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LDS Church announces cutting all ties with the former Boy Scouts of America

by hawkwing · 5/9/2018

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Guest
https://www.mormonnewsroom.org/article/new-program-children-youth#__prclt=6D5STF4x


The children and youth of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints worldwide are precious. They represent the future, and ministering to their needs is a significant focus for the Church.



For years, Church leaders have been preparing a new initiative to teach and provide leadership and development opportunities to all children and youth, to support families and to strengthen youth everywhere as they develop faith in the Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. This new approach is intended to help all girls and boys, young women and young men discover their eternal identity, build character and resilience, develop life skills and fulfill their divine roles as daughters and sons of God. The initiative is designed to allow local leaders, families and even the young people themselves to customize their efforts, while providing service opportunities and activities, fostering healthy relationships and supporting communities. Details will be shared at childrenandyouth.lds.org as the implementation date approaches.



As announced publicly today in a joint statement with the Boy Scouts of America, effective on December 31, 2019, the Church will conclude its relationship as a chartered organization with all Scouting programs around the world. Until then, the intention of the Church is to remain a fully engaged partner in Scouting for boys and young men ages 8–13. All youth, families and leaders are encouraged to continue their active participation and financial support of Scouting until that date. See a list of frequently asked questions.



The Church honors Scouting organizations for their continued goal to develop character and instill values in youth. The lives of hundreds of thousands of young men, along with their families and communities, have been blessed by Scouting organizations worldwide.
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Guest
Never again will I do a Friends of Scouting drive!
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Mars
So the Church is ceasing Cub Scouting as well?
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screamineagle2
This does make me sad. I loved my Scouting experience as a youth and as a leader but I do understand why it is happening.
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Guest
Mars wrote:

So the Church is ceasing Cub Scouting as well?


Yes.
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snoscythe
It's the elimination of yet another program where the means have been confused with the ends.
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nuk13
After what they were doing I think it was inevitable. The church has announced all new church wide programs. I hope other churches quit them too.
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Mars
This is a bit frustrating for a few reasons.



1- The programs aren't being ended for 19 more months. That's a long period of uncertainty for scouting leaders (callings), parents, and kids.



2- The replacement programs haven't been announced yet.



It would have made more sense to announce nothing yet.
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billbillbillbill
I am trying to hold off judgement on this until I hear the replacement program. But as the father of 3 boys, the oldest that just started cubs this last year, I am sad they won't get the scouting/Aaronic priesthood combination that I got growing up. We will probably jump over to a community pack/troop if the boys want to which will add one more thing into our week.



I attended a class at University of Scouting a few years ago called "Scouting in a small LDS unit." At the time, we only had 4 boys scouting age in our ward. The big push in the class was to recruit kids in the neighborhood to fill the ranks. We did just that and ended up with 2-3 more boys joining us. We didn't preach to them but there were a lot of great missionary opportunities for us and especially the boys. I have no idea how prevalent it is in LDS units to have nonmembers attend but I can't see that continuing with a separate church program.



I guess we will wait and see. It is going to be a long 19 months for sure.
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snoscythe
After a bit of thought, I believe this will work out for the best, both for the Church youth programs and for the BSA.



The Church has struggled in recent years to properly implement Scouting at the local levels. Whether from an over-emphasis on the Eagle rank and advancement, failure to implement a boy-led troop/patrol, or general disinterest from parents and youth, it generally is not properly done, and it leads to frustration.



This separation allows Wednesday nights and outdoor activities to become about the youth and their development. True, that's how Scouting should run, but like hometeaching, it has not been running the way it should for years.



For the Scouts, especially in Utah, this allows for neighborhood troops and packs to form, which would be led by true volunteers who participate because either (i) they truly believe in Scouting, or (ii) they truly want their kids involved and want to support them. It will be an entirely different Scouting dynamic, and the programs can run as Scouting has always intended.



It's a tough change, but I believe that in the long run it will prove a wise move both from the Church's perspective and from the BSA's perspective.



As for waiting until end of 2019, I like having some advance notice. This gives neighborhoods and schools time and opportunity to organize and charter their own troops and packs to fill the void for the 5% or so of the boys that will still want to participate after the Church ends the relationship. I would have rathered see it it end 2018, but whatever.
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Guest
I honestly can't see any negative drawback from announcing this far in advance.



1. If you have a calling as a scout leader, keep fulfilling and magnifying that calling until the time is up. You could get released at any time anyway, so the only difference is you know for sure you won't have that same calling into 2020.

2. If you're a boy or a parent who has some desire to get an Eagle, this gives you the chance to make the commitment to do it. That either means finishing the requirements while the church is involved or making plans to join a troop post church involvement. Either way, it gives you options. I don't see how the same doesn't apply to current cubs. If they want to pursue scouting.

3. The replacement program will be unveiled and rolled out, but it's likely an expanded Duty to God program.
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snoscythe
hawkwing wrote:
The replacement program will be unveiled and rolled out, but it's likely an expanded Duty to God program.


While I am sure they will improve Duty to God, it's the one program that has been even less-effective than Hometeaching and Scouts. It will be changed and made more gender neutral and will be used in YM and YW after the phase out of Personal Progress, but it won't replace Scouting.



The template for the Youth program is found in what was implemented beginning this year for the Teachers and Priests. A huge de-emphasis on achievements, awards, etc, and instead an emphasis on youth-led activities to develop character and faith. I think they just bring the Deacons and YW into that framework and let them loose.
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Cougarfan87
snoscythe wrote:

The replacement program will be unveiled and rolled out, but it's likely an expanded Duty to God program.


While I am sure they will improve Duty to God, it's the one program that has been even less-effective than Hometeaching and Scouts. It will be changed and made more gender neutral and will be used in YM and YW after the phase out of Personal Progress, but it won't replace Scouting.



The template for the Youth program is found in what was implemented beginning this year for the Teachers and Priests. A huge de-emphasis on achievements, awards, etc, and instead an emphasis on youth-led activities to develop character and faith. I think they just bring the Deacons and YW into that framework and let them loose.


That’s exactly what I am hoping for...a deemphasis on public awards and public achievements and an emphasis on work and personal growth.
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Mars
My ward hadn't had an a very active Cub scout program in awhile, 1-2 years. They called me into Cub scouts and combined our program with another Ward's. I've spent the last half a year or so getting everyone involved again and caught up, and once things are finally starting to smooth out this announcement came. I'm taking it kinda hard honestly. Didn't help that I read the email while helping run our Pinewood Derby (already stressful). It feels like I worked myself to the bone for the past 6 months just to get crapped on. It's an emotional take, but I am frustrated about how things went down.
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Mars
On a different note, this is what we just started working on in Cub Scouts:



-- Earn the Cub Scouts of America's Religious Knot Square by completing its 7 requirements, while following along with the Primary program's Faith in God requirements.



1- Give a family home evening lesson on Joseph Smith’s First Vision. (Religious Square Knot Requirement)

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

3- Tell a story from the Book of Mormon that teaches faith in Jesus Christ. Share your testimony of the Savior. (Knot)

4- Prepare a pedigree chart. Prepare a family group record for your family and share a family story. (Knot)

5- Write a letter to a teacher, your parents, or your grandparents telling them what you appreciate and respect about them. (Knot)

6- Read the twelfth article of faith. Discuss what it means to be a good citizen and how your actions can affect others. (Knot)

7- Write a poem, story, or short play that teaches a principle of the gospel or is about Heavenly Father’s creations. (Knot)



Additional Aaronic Priesthood goals:



8- In a family home evening, teach others about things we can do to remain faithful.

9- Read a recent conference address given by the prophet.

Decide what you can do to follow the prophet, and do it.

10- Read D&C 89. Discuss how Heavenly Father blesses us when we faithfully live the Word of Wisdom. Help plan and conduct and activity to teach the Word of Wisdom to others.

11- Learn to sing “Choose the Right” (Hymns, no. 239). Explain what agency is and what it means to be responsible for your choices. Discuss how making good choices has helped you develop greater faith.

12- Plan and complete a service project that helps a family member or neighbor.

13- Make a list of the qualities you like in a person. Choose one quality to develop in yourself. Discuss how showing respect and kindness strengthens you, your family, and others.

14- Plan, prepare, and serve a nutritious meal.

15-Entertain young children with songs or games you have learned or made yourself.

16- Learn about and practice good manners and courtesy.

17- Plan and hold a parent-child activity.

18- Learn how to budget and save money.

19- Learn to sing, play, or lead a song from the Children’s Songbook. Teach or share the song in a family home evening or at Primary.

20- Make an item from wood, metal, fabric, or other material or draw, paint, or sculpt a piece of art. Display your finished work for others to see.

21- Visit an art museum or attend a concert, play, or other cultural event. Share your experience with your family or activity day group.

22- List five things you can do to help around your home.

23- Plan and participate in a physical fitness program for yourself that may include learning to play a sport or game. Participate in the program for one month.

24- Learn about and practice good nutrition, good health, and good grooming, including modest dress.



https://www.lds.org/callings/primary/leader-resources/scouting-in-primary/cub-scouting?lang=eng



https://www.lds.org/manual/faith-in-god-for-boys?lang=eng
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ABYUFAN
Mars wrote:

My ward hadn't had an a very active Cub scout program in awhile, 1-2 years. They called me into Cub scouts and combined our program with another Ward's. I've spent the last half a year or so getting everyone involved again and caught up, and once things are finally starting to smooth out this announcement came. I'm taking it kinda hard honestly. Didn't help that I read the email while helping run our Pinewood Derby (already stressful). It feels like I worked myself to the bone for the past 6 months just to get crapped on. It's an emotional take, but I am frustrated about how things went down.


I wouldn't call it "getting crapped on" I call it having the right man in place to help these boys during this important transition phase. The Lord knew when you were called when the separation would occur, and chose you to be there. I say good for you for demonstrating that the Lord was right to place you there at this time.
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snoscythe
Had a dad in our ward corner me last night about how his 11 year old son would never have the opportunity to earn his Eagle like his brothers and he wants his son to be able to put that on future applications and resumes.



I mentioned that the local council is already looking for interested parents and volunteers to start the process of chartering and supporting community troops. He told me that their family and his son did not have time for a community troop.



That kind of distilled the issue for me right there. Parent wants the award for their kid, but not everything else that should go along with Scouting.
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BroncoBot
snoscythe wrote:

Had a dad in our ward corner me last night about how his 11 year old son would never have the opportunity to earn his Eagle like his brothers and he wants his son to be able to put that on future applications and resumes.



I mentioned that the local council is already looking for interested parents and volunteers to start the process of chartering and supporting community troops. He told me that their family and his son did not have time for a community troop.



That kind of distilled the issue for me right there. Parent wants the award for their kid, but not everything else that should go along with Scouting.

1000x yes.

I've experienced this everywhere from Houston, Philadelphia, and now in Colorado. Parent apathy is killing not only the BSA experience, but is hurting the church/youth as well. Can't get the parents to get involved in a damn thing in my current ward.
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scott715
That's a shame because I was involved. If you support the program, you help when asked.
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byufan4ever
When my son was younger he had a lot of school friends in MO that were doing Tiger Cubs and he wanted to do it too so he joined a non-LDS unit. It was really well run with volunteers who actually cared and wanted to be there. Almost 100% of parents were super involved. The only negatives were campouts were almost always Saturday night into Sunday and there was lots of fundraising (selling popcorn door-to-door that you only get 13% of the sales...).



The next year he started doing Wolves in our ward unit but he didn't like it so he went back to the other unit. Well, I then "conveniently" got called as the Cubmaster so my wife and I pretty much forced him to come to the ward unit because I wasn't about to be involved in two scouting units. I tried to bring some of that non-LDS unit's way of doing things to the ward unit, but everyone wanted to treat it as a babysitting drop off. After 3 years the parents finally started coming around and helping out more...



My other big beef with LDS scouting is that the boys "progress" from Wolf to Bear to Webelos to 11-Year Old Scouts based on their birthday. The non-lDS unit did it based off of school year. The problem with the LDS way is that you don't just have the same group of boys progressing together. With boys coming in and leaving all through the year simply because they had a birthday it was extremely challenging to plan which requirements to do when. Drove me nuts.
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