What is Little Philmont?

With a Little Philmont approaching in our area, I have been getting many questions about exactly what it is. Here is what I have been telling people. If anyone has anything to add (or correct) please add a comment.

Philmont Scout Ranch in New Mexico is the site of several premier scout leader training courses every year. Two weeks out of every summer (two sessions, one week each), the Church holds Priesthood Leadership Training at Philmont Scout Ranch, where the General Young Men Presidency and General Primary Presidency train Stake Presidencies in using Scouting in conjunction with the priesthood. Those Stake Presidencies are then encouraged to take what they learn back to their stakes and hold a "Little Philmont" - a one or two day conference about how Scouting fits with the Church and the priesthood. This is done under the direction of the Young Men General Presidency. In fact, I have heard there is often a member of the Young Men General Presidency, as well as members of the Board at the Little Philmont.

Who should attend a Little Philmont? Everyone! Little Philmont is for anyone with a Scout-related calling, from direct contact leaders to committee members, Cubs through Venturing. It is for Young Men and Primary presidencies on both the stake and ward level. It is for bishoprics and parents of scouts. And, of course, commissioners serving LDS units would find it helpful. It is for anyone who could benefit from a better understanding of how the priesthood and Scouting fit together and why the Lord has asked us to use this program to raise His young men and train them to be missionaries (and beyond).

There is a section on the Church Website about Philmont and Little Philmont, the link to which says, "The purpose of this conference is to help stake leaders better understand how Scouting can support the Aaronic Priesthood." It includes a suggested agenda for Little Philmont, in the middle of a lot of other great Scouting resources.

For those in the Northern Nevada area: Our Little Philmont will be on August 23 at the Winnemucca Stake Center. You can e-mail me for more details (or ask your local leaders). The Stake President who is heading the effort was at Philmont Scout Ranch last week receiving his training. 11 stakes from Northern Nevada are being invited (not sure whether that includes Sierra District as well). I was told that the last Little Philmont in our council was eight years ago, so this is a rare opportunity, worth taking advantage of. I have also heard that there will be a member of the Young Men General Presidency there (hint: he's a Nevada native).

"Scout Training Was The Answer"

We have another Ensign article about Scouting! In the July 2014 Ensign is a fantastic article called, "Scout Training Was The Answer," where Christopher M. Grimes shares his testimony of how getting trained helped him, his ward's program and his scouts.

Another Handbook Update

The Church's Handbook on Scouting (the "Green Book") was updated again in May. You can find the latest version here. The biggest change, or rather addition, that I know is a new section on Unit Commissioners, giving new, more specific guidelines on how stake callings fit in with commissioner work and what the responsibilities are of those who are unit commissioners because of their callings.

May 2014 Newsletter

LDSBSA.org has a new newsletter posted for May. You can find it on their newsletter page here. Some highlights of the newsletter are a message about Roundtable from the General Primary Presidency and a message about safety.

Safety

Did you know that LDS Scouting units average more fatalities during activities than other Scouting units? Charles Dahlquist gave three reasons for this: "(1) lack of training, (2) lack of experience, and (3) failure to exercise good common sense."

There was a fantastic article posted recently on the Utah National Parks Council blog about safety in LDS Scouting units. One of the things the article linked to was another new website from the Church: http://safety.lds.org. I highly recommend checking both out. With warmer weather upon us, it is time to start heading outdoors with those boys. Let's remember when we do, the importance of following the guidelines in the Guide to Safe Scouting.

Youth Leadership

"When I was a mission president in northern Germany, Sister Dahlquist and I had a few minutes one day and took a short trip to the top of a little mount called, 'Hercules' right in the city Kassel. At the top of Hercules, I saw a shepherd with his staff, sheep dogs and sheep, and I thought I would ask him the age-old question, 'When you move your sheep from one place to another, do you go in front of the sheep or behind?' His answer surprised me: 'It depends,' he said. 'If they are going a route they are familiar with, they go ahead, with the dogs watching out to ensure that none go astray. But if they are going to a place where they have not been before, I go ahead and they follow.' What a wonderful principle of leadership.

"As leaders, we need to know where we are going, or we will go astray. We must be trained and directed; we must catch the vision. It is the same with the young men. When they are charting unknown waters, we must be close to them, often leading the way so they can follow and so they can be prepared to lead the next time. The moment I was called as a Scoutmaster, I felt an unusual sense of urgency, one I had not had before. I remember discussing that with the bishop and also with the boys in leadership. I told them, 'Boys, I have a feeling we do not have long to accomplish all we must in this quorum. For the next couple of weeks, I will be doing some things that, after you have seen how it's done, YOU will be doing, so watch carefully!' Within several weeks, they shouldered their proper share of the load, but only after they had seen it done and caught a vision of how things should be." (Charles Dahlquist, 2004 Young Men General Open House)

I love the story in the Book of Morning when the brother of Jared goes to the Lord and asks for his help lighting the boats that they would spend nearly a year shut up in, crossing the ocean. The Lord does not give him an answer. He tells the brother of Jared to let him know when he has a plan. Later, the brother of Jared comes back and asks the Lord for help lighting up the clear stones he has molten.

Someone pointed out to me recently that the Lord probably could have come up with a better plan. He might have had something great in mind. So they might have had better light on the boat, but what would the brother of Jared have learned from that? What was more important, the light, or doing something fro himself?

As a leader, it can be a lot easier sometimes to take the reigns ourselves. Someone in my "Scouting in the LDS Church" class a couple of weeks ago told a great story about being a Scoutmaster and allowing his scouts to plan and shop for a camp out. He said, "I have never eaten so much bacon in my life. When we were shopping, I kept trying to put bags of salad and things into the cart, but the boys would see them and say, 'Who put this in there?' and throw they out again." They may not have had a nutritionally balanced camp out, but it was definitely THEIR camp out.

What is more important? Perfect activities that flow the way we would like or learning opportunities for growing young men into leaders?

Some more from President Dahlquist: “Now that we have spoken about the priesthood leader and the adult Young Men leaders, let's focus for a minute on the quorum president and the individual Aaronic Priesthood quorum member. In the Doctrine and Covenants, we are instructed that it is the DUTY of the president of a quorum of deacons to PRESIDE over twelve deacons and “to sit in council with them, and to teach them their duty, edifying one another.” Since our call to the Young Men general presidency, I have pondered this direction given by the Lord to the Prophet Joseph in Kirtland in 1835 and have wondered how long it will take us before we take this guidance seriously and begin treating Aaronic Priesthood presidents as priesthood leaders – as leaders of a priesthood that, in the Lord's own words, 'is to hold the keys of the ministering of angels, and to administer in outward ordinances.'

“In many cases, the extent of their leadership experience is to stand, in the case of a deacons quorum, unprepared each Sunday, welcome the quorum members, ask for a volunteer to pray, ask for volunteers to pass the sacrament, turn the lesson over to Brother Johansen, and then ask for another volunteer to pray at the end. Then we wonder why they leave their Aaronic Priesthood experience unchallenged, untrained, and sorely unprepared to meet the challenges that await them."

Both the church and the BSA have tools for training these young men. You can find a page here with training that is meant to be given in a Troop, Team or Crew after every election cycle. I love the powerpoint presentations for creating an annual program plan found here and here, because are broken into two segments: one for the leaders to watch ahead of time and one for the youth to watch to help guide them through the process.

There needs to be a balance between guiding them and standing back to let them take over. The leaders who I have seen struggle most with youth leadership do not seem to understand the principle of first training, then easing the boys into things. One thing that can help is to give the boys specific choices instead of leaving things wide open. For example: Instead of leaving an open, "What do you want to do for activities?" give them a selection of merit badges and say, "Which ones would you most like to work on as a group this year?" Then let them come up with a plan to help make that happen. Ask questions that will lead them in the right directions while still making the final ideas and decisions theirs. Provide opportunities for safe learning experiences (by "safe" I mean making mistakes in a situation that will not lead to epic failure and giving up). Deciding what is most appropriate for your particular group of boys may require a lot of prayer and listening to the Spirit.

It would be great to hear more suggestions and thought on this from more experienced Scouters. What has worked or has not worked for you in helping your boys lead? What are some of your favorite stories about boy-led activities or scouts learning from their mistakes?

So, you're a new Den Leader... (Scoutmaster, Varsity Coach, etc.)

"Many have said that, 'Scouting is for the boy.' In reality, it is for the adult. Boy Scouts of America provides the training, programs, and resources necessary to help adults effectively prepare young men for today and their future." - Young Men General Presidency, May 2010 LDS-BSA Newsletter

I have probably posted that quote before. It is one that I really love, because I know from experience just how true it is. I was reflecting on my past and realized just how much I have grown and changed in the last ten years. I am sure much of that has to do with being a mom and wife - growth is essential in those positions - but I know that a good part of it also came through involvement in Scouting.

I believe that coming into a Scouting calling willingly, especially being open to training, learning from the boys and enjoying yourself, will make growth more easily attainable. You will become a better person, closer to the person God has in mind for you. Initially, I was not so willing, but I guess becoming more enthusiastic, as well and being more open to learning and growth, were some of the first ways Scouting helped me grow.

In fact, I would say I was compelled by our committee chair more than anything to go to training the first time. Since then, the more training I have taken, the more I like it, and the more helpful I have found it (in fact, as many have said before me, I learn even more when I am the one teaching the training course). Trainers' EDGE especially helped me with teaching and presenting skills I use outside of Scouting just as much as in it. Of course, I think I grew a lot attending Wood Badge, and while I have been working on my tickets. I definitely have seen that change in others who attended that same Wood Badge course, just as I have seen fellow den leaders change after attending Leader-Specific Training.

I cannot emphasize enough to new Scout leaders that the two best things you can do for yourself and for your scouts are to have a good attitude (or at least do your best to have a good attitude) and attend training. Then attend more training, roundtables, University of Scouting, etc. (And please don't think, "I was a scout; I know what I'm doing.")

"Just in Cub Scouts..."

In a recent conversation with my DE friend, he said something that has had me thinking about it ever since. As someone who has lived mostly in the Midwest, he has had an interesting time adapting to the culture since moving here a little over two years ago, and there are many things about Church Scouting that drive him crazy. This one really took me off guard, though, especially coming from a professional Scouter. He made the comment that we don't focus enough on primary. He feels there is a very big imbalance, with all the focus on youth 12 and up. He believes Cub Scouts is important for getting the boys started in Scouting.

He is not the only one I have heard this from. More than once our Council Commissioner has made comments about how Cub Scouting is the best/easiest way to recruit/do missionary work. He talks a lot about how easy it should be to have those Cubs bring their friends to meetings with them. I have heard that something like 90% of Boys Scouts started as Cub Scouts (don't remember the exact figure).

When boys are Cub Scouting age, they are much more open to joining scouts and many of the things associated with that. If they participate in a good Cub Scout program, they are more likely to continue on and enjoy Boy Scouting. If their program is a disappointment or they do not attend Cub Scouts, they are very unlikely to have any interest in participating in Boy Scouts when they are older.

My own personal observation is that when this happens within the Church, the boy not only has no interest in participating in weekday activities, he does not seem to feel a part of his quorum on Sunday.

I think it is important to have good programs all the way through, but it really does need to start in Cub Scouting. As a unit commissioner, I recently met with a Charter Rep for one of the other wards nearby. He is the bishopric member assigned to both Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts (I know different wards do this different ways; some have the charter rep focus on Boy Scouts and the other councilor focus on Cubs, and some have just one do both). He confessed that he did not pay much attention to what was going on in the Cub Scout program. He was very busy, and he trusted that the committee chair and primary were taking care of things and it was best if he just stayed out of the way. I wonder whether he would ever take that same approach with the youth programs.

What do you think? Do we often de-emphasize the importance of Cub Scouts in favor of programs for the older youth? Is it "just" Cub Scouts, or should it be regarded on the same level of importance as any of the other programs? I know the age group of around 12-25 is considered "high risk," but does the foundation for or prevention of that risk actually begin earlier?

Teaching in the Savior's Way

I admit, as I am not currently a teacher of youth, I have not paid a whole lot of attention to the new curriculum. However, I was on the Church website this morning reading about it, and I felt the Spirit so strongly, I wanted to share my testimony of this teaching method with you.

This is not a new method, but it can be very difficult to get the hang of for those of us who have spent our lives in the classroom model of education. Obviously, the Savior used this teaching method in His time, but there have been examples of it in recent times as well. Neil Flinders called it, "Agency Education." BYUI calls it their, "Learning Model." Baden-Powell called it, "Scouting."

Is that an exageration? I really do not think it is too far from the truth. As I read through the points in the outline here, it struck me how similar they are to the points made in Trails to Testimony. I believe as Scout leaders and other leaders of youth combine what they learn in training and what we can learn from this teaching method, as it is being given to us by Church leaders, they will see how well the two compliment each other, how they share many aspects, as well as how they can enhance each other.

These are some of the thoughts I had as I read through the points summarizing the way the Savior taught, as they relate to Scouting:

"He loved them, prayed for them, and continually served them... He knew who they were and who they could become." It really does make all the difference in the world when you think of each boy individually, what his needs are, what his strengths are. And we should always be focused on helping the boys "become." My favorite thing about the "Capturing the Vision of Scouting" Ensign article last year was the pictures. There were three or four pictures of young men in outdoor experiences having their pictures taken. On the camera each time was a picture of the missionary the boy could become.

"He prepared Himself." Leaders of youth need constant spiritual and temporal preparation to be successful. I noticed throughout the church website an emphasis on leaders nurturing their own habits of daily prayer and scripture study. Remember the most important of the "four T's" is Testimony. How can we expect to be good examples and mentors without a strong foundation in the gospel? The second most important T is Training. Being well prepared includes ongoing training, as well as carefully preparing for each class, lesson or activity.

"He used the scriptures..." Do we find opportunities to use the scriptures in Scouting activities? Why not? Draw on the experiences of Nephi and Moses. Help the boys "liken them" to their own lives. Help them see how the courage of Abinidi, Ammon and Moroni relates to them.

"He shared simple stories, parables and real-life examples... He asked questions that caused them to think and feel deeply." Scout leaders have the opportunity to share real-life experiences with their boys, then use reflections to help the boys learn to glean eternal truths from those experiences. A few good questions after an activity can help the boys learn to feel and think deeply.

"He trusted them, prepared them, and gave them important responsibilities to teach, bless and serve others... He invited them to act in faith and live the truths He taught... In every setting, He was their example and mentor." If those three sentences do not perfectly describe the role of a Scoutmaster, I do not know what would.

Hands-on Experience

For the last few months I have been enjoying a new Scouting position, different than anything I've done in Scouting before - being a scout parent. Now that our oldest is finally a Cub Scout (after attending various scout meetings and functions since before he was born) I have been getting a whole new perspective on the program.

I have to say that I love it. Yes, I do brag sometimes about my unfair advantage - having a working knowledge of the program from the get-go, where most parents come in confused and full of questions - but I am still learning things from this new perspective that hopefully will make me a better leader and trainer.

One thing I have gained a new appreciation for is the Cub Scout Academics and Sports program. I can see in my son how the immmediate recognition and the variety involved keep him more interested in the program than he would be just working on rank advancement. He was way more excited about receiving his first belt loops than he was about getting his Bobcat.

That said, and while I can see a lot of ways to work belt loops into den meetings, I think belt loops are something that parents should be encouraged to be working on with their boys. I know this is easier said than done. One suggestion I have is to start with whatever the boys are doing anyway. Get to know the boys, then give their parents information about relevant loops and pins. For example: got Cubs in soccer? Send them home with worksheets for the soccer belt loop. We have a family in our den that is into roller skating and roller derby. I told the mom about the roller skating belt loop. Instead of just working on it with her son, though, she offered to set up an activity at the local skating rink and work with the whole den on the belt loop (don't you love it when someone else volunteers to plan and run a meeting?). Once they get started and know a little about belt loops, I have found many parents are very interested in learning about all the belt loops so they can find more things to work with their sons on.

The Potential of LDS Scouting

In a recent Ensign article, David Beck said, "Young Men advisers in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints should be the best implementers of Scouting in the world. Training is an important step toward that end." (If you haven't read the article yet, I highly recommend it.)

I think we really do have the potential for this. We often hear excuses about why LDS programs are seldom quality programs. However, I think the very things we often think of as road blocks could become strengths):

It's a calling. We often complain that Scouting in the Church is full of people who don't want to be there. They don't know anything about the program, and when they finally figure it out, they get released. Right?

Well, guess what. Scouting outside the Church is full of people who are only there because their sons are. Yes, they have a vested interest in the program, but they are often not in any position any longer than our "called" Scouters, because they move up with their sons. Many non-LDS leaders (at least in Cub Scouts) only spend a year in each position, just long enough to figure things out before moving on to the next level.

Our edge comes into play with tenure. For the first year, a leader is learning his/her job and getting things sorted out. If they are allowed to (and want to) continue in that calling, they have the potential to build a really great program. They can put together their own schedule of activities that they know work. Because it's a calling and not just following the boys, the opportunity is there for leaders to develop experience.

As I have said before, sometimes being a calling brings people in that would not be involved in Scouting otherwise, and they end up being great leaders and staying in the program.

We recently sat in a district meeting where the question was asked, "Who here is in Scouting because their boy is?" Most of the people in the room raised their hands. My husband and I just looked at each other. Our boy is in Scouting because we are, instead of the other way around. We are in Scouting because of past callings.

Boys advance on their birthdays instead of at the same time. This goes hand-in-hand with the above. It can be tricky for a den leader to plan around boys who are all coming in at different times of the year. However, with the new delivery method and some experience and planning, the program can be set up so that every boy ends up doing the same things, no matter when he starts with the den. (You can also use the LDS Delivery Method, set up by some very clever people to make the program even better suited for LDS packs.)

The edge, again, comes with tenure. It does take some experience to set this up, but once you have an established program and things are working for you, you have the advantage of the older boys setting an example for the newer boys (see this post). It can be a major advantage, discipline-wise, to have boys trickling in, rather than coming all at once.

Reliance on personal revelation. Of course, there's nothing wrong with relying on personal revelation in your calling. Unless you think it means you don't need training. Or you decide we have a different program, and you rely on what my friend calls "creative inspiration" to do things your own way.

David Beck specifically mentions training as an important step to becoming the "best implementers of Scouting in the world." Remember how the Lord rebuked Oliver Cowdry when he, "took no though, save it was to ask me." He was told instead to study things out. How can we expect to receive inspiration for a program we know nothing about?


I really feel LDS Scouting has great potential, as President Beck statement implies. I hope others can catch that vision as well.

of God

"...every thing which inviteth to do good, and to persuade to believe in Christ, is sent forth by the power and gift of Christ; wherefore ye may know with a perfect knowledge it is of God." - Moroni 7:16

Many of you probably saw the mentions in Scouting magazine about the recent Baylor study that compared Eagle Scouts, former Scouts and non-Scouts as adults in various social, physical and spiritual aspects. You can read a more detailed accounting of the results here.

As Byron Johnson put it, "There is no shortage of examples or anecdotal accounts that suggest Scouting produces better citizens, but now there is scientific evidence to confirm the prosocial benefits of Scouting or earning the rank of Eagle Scout..." (source)

Scouting definitely invites men to do good. What about believing in Christ? According to Elder Vaughn J. Featherstone more than 90 percent of LDS Eagles serve full-time missions.* (source)

President Hinkley said, "The promise of the Scout Oath and the twelve points of the Scout Law point young men along the path of being prepared for the 21st century. They provide a solid and powerful magnetic force toward development of a well-rounded and noteworthy character that counts. If every boy [and girl] in America knew and observed the Scout Oath, we would do away with most of the jails and prisons in this country." (source)

And Baden-Powell said, "I have clearly stated that our objective in the Scouting movement is to give such help  as we can in bringing about God's Kingdom on earth." (source)


*It is important to note that the act of receiving an Eagle badge does not automatically make a boy a better person. It is the journey required to get there, and when we push a boy through or "pencil whip" his requirements, we are doing him a disservice. According to the same article sourced just above, only 6% of LDS Scouts earn the Eagle, and only 2% of non-LDS Scouts earn it. Just because a boy does not earn his Eagle does not mean he has not learned or grown as a Scout. President Monson said, "However, we should not put down the young man who does not achieve that high award, but give him credit for the effort he has made."The goal is not a badge; it is to persuade them to do good and help them develop their testimonies of Christ.

Every boy deserves...

After hearing so much about it, we decided to buy Follow Me, Boys (it's only $6 or $7 on Amazon, depending on your timing), and we watched it for the first time the other day. My reaction afterward was, "I hope our boys get a few Scoutmasters like that."

We often use the phrase, "Every boy deserves a trained leader." I think it takes on new meaning when you start thinking specifically about your own son(s).

What kind of people do you want to influence your boy(s)'s life? What kind of leaders do you hope he has? What types of examples and mentors? That is what every boy deserves to have.

That's what I hope every leader considers when deciding what kind of leader to be. What if it was someone else leading your son?

And for those who are not currently called as leaders, you still can have the opportunity to mentor boys as a merit badge counselor. Boy Scouting would not be the same without the opportunity for the boys to interact with many different positive role models.

Response to "Are People Afraid?"

This was sent in by a reader, who wishes to remain anonymous, after the post a few weeks ago called, "Are People Afraid?" It is definitely worth a read for everyone. Please remember to keep all your comments positive.

People are awesome. Here’s to you, my fellow Scout leaders. No matter where you fall on the time- and emotion-investment scale, you are wonderful for accepting your calling and helping the boys you have stewardship over. You are great for what you currently do. You are making my world a better place, and I personally thank you for it.

If you feel like you should do something different in your unit after reading this post, great. If not, okay: that's up to you. You make a difference for your boys, and that is wonderful.

I started three years ago in a very home-spun version of a den. We worked from the handbook and got the boys their ranks. But I’ve learned that there’s more to it than that. I’ve grown and learned about what the program can be, and my pack and den are evolving. 

But we're not perfect.

People are afraid, and it's partly the super-Scouter’s fault.

Three and a half years ago I received my first calling as a den leader, learning from square one and doing the minimum to make it work and help the boys progress. Then we had a super-Scouter pack trainer called, and she overwhelmed me. Once I got to know her, she exasperated me. Once I reluctantly started implementing her ideas, I saw the value in them, and some leaders started putting space between themselves and me. Not because I implemented her ideas, but because I started encouraging them to do the things she recommended. I had, unwittingly, 'joined her camp.'

People are afraid this will happen to them too. They might intentionally stave it off just to avoid the stigma that comes from raising a decisive voice in favor of the training, the way the national program runs, or any other super-Scouter 'agenda item.' I’m not saying the BSA is perfect. But the Church adopted their program, and when we use the program the way it is designed, it makes a difference.

But people are still afraid of us.

People are aloof or apathetic. Some leaders who have ‘been there, done that’ have no desire to change. The way they’ve run it in the past is good enough for them, and that’s what you’ll get. Instead of 'doing their best,' they get the job done. And it works, the job does get done – just not at the level it could be done.

As members of the LDS church, some of us think that we get to change the Scouting program to be what we want it to be. That’s not the plan. The BSA run organization is the foundation of what we do. We don’t change it – we add to it. We add the fact that these boys are a quorum. We add reproving with sharpness (clarity), then showing forth an increase of love. We add the priesthood. We add Christ. Yes, using the BSA program as a foundation, we take it far beyond it’s own power.

But it takes leaders with vision.

People can adapt. In came Sis. Jones. Oh my, this woman has a testimony of Scouting. Not super-knowledge or advice for everyone around her, but a testimony. She is a super-(Cub) Scouter from the opposite end of the spectrum, and her incredible dedication to her "future quorum" overwhelms me - but with humility. This woman has understanding. She has insight. She has vision. She sees power and potential in everyone and everything around her, but she encourages it by example. Our pack has been touched by her membership, from the newest Cub to the bishop. She's moving in a few weeks, and she has her transfer form filled out. Whatever callings she gets in her new location will be accepted and magnified, but she will also be a leader in their Scouting program.

Last Friday we had a pack meeting. The theme we chose was the Olympics. As leaders, we 'did our best' (not always the case with our pack, sorry to say), and it turned out amazing. The meeting culminated with three Arrows of Light and a crossing over. Every leader who was there now has a vision of what these ceremonies can be. Even better, so do the parents and boys. This was the second amazing pack meeting in three months, and it's going to have a positive effect on everything we do for the future priesthood holders we train and serve. Our pack leaders are slowly coming around.

And no one in my pack is afraid of Sis. Jones.

I love Cub Scouting. I love the impact I can have on the boy's lives. If I do the minimum, I still have an impact. But it can be so much more.

We need to ‘do our best’ to follow the BSA program and make it function as it should. To that, we add our love of the boys and our vision for their future as priesthood holders, missionaries, and fathers.

Who’s on the Lord’s Side? Who? I ask it fearlessly, and I pray that we each might do our part. We make a difference.

It's about learning for us too

"O the vainness, and the frailties, and the foolishness of men! When they are learned they think they are wise..." - 2 Nephi 9:28

A few weeks ago I wrote about how Scouting is all about letting the boys learn through experience. I realized afterward that it is all about learning for the adults too.

The Training Times pointed out in its most recent newsletter that there is no such thing as "fully trained." When you have taken certain requisite courses for your current position, you are considered "trained" but you can never be fully trained, because there is always more to learn.

Just like the scouts, we should always be working to improve ourselves. After all, that is what life on earth is all about, isn't it? Our physical growth may stop when we reach adulthood, but we continue to grow in other ways for the rest of our lives.

Someone mentioned on another recent post that trainers should ask for and be willing to receive good, honest feedback. In Trainer's EDGE, they refer to this as, "Start, Stop, Continue" (for example: "Start making eye contact. Stop reading off the slides. Continue your great smile.) I think this advice applies to any position. One of the first things you are supposed to do in a committee meeting or leaders meeting is evaluate the previous month - discuss what worked and what did not. I think an important quality in a good Scouter is to take this evaluating process seriously and not feel bad when there is something you could do better, because there will always be something you can do better.

In an LDS-BSA newsletter a couple of years ago, the General Young Men Presidency said, "Many have said that 'Scouting is for the boy.' In reality, it is for the adult. Boy Scouts of America provides the training, programs and resources necessary to help adults effectively prepare young men for today and their future."

Faith in God by Month (Jun-Aug)

Here is another set of three months' worth of suggestions for working on Faith in God, relating to that month's character connection and/or theme. Most of these can easily be fit into various requirements the boys are working on anyway. Check their books to see how you can fit them in. You can find the first list of ideas (Mar-May) here.

Remember, many of the requirements will need to be completed at home, but you can use den meetings to discuss them with the boys and get them started working towards some things.

June: Perseverance, Head West Young Man

Prepare a pedigree chart with your name and your parents' and grandparents' names. Prepare a family group record for your family and share a family story. Discuss how performing temple work blesses families. (square knot requirement) 

The “Head West” theme invokes images of pioneers. While the boys work on their pedigree chart, you could discuss the meaning of the word “pioneer” and the many ways a person could be a pioneer. Ask the boys to find out interesting stories about “pioneers” in their families that they can share (don't forget to tell the parents yourself as well). Have an activity where you roast marshmallows around a campfire, and everyone takes turns telling family stories (Webelos Outdoorsman requirement 2; Bears requirement 9g). If it's not feasible to have a real fire, make a pretend one instead. (Bring marshmallows anyway.) Don't forget to work on the Heritages belt loop at the same time. This also fits with Bears achievement 8.

Read D&C 88:118. Discuss what it means to "seek learning, even by study and also by faith." Improve your personal study habits by doing such things as learning how to choose and read good books or being prepared for school each day.

Learning takes perseverance, and it is the one thing we take with us after we die. School is out for the summer, but you can help the boys think of some goals they can set for themselves for the next school year, or you can encourage them to participate in your local library's summer reading program.

Plan and complete your own activity that will help you develop your talents.

Developing talents definitely requires perseverance. Talk to the boys about what talents each of them is working on (learning to play the piano, participating in a sport?), and discuss what goals they have or help them set goals. You could also have someone come to your den meeting to teach the boys a new skill.

July: Courage, Cubs in Shining Armor

Give an opening and a closing prayer in family home evening or at Primary. Share your feelings about how prayer protects us and helps us stay close to Heavenly Father and the Savior. (square knot requirement) 

We can always pray when we need more courage. Sometimes it also takes courage to pray in front of others. Review the order of prayer with the boys.

Tell a story from the Book of Mormon that teaches about faith in Jesus Christ. Share your testimony of the Savior (square knot requirement) 

There are some fantastic stories about courage (not to mention fighting) in the Book of Mormon. Since the boys are studying the Book of Mormon this year, they may already have some favorite stories they want to share. You could also role play the story of Ammon (Alma 17-19), make war diagrams from some of the battles (some good ones include Alma 43:16-44:20 , Alma 55:5-23, and Alma 56:31-56), or have the boys make their own “titles of liberty” and relate the ideas from Captain Moroni's flag (Alma 46:12) to the Declaration of Independence for Independence Day.

August: Honesty, Kids Against Crime

Explain how taking the sacrament helps you renew your baptismal covenant. In a family home evening, teach others about the things we can do to remain faithful. 

The very first thing boys do when they enter Cub Scouts is learn the Cub Scout Promise and complete the Character Connection for Honesty. Have you ever noticed the similarities between the Cub Scout Promise and Baptismal covenants? See this post for some ideas on discussing similarities about what we promise as Cub Scouts and the promises we make when we are baptized. One of the main things we promise is to keep the commandments, which includes being honest. Brainstorm with the boys ways that we can keep our covenants as well as the Cub Scout Promise so that they can teach their families in Family Home Evening.

Write a poem, story or short play that teaches a principle of the gospel or is about Heavenly Father's creations.

Have the boys pair up and write short plays about honesty. Then they can take turns performing them.

This is also a great chance to work on the 13^th Article of Faith with the boys. Here are a few ideas:

You could give them a gathering activity where they need to unscramble key words, like honest, true, chaste, benevolent. Discuss what each of the words mean. Why do you think “honest” and “true” are mentioned first? Why are they so important?

Have the boys assemble the appropriate puzzle from here:

http://www.sugardoodle.net/joomla/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=7780

Make cards with words or phrases from the Article of Faith. Distribute them, and have the boys assemble them in the right order. You can even make distributing the cards a game by hiding them around the room to find or handing them out to boys who answer a question correctly or recite the Cub Scout Promise.

It's About Learning

I was talking with our Cubmaster, evaluating our most recent Pack Meeting. She observed, "The flag ceremony every month seems like the first time we've ever done it."

I had to point out that for the boy leading the ceremony, chances are it is the first time he had done it. Of course, that does not make her observations or suggestions to help less valid, but it is important to remember that the point of the boys doing these things is for them to learn.

This is the reason we make the distinction between "advancement" as a method and "personal achievement" as a goal. We have had several well-meaning parents in our pack retro-actively decide their boys had earned awards. They went through the list of belt loops and pins or Webelos Activity Badges and checked things off for the last year, "Oh, he did this and this and this..." then turned it in all at once. Now those boys have some nice awards to wear (actually, many of them are graduating Webelos, so they are not even going to wear the things), but did they get anything else out of it? They advanced, but they did not achieve. They did not learn from the experience (and I hate to think how this is going to translate into expectations in Boy Scouts).

This is why our Advancement Chair has coined the phrase, "Awards are earned intentionally, not accidentally."

In a recent post, the Volun-told Scouter pointed out:

When done right, Scouting is disorganized, messy and inefficient, because it is the Boys’ program. Adults are the facilitators, not the planners; their place is in the background as guides rather than directing from the front. Many adults find this to be anathema to their disposition – adults want efficiency, high levels of organization, etcetera.  But their idea of success differs greatly from the boys'.

Again, the goal here is for the boys to learn, not to have perfect organization. In Boy Scouting, leaders and parents are there to keep things safe and make suggestions. When the adults do too much, it robs the boys of the opportunity to learn.

How much the boys do on their own may come in small steps with guidance, but I think that at every point in the trail, whether you are doing a craft with Wolves or pointing Varsity Scouts toward their Eagles, you need to carefully consider how much "help" to give. Remind yourself that the point is for them to learn, not to get it done or for it to be perfect. Ask yourself whether that goal will be best accomplished by you stepping in to steer a little or by you stepping back and letting them figure things out themselves.

Great Resource for Cub Scouters

"We'd like you to be the den leader for the Wolves and Bears. We can't get you two-deep leadership, but you can just meet in the same room as the Webelos. Sis. Smith will be over them, and they meet at the same time."

If you have ever had this conversation, you will probably be as excited as I was when I found this website:

http://cubscout.lds-scouting.org/ldscubscouts.aspx

Even if you haven't had that conversation, you should check it out. They have many great resources for LDS Cub Scouters, but I think the real goldmine is their "LDS Delivery Method." They have set up an entire year of den plans based on the above scenario, which can be typical in wards with small programs. They have taken all the overlaps from the different levels and set things up so that, if you want to, all three dens can start out the den meeting together, then the Webelos can break off and do their own thing in a different part of the room, and Bears and Wolves can continue to work together. They have also more evenly distributed achievements and electives throughout the year, so that no matter when a boy's birthday is, he will begin working on achievements right away. They even show how to work in Faith in God and the Articles of Faith. I wish I had had this when I was a den leader.

A Scout leader is...

I recently attended the BSA's Trainer's EDGE course. The whole course was very good, but the part that left the biggest impression on me was the very end. They presented ways to apply the Scout Law to being a trainer. Having never been a Boy Scout or a Boy Scout leader, I had never thought much about the Scout Law before. But really, the Scout Law is where we get the Ideals of the program, and I understand now how it is at the core of Scouting, and it applies to all Scouters, no matter what level of the program we are at.

A Scout trainer is helpful. A Scout trainer is friendly.

These were reminders that a trainer is not there for himself. He is there to serve the people he is training. He needs to consider their needs and how he can best help them. This idea applies whether you work with youth or adults. I have been pondering ever since the training ways that I, in my capacity as pack trainer, can better help leaders of our multi-pack fulfill their callings.

The fourth lesson in Teaching: No Greater Call is about “Seeking the Gift of Charity.” I think sometimes it is easy, no matter what capacity we serve in, to lose sight of this aspect. The lesson reminds us, “If you have Christ-like love, you will be better prepared to teach the gospel.”

The first step is to pray to be filled with love. I think for some of us, this step is a hard one – to have a desire and pray to love, truly love as Christ does, those boys (or adults) under our stewardship. “You may not feel the pure love of Christ immediately or all at once in answer to your prayers. But as you live righteously and continue to pray sincerely and humbly for this blessing, you will receive it.”

The next step is service: “When we set aside our own interests for the good of another in the pattern set by the Savior, we become more receptive to the Spirit.” For me, this makes a big difference. When I shift my focus from, “Why aren't they doing what I want?” to, “How can I better serve them?” and remind myself of the purposes we are trying to accomplish, I find I accomplish a lot more.

The final step is to look for the good in others. “As you discover the good qualities in others, you will grow in your understanding of them as children of God.” No matter who we are trying to teach, this is a vital part. It is also a vital part of our own growth as we try to become more like our Father in Heaven.

Strive to use these steps with your boys, the leaders you serve with, and your own children, and I know you will meet with success.

A Scout trainer is Trustworthy. A Scout trainer is Loyal.

These were reminders that we are representing the BSA and we should not deviate from the policies and guidelines they have given us. As a trainer, it is my duty to present the material I have been given and to teach the guidelines outlined by the BSA.

As LDS Scouters, we have two obligations. We not only represent the BSA, “In all our teachings, we represent the Lord and are appointed to teach His gospel.” (Bruce R. McConkie) Baden-Powell himself said, “I have clearly stated that our objective in the Scout movement is to give such help as we can in bringing about God's Kingdom on earth.”

I realized recently that we often overlook the fourth of Elder Featherstone's Four T's: Testimony. Even in Scouting we should act as those who have taken on themselves the name of Christ. After all, Cub Scout leaders are training future priesthood holders. Boy Scout leaders are training future missionaries and priesthood leaders.

“Your commission, your authorization, the thing you have been ordained to do is teach my gospel, not any private views, not the philosophies of the world, but my everlasting gospel, and to do it by the power of my Spirit, all in harmony with the commandment I have heretofore given: 'If ye receive not the Spirit ye shall not teach.'” (Teaching: No Greater Call, Chapter 3: The Teacher's Divine Commission)

Nephi told us that he “did like all scriptures unto us, that it might be for our profit and learning.” As his family wandered in the wilderness and he put up with the constant murmuring, I imagine Nephi found great comfort in the stories of Moses' time in the wilderness dealing with the murmurings of the Israelites. I have a feeling there are Scout leaders who can also relate to stories of wilderness wanderings and murmurings.

I really like this post at Adventures and Accidents that is all about how and why we should be working on our own testimonies to benefit the boys.

I am going to tack one more onto the end here: A Scout trainer is Thrifty.

It was pointed out to us that “thrifty” can apply to time as well as money. Miriam-Webster defines thrifty as, "given to or marked by economy and good management." Those under our care are giving us their valuable time, and we need to make the most of that. We should always be asking ourselves, “What is the best way I can make use of the hour or two I have been given this week?” And teach the boys to ask themselves the same question. Being thrifty with time is something most of them don't fully grasp yet and will need to be trained in, but if you believe it and live it, they will be more likely to as well.

Religious Award Earned as a Youth

There was a discussion about this recently in the LDS-CSL Yahoo group. I was not aware of this, so I thought I would pass it along. In the most recent edition of Baloo's Bugle, it says:

NOTE: - Since the programs are similar or the same (as in the case of the PRAY Awards) for girls and boys in Boy Scouting, 4H, Girl Scouting, Campfire, etc., a female Venturer or Adult Leader who earned her religious award as a youth may wear the purple square knot on her uniform even though it was not earned as a member of the BSA. (My daughter Darby in New Mexico does this!!) Per Mike Walton of www.USScouts.org, this applies to BOTH MALES AND FEMALES, youth and adult. If you earned a youth religious emblem as a youth member, whether or not it was earned or received as a BSA member does not matter. The youth religious emblem square knot represents ANY AWARD which youth members earned or received -- period. So yes, a Girl Scout, 4Her, or Royal Ranger/Missionette who earned a youth religious emblem in those programs and then either becomes an adult or youth member of the BSA (to include Venturing/Sea Scouting) may wear that emblem formally with the BSA's field uniforms; and informally wear the square knot insignia on the uniform shirt. Mike says he has been told when the next edition of the Uniform Guide for 2012 is printed, there will be text explaining this on the page which shows all of the various youth religious emblems.

It sounds like if you earned your Personal Progress or Gospel in Action/Faith in God award as a youth, you can, if you would like, wear the square knot representing religious award earned as a youth on your uniform. That's the silver knot with a purple background.

Don't forget either about the religious knot you can earn as an adult leader. The requirements can be found here. If your bishop doesn't know about this award, make him aware. There are probably many deserving leaders in your ward.