The Church Supports the Use of Vaccinations

On March 1, 2015 I wrote a letter to the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints regarding the Church’s vaccination policy (here). On March 21, 2019 I wrote a second letter (here). On April 30, 2019 Elder Weatherford Clayton responded to my second letter. His full letter is posted below (PDF file here). On August 11, 2019, I responded to Elder Clayton with a third letter (here).

30 April 2019

Brett Wilcox
2105 Sawmill Creek Road

Sitka, Alaska 99835

Dear Brother Wilcox,

The First Presidency forwarded to me your letter of March 21, 2019 regarding vaccination policy. Thank you for reaching out with your concerns about vaccinations and immunization safety.

As you know, vaccinations have both strong advocates and strong opponents. The rhetoric in the vaccination conversation is filled with firmly held opinions and assumptions. It is my privilege to have been assigned to chair the Missionary Health Services. I assure you that we in the Missionary Department are aware of the concerns that opponents have and honor their opinions though we may disagree with them. To help us with current information about vaccinations, the Public Health Committee has several very experienced physicians who have special expertise in infectious disease regularly review our immunization guidelines and immunization safety.

As you are aware vaccinations are not required for missionary service. I fear this is often misunderstood. If missionary candidates choose not to be vaccinated, they may indeed serve and are assigned to serve in their home country, regardless of the country of origin. This helps protect both the missionary and the population where the missionary might serve.

Diseases that vaccines can prevent can be devastating. In 2017, the most recent year for which estimates are available, measles caused close to 110,000 deaths, mostly in countries that do not have vaccinations readily available. Even in high-income countries such as the US where vaccinations are available, those who contract it run the risk of significant complications that can lead to lifelong disability ranging from brain damage to blindness to hearing loss. Yellow fever, another very dangerous infection that recently had an outbreak in South America, is controlled with vaccinations. Ebola, a disease in west (sp) Africa that has killed thousands, now has a vaccine which has proven effective when it is administered properly.

Thank you for you (sp) letter. I know that President Nelson, who was a medical researcher in cardiac surgery before his call to the apostleship, is a prophet of God. The Lord is revealing His will to His Church through him and the other apostles. The Church supports the use of vaccinations but does not require them to be used. Should the Lord require a change in this direction, I am certain that He will reveal it to His prophets.

Thank you for the clear and compelling explanation of your concerns.

Sincerely,

Weatherford Clayton
Chair, Missionary Health Services
Assistant Executive Director, Missionary Department

7 Replies to “The Church Supports the Use of Vaccinations”

  1. The chair of health services is clearly backing up the pharma drug industry, and so does his claim of “The Lord is revealing His will to His Church through him and the other apostles. The Church supports the use of vaccinations”. The worst of it is in the total scam and criminality of involving GOD into this entire issue! This chair of health services can be taken literally equal to a physical chair, an object without a brain and serving those who sit on it!

  2. I completely believe the Gospel of Jesus Christ and support my leaders and prophet. I am not critical of the above statement. I do have a point to make though … that the church leaders may not be aware of… that aborted babies cells are used in the making of vaccinations. That fact alone (besides all of the vaccine injuries and deaths that I am aware of) makes me unsupportive of vaccines; at least the way they are produced now. See this video:https://www.facebook.com/theactivistmommy/videos/354219578524107/?v=354219578524107 . Also, Brother Clayton mentions that measles is a bigger issue in countries that don’t have the vaccination; I beg to differ. I assume that most of these are third world countries. What third world countries share is the LACK of Clean drinking water, poor nutrition (thus challenged immune systems) crowded living situations, poor PLUMBING, etc. These things are the major contributors to the illnesses; not lack of vaccinations. In the U.S.-all of these illnesses were on a sharp decline BEFORE vaccinations were put on the market-due to improvements in plumbing/sewers/sanitation in general, etc. I think this is the reason. But like I said… aborted babies in our vaccines is something we need to be aware of and strongly against. Just my two cents. 🙂

  3. The church is clear. Vaccines help prevent both contracting and spreading awful diseases like measles and many others. We are blessed to live in a time and place where medical advancements, medicines, and vaccines exist. Too many parents learn too late that a simple vaccination could have saved their child’s life.
    “He said, ‘Did you have your son vaccinated?'” Kelly remembers. They had not. “’If this is what I think it is, he doesn’t have that much time to live,'” the doctor said. https://www.npr.org/2011/01/09/132735944/as-the-facts-win-out-vaccinations-may-too

  4. I would like President Nelson to make a statement about the COVID vaccine! I have heard differing stories about the vaccine! Please tell us that the vaccine is safe!

    Thank you,
    Karen Schleiffarth

    1. It appears they got the vaccine yesterday. A big to do on the news all over. I still won’t get a vaccine especially one still in emergency status by the FDA and that hasn’t gone through the third rial phase and skipped animal testing. Also one that is to change RNA function. In three years perhaps we will see what the consequences of everyone wanting man to save them with these ideas will be. Full disclosure, myself and five children are traditionally vaccinated but for future children I will not. I am also an active member of the LDS church and am of fourth generation pioneer lineage. I still support and trust in the prophet and apostles as true leaders of God but believe when it comes to personal or any other health decisions that’s between myself, God and sometimes a doctor. Personal revelation and agency for myself and family is always going to trump what anyone else does for themselves or their family. This is what I have been taught. Those with stewardship over me are those who can GUIDE me in decisions, mainly God, my spouse and local church leaders. But ultimately I have to choose for myself. Let the Holy Spirit guide. He will never speak untruths.

  5. “The rhetoric in the vaccination conversation is filled with firmly held opinions and assumptions.”

    I would like to hear what those assumptions are.

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