Guest Post: The Church Should Leave Scouting

Fishgutts invited me to write a guest column. I had to think on it for a while. Firstly, because I don’t have a cool nickname, secondly because I’m not sure I want my rants to be identifiable. Scouting in most areas are very small groups and we can easily identify who is whom. LDS Scouters probably even more so. To combat this, I will be changing some of the identifiable facts. The stories will be true, the names will be changed to protect…well…no one is innocent. Names won’t be used. How’s that? Everyone on board? OK.

I feel like a hypocrite. A few years back when the BSA allowed gay leaders, I wrote an impassioned letter to The First Presidency. I wish I could find it. In it I pleaded with them to keep scouting as part of the church. I had heard for years of members not wanting to participate and wanting the church to leave. They had to have been wrong and must not have understood the program. At the time I was an outsider looking in. I was in scouts as a youth but hadn’t participated at all in the intervening years. Since then, I have been in cub scouts, I volunteered to help the troop by being on the committee and handle advancement, both my wife and I involved ourselves in the district and council and I am now in troop leadership.

As part of my calling, I’ve done a lot of reading. I learned about the derogatory term Seagull Scouts. I have heard the change in council and district people’s voices when I explained that I am in an LDS troop. I didn’t know or understand what a bad reputation the church has in scouts. We have low participation in council and district activities. We don’t respond to calls or emails from these volunteers. Our leaders are poorly trained and our scouts don’t seem to measure up. We seem to do a lot of pencil whipping of the requirements. Nationally the majority of injuries are with LDS scout troops.

How sad. Our leaders in Salt Lake spend tons of money on scouts. Apostles, Young Men and Primary presidencies and other General Authorities go to national meetings and trainings and build facilities and have ribbon cuttings while wearing uniforms. I can’t even get my stake young men’s presidency or bishopric to show up for a committee meeting. Why is there such a disconnect?

I think the lack of skin in the game is part of it. I have heard that if things are given for free you don’t appreciate it. That is proving true in my experience. But the parents and the boys are only reflections of the program they see. The true problem lies with our local leaders. My ward troop had five Scoutmasters in four years and I lost track of how many Assistant Scoutmasters. Some were due to people moving but much was due to the fact that after they were called they never showed up again. Did they understand the calling? Where they told it was more than one hour a week? Scouting is not a prep-for-an-hour-and-teach-out-of-the-manual calling. There is a lot to it. The scoutmaster is also in the Young Men’s Presidency and is a Quorum Advisor. When I was a youth, that was three separate callings. Before my wife and I started attending Roundtable, they hadn’t seen an LDS troop representative in years. One other Cub Scout Committee Chair comes from one of the other wards in the district, but no one else. My Stake leaders have never been to the LDS/BSA Relationships Committee meetings. Our Council has a Religious Relationships Committee. I showed up one day, but no LDS troop or pack leaders who were ever invited have.

In my ward, the scouting program takes a back seat to every other activity that pops up. Oh, you had that on the calendar for four months? Sorry, we want the boys to come to this other thing. Campout? No, the stake just set that day for the first basketball game.

When the counselor extended the callings to be in scouts, I had a multi-hour discussion about what the bishopric wanted and expected. My wife was there. We asked tons of questions. We told them what I would do, and how I would do it. We asked them if they were sure that is what they wanted. Yes, it was. But every step of the way I am undermined and most recently was told that we have a budget of $0 and that we should reduce scouts to once a month to focus on Duty to God. Well, I work on Duty to God each week in my quorum meeting. It is working. For the first time in nearly a decade, a Deacon has earned the Duty to God Award. But, boys advancing is not as important as basketball on Wednesday nights.

We in the church don’t seem to care. But you know what? The BSA is the only third party the church has ever used to handle the activities of one of the auxiliaries. Think about that. Up until this past year the church has used the BSA as the activity wing for young men for over 100 years.

I work with a non-LDS Troop too. They have problems, but the boys have fun. The boys and leaders want to be there. They do service projects and the boys attend. They have uniforms and bring their handbooks. They have the contacts and resources to do cool stuff.

The previous Scoutmaster was not terribly effective. I always thought his tales of woe were exaggerated. It reminded me of Mormon Bids Farewell to a Once Great Nation, by Arnold Friberg. I have since apologized to him.

Over the past three and a half years I have seen how wrong I was. I no longer want the church in Scouts. I believe the time is short anyway and was accelerated with Pres. Monson’s passing. This brings me no joy, but I truly believe that scouting in general and LDS scouts who will choose to continue with outside troops will benefit. I will do my best to keep magnifying my calling. I will organize district events and will go to the district commissioner and committee meetings. I will be taking a week off work to go to summer camp. I will go back to the University of Scouting, and I will take the Wood Badge course and do everything I can to provide the best, most fun program possible for my little ward troop. I just wonder how futile it is.

Signed - Cali-Gratis

Post Script: I have never quite been able to pinpoint what "magnify your calling" means. But this comes close:   "Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds"

That and D&C 58:26 ... for he that is compelled in all things, the same is a slothful and not a wise servant...

I don't want step by step instructions, I just don't want my leaders to get in the way of my carrying out the assignment they gave me. If they run interference, I can't do my job. 

Feeling Alone

Our unit has an autistic Scout. He is high functioning and at times can be a handful but to be honest, what Scout isn’t whether autistic or not? Boys are all a handful. Scouting is planned craziness because they are all a handful. That is part of the reason Scouting is so great.

Last night this Scout was begging to come to a 3 day campout that is happening this weekend. In order for him to come, he must have his father present in order to come. I watched this boy fight back tears because he wanted to go so bad and was begging to come. The first time he was begging to go I didn’t think much about it but the second time he proceeded to beg to go, I noticed again him fighting back tears and something different in his face. I am very sure this boy feels alone and wants nothing more than to feel included. He wants to feel “normal” even though none of us really are normal.

I called this Scout’s step mother last night and had an awesome 20 minute discussion with her about him. I understand him a bit better and I think my understanding of what is going on in his head helps me to better help him. She talked about Scouts not wanting to play with him after meetings and I know that that isn’t true because I have witnessed them playing with him and I have personally played basketball with him.

I am sure we all feel alone and want to be included like this Scout. I am fighting some of those same feelings myself right now with transitions in my life. I think for some that alone feeling and wanting to feel needed and wanted can be painful. Besides tears and emotions I think that there are direct physical manifestations of feeling alone. I think one of those is true physical pain.

So my takeaway is I am going to shadow this boy for a little while. I am going to get to know him better so that I know how to encourage him to do what he should and do what he knows to do. I hear he is an excellent lizard hunter. I may be one soon too.

Parenting - Have a New Kid by Friday

In my personal life recently I have had the opportunity to evaluate how I am doing as a parent and how my children are doing.  A friend shared a book with me called Have a New Kid by Friday by Dr. Kevin Leman.  Dr. Leman is a bit like me - a straight shooter.  You are not going to get flowery responses from me or Dr. Leman.  You are going to get it like I see it whether that is right or wrong.  I will freely admit that I am wrong at times.  I don't purposely screw up and I am not purposely be gruff with people.  There is an analogy I use with my personality that I used on my mission that fits my personality to a "T".  I may share that with you at some point.

Back to the point, sort of.  I want to relate part of the book to an experience I will share below from my own personal life.  I don't mean to embarrass anyone and so that is why I won't use names.  My daughter has been having a rough time lately and I asked a few of her "friends" to leave her alone for a while so she can gain some space and remove herself from the not so great influences they are on her.  One didn't heed my instructions and this discussion came about.  This "friend" said basically*:

• I am a horrible father because I am not letting my daughter do what she wants.
• I am a good father because I am looking over her shoulder seeing what she is doing.
• He called me a curse word.
• He threatened to beat me up.  LOL!
• He said I should treat all teenagers like equals.
• Claimed to be a better parent than I was.
• I failed as a father because I haven't taught my daughter to do what is right.
• My wife has a horrible husband and my kids have a horrible father.

The young man would not give me his parents contact information so I went to work and within two hours I had their home address and home phone number.   (I know for me personally I would want to know if my child had been so disrespectful - justified or not.)  I mailed a copy of what this young man said to me word for word asking his parents to explain that cussing at an adult is inappropriate, threatening me isn't appropriate and to kindly stay away from my daughter.  And I got this reply in relationship to what he told me he and his son discussed.

• Exercise some prudence in your communication and avoid poor or crude language when addressing the parent of a friend. How you say what you say is just as important as what you choose to say. 
• When anyone tries to intimidate you by threatening to contact your parents, immediately give them my contact information so I can deal with them. You are not alone - I've got your back, every single time. Never fear that threat from anyone. 
• There is no good or bad, only outcomes. We learn by failure what behaviors will garner which outcomes. Know what you want first and allow your choices to lead to the outcome you desire. If you don't like the outcome, change your behavior. 
• Shame and Guilt are the intellectually poor man's tools of manipulation. Don't give in to them. They are hollow attempts to coerce the weak minded into the compliance of those with presumed authority not earned nor given. Rise above the manipulations and see them for what they are. 
• You can't help those who don't want it. If you offer and they decline, move on. Too many people are willing and desirous of the help of a kind heart and wise mind for you to waste precious time/energy or resources upon. 
• Knowledge is not power - Applied knowledge is power. Be careful how you form your words and opinions towards others. They may not want to see what is apparent and may vigorously defend that which is comfortable to themselves regardless of the outcome. 

I applaud this parent for standing up for his kid.  I would not have done this for my kid especially if they had cursed at me, claim to know more about parenting than me and then told me I did a good job looking over my daughter's shoulder and then contradict themselves by insult me for restricting my daughter by looking over her shoulder.  I know 100% why this "friend" is the way he is after hearing the way his parents handled the situation.  Granted I was not there when the conversation went down but this parent truly stood up for his kid.  I think we all know parents like this and I think we all know Scout parents like this.

The first thing that went through my mind after this conversation and issues seems to be dealt with is "If I did this as a kid, my parents would have probably murdered me!"  I know for sure I would have been on the adults doorstep apologizing.  My parents were firm.  I feared disappointing them.  I knew better than to treat an adult like I was treated.

Aright back to the book by Dr. Leman and how it relates.  In reading this book, he discusses that parents need to be parents and not buddies.  I could not agree more.  Parents need to stop being buddies to their kids.  I know there are going to be those out there that totally disagree - you have your opinion.  I have mine.  Putting your kid on an equal level doesn't help unless you want to love them into doing what is right and there are not that many kids around that this really works for.  We make excuses for kids.  We justify what they do instead of holding them accountable for their actions.  We shield them from real world consequences.  Are we doing them any favors by doing this?  I, personally, don't think so.

What Dr. Leman says specifically in relationship to how we parent our kids:

1.  Let reality be the teacher.
2.  Learn to respond rather than react.
3.  B doesn't happen until A is complete.

Does Scouting teach these things?  You bet it does!!  We let Scouts learn real world consequences and earn real world lessons in Scouting!  We let them fail, we brief them on the "failure" and help them try again!  Are they perfect?  No but I know some of them are trying.

Are you the kind of parent that teachers these things?

So what did I personally learn from this?  Easy, teenagers like some adults suck.  Some parents are going to let their kids do whatever they want in the face of being their buddy and their kids not being able to do anything wrong.  I also learned that I can only effect my kids and my family and not everyone's standards are the same - which is fine.  You better know though when it comes to my family and my Scouting family I will and always will be a mamma bear.  I will cut you off if you are not doing what is right because in the end that is what happened to my daughter's "friend".  My kids come first.  My family comes first.  And if you can't be a good example for them or around them, see ya!

I may come back to Dr. Leman in future posts.  Who knows what other kind of nuggets are hiding waiting for me to read?

* I contemplated putting most of his text in this post but decided out of no desire to even look like I am trying to embarrass, bully or humiliate him, I removed it.  His time as a parent will come and only then will he learn how truly hard it is to be a parent.  Each child is different and trying to keep 53 million sets of rules and guidelines straight for each of your children is hard.  Parenting is unpaid and very glorify-free UNTIL they are out of the house.

Select Sports vs. Scouting

In two Eagle Board of Reviews recently, a father asked an Eagle candidate what is the difference between playing select sports and Scouting.  The boys kind of hit all around the answer but didn't really hit it the way this father wanted.  So he explained.......

Both you learn how to show leadership.  Both you have the opportunity to show how dedicated you are.  Both encourage you to perform.  Both show you how to do it and then let you do it.

But there is a huge difference.  Most select sports team focus on their select sport's team.  They don't worry much about teaching duty to country through citizenship or teaching duty to God.

So does this make select sports bad?  No.  It just means it fits a different purpose and a boy should have exposure to Scouting as to teach citizenship and service.  And in all honesty, I personally believe Scouting takes a lot less time.  Select sports can be all time consuming. 

Your Wife

As I have been studying teen age dating as this is an issue in my life right now, I came across this picture.

I thought about what we as Scout leaders are doing to teach our Scouts about marriage, women and how we treat them.  While it definitely isn't a primary focus, it should be in the back of our minds.  My boys, unfortunate for them, get to hear me discuss my love of my wife often when we do Thorns and Roses because my wife is always my rose (I usually have many roses).  My children get to see how much I love my wife through my physicality (like the picture above) and the way I treat her around the home.  They see that disagreements can be worked out quickly without raising voices or it being a big thing.

So this morning I was thinking, what am I doing to make my Scouts a better husband??  Is it too early to be worrying about it?

My Scouts tend to be 14-15 and are probably at that phase where having a relationship of any sort is new.  Hopefully my boys know that I love my wife.  A LOT!  And hopefully they are catching on to that is how much your are supposed to love your wife.  Hopefully they know while Scouts is awesome and I love it, my family comes first with them a close second.  Hopefully I am setting a good example of a man and how he treats his wife.

Are You Tougher Than a Boy Scout?

Anyone have any feelings on the TV series Are You Tougher Than a Boy Scout?

The adults they pick seem more concerned about winning than showing Scout Spirit or helping each other.  I mean, they are kind of in a catch-22 but I find it hard to watch at times because these adults totally miss the whole point of Scouting.  First episode the adults fought, argued and tore each other down verbally.

Not very Scouty.

The Scouts on the other hand are champs.  Love them.

Wow!! Part III

Wow!! Part II

BSA Future....things to think about

I haven't really weighed in on the BSA/gay issue well because I still don't think it is the right time.  I have read some interesting perspectives and had some half interested conversations (I can only hear the same things so many times before I am Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz............).  In Canada LDS Scouting units, this isn't even an issue.

An Hour a Week....left after Scouting has an interesting perspective that I haven't before including how can the BSA possibly ban atheists from Troops now after the possibility of allowing membership standards to be defined by the Chartering Organization.  An interesting perspective.  Deseret News article and Dallas Morning News article on survey.  Tory over at Accidents and Adventures also has some great thoughts here and here.

One perspective that I haven't heard a lot but is interesting to contemplate is that if the BSA allows CO to set its membership standards, the CO will become solely responsible and legally liable for any actions of its leaders and Scouts.  This means more insurance and hence the price of Scouting will go up again.  It already isn't cheap people.  I don't think the BSA is going to be able to be nailed to wall by a lawyer if they have no say in the membership rules but I am sure some ambulance chaser will sure try (that isn't a statement on lawyers but a certain type of lawyer).  This is probably good for the BSA from a financial perspective but bad from a CO perspective unless you are members of a "rich" Troop or Crew.

I do find it extremely upsetting that some local LDS Church leaders throughout the Church over Scout Troops, Teams and Crews have told LDS Scout leaders not to take BSA surveys.  This makes me think a few things.  This actually perpetuates the "here today, gone tomorrow" Scouting leaders view at the Stake level.  You don't get to give your opinion because you won't be here long so your opinion doesn't matter.  This also makes me cringe when I think about leaders who think they are the voice for all things in area - good leaders listen to those they lead; they may not follow what they hear but they at least hear them out.  While I understand the direction of God's communication fully, the great and powerful OZ doesn't always see the boots on the ground (my Stake being a great example - SP is awesome, his counselor over the Scouting/YM organization is so disconnected from the handbook to the actual Unit(s) application)**.  At times there are huge disconnects when we go from the CO (Ward) to the Stake level of leadership.  Second, my God given agency gives me the right to fill out a silly survey to discuss my concerns or my desire for Scout leaders of all shapes and sizes and Scouts of all shapes and sizes.  Lets not put our heads in the sand.  They are already here.  I am not scared.  And I don't really care for the most part unless it distracts from the program.  Additionally anyone that thinks Fishgutts speaks for the LDS Church by filling out a survey is not only a fool but a dang fool.

This statement isn't just about Scouting - I do find it interesting that all people want to be unique but yet want all the same "entitlements" and "rights" as everyone else.  How can we be diverse if everyone has everything the same?

This statement is about Scouting - the Normal Rockwall, Baden-Powell view on Scouting is dead for the most part.  Not that that is a bad thing all in all (though I will miss it) but lets return to basics here.  Lets not get distracted here.  It is about the boys.  It was about the boys and I hope to God it is always going to be about the boys.  Scouting isn't everything to all boys and to think it can be is silly.  So everyone take a deep breath, don't say anything you might regret and enjoy the ride we are on.  It isn't the final destination but the road along the way.  Lets for sure make sure we learn something from all of this.

This was meant to be short.  It isn't.  I am sorry.  An uneducated opinion.  I sort of see both sides here.  I don't have any skins in the game so what do I know?


**There is a reason the Church tries things in small areas for a reason before implementing Church wide - to see how it works.  Revelations is crucial but every jot and tittle isn't always explained.  For example, 60 miles east of here is a ward that is being used to try a more community outreach approach to all they do (we should already be doing this as Christians!).  They are getting more involved in everything in the community which on paper is a WONDERFUL idea but it is taking time away from the family (#1 unit of the Church) if it is your sole purpose and members are becoming largely overwhelmed.  Great idea but we need a different way to enact it.

Should the Church divorce the BSA?

Read the article here.

When authority goes wild* - Thorn and Roses

Either something is a Scouting event or it is a Church event.  Either you are using BSA's insurance or you are using the Church's insurance.  And when they tell you that you need to fill out a Tour Permit (or whatever they are called now) there is a pretty clear line that the event is a BSA event.  No if, ands or buts - no justification.  Hence comes our problem when LDS leaders try to blur the lines between the BSA, the Church and their unrighteous reading of how there is a difference between the BSA and the BSA in the Church. 

Our congregations 11 year old Patrol combines with another wards 11 year old Patrol.  Part of the issue is due to the fact that we have let the Assistant Scoutmaster over 11 year Scouts of the other ward, while a good man that I personally really like, run the program.  And of course bias has appeared but no one wants to address it.  The program is OK but when boys don't bring their books, requirements don't get passed off.  In fact, if they don't bring their books that night they have to pass off the requirement again.  Hence many of our boys are already a year behind in Scouts when they come into our "true" Troop.

Thorn:

Our Stake is having an 11 year old campout.  Our Assistant Scoutmaster (ASM) over the 11 year old Scouts filled out the form for his boys to come and added three of our Scouts to come to the event due to the fact that they are behind from the previous program.

Our Scoutmaster (SM) gets a call from the Stake Primary President telling Scoutmaster that she doesn't want the 3 12 year old Deacons to come and camp at the event but they are more than OK to come for the merit badge classes on Sunday.  Scoutmaster says that is fine with no arguments and hangs up the phone.

30 minutes later a member of the Stake Presidency** calls again telling SM that he doesn't want the Deacons to come to camp at the event but can come to the classes the next day.  He explains that there is a huge difference between this church event and a BSA event.  And he goes on to discuss how the 11 year old program really isn't a BSA program (why the Tour Permits then, huh?) and asks the Scoutmaster if he understands.  My Scoutmaster, to his credit, tells him "I don't really get it."  He gives him the whole line again and adds things like he doesn't want three boys to take away from everyone else experience.  And claims because the boys hold the Priesthood, this event isn't for them but they can still come on Saturday.

• So why does the camping of three 12 year olds cause such an issue if there is a Tour Permit?  They can come but only after the true night camping part is over?  
• Why is this a Church event if everyone will be in BSA uniforms and the proper BSA forms will be in place at the demands of the Stake?
• If this truly is a Priesthood event (or a BSA event) should we be including three boys who got a crappy 11 year old program?  How will three boys with an excellent leader crash this event?
• If the Stake Primary President is called to preside over this program, people don't get to make decisions for her.  Or at least they shouldn't get to.  I know I sure as heck wouldn't allow someone to step on me or my wife like this.

Some leaders have no clue how to lead.  Their people skills suck and don't understand the difference between the Spirit of the Law and the Letter of the Law.  You can't call something a Scout Camp and then in the same breath call it a Church camp.  Either it is one or it is the other.  I think we have been given very clear direction about not confusing events to try and fit what we want to do.

Rose:

In the end, the Varsity Team will teach these boys the requirements they would have passed off at this sham of a camp.  It is more in the true Scout spirit that my boys do it anyways.  And they will get a more quality class from my boys.

Another Rose:

With the bad examples of leadership I experience I always put that into the back of my mind with the thought "If you are ever called to serve, don't be like that."  My SM said the same thing.

*  You can go ahead and call me a bad Mormon because you think I am speaking ill of my leaders but this is nothing of the sort.  Any leader is willing to receive some criticism and some feedback especially for the decisions they make.  In the end I respect that they get to make a decision even if I believe it is right, wrong and/or stupid.  I have to have a testimony of their decision.  I am not blind and will not follow without that belief in what they believe.  I am not a sheeple.  Any leader who thinks they know it all and they are the end all be all especially when they are a councilor and not the President of a group doesn't understand how the Church is organized.  This was told to me by my SM.

**  Two years ago at Girls Camp, this leader at a nightly meeting was discussing Trek the next year and how Girls Camp and High Adventure would be cancelled for the older youth of the Stake.  The Young Men leaders (they had been called to come and help and asked to stay for a meeting) and Young Women leaders were in shock until the Stake President arrived at the meeting after attending to some of his duties.  When they asked them if that was truly the case of being cancelled he said "No.  There is no way we would cancel those events."  I had a shocked relative in this meeting.

Wow - thanks Penn and Teller

This morning I found out that Bill Birch died.  I went to Youtube and watched his video on his bolo ties.  Then I saw a link for a video by Penn and Teller on the BSA.  WOW.  I am not going to share the link because the language is very salty...............and that is an understatement.  While I appreciate that Penn and Teller have a different view on the BSA, the attack on the Mormon Church for supporting the BSA was over the top.  So I will try to remember that a Scout is kind and not just not comment.

You know I am a huge supporter of the LDS Church as one of its members.  I am also a huge supporter of the BSA as one of its leaders.  I am also a huge critic of the way chosen leader of the LDS Church use/don't use the BSA programs in their units.  The filthy way Penn and Teller present the ideas of the LDS Church and the Boy Scouts of America is ridiculous.  I couldn't afford your tickets in Vegas and now it doesn't even matter if I won the lottery and could.  Enough said.

Are You Tougher Than a Boy Scout?

These Scouts look prideful and like Scout-nazis.  The military cadence confirms it.  That being said, I will be watching the show.  I do think it is a little unfair to put teenagers up against adults but whatever.........

Dad passed off everything

Situation:

A special needs boy (functional but parents are so closed minded about him being special needs that they believe he is 100% OK) earns merit badges and ranks until he is Life rank.  Just prior to Life, his dad is made an assistant Scoutmaster because he needs to help with his son.  All the ranks and merit badges minus 5 earned as Scout Camp were passed off by Dad.

Obviously you can't go back and remove his ranks or merit badges.  The boy gets the benefit of doubt when it comes to what has already been passed off and awarded to him.  His Dad has told me on multiple occasions that he can pass off anything for his son because he is an assistant Scoutmaster.  I have tried explaining it to him but Dad gets defensive and argues his point.

His Eagle Project is coming up and I am afraid Dad might be doing the work for him.  The boy while functional special needs cries at the drop of a hat if things are not done exactly how he wants it.  He has gotten better but still has the need to grow.  He is constantly needing to be reminded to stay on task.  He is sort of in a "bubble" and if you don't tell him what exactly to do, he will go off and do his own thing.

Talks with parents about their boy needing "special" help because of his needs have gone on deaf ears.  "He is a normal boy." is their reply.  Obviously he is not.  I have asked my gentle giant of a son to befriend this boy and because of that have experienced his issues first hand.  It is clear he could benefit from some special help.

Is this boy ready for Eagle?  Maturity isn't a requirement for Eagle.....
What do you do about his upcoming "father passed off" requirements?  The boys isn't the issue.......
What do you do?

The Oak Ridge Boys

I love country music and I love this song!

I am Scouting

This video is awesome.  My favorite quote.  "It is an opportunity to teach young men how to be REAL men."  Love that!

New Scoutmaster

My brother in law is a Varsity Coach in another ward in the area.  His program works much differently than mine under his Bishop's direction.  Recently my BIL discussed with me that his ward's Scoutmaster is not active at Church and has a live in girlfriend.  In fact the Scoutmaster preaches the "live in situation" as OK to the boys.  My BIL has gone to the Bishop and a change doesn't seem to be coming quickly enough for both him or me (not that my concerns matters).  This is what I shared with him in an email today:

Stick by your guns on your Scoutmaster.  Here is a couple quote for ya!

"Third, I encourage local priesthood leaders to call to service as Aaronic Priesthood advisers men [President Monson includes Scoutmasters in here if you read the whole talk] who are models for the young men to follow. A returned missionary, fresh from the mission field, blossoming with testimony, is often such a model. A young Aaronic Priesthood holder can say, “That’s the type of man I want to follow.”...............We are setting an example, through that Aaronic Priesthood adviser. Let us make certain he is a role model worthy of emulation." - Seven Steps to Success with Aaronic Priesthood Youth, Ensign Feb. 1985

Scouting is so important that the very best man in an LDS ward should be the Scoutmaster. - Bishop Bradley Harris (He is our old Bishop when we were part of XXX Ward.  He now teaches Scouting classes at BYU and has a book you will be getting from me called Trails to Testimony.  He also created the Venturing program for the BSA-he worked for the BSA for years before going to BYU to teach.)

No example would be better than a bad one.  A temporary Scoutmaster would be better than what you have especially with the Scoutmaster out right defiant attitude towards Church standards.  Our work is inspired!  It is the most important work of the Church out there!  We are molding future Bishops, future Stake Presidents and probably future General Authorities.  Our message to the boys can not be discredited or distracted because of our own actions.  Our actions speak louder than our words. 

I do not want to sound preachy or judgmental.  My standards are different than others and I respect your right and choice if they are the same or different than mine.  The teachings of our Church are completely against sex before marriage and living with someone before you are married.  These are the beliefs of the Church and I agreed long ago to live by these standards.  I do not care what others do in their own personal life unless of course their choices effect others (Scouts).

Lost Scout

http://news.yahoo.com/boy-scout-found-building-tree-branch-shelter-231903921.html

Where was his buddy??

I am a Scout.

It is amazing that some people think that they can't add Scouting to their routine.  They can.

The role of the Scoutmaster (or Team Coach)..........

This is a great article on the role of a Scoutmaster and what he expects everyone else to do.