PURE TRUTH ABOUT THE PANDEMIC PLAGUE: From 96-Year-Old Prophet Russell M. Nelson, President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Annual conference in Salt Lake City this weekend Saturday and Sunday

Mormon president thanks members who adhere to COVID guidelines

Kierra Frazier

Axios | 2021-10-02T21:52:07.206803Z

 

 

Report from Axios: "The president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints urged members at a conference on Saturday to take precautions when it comes to COVID-19 and thanked those who have followed church guidance, which includes getting vaccinated, the Associated Press reports.

Why it matters: The Mormon Church, one of the largest Christian denominations in the U.S., has faced internal division among its 16 million members worldwide over pandemic guidelines.

The big picture: Church President Russell M. Nelson said Saturday that the world is "still dealing with the ravages of COVID-19 and its variants.”

• “One of the plagues of our day is that too few people know where to turn for truth," Nelson said, per AP. "I can assure you that what you will hear today and tomorrow constitutes pure truth."
• The church's twice annual conference is taking place without full attendance due to the coronavirus, but several hundred people returned Saturday to watch in person.
• In Utah, where the church is headquartered, roughly 65% of residents ages 12 and older have been fully vaccinated as of Saturday, according to state data.

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Updated

12 Aug 2021

12:04 pm MDT

President Russell M. Nelson, president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, received the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccination on Tuesday morning, Jan. 19, 2021.

Credit: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

First Presidency urges Latter-day Saints to wear masks, be vaccinated

Church News |

As numbers of COVID-19 cases continue to rise globally, the First Presidency is urging members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to use face masks in public meetings and be vaccinated. We find ourselves fighting a war against the ravages of COVID-19 and its variants, an unrelenting pandemic,” wrote President Russell M. Nelson and his counselors, President Dallin H. Oaks and President Henry B. Eyring, in the message Thursday, Aug. 12, and sent to Latter-day Saints around the world. “We want to do all we can to limit the spread of these viruses. We know that protection from the diseases they cause can only be achieved by immunizing a very high percentage of the population.

“To limit exposure to these viruses, we urge the use of face masks in public meetings whenever social distancing is not possible. To provide personal protection from such severe infections, we urge individuals to be vaccinated. Available vaccines have proven to be both safe and effective.”

The First Presidency expressed “sincere love and great concern for all of God’s children” in the message, sent as confirmed cases across the globe exceeded 204 million, with the United States passing 36 million and some states instituting face-mask mandates.

“We can win this war if everyone will follow the wise and thoughtful recommendations of medical experts and government leaders,” they wrote.