bobbinw

LDS units are most definitely unique. If you are from the outside looking in, many LDS units have a reputation as poorly managed and ineffective. The reputation is well earned. From the inside looking out, however, we must be careful to not lose sight of the true reason LDS units have embraced the Boy Scout program. We use the program to help us build character, as in any other non-LDS unit. More important, however, is the preparation it provides for these young men to become great leaders within our church. LDS adult scout leaders often get caught up and "gung ho" in the scout programs and forget the greater and more important ecclesiastical programs. Somewhere, there is a balance. In my opinion, local leaders are the ones who have fed this problem and they must also present the solutions. For the benefit of non-LDS readers, the boys in the troop are divided into age groups. Each age group is, in effect, its own patrol within the troop. Boys remain Cub Scouts until they are 11 years old. At 11, they become Boy Scouts but are not integrated into patrols with older scouts. They are placed in a patrol made up entirely of other 11 year old scouts. There are no experienced, mature scouts to take over the patrol's leadership. This, of course, provides a unique challenge for the adult leaders. It requires an experienced and well trained leader. As 11 year old scouts, they are still part of the church's Primary Program. They will not be considered a member of the Young Men's program until they turn 12. As a consequence, they are in "limbo" during this period. The Bishops tend to expend their efforts and attentions to the Young Men's program. The Primary leaders tend to expend their efforts and attentions to church lessons (not scouting) and the younger children. The solution to the problem is for the local leaders (Bishops specifically) to assign, on a long-term basis, their best trained and most experienced scout leaders to the 11 year old scouts. Get the 11 year old scouts "on board" with scout spirit and well trained. By the time they leave the Blazer Patrol (another name by which we refer to 11 year old scouts) they should be 1st Class Scouts and well on their way to Eagle. Miss this opportunity and we are destined to continue with mediocre troops and poor reputations. I am heartened by the strong emphasis the church leadership is currently placing on the scouting program from Salt Lake right on down to the local stakes. They are emphasizing the importance of tenure and training. For new LDS leaders who are dealing with the inadequate and inexperienced leaders from the past and feel like they are fighting an uphill battle, I can only say, "Don't let them win!" If you give up, they win. In the meantime, train, train, train. You and the boys! Also, read the church policies more carefully. I believe you are mistaken about some of the "rigid" policies the church has. An open forum is the wrong place to discuss such matters but I will be glad to discuss ideas, policies and my personal opinions in private. In the meantime, let me say that if you try to run an LDS unit the same way you run a non-LDS unit, you are going to be frustrated and lose every time. We are about 90% compatible but that last 10% difference is huge!