will awake and arouse your faculties, even to an experiment upon my words, and exercise a particle of faith, yea, even if ye can no more than desire to believe, let this desire work in you, even until ye believe in a manner that ye can give place for a portion of my words
(Book of Mormon | Alma 32:26 - 27)

I have tasted of the blessings of the Gospel of our Savior. His arms of mercy are open and the invitation is extended to all to come unto Him, or to come back unto Him if you have gone away, and partake of those sweet blessings.