bacchus

I support Merit Badge Day programs. Merit badges are offered for many reasons. One of them is to learn about something they are interested in such as a hobby, another is to get a brief look into a career field they may want to participate in some day, and then there are some that are really helpful to making a scout more prepared for life. Plus the activity gives scouts across the council a chance to gather as scouts should on occasion.

It's all good stuff and that's part of the reason they got into scouting. If they don't want to go don't make them. If they want to go, why hold them back?(This message has been edited by bacchus)

I thought JTE provided some good goals for us to strive to make. We're gold, but there are always some things we can still work on. Those items have been noted and we are working on them.

What actually bothers me a little is that BSA is supposed to monitor progress across the board and modify the JTE goals accordingly. Is this supposed to be some type of bell curve?

At Roundtable last week a Venturing adult said that he saw something that said BSA was changing the official Venturing uniform back to the boy scout uniform. He said he went to the Scout Shop and asked for a Venturing uniform and they gave him the scout uniform.

I haven't found the memo anywhere, and the Scout Shop manager looked confused when I asked about this. Is it just another unfounded rumor?

I received this last week. I agree that it should not go away for adults.

"WAKWIB, "There has been a large exodus from many mainline denominations for years for a variety of reasons."

Do you have any idea where they're going?"

Probably some other church that does not change with relaxed societal standards of morality.

JH, I don't think we're at that point yet. Our population has the stake about the same size geographically as the council.

Also, I don't think the purpose is to get "representation" on the council, just a way to provide support, and then relay scouting info over to the LDS young men.

What position should a Stake Young Men leader hold in the local District or Council?

Committee Member in his home unit seems possible, but doesn't seem to really fit right since his "jurisdiction" could be council-wide. Maybe a District or Council Committee?

I would imagine this could fluctuate drastically depending on the LDS population of the particular council...

Thanks Joe, That's about what I expected it to say. Theoretically it sounds like a true statement, but it would have come across a bit more powerful if he had included, "... and 3M is transitioning our leadership, management, and production to [insert country]."

JoeBob, I'm not a paid subscriber, so can't read your link.

Mr. Boyce, it is not a rhetorical trick. The death tax is the tax on those assets above a certain figure, from which the gift tax has not already taken. It's really a gift tax. I have always had a problem with the requirement to pay tax on something at the time I earn it, and then pay taxes again if I give more than a certain amount of that income to a relative.

I know this all stems from back when the Kennedy's family financial scheme became public, and they were obscenely rich, but still.

Thanks for the insight. Would some more representation at the council level help the situation?

Hal, what in the world did the SE do that was so bad you wanted out?

Sherm, what in the world did the SE do that was so bad that decades later the District still did not want to go back?

Just curious guys, because my Council and District seem so friendly and it's hard for me to picture a different organization style.

Good job!

Jhankins,

"You are neglecting to mention the things that changed and were announced last month at the leadership training meeting."

I didn't realize there was a training meeting other than the Handbook training meeting, which didn't reference Scouting at all. Was there another one?

"The way registration works is going to change. Stake troops can now come back. Wards can now choose to register with other wards and combine program should they feel the need."

I think this is positive for Scouting. What your statement really means is that if one ward has a Troop of 16 young men, and the next ward or branch has 2, those 2 can participate with the 16 should they so choose. Also, for example, if there are a small number of 16-18 year olds, the Stake can charter a Venturing Crew. I don't see any negatives there.

"But the heavy restrictions on fund raising are penalizing troops who are part of a community and actually lead scouting in the community, not just for their church boys (as the LDS church says their church should work). One fundraiser for camp?"

Actually most people were previously under the mistaken impression that only one fundraiser was allowed anyway. Now, a unit can do 2, one for camp, and one for equipment. As I see it, "part of the community and actually lead[ing] scouting in the community" does not translate to "multiple fundraisers." Kudos to you for providing a quality program though. If the fundraiser for camp is insufficient and a young man can't come up with the additional funds, talk to the bishop and he will be able to come up with a solution.

Gary,

"The revised Handbook 2: Administering the Church did not change the way scouting is being administered in the church."

I disagree. The Handbook changed from what was previously written. Substantially, in reference to the types of units for the Teacher- and Priest-age young men. The fact that the Church's Scouting Handbook is referenced means to me that it has not been updated yet, but soon will.

"The scouting program is still using the Churchs Scouting Handbook, Published in 1997."

Actually, the Church's Scouting Handbook is referenced, but not 1997. I'm sure that a corrected one will be produced soon with changes in line with the Handbook 2. The Church's Scouting Handbook (Called "Scouting") still says Exploring is the type of unit for Priest-age young men. It still says that each quorum is to have it's own scouting UNIT, something the new Handbook 2 no longer says. I'm not faulting anybody, but want to clear up the idea that since we have a scouting handbook from 1997, that the Handbook 2 can't change anything.

Eagle, that's what we want to do. The way our program is set up, those 16-18 year olds are going to be in the same position regardless whether they wear green shirts or tan. I guess if somebody is stll a high school senior and turns 18, he better wear green or he's out of scouting even thou he's still in the young men program.

Eagle, that's true. We still have the crew support the youth with representatives at campouts and have a quarterly joint activity. I guess it's semantics, because the same would really be true as a Venture Patrol.

The jury is still out on the Crew. A year from now we'll revisit and see if we need to go to Venture Patrol. The biggest problem I see regarding that is that I have never seen a functioning Venture Patrol.

I guess I'll be the first to comment about the new handbook.

There is no longer any mention about Varsity or Venturing. I think we will see a lot fewer of both types of units beginning at charter renewal time. The number of scouts shouldn't change so we should end up with larger, healthier troops. I think the patrols will be based on quorum identity.

We are closing our Varsity Team, but will maintain the Crew mainly so the older young men are not getting burned out by going out with 12 year olds every camping trip.

There are 2 basic theories behind governments taxing the people. One is to raise revenue for the govt. and the other is to take revenue away from some people (the wealthy) the level the playing field. In the US I just don't think we are ever justified taking money from people, or their heirs, simply to reduce their capital.

Looking at the posts on this thread I see people arguing for and against taxes based on both theories. Revisit your posts and determine whether you are conservative or liberal by which of these theories you subscribe to.

I just picked up the new Venturing Manual. It does NOT include Math and Science Bronze. Not sure why the delay...

Gary,

About the longest one of these threads is really worth is 3 pages and then the same material and accusations just get churned over and over. Part of the problem is there are so many people out there who believe there just has to be something wrong with a program that has been adopted by the Church. Part of the problem is that so many of us LDS guys believe that by posting this stuff we are going to get people to see the light, that our program is "just as good as theirs." It isn't "just as good", it's just different. In many ways our program is not "as good" as theirs because we are trying to find ways to instill quorum identity, and they don't even work with quorums. Their diversity of age goes completely against the idea of our quorum identity.

So get your feedback from about 3 pages worth of posts, and use that to try to improve what you have. Don't try to convert these other guys to a program where they have an 11 year old patrol, and then the 12-13 year olds are the rest of the Troop, the 14-15 year olds are a Varsity Team, and the 16-18 are a Venturing Crew. It isn't going to happen. You may not even be aware of it, but neither you nor they are going to be satisfied with this thread until one side caves and agrees to the other side.

There isn't anything wrong with you and me running a scout program how we are asked to, and meeting all the methods at the same time. There is also great strength in working jointly with LDS and non-LDS. The feedback you are getting in this thread is even helpful. I'm just saying this thread has gone beyond the point of usefulness. (I mean seriously, we have professionals in this thread saying things that are obviously not true).

Here's the pamphlet and the MB design on the cover.

http://blog.scoutingmagazine.org/2010/10/design-of-geocaching-merit-badge-pamphlet-released.html

Moose,

I have found that in new assignments I have often faced a "baptism by fire". Sometimes it is me not knowing the best way to get something done. Sometimes it is others "initiating" me into a new position. Either way, in the future things have gone much smoother. I think that is just part of life. I'm sure you did well.

Keep up the good work serving the youth!

Welcome.

Bart,

You might also make note that it isn't necessarily against the rules for us LDS to be in the woods on a Sunday. The rule is no "travel" on Sunday. So for example if you are on a 4-day campout over a 4-day weekend, and day 3 is a Sunday, you are within the rules. Definitely make sure the Bishop knows and approves, but it's doable. Also, if you are in the woods on Sunday, the activities are going to be different than other days, i.e. you might have a sacrament meeting, and other quiet activities, maybe even a fireside. But you would not go to the archery range, or canoeing.

"When our Crew Advisor asked the other crew which Young Man was in charge one of the Young Ladies raised her hand,it was quite funny and an awakening to our advisor. Even better was when I learned latter that the Young Lady was also LDS, and the president of her Young Womens class at church."

I understand the Western Region's youth president is an LDS female - obviously from a non-LDS unit.

"For those of you in LDS units who mix with non-LDS units, do any issues arise concerning female leaders who camp (obviously leadership with the non-LDS units)?"

When in Rome, do as the Romans. There is nothing "doctrinal" about men and women being separate in activities. Preventing female leaders from camping with the boys is in the rules for us, so we follow that when doing LDS-sponsored activities, or LDS WB, etc. However, when I have attended non-LDS activities that require camping, I just use my best judgment and follow the orders of the camp leaders as long as it doesn't put me in a compromising position - which I just doubt would happen.

A couple adult-training examples so far - one activity had cabins, separate for men and women. One activity had mixed gender patrols and we camped in our individual tents. Neither of those caused me any concern.