[Scoutmaster]

Scouting IS different in the LDS church than in the BSA, but with permission of and under agreement with the BSA.

The LDS Young Mens Mutual Improvement Association researched Scouting and created MIA Scouts in 1911. In 1913, the LDS church became the first institutional sponsor of the BSA, with the right to run a LDS Scouting program instead of the BSA program. The LDS program is called Latter-day Saint Scouting. The program is NOT the BSA program; the LDS church describes LDS Scouting as affiliated with "Boy Scouts of America (BSA); Scouts Canada; the Scouting Associations of Australia, New Zealand, and Great Britain; and other associations in Europe, Asia, South America, and Africa."

The conceptual difference is that LDS Scouting has a specific different goal for the Scouting program. According to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Scouting is to help meet "the Aaronic Priesthood objectives of preparing young men for full-time missions, temple blessings, and righteous manhood." The ultimate objective of LDS Scouting is to help young men prepare to receive the Melchizedek Priesthood and prepare to serve a full time church mission.

To meet the LDS church's goals, LDS Scouting differs from BSA Scouting in many ways, including:

• A separate Eleven Year-Old Scouting program, because LDS young men do not enter the Aaronic Priesthood until the age of twelve. Eleven year-olds are Scouts, but meet apart from twelve-fifteen year olds and do not camp.
• Boundaries drawn by LDS Ward and Stake, not by BSA Council or District.
• Unit membership determined by Aaronic Priesthood quorums.
• No Tiger Cubs. Cubs from 8-10. Boy Scouts from 11-13 (with the eleven year-olds in a separate program). Varsity from 14-15. These three programs are supposed to be part of the LDS Scouting program for all wards. IF approved by the Bishop, then there may be an all-male Venturing Crew from 16-17. Why are there so many 13 and 14 year-old Eagles Scouting in LDS Scouting? It's the church's formal youth program and it ends for many LDS Scouts at the age of 15.
• Leaders have their roles as part of their calling, generally assigned by Church leadership. Their tenure is shorter, on average, than a BSA Scout leader. They may or may not have the same interest in Scout leadership -- although we all know many BSA Scout leaders who were roped into taking a position.
• No Sunday camping/travel. This prevents LDS Troops from participating fully in many District or Council campouts, unless the camporee makes arrangements to meet LDS needs. Fewer LDS leaders are Wood Badge-trained because of the Sunday issue, but many Councils offer Wood Badge courses to meet LDS requirements.
• Some additional or different publications. There is a handbook for LDS Scouting.
• In the eyes of many, less youth involvement in leadership. For example, the LDS handbook on Scouting says that the senior patrol leader is "nominated by the bishopric and sustained by quorum [in other words, Troop] members . . .. This leader is usually the quorum president . . . but may be another worthy young man, whether a member of the Church or not." I cannot imagine Troop members failing to accept the Bishop's candidate for SPL, but I may be wrong.

My primary contact with LDS Scouting was during the short period I was the Council Commissioner. We tried to create a new position for a Commissioner for LDS units, to meet their specific needs. One problem was that our Council's geographic boundaries were not church stake boundaries. One of the two church leaders (Bishops?) involved did not want the position to exist, and the second leader (the other stake Bishop?) wanted to select the Commissioner and have him report to the church leader.

LDS Scouts, leaders, and Troops are different from BSA Scouts, leaders, and Troops -- but they come from different programs which serve different purposes.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is a strong partner of the BSA in Scouting. The LDS program must be meeting the church's needs, because Scouting is still the official male youth program for the church. But . . . it is a different program from BSA Scouting, for better or worse.

Anyone with different knowledge, please correct me. I knew nothing about LDS Scouting when I became Council Commissioner, except that none of the LDS leaders knew how LDS Scouting differed from BSA Scouting, and none of the BSA leaders knew how BSA Scouting differed from LDS Scouting. After working with the program, I know this much (he said, holding his thumb and forefinger about 1/8" apart).

[Tax-chick]

Thanks, that was very informative!

My husband was invited to work at a Wood Badge course this spring, but we’ve already got a half-marathon and our youngest daughter’s First Communion on the second weekend of the course. Maybe he can do it in the fall.

[broncobilly]

Thanks for that explanation. FR can be a great resource of information. Apparently, among its participants, there are experts on practically any subject you can name.

[SZonian]

You sir, are correct. The LDS do have a Webelos program though, that was one you left out, but it’s only one year, 10-11 yrs old.

The comments about adult leaders are basically spot on with a few exceptions. I’ve met some of those exceptions and they do a fine job of balancing both BSA and LDS methods. Hard as it may be.

I served on WB Staff for a Course Director who is LDS and she did an excellent job. She and her husband have been exasperated in the past by LDS rules, but they plug on. Most, if not all of the time, it’s the individuals that make a successful program.

Good post,

Cheers,
SZ

[Coleus]

the LDS church became the first institutional sponsor of the BSA >>>

wasn’t the YMCA the first?