Elder Robert D. Hales urges preparedness to LDS Scouts

FORT A.P. HILL, Va. — Some 3,500 boys and their leaders gathered on a grassy slope here Sunday and were issued a charge familiar to any earnest Boy Scout: Be prepared.

That was the council repeated by Elder Robert D. Hales of the Quorum of the Twelve during an outdoor LDS sacrament meeting at the 2010 National Jamboree. The Sabbath service is a favorite tradition for Mormon Scouts participating in Scouting's quadrennial event. The Scouts performed a large role in Sunday's meeting. More than 200 young men in full Boy Scout uniform were enlisted to administer the sacrament ordinance. Many more sang in an Aaronic Priesthood choir.

Some in the congregation sat on camping chairs, but most simply stretched out a blanket or sweatshirt and sat on the grass to listen to Elder Hales' message.

"We are here for a reason," he said. "Seated here today are the future leaders — not only for our church, but many will lead our nation. Many of you will be in the military, and many of you will serve communities."

Scouting, he added, offers remarkable opportunities to prepare.

"You do not know when you will use the knowledge that you are gaining with each merit badge," Elder Hales said. "You do not know when you will save someone's life because of a (life-saving) merit badge that you have earned."

Being prepared means maintaining a state of readiness. Elder Hales spoke of being a fighter pilot and undergoing arduous training so he could be prepared for any aircraft malfunction or flight emergency. He needed to automatically respond to trouble without thinking.

"That is the conditioned response that you need in your life, so when you are faced with a trying time or emergency, you know exactly what to do and how to do it."

He counseled the Scouts to decide now how they will react when they are offered drugs, alcohol or, later in life, an unethical business proposition. Know now how to react to potential moral decisions.

Education, said Elder Hales, is a key component of preparation.

"Will you become a lifelong learner?" he asked. "Will you learn from what you are doing in Scouting? This is the beginning of your learning. Never end your learning. Add to it. Always be a lifelong learner."

A quality education will help a young man serve and elevate others, he said.

Elder Hales also paid tribute to the many leaders volunteering their time at the National Jamboree. "You (Scouts) are here because of men who have given (much) and made it possible for you."

e-mail: jswensen@desnews.com