Handbook

Just by way of information, the Young Men General Presidency has decided to take down all links and references to the booklet, "Scouting in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints." The booklet is outdated, and they would prefer that everyone refer instead to the latest edition of the Church's Scouting Handbook (a.k.a. the "Green Book"),which can be found on the Church website, downloaded from here, or located in the gospel library app under Other > Leadership > Guidebooks. (This information came through communication with the LDS-BSA Relations Office. They have asked that all links to the Scouting in the Church booklet have been removed. If you come across any on this website that I missed, please let me know.)

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.")

Article Everyone Should Read

Have American Parents Got It All Backwards

Thoughts?

Book Cover v2.0 (duct tape!)

Ever since I found this post last year about doing a duct tape wallet as a Webelos Craftsman project, duct tape has been a favorite medium, especially when it comes to Cub Scout things. We have several rolls of colored and patterned duct tape now (we buy them whenever we see them on sale; we also found some at the dollar store), which came in handy when we made "recycle regatta" boats. It was also one of the best things I brought with me to Wood Badge (I should have brought the Ductigami book with me too).

Inspired by another project in Ductigami, here are instructions for making a book cover for a scout book. I used a Webelos book, because I think this would also make a good Craftsman project, as well as passing off the book cover requirement for either the Art pin or the Reading and Writing pin (you could even make coordinating bookmarks from duct tape; then they could pass it off for BOTH pins). I am sure Boy Scouts would enjoy the project just as much.

Creating a duct tape sheet is the basis of most duct tape projects. For my book cover, I used a measuring tape to measure around the whole cover (front back and spine) of the book, then added 6" (3" for each flap). For a larger book, you may want to add as much as 8". The height of the sheet is just a little taller than the book. For my Webelos book, this came out to 18"x8".

Cut several pieces of duct tape a little longer than your sheet needs to be (so you have some extra to trim off at the ends - my strips were 19"). Lay one of those strips face up on your surface (a clean cutting board is a good place). Lay another piece face-down, overlapping the first about halfway.:

Now carefully fold down the exposed half of the first piece. This gives you your top edge:

Pull up what you have so far and flip it over.

Add another piece, again this will be face-down and will overlap the facing-up exposed portion.

Continue to "grow" your piece in this way, by pulling up the piece and flipping, then adding a new piece, until your sheet is a little taller than your book. Fold over the last bit of sticky on the bottom to create a nice edge, just like you did on the top. Trim your sides down to size.

Now wrap your sheet around the book to see where the folds will be.

Remove the book, and fold pieces of tape over the ends of each flap, trimming as needed.

When all four corners are taped up, your cover is ready!

You can add a pocket - or more - for holding a Faith in God book, Duty to God book, pen, merit badge cards, whatever you think would be handy. All you need to do is create another sheet the size you want your pocket to be (mine was 4"x5"):

And tape it onto the book cover:

Celebrating! (Giveaway)

This giveaway is closed. Congratulations to Fishgutts!

I do not think I have ever done a giveaway on this blog before. When I realized this week that this blog is three years old, I thought it was about time, and a three-year anniversary is as good a reason as any. This blog has evolved over the last three years, I have learned some things, I have made some great friends, and I hope that we have helped some people.

I also try not to promote myself on this blog, but I am so excited about my new Wood Badge fabrics that I thought they would be just the thing to give away, so please forgive me for self-promoting this one time.

The winner of this giveaway will be able to choose one of these Wood Badge stuffed critters:



OR

A fat quarter (basic cotton) of one fabric from either my Wood Badge fabric collection or my Derby Cars collection



OR

A small decal (5") of your choice of Wood Badge critter.

Rules:

One entry per person. To enter, simply leave a comment before Friday, September 27th, noon (PDT).

I must have some way to contact you. If I do not know your e-mail address, and it is not in your profile, and you do not leave it in your comment, you will be disqualified.

Open to U.S. residents only.

A Century of Honor

If you have not seen it yet, there is a website for the celebration of 100 years of LDS Scouting. It has links about the museum exhibits, a couple videos and information about a broadcast coming up on October 29. The broadcast will be on the website as well as at church buildings. This could be an opportunity for community outreach by inviting other Scouters in our communities to celebrate Scouting history with us.

Church History Museum

We were in Salt Lake last week, and I was able to take the boys to the Church History Museum to see the Norman Rockwell exhibit and the exhibit about Scouting and the Priesthood. If you get a chance to check out these exhibits, I highly recommend it. They are very well done. (Unfortunately, I did not have my camera with me that morning, but I did snap a few pictures with my phone.)

My favorite thing about the exhibits is that they have pamphlets for both Cub Scouts and Boys Scouts to help them earn awards using the two exhibits. The Cub Scout booklet is specifically aimed at the Rockwell exhibit. After looking at the exhibit, discussing it (using questions from the booklet) with a parent or leader, and creating a composition according to instructions, a Cub can earn both the Art Belt Loop and a special patch that can be purchased at Great Salt Lake Council service centers. For Boy Scouts, there are two booklets: Scouting Heritage and Art, which guide a Scout in activities to help him earn the respective merit badges (some activities can be done at the museum, and some will need to be done at home). You can find these materials upstairs with the exhibits or ask one of the very helpful museum workers about them.



The exhibit about Scouting and the Priesthood is especially impressive the way it was put together. It is interactive, with a place children (or adults) can write or draw about a good turn they have done and pin it to a board, as well as design a neckerchief. There is a display about the Unknown Scout and Boyce with a little audio thing (this and the bugle were my youngest's favorites). There are interactive knot-tying and flag signaling stations, and there are several other things to look at and do to experience the history of Scouting in the Church.

(Warning: There is also an exhibit right now to go with the Primary's Book of Mormon celebration that is on par with any children's museum we have been to, and it comes right after the Scouting and the Priesthood exhibit. If you are visiting the museum with younger children and you do not want to spend all day there, make sure to steer them toward the Rockwell exhibit before they see the Book of Mormon area. Otherwise you might have difficulty extracting them. If you brought a second adult with you - which I did not - sucker him/her into taking the kids through the Book of Mormon area while you enjoy the Rockwell exhibit in peace.)



The Norman Rockwell exhibit includes paintings Rockwell did about Scouting and Boys Life covers by Rockwell. There are discriptions and bits of history around the room as well. There are even a couple of interactive screens where you can draw or look at Rockwells (playing with these screens was my middle son's favorite part). Of course, being in a room with actual Rockwell paintings was amazing enough and the focus of the display; fancy interactive activities were not so important here.

I consider both exhibits to be those "once in a lifetime" experiences. The Rockwell exhibit runs through the end of this year. The Scouting and the Priesthood exhibit will be up until October of next year.