Hi stephanie ,I really admire that you are taking the time to pay attention to all those little steps we all go through in going from all the way "in" to all the way "out" of this religion. There sure are a lot of them arent there?
So many good points have already been presented here by other posters but I wanted to share something with you that shocked me personally.
Right after I began fading, I had a chance to talk with an elder I knew to be very discreet and very up on all things Org.
He was the one who told me that he had been shocked when the Society began backing off ever so slightly on their blood policy. The way it stands now, if a baptized person takes blood, the elders dont have to be automatically harsh with them judicially. In some cases, it can just be handled very quietly.
While it is true that this is no rip roaring change in doctrine, it IS a sign that the Org is in the beginning stages of waffling on their blood policy.
So what that tells me is - I am NOT going to risk my life and perhaps lose it only to find out later that they changed the policy in a "new light" moment.
There have been too many times they reverse themselves to entrust something as serious as a life and death decision to them.
I am glad I had that conversation. Not having access to an elders manual (being a lowly woman and all) I wouldnt have known if I hadnt accidentally come across the fact in a conversation.