The Latin Scot

Well, I am off to my Brotherhood honor ordeal ceremony induction camp-out outing whatever on Earth this whole thing is called, lol. I am not sure what to expect but I am excited and eager to serve! Wish me luck!

Of course! But our church has been built on hard roads and challenges. This is a mountain we are happy and ready to climb. And we have a Chief Scout already - it's our Prophet. He has all the skills, tools and authority needed to guide us to success.

I am not sure what the confusion is ... Troops can vote on and then go with one of three options: no neckers, neckers over the collar, or neckers under the collar. That's incredibly simple.

LOL. My ward went through that phase (heck, it was like that the entirety of my childhood and youth - I got my Eagle despite my leaders, not because of them). But that's one of the things the new program will inevitably work to change. I am sure that whatever we get will make great differences in the habits so many units have developed over the years.

I can comfortably say that, as the entire focus of the Church's young men's program is to raise its youth to become strong leaders in their homes, their communities, and in the Church, it is absolutely guaranteed that the new program will center on leadership and character development. Raising moral young men who will someday lead the Church is paramount to our beliefs, and having been raised in the Church, I can tell you that those values are at the very core of what we expect our young men to be. If anything, I can't think of what else the new program could possibly focus on. And the Church has all the means and resources to create a superb program that will be equal, if not superior, to the Scouting program. As for outdoor skills, well, I am sure we will camp and go on high adventure activities and all that, but I don't think that element will be as strongly emphasized as it was before. But who knows? We'll have to wait and see. But I have full confidence that what's coming will be even better than what was.

Well, I have just told my boys to get whichever book they wish. I will have all of them for reference, but I am not going to be picky about which one they use, and I have made sure all the parents know it. Same with the new total switch to the tan/olive uniforms for Webelos Scouts; if my boys want to stick with the blue that's fine by me.

Hmm. An interesting proposition? I think Family Life is still essential for any boy, but I do think Scouting Heritage needs to be required, especially with all the new kids that will be coming in. They need to know what Scouting was, versus what Scouting has become.

Ah, that's what everybody is talking about. Thanks!

Simply put: 1. It's not a doctrinal questions, but a policy question. And the answer is that after December 31st, 2019, no, individual LDS units will NOT be authorized to sponsor Scouting units. We will have our own program to implement that will replace Scouting, and so to act as the CO of Scouting units will be redundant after that date. There will be no more LDS-sponsored Scouting units after next year. 2. LDS units can absolutely include both non-member youth and leadership in its Scouting units! On the Church's official webpage on Scouting, it states "worthy adults, whether members of the Church or not, may be called to serve as Scouting leaders." It also states "Young men and boys of other faiths who agree to abide by Church standards should be welcomed and encouraged to participate in Scouting activitites. Expenses for their participation are pain in the same manner as for other youth. Voluntary contributions from their families may be accepted and handled according to Church policy." I went to Scouts with a couple of young men who were not LDS, but they were good kids who eventually earned their Eagles right alongside us. There was never an issue with their not being members of the Church, and as far as we were concerned they were as much members of the group as any one of us who were in the Church. That will be the same policy with the new program; while it will be a Church-run, LDS-centered program, it will of course be open to anybody who it not a member of our faith. ALSO: moderators, how do I get rid of this darn quote box below?

What video? Where is all this information coming from? I would like to follow if I can!

So, the new manuals are in my local Scout Shop, and I spent a long time going though all of them. I actually think that, sans the explicit inclusion of girls in much of the new imagery, they are much better than the past edition - more pictures, simpler writing, more activity and less rambling ... I like them. I am not a fan of the spiral bound books though and it seems they aren't even bothering to produce perfect-bound copies now, which is frustrating as they were cheaper and lasted longer. But these new ones are bright, colorful, engaging and streamlined, so I have little to complain about concerning the changes themselves. Now my primary concern is that they will come out with the Spanish editions quickly so that I don't have to translate all my parent materials off the cuff; most of my families are either Spanish or Chinese speakers, so having materials in at least one of those languages makes things a lot easier. Hurry hurry BSA translation department!

On the contrary, I can understand @Chris1's concerns in light of my previous remark; I am happy to address it. I went through my Ordeal 21 years ago when I was 14. I didn't understand what I was getting into, I didn't understand the OA, and I didn't care much for it when I finished my youth Scouting career not much later. I knew it was a good organization that taught good things, but nobody ever taught me what the greater significance was, and I was never once afterwards invited to an OA event, told about an OA activity, nor informed about OA service projects. For all I knew, the Ordeal was the entirety of the Order. Two years ago I was thrown back into the world of Scouting when I was called on to serve as a Webelos Den Leader. I jumped in full throttle, and made it my mission to learn everything there was to know about the BSA and Scouting in general. This led me to rediscover the OA, and in my research, to realize what a large, important, and life-changing organization it could be in the lives of the boys under my care. I wanted the boys in my Pack to strive to live the ideals the OA espouses. I wanted the boys in our Troop to honor the OA and participate in its programs. And I wanted to advance my role by receiving my Brotherhood honor. Naturally, I knew I needed to earn it. I renewed my dues, became active in my local chapter, and started promoting the OA in our Troop. We hadn't had an election in over a decade. So it took a lot of work, a lot of influencing, and a lot of effort, but we have finally started having elections, our boys are starting to take an active role in our chapter, and this weekend, 20 years overdue, I am finally receiving my Brotherhood honor, and I will be proud to contribute all of my talents and energies to the Order for the next 18 months, before my Church moves on to a new program that will require me to shift my focus and energies. But I have given this years of thought, and I think it would be a profound personal loss if I didn't complete this part of my OA path by receiving my Brotherhood honor and ensuring that my boys devote 18 months of the finest service possible while we are still a part of this fine organization. I intend to "go out with a bang, not with a whimper," as the vogue LDS mantra seems to be lately. So upon deep and long reflection, I am deeply grateful that I will be able to achieve my Brotherhood honor and still have time to make a meaningful contribution before we move on to other things. I am sorry if my earlier post trivialized my perspective; I hope this helps clarify my point of view.

When I first started as a WDL a few years back, I didn't have much to go on either. But it was clear from the Scouting Adventure adventure requirements (curse that redundant name!) that I needed to understand the difference between how a den works vs. how a patrol works, so I did as much research as I could. That was actually one of the reasons I first joined this website, which helped tremendously (thanks everybody!). I also read the Patrol Leader's Handbook and the Senior Patrol Leader's Handbook, and every general Scout Handbook from 2911 to today's. They all helped a lot. I also read every edition of the Scoutmaster's handbook and did a lot of online studying so that when my Webelos come to the time when we practice the Patrol Method, we practice the patrol method. I give them a whole month of preparation, first by visiting a Scout Troop so they can see what the Patrol Method looks like, then letting them know that I won't be getting involved, instructing them on how the method will look, getting our Den Chief and other visiting Scouts to come and talk about the method, teaching them how thier month-long Patrol Leader will need to step up their duties, et cetera. Then for a month I sit back and let them run it! Does it go perfectly? Of course not! BUT DO THEY GET IT? - mercy yes they do! The difficulty is making sure their new Scoutmasters and ASMs keep up the work once the boys leave my group and enter theirs.

Yes sir!

I would get defensive if this wasn't so darn accurate.

I suppose this was meant in jest. Let's look at the pettiness then: So, when you say something is your "final word," you seem to mean "until I get the last word." Is that fair? Now I will say, calling me a "liberal and a leftist" is downright hysterical. You do know I am a right-wing, conservative Latter-day Saint with an aggresive pro-family, traditional-values, Christian worldview that goes against everything liberals and leftists stand for, do you not? And that I have been one of the most vocal opponents of girls in Scouting on these forums? But my my, you do seem upset, so I suppose resorting to senseless epithets must comfort you somehow. But I happen to like bolding my words. It makes them big and cheerful and easy to read. And I am happy to accept both facts and reality. I thought you were too, but you seem to be incapable of giving a "final" thought when somebody suddenly presents an idea that doesn't fit you worldview, and you can't resist stepping in to correct them. I wonder how many times more you will give us your last thoughts, only to jump in again when somebody presents a point counter to yours. Fortunately I can enjoy Star Wars without caring two figs whether you want to call me a liberal, a leftist, or a lunatic. So I actually WILL make this my last thought on this thread, because I am perfectly content knowing you are simply some person on the internet who makes assumptions he cannot support with facts, and that what I feel is perfectly legitimate. Have fun when you inevitably come back! I hide in the back spying on you all with my binoculars. I'm keeping the giftbasket though.

Yes, the ONE healine you shared, from such a reputable newssource no less. How very compelling. But it is wise of you to rest your case there, as there isn't much further you could take it without much hyperbole and vitriol. I did find the following article much more reasonable, however. I am more inclined to follow this line of thinking than yours, despite a few places where I disagree. And it is no better nor worse a source than yours, though I find its argument much more logical and sensible than the fear-mongering many seem to be slathering about: https://www.polygon.com/platform/amp/2018/5/28/17402484/solo-star-wars-box-office-reviews-cameo-death Now, had you presented your thoughts along these lines, I may have been pursuaded. But your thoughts just sound ... dare I say, envious. You sound like you are jealous that we like the new movies, but you can't. How very unfortunate that you choose to feel this way (and I say choose very carefully since I realize nobody can MAKE you feel one way or the other).

What's funny is that I read more than a dozen articles on Star Wars every day, yet I have never once encountered the phrase "Force is Female." I feel like you've made it up. But I see now why you are bitter. You treat Han, Luke and Leia like sacred characters. But they aren't; they're made up, but to give them life, to make them feel real, they have to act in ways that we can understand, and sometimes that means not everybody lives happily ever after. That's clearly what you wanted. But the way they mature and grow as characters is far more realistic, more believable, and more compelling than your desired outcomes, and to say that they were "disrespected and desecrated" is byperbole and exaggeration. Han was given a wonderful role in VII, but Harrison Ford has wanted out of the SW universe for years, so they wouldn't have kept him longer than they did. Leia was given full, meaningful roles in both VII and VIII, but sadly Carrie Fisher passed away before IX, which was to have been her biggest role. And I think Skywalker's arc tells a tragic, but hopeful story that makes sense of his times and his world, and that ends with a beautiful message (not to mention one of the most powerful manifestations of the Force in any SW movie to date). I cannot see where you get the idea that the Force is "Female" - it certainly isn't in the movie, so you must be getting it from your own strained interpretations. Just because you call it "the reality" doesn't make it so. You seem to hope that we will believe that you speak for a large body of Star Wars fans, but having a broad and close relationship with that fanbase myself, whether through the 501st and Rebel Legion, the various fan connection sites, or from the most recent comic-cons and other large events, it seems to me that fan response is over-whelmingly positive. You'll have to demonstrate that all the feedback I am getting from these sources is misleading before I can believe that they are in some kind of minority.

Well, I will be receiving my Brotherhood Honor this weekend. Looks like I will be getting it just in time too, before leaving Scouting. Just in time indeed.

The reticulations or the ramifications? I too express my gratitude for all your contributions over the past few years, and my farewell to you as you move on to find greener pastures. May your road be blessed and your way be clear.

I don't doubt some LDS families will continue their Scouting journey in other non-LDS troops. The difficulty is that we have used Scouting as our activities program for young men; now that we will have our own activity program, Scouting would end up costing that family double the time, with two programs designed for the same purpose. Scouting will likely become redudant for our families because the goals Scouting is meant to accomplish will be met by the new programs as well. Somebody mentioned that the "lucky" LDS members only have to go to 3 hours of meetings. Yet I pity those who only get three hours a week to share time with their fellow Latter-day Saints; for me there isn't enough time in the world to be with those you love.

First of all, I am always 100% behind every decision the Church makes, because I sincerely believe that whatever decision our leaders make, comes from the Lord. So, that said, I am excited to see what the future will bring after these next 18 months are over, because I know that Providence never takes anything away without given us something better in return. So what keeps me all in? Simple. The boys. These kids have 18 months left in Scouting. At that age, it seems like a MUCH longer time than it seems to us. And it's my duty, my opportunity to see that the last 18 months of Scouting in the Church are the most memorable, the most exciting, the most affecting months they have ever had. I want them to think back with fondness and gratitude to the years of Scouting they had, to the adventures they shared, and the lessons they learned. I want them to accomplish great things, and when they are old and gray, I want Scouting to be one of the dearest memories of their youth. That means I have no right, no time, no reason to selfishly indulge in whatever I may be tempted to feel regarding the sadness or nostalgia of this loss. It isn't about me. These boys have so much to learn and gain from my time with them, and to taint it with my personal sentiments would be unfair to them and a diservice to myself - they are not the only ones who have a lot to gain from this last leg of the journey. I myself learn from them daily; they are a part of my own growth and learning, and if I let myself be distracted by what-ifs and if-onlys, I too would lose valuable opportunities and blessings. Our last prophet President Thomas S. Monson, himself one of Scouting's greatest champions, loved to recite the following quote: "For all sad words of tongue and pen, The saddest are these, 'It might have been.'" - John Greenleaf Whittier My job is to deliver the fullest, the happiest, the most complete, the BEST program I can down to the last minute of our involvement. And all it takes to feel the motivation, to feel the desire, to feel the joy of the adventure, is to look into the faces of these fine young men and to love them. I can do anything if it's based on that love. It's not a personal stuggle. It's a personal opportunity, and I am thankful for every last minute of it.

Ha! This is funny. So, I have all my special stuff in pouches all around my belt (the boys call it my Jedi Belt). I've got one for my multitool, my compass, my binoculars, my cellphone (water-tight), and for outdoor activities, a first-aid kit and flashlight. All are small and not bulky at all, but the system keeps everything easy to reach and to have in-hand at a moment's notice. I've found it works nicely!

Let's not forget that The Last Jedi made over a billion dollars. A BILLION DOLLARS!!! Did it make as much as The Force Awakens? Of course not, that was the first new Star Wars film since the prequals. But mercy, TLJ still made a TON of money - so much that they have now announced: The obvious Episode IX A live action TV series Two entirely new Star Wars trilogies An animated TV series The continuation of their Forces of Destiny shorts An entire Star Wars theme park at both Disneyland and Disneyworld Not to mention the likely stand-alones of Boba Fett, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and likely more Solo films. Yes indeed they are. And a BILLION DOLLARS generated from The Last Jedi tells me that, much as you may have hated it, that thing made MONEY, and LOTS OF IT. Star Wars is not slowing down at all; it's just going to get bigger and bigger. I am just grateful I have enjoyed everything they put out tremendously!