dprh

I've already been vaccinated.  I'm not sure if I will get or need a booster (I read that they have been approved for everyone this past week I think).  I think I'll see if it adds added protection against more virile variants if they become prevalent or start to become prevalent (lambda variant for example).
I have started wearing the masks in social settings as of this past week.  Sometimes it is easy, sometimes it is not.  I am having a grandson getting married soon, not sure if they will ask masks to be worn or not.  That may be one of the hardest times and places for me to wear a mask, but unless the First Presidency says otherwise, I am going to plan on wearing a mask (there, I wrote it down so now I'm committed.  Strange how writing something down can firm up one's resolve to do something that they were struggling with previously).

Probably not; though for some of us, whether or not we get the COVID vaccine may influence just how soon judgment day comes.
On the PR issue:  there’s certainly a benefit to being seen as good citizens, “good soldiers” in a time of crisis, etc.  But that doesn’t mean that President Nelson saying “please do x” is implicitly followed by a wink and an unspoken “but, not really”.  Even if the value of the statement is primarily PR, the PR value comes from the fact that people expect the Saints to actually do what the prophet has said.  
As the article I linked to earlier suggests—sometimes Church leaders just plain ask us to do things that are to our material detriment, or even just plain get us killed. The fact that we believe a prophet’s counsel may be detrimental to our material prospects in mortality, is ultimately no reason not to follow it.

That is an incredible comparison.  2020 COVID deaths were about 350k.  2018 abortions (the latest I could find) were over 600k!  

That is an incredible comparison.  2020 COVID deaths were about 350k.  2018 abortions (the latest I could find) were over 600k!  

That is an incredible comparison.  2020 COVID deaths were about 350k.  2018 abortions (the latest I could find) were over 600k!  

This! It is telling -- the natural man -- sadly how often I have read this statement from others.
This is also sad when you think of the number of abortions -- a type of murder -- that occurs every year world wide (40-50 million deaths). It is one of the deepest seeds of hypocrisy who are yelling "murder" for not getting a vaccine or wearing a face mask while supporting and lobbying for abortion -- the killing of the most innocent form of human life.
In comparison, the deaths from Covid are no where near the deaths of human infants. The difference, one is performed willingly while the other is a natural course of human life. Virus come and virus go.
Another irony, all the people crying face mask and vaccine, particularly face mask, I don't remember them crying about face masks during Flu pandemics. The swine flu took more children in the first year, but I don't remember any hysteria creating our schools to close. The flu was passed on to people and it was passed on to older residents who died from the flu, but I don't remember anyone going to Facebook crying, whining, and fear mongering over these deaths?
Reminds of the Lord's words in scripture how easily it is for his sons and daughters to be driven by the waves and winds of the sea.

I actually agree. I was looking through other church announcements. Some are stamped by being from the first presidency, others are just church declarations and announcements. I wonder if it is worth greater consideration since the first presidency put their stamp on it this time as oppose to just making it a general church statement

I have a hard time believing that President Nelson does anything as the prophet and President of the Church without petitioning the Lord for revelation. I'm not saying there aren't still good reasons to make the personal decision that a vaccine isn't for oneself. But to write off any official communiqué as "speaking as men" seems a bit spurious. And to assume President Nelson prayed whether he should get the vaccine, received confirmation he should, and then thought, "Well, that means the whole church should too!" without taking the matter of the church's best interest to the Lord as well.....  I dunno. Seems like pretty iffy reasoning to me. At best one might be able to argue (in my opinion) that the answer he received from the Lord on the matter was something akin to "make your best personal judgement on behalf of the church". But the idea that he didn't take it to the Lord first for confirmation would seem really odd to me considering the way he's spoken about revelation and the importance of it in the past. And the idea that the Lord would say something akin to "It doesn't matter. Prescribe to My people whatever you think is best", while well within the realms of possibility, doesn't seem (to my thinking) to be likely.
I'm not arguing that everyone should interpret what the letter says to mean that everyone must get the vaccine or they're not following the prophet. But I, personally, don't believe the "speaking as men" point of view holds a ton of merit.

I think if it had been PR, they'd have done it back in April or May.  Having it come out after they've had their own time to study it makes me think the opposite, that it isn't (just) PR. 

Today I received a report that one of my fully vaccinated brothers in the Elders Quorum who attended Sacrament meeting yesterday was admitted to the hospital this morning and subsequently tested positive for COVID. Fortunately my wife and I had decided to attend virtually rather than cause anyone further concern with our non-vaccinated status (although I did attend Ward Council later, masked and distanced).
Unfortunately, we have had to inform all the ward members that they have all been exposed.
A good reminder that vaccinated or not, we are all possible transmission vectors.

I think the rapid fall of Kabul  became an inevitability on the day the last Australian troops left in June. To imagine that anyone could hold the country together without strong Australian support is just ridiculous.  
On another note, in the 19th century, Afghanistan saw off the British, the dominant global military force of the time. In the 20th century, they saw off the Russians. In the 21st century, they waved goodbye to the Americans, and others. And now, finally, they have been defeated - by themselves. 

I'm curious why you found it grating. I did not. I agree with it in substance too and sent it to one of my friends who's really upset about things.
Side thought: as to the "most of it" idea...I disagree with the stake president and ward decisions that "We follow the prophet" = "Wear masks at church" idea, In that though I joked earlier about it just being an excuse, I actually believe that the letter specifically included the phrase "in public meetings whenever social distancing is not possible" because it meant in public meetings whenever social distancing is not possible.

Well, in that case . . . Who doesn’t love a little Moon River?

It’s so frustrating. Conservative media is attacking only the far far left views. Liberal media is attacking on the far far right views. Both are painting the picture of “it’s us or this dystopian view of the enemy”. The true left and true right are closer than most paint 

I appreciate the different take on Abraham, and the ideas of him having failed to rely on God when he left Canaan or when he described his wife as his sister are food for thought.
But I would push back a bit on your exegesis of Galatians 4.  The Greek idiom that is translated as “after the flesh” or “of the flesh” here (and in Romans 9) refers to children who were born through natural processes (as opposed to, say, adoption).  Similarly the Net Bible’s note to Gal 4:29, after a reference to Isaac’s being “born according to the Spirit”, provides a variant reading as “born by the Spirit’s power”.  The primary dichotomy Paul is setting up isn’t that Ishmael was conceived illicitly versus Isaac’s being conceived lawfully; it’s that Ishmael was conceived in the ordinary way whereas Isaac was conceived miraculously (because Sarah was well past child-bearing age). 
(Certainly a subtext here is that Ishmael, as son of a concubine/slave, didn’t enjoy the same inheritance rights as Isaac, who was born of a free woman and lawful wife; but that doesn’t impute wrongdoing to Abraham, as concubinage was routine in patriarchal times and was actually contemplated within Mosaic law).

I must say I've been vaccinated from as soon as I could get vaccinated.  It helped me so that I could get cleared to do my job this summer and actually travel in research.
IT DID bring to light some interesting things about what is happening abroad with the Church which I'll probably comment about in another topic or thread (or make one). 
I have remained fairly healthy though I suspect that my vaccination may be put to the test HERE in the US ironically rather than abroad.
Today, as I greeted one of my grandkids I asked about my deodorant I was wearing  (I had put it on liberally and so was quite smelly, hopefully not in an offensive way).  Others had commented on it that I may have put it on a bit strong.  My grandchild came up and I asked them about the smell of it and they said they didn't smell anything.  They then said they had the sniffles and so couldn't smell anything recently...which raised my alarm a little. 
I suppose I'll see how good the vaccination is in being effective at protecting me (hopefully, as I've followed the First Presidencies recommendations from the Start as quickly as I can I have the blessings of protection in that light). 
I've found that I have at least one daughter in Law and many in that family that are not vaccinated and still do not plan on getting vaccinated, even with the most recent First Presidency message.  I will see how that turns out, hopefully they remain healthy.  Ironically she works in the medical field.
A great deal of mockery has been had at the US abroad due to their anti-science stance, especially regarding vaccines.  Unfortunately, the big news stories I saw abroad regarding Utah, Idaho, and Arizona that involved the Church also discussed these things which I think puts the Church in a bad light in the media recently. 
It's NOT like the Leadership is acting against science (or at least the Prophet and First Presidency), but it is the ACTIONS of the members that are bringing to light what the rest of the world is seeing and perceiving about Utah, Arizona, and Idaho.  It's not a good PR situation from what I could see.
It's not just Church members doing this though, there are several nations which have their own pockets of deeply anti-scientific individuals who are refusing to get vaccinated in almost every location I visited this summer, but it is interesting how actions of those in areas where the church is prominent sometimes were highlighted more in a negative light in regards to anti-vaccine and anti-masking actions then their own local backyards.
The prophet and First Presidency have been advocating Vaccination almost from the very start.  It's not new.  I think being more forceful about it though needs to be done and hopefully it makes international news that the Head Leadership of the Church is very strongly in favor of vaccinations and masking and thus putting the church in a favorable media light to counter the NEGATIVE news that have come out regarding the actions of many of the general membership in the Utah, Idaho, and Arizona areas. 
I hope that their statements paint a positive light in the international community.
To much negative news has come from the actions of members recently in their responses against masks and vaccinations in Utah and Arizona (and more limited in Idaho) that has seemed almost like a media paintjob internationally to paint the church in a bad light. 
Hopefully the First Presidency message and it's forcefulness counters this and puts the Church back in the news in a positive light.

If we're getting technical, the commandment is not Thou shalt not murder.  It is "Thou shalt not kill", correct?  
https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/ot/ex/20?lang=eng

If we're getting technical, the commandment is not Thou shalt not murder.  It is "Thou shalt not kill", correct?  
https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/ot/ex/20?lang=eng

I was watching a video where a nutrition specialist was talking about corn syrup.  She said a lot people have a problem where the body does not know what to do with corn syrup so it just becomes fat on your body.  Lately I have been cutting back a lot on foods with corn syrup in them.  If I have something to report on what this does to me in the future I will let you know.
I've also been trying to put in more exercise lately.  Trying everyday to get walking and biking in with minor muscle exercise.
Favorite snacks, nothing comes to mind.  Anything without corn syrup in it which is not easy to find.

There are two others  

I can't believe I just went and watched the video again.  

For the most part I agree.  However, I would point out that many churches do have structure where the Love of Christ is manifested.  But, unfortunately, most religious organization are set up that such experiences are primarily set up for those that enter into "the ministry" for which they must qualify before institutions of men (by definition the meaning and purpose of "Universities") and for which they are for the most part paid as it becomes their mortal "profession".  Perhaps the great exception to which I have some experience is in Buddhism.  I honestly believe that other than the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the closets religion to the teaching of Christ that is more prevalent throughout history is in Buddhism rather than in Christianity.   For example as Buddhism spread among civilizations of Asia in the ancient world it did so in uniting peoples in peace.  Christianity on the other hand was spread mostly through Western continents with the brutality of war and genocide.  -- Something that few Traditional Trinitarian Christians are willing to recognize - which I believe is the primary reason that atheism and agnosticism has become so prevalent in Western society.
 
The Traveler

One of the life lessons that I believe has been lost in the generations that have followed my generation is the concept of a military obligation which includes tactical training in the "art" of war and killing other human beings.  During my youth my family raised chickens and rabbits to be slaughtered for our table.  In addition we hunted and fished.  I enjoyed hunting but felt that fishing was boring and a waist of time.  I have also spent time surviving in the wild living off of and only from what nature provides.  
It can be quite traumatic or exciting to end the life for something living.   From all of our science and the best of our knowledge; life (as we understand it) is the rarest comedy of all things known to be possible in our universe.  As an expert in robotics and automation I was once involved in automating a slaughter facility.  Many from generations or experiences different from mine had difficulty working with me to automate the slaughter of living things and what is done with their physical "parts".  Very few ladies have any clue where the "protein added" in they cosmetics and personal products comes from - let alone what is involved in even "organically" grown foods and products. 
The highest from of intelligent life known - and as far as we know - exits exclusively here on earth in the creatures we call "modern" man.  I have never struggled with taking the life of anything as I had dealing with the knowledge that my orders for combat while fulling my military obligation during a time of war, would result in my taking the life of humans.  There is something in the death of human brings to those present at the moment.  I consider myself most fortunate that for the many times I have been present at someone's death that I was not the cause or determining  instrument of human death.  One of my personal concerns is what I see as a trend of human death in entertainment and the idolizing of those that are the cold instrument of it - which I believe to be far worse and exponentially more dangerous to society than sexual phonography.
As from Moroni in the Book of Mormon - I do believe that his greatest regret was the taking of human life and his primary wish was not to be known as a successful warrior but rather as a devoted servant of G-d whose greatest wish was that all would come unto Christ and be forgiven of their sins.  I do not believe he found any "delight" or entertainment in the shedding of human blood.  And I believe he suffered many and often nightmares (never any delight or entertainment) from the blood shed he was forced into experiencing.  If anyone has different experiences with the actual death of others - I would be most interesting to discover why such is found to be entertaining. 
 
The Traveler

Then he waddled away, waddle waddle...then he waddled away, waddle waddle till the very next day.  That was cute.