Although our 12-13-year-old Scouts are not directly affected by the recent changes in “ministering” in the Church, they are definitely affected by the principles underlying these changes. When a historic change in church policy or practice is announced, it is tempting to focus on the mechanical aspects of the change to make sure we are […]
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A flag ceremony at an early LDS Boy Scout campout There is no religious side to the movement. The whole of it is based on religion, that is, on the realisation and service of God. —Lord Robert Baden-Powell The Boy Scouts of America gained momentum and popularity across the country. By January 1913, over 6,000 […]
Read more On May 11, 2017, the First Presidency announced that effective January 1, 2018, the Church will discontinue its Varsity and Venturing Scouting programs for young men ages 14–18. However, the First Presidency letter also states that “young men over the age of 14 who desire to continue to work toward the rank of Eagle Scout […]
Read more In its May 11, 2017 letter announcing the discontinuation of the Varsity and Venture programs in the Church, effective January 1, 2018, the First Presidency stated, “young men over the age of 14 who desire to continue to work toward the rank of Eagle Scout . . . should be encouraged and supported in their […]
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Scouting professionals and volunteers—from 12 councils and 7 states—gathered in Salt Lake City, Utah, September 28th through 30th for the LDS-BSA Relationships Seminar. Held each April and October, the three-day event coincides with the general conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The purpose of the seminar is to strengthen LDS-BSA relationships […]
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WOW! That is the one word I would use to describe the 2017 National Scout Jamboree, attended by nearly 40,000 participants, volunteers, staff and visitors at The Bechtel Summit. In 2010 and 2013 I was on the Family Life merit badge staff at the jamboree. This year I went as staff to sub-camp C3 and […]
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As an organizational development consultant specializing in strategic planning, I help company executives define their overarching strategic intentions, clearly understand what business they are in, and know why they exist. On May 11, 2017, the First Presidency announced that the Church will no longer sponsor Varsity and Venturing programs after this year. This has spurred […]
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The BSA National Annual Meeting was held in Orlando, Florida, May 24-26, 2017. LDS Scouters were involved in and recognized during several of the meeting events. Duty to God Breakfast The Thursday morning Duty to God Breakfast celebrates the religious aspects of Scouting. Significant Church leaders—Thomas S. Monson (when he was 1st Counselor in the […]
Read more “Scouting is not about awards; it’s about experiences,” said Douglas D. Holmes, first counselor in the Young Men general presidency, at the recent LDS-BSA Relationships Seminar held before April general conference. “It’s about experiences that matter.” The experiences that matter most in Scouting are those that bring young men to Christ and help them “become […]
Read more When I sat down with our new senior patrol leader and told him that we had decided that the adults were no longer going to run the troop and that he would now be in charge and make decisions, he looked at me like a “deer in headlights.” Like most 13 year-old young men, I […]
Read more It is impossible to measure the impact a faithful Scouting leader can have on the life of a young man. You can be a defining influence that helps establish a firm foundation of spiritual and moral character that prepares him for the opportunities and challenges in his future. Association with adults is one of the […]
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In the months leading up to leaving on my mission I worked as a groundskeeper at the Ogden Temple. Although I had acted as proxy for baptisms for the dead a number of times, I had little understanding of other ceremonies performed in the temple. Still, I was preparing to receive temple ordinances, which is […]
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