Boy Scouts

Because of my former service as Young Men General President for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and my continuing association with Scouting, I am often asked, especially recently, about the relationship of Scouting and the Church.  Recently, I had that conversation with a good friend and one ...

It’s officially 2016, meaning the new Boy Scout rank requirements I’ve been blogging about for months are now official. Where can you find the requirements, when must your Scouts start using them and what are the big changes? You have questions, and we have answers. Let’s do this.  Where can I find ...

BSA’s 411 Program Updates are nearly all in place except for Boy Scouting, which makes its final changes in January 2016. Of course, the first things you will notice are the new rank requirements. These were introduced last May but take full effect on January 1st ; Scouts joining on or after Jan. 1, 2016 MUST ...

First Class Scout requirements include learning to tie a clove hitch and the timber hitch as well as the shear, square, and diagonal lashings (requirements 3a, 3b, 3c, and 3d of the new requirements). Pioneering turns the knowledge of ropes and lashings into practical application. As an EYO Scout leader, ...

Every boy involved in Scouting pledges to “do his best” when he recites the Scout Oath. He does not vow to try to do his best; he promises he will do his best. Perhaps Yoda, the venerable Jedi Master, explains this facet of the Scout Oath succinctly when he admonishes, ...

Boy Scout Program Camp Emerald Bay currently serves over 4500 Boy Scout Campers per summer. With such a large propery and many exploration sites on Catalina’s West End, the possiblities for activity and growth are limitless. Your week-long stay will be broken into five periods each day, during which you may ...

As an eleven-year-old (EYO) Scout leader, your Scouts will reach that point where you will send them to their first and second boards of review (BOR) for advancement. The Scout will have completed his requirements for Tenderfoot Scout or Second Class Scout. You will have conducted your Scoutmaster conference, checked ...

Even though leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have decided to continue the partnership with the Boy Scouts of America, and even though the majority of members polled have determined to follow the prophet on this choice, I still hear a lot of discussion among Young ...

With nearly 22 million veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces living among us, chances are good that at least one of these American heroes is a family member or close friend of you or someone in your Scouting unit. Though these men and women deserve our recognition and thanks every day, ...

The Quarterly LDS-BSA Relations Newsletter is out.  Here is what’s inside: Growing Scouting through Reactivation – Focusing on Scouting’s Principles and Ideals By Stephen H. Hess, Young Men general board member Annual Priesthood Leadership Conference on Scouting Dates: The first session will be held June 25—July 1 and the second from ...