Conference raises Scouts' church knowledge

The principles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints dovetail very well with the goals and purposes of the Boy Scouts of America, a visiting national Scouting leader says.

"We are happy with our relationship with the LDS Church. It remains strong, and we look forward to its continuation," said Matthew J. Budz, team leader for community alliances for the national organization, which has headquarters in Irving, Texas. His position gives him oversight of Scout programs sponsored by religious organizations, including the LDS Church.

Budz was one of a group of Scouting leaders from across the country who were special guests of the church Saturday during the 180th Semiannual General Conference of the church.

For the past seven years, the church's Young Men organization has hosted such groups to help them understand how the Scouting program has been integrated into overall Young Men's activities, said Paul L. Moffatt of Las Vegas. He has been assigned by the Young Men general presidency to head the project. The visitors to this conference were from Colorado, Texas, the Pacific Islands and the BSA national headquarters, he said.

"For seven years, we have hosted Boy Scout professionals from across the United States. They leave with an advanced degree in how Scouting works in the church," said Moffatt. "They ask many questions and provide feedback for us. It helps keep an open dialogue."

Besides attending the Saturday afternoon and Priesthood sessions of the conference, the Scout leaders toured Welfare Square, the Humanitarian Center and other church sites that are of most interest to visitors, he said.

The LDS Church has the largest contingent of Boy Scouts operating under church sponsorship — some 350,000 youths that represent 17 percent of all Scouts in the country — Moffatt said. For LDS youths, the Scouting program is aligned with usual priesthood advancement, providing activities that conform to church standards. It has been an integral part of the male youth program since 1913, when it was adopted by then-President Joseph F. Smith.

Like many organizations that deal with youth, BSA is concerned about the decline of morals and civility in the country, Budz said. But he is convinced that the "timeless values — duty to God, to country and to oneself" — will continue to provide a solid base for Scouting into the foreseeable future. "Merit badges may change, but the core values will remain." He added that in the current tough economic times, BSA has "fared better than some others," and attributed that to the general knowledge worldwide that Scouting aims to develop character and build leaders in communities.

In January 2011, for the first time, an international Jamboree including the United States, Mexico and Canada will be held in West Virginia, he said

"Coming here has been a learning experience for those of us who are not members," he said, summing up the conference experience. "It strengthens our knowledge of how the church works."

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