The Bloggers
torymathis.blogspot.com
Advancement, outdoor ethics and changes in Scouting, from a troop volunteer.
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The BSA recently sent out a statement regarding their commitment to act against racial injustice, where they commit to the following four specific actions: Introducing a specific diversity and inclusion merit badge that will be required for the rank of Eagle Scout.
Like everyone else, I’ve been trying lately to navigate life under threat of the corona virus. I read news articles about the pandemic spreading through the country and in my state. I’m trying to deal with social distancing rules at work while my wife is now homeschooling all of the kids.
I haven't actively posted on this blog in a long time. There are lots of reasons for that, but I'm not going to go into those. I'm now a Cubmaster. My wife and I started a new family pack in our area, serving both boys and girls.
Last weekend my wife and I attended our council's University of Scouting event. We were there to take classes to learn what we need to know to start a new family pack in our area. It was mostly a good day.
Today is the day my Wood Badge course should have started. For those who may not be familiar, in order for a Wood Badge course to go forward, there must be a minimum of 30 registered participants by 30 days before the course.
I wasn't sure if I was going to post a blog about this or not, but I keep hearing things that bother me just enough that I decided to do it. As you know, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints announced that, on 31 December 2019, the church will " conclude its relationship as…
This morning The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints made this announcement: "As part of the Church's ongoing effort to evaluate and improve its service to families and young people worldwide, the Church will no longer charter Varsity or Venturing units with the Boy Scouts of America and Scouts Canada effective January 1, 2018."
It has been a long time since I posted anything. So much has changed for me that I'm not even going to bother to give an update for those who may still be following this. I've been thinking today about something I have often heard about Scouting: "Scouting teaches our young men that they can…
Last night when I got home from meetings my wife gave me a gift. It was the last goal toward her Wood Badge ticket, all finished. Congratulations, Christine!
My wife is currently serving as the Webelos den leader in our ward. Most weeks we get to do den meetings together, which is a lot of fun. We were able to go to Wood Badge together last fall, too.
I had an interesting Scouting discussion last night. A very well-intentioned someone was trying to explain to someone else how much the adult leaders should be involved in the different programs of Scouting. They said that for Venturing, the program is 75% youth led, Varsity is 50% youth led and Boy Scouts is maybe 25%…
I just got my latest issue of Eagle's Call magazine (formerly Eagle Scout Magazine). One article is about the recipients of the latest National Eagle Scout Service Project of the Year Award. The winner rebuilt a playground at a cost of over $35,000 and over 5,000 hours of labor.
A few weeks ago I went to Wood Badge again. This was my third time being on staff and this time I had an easy job--Assistant Scoutmaster over Troop Guides. The best part of this year's course was that my wife got to go with me.
This is the "lecture" I would really like to give to our Teachers quorum this Sunday: "I want to talk to you guys for a minute. Something happened this week that I can't stop thinking about. We had several young men show up here on Wednesday night, but most of you weren't here, and none…
I just got back from Wood Badge. This was my third time on staff. I'll post more about this experience later, I'm sure. Part of the effect of Wood Badge is that it gets me thinking. I have now been involved in Scouting for about five and a half years.
I have now been the bishop of my ward for almost four months. It has been a rather eye-opening experience. During that time I have had the privilege of interviewing many of my ward members regarding a wide range of topics.
I shudder when I hear someone say that Scouting is the activity arm of the priesthood. That lessens it's role. It is really the Priesthood in action." - Elder David A. Wilson, LDS Philmont Chaplain I took this from The Boy Scout , the blog of the Utah National Parks Council. See the full post here .
In High School I used to run on the track team. While my usual events weren't often involved in relays, I did participate in one or two in those years. In order for a relay to be successful, there are certain things that have to happen.
I just read a fantastic post on the Ask Andy blog. He describes so well some of the things I have thought about over the years. Make sure you check it out: http://netcommissioner.com/askandy/2013/08/issue-361-august-12-2013/
I just saw a news story about a faith-based group that has formed an alternative organization to the BSA. To quote from the article: A faith-based group opposed to the Boy Scouts recent decision to allow gay youth to join has formed their own program for kids and teens in response -- but they will also…
Last night I was reading through a brief history of Scouting in the LDS church (It's our centennial this year!) and learned something new. I had already known that the church started a Scout group (known as MIA Scouts) before officially adopting the BSA.
The other day I read this article about an upcoming vote by the Southern Baptist Convention on whether or not to abandon Scouting after the recent change in membership policy. According to the article, it is a sure thing. I have already posted ( h ere and here ) about my thoughts regarding the new membership policy.
As I'm sure everyone has heard by now, the BSA has voted to change its membership policy. For those interested in reading the official BSA statement, click here . Also useful is the BSA's " Points of Clarification " page regarding the membership resolution.
I recently got an email informing me of the creation of a blog for the Utah National Parks Council. It can be found at http://blog.utahscouts.org/ Since it is new there isn't much there yet (nothing on the "Scouting How-To's" page), but be sure to check out the "Inspiring Stories" section, including posts about "Blackened Scrambled…
I haven't posted anything in a while regarding the BSA's proposed change to the membership policy. Part of that is because I haven't felt compelled to do so, like I have in the past. Before the BSA even announced the resolution to be voted on this month I had what I can only describe as…
On Sunday I conducted an Eagle court of honor for one of the boys in my ward. He is a great young man and his court of honor was really nice. I am really glad he finally got to work and earned his Eagle.
I recently came across a great website called The Art of Manliness. They published an interesting article comparing the 1911 BSA handbook with the modern one. Here's the thesis of the article: Because the Scouts were designed to be a repository of traditionally manly values, tracing those changes offers an interesting prism through which to…
I started this blog several years ago when I was serving as the Venturing Advisor in my ward. In the LDS church we don't choose where we serve and we don't volunteer--we are asked by a priesthood leader. We believe that we are called by inspiration to serve where we are needed.
I received an email the other day from another Scouter that really has me thinking. Apparently several members of his family really do not like Scouting because their father spent so much time on it when they were younger. To quote a part of his email: "I've seen that happen to...
A conversation yesterday with our ward's scoutmaster got me thinking about something. I'm not sure I have any real answers, I'm just mulling things over in my mind and decided it might help to write down my thoughts. The question I've been pondering is: which is more important, having a well-run Scouting program, or blessing…
From a speech given at the BSA national meetings in May 1992: "Throughout our country, we have been screaming ever louder for more and more of the things we cannot take with us, and paying less and less attention to the real sources of the very happiness we seek.
One of my responsibilities as the Chartered Organization Representative is to see that a committee is organized and functioning. I'm trying to get parents involved, but I've really struggled with who to get for the advancement chair. I have wanted to avoid having a parent do this, just to avoid any potential problems, but I…
Elder Tad R. Callister gave a talk during the priesthood session at General Conference about leadership in the young men. While it was focused on priesthood leadership rather than scouting, in the LDS church those go hand in hand and the principles apply.
Just a few scriptural thoughts I've read/heard lately. I'll let you apply your own Scouting context to them: "Wherefore, be not weary in well-doing , for ye are laying the foundation of a great work. And out of small things proceedeth that which is great."
In The Book of Mormon we read an account of a man known simply as "the brother of Jared." He (and his brother, Jared) were living at the tower of Babel when God confounded the languages. They were able to obtain a promise from the Lord that their language, and that of their families and…
I recently completed a survey for the BSA regarding a potential change in the membership policy. One of the questions is this: What is your greatest concern if the policy is changed to allow charter organizations to make their own decisions to admit openly gay Scouts and leaders?
My wife has just been put in as the Webelos den leader in our pack. We got her set up with a uniform and all the books and materials she needs. She spent last weekend doing all the required on-line trainings and I think she's ready to go.
In the beginning, there were two things that drew a boy to Scouting. One was the adventure and fun activities involved. The other was the romantic idea of being a real man--a Scout. When I read Baden-Powell's works it seems to me that he was intent on taking the lowest, meanest, roughest boys, giving them…
I have a really crazy idea. It has been floating somewhere in my mind for over a year now. I've thought several times about posting it here but for some reason I haven't. Maybe it's because things have slowed down for me (Scouting-wise) that I finally decided to do it.
Anyone who listens to or watches the news probably heard yesterday that the BSA is reconsidering it's policy on whether or not to allow homosexuals into the organization. This is the official media statement regarding the proposed change (it can be found by following this link ): "For more than 100 years, Scouting's focus has been…
At Wood Badge this year I'll be teaching the session on Values, Mission, and Vision. In that session, a quote from Margaret Thatcher is used: "I cannot manage the past. There are other people in my government who manage the present.
I just watched a video on Glenn Beck's The Blaze TV about fixing entitlement culture. The first part of the video is a mother describing how she gave her kids more responsibility at home and the difference it made in them.
One of the lessons taught at Wood Badge is about Leaving a Legacy. It uses the movie Mr. Holland's Opus to make the point. In that movie, Mr. Holland, the high school music teacher is honored at his retirement with a surprise concert featuring music he wrote, performed by many of his former students.
The values of Scouting apply everywhere, even on-line. Check out the Scouting Magazine blog to see the Scout Law as interpreted for the internet and modern communication (facebook, texting, etc.): http://blog.scoutingmagazine.org/2012/11/29/the-scout-law-for-the-facebook-and-twitter-set/
I just turned in all the rechartering paperwork for our Scouting units. Despite the warnings I heard from others it wasn't that painful of a process. Aside from pestering adult leaders to do their youth protection training, and being turned down when extending calls to ward members to serve as new adult leaders, everything went…
Last night I was able to see two of my Venturers set apart as missionaries for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It was a very touching experience and one I am grateful to have been a part of.
I just got a call from the course director for the Wood Badge course that will be held in my district next August. He asked me to serve as the Assistant Scoutmaster over Troop Guides. I wasn't going to volunteer for next year's course, but I sure won't turn down the invitation.
On Saturday I had the privilege of helping one of the young men in my ward work on his Eagle Project. We met at the cemetery and cleaned up headstones. This particular cemetery used to have a policy that all headstones had to lay flat so that it would be easier to mow the grass.
I just got an email from our District Commissioner: Dear COR: The LDSBSA relations committee have taken the program helps and have formatted them into the Duty to God Program. These will be a great help to our scoutmasters as they implement the Duty To God program with their scouting activities.
It's time to recharter all the Scouting units in my ward. As the new Chartered Organization Representative, this falls to me. I don't really think it will be that difficult once I get down to it. Sure, we do have a couple boys who need their registrations moved from Scouts to Varsity, but I don't…
