LDS Church News: Missionary preparation – Aaronic Priesthood and Scouting

February is \"Scout Month\" — an opportune time for Aaronic Priesthood-age

boys, their parents and their leaders to remember Scouting's essential role as a

preparatory activity program for future missionaries.

Church leaders have long spoken of the relevance Scouting continues to play

in the lives of young men in the church. The principles embraced by the youngest

Cub Scout to a Venturer finishing his final year of high school also double as

life-building tools that can help prepare a young man for mission field success.

In his April 1986 general conference address, President Ezra Taft Benson said a young man

who earns his Eagle Scout — in conjunction with the Duty to God Award and a

seminary graduation certificate — is \"a young man who can perform miracles for

the Lord in the mission field and throughout his life.\"

Scouting's role to better prepare young men for missions does not end with

the Eagle Award. The Varsity Scouts and Venturing programs allow older Aaronic

Priesthood holders to develop leadership skills that can serve them well in

future missionary service.

By accepting the Scout Oath penned decades ago, a young man promises to \"do

my duty to God\" and to \"help other people at all times; to keep myself

physically strong, mentally awake and morally straight.\"See the full story at LDSChurchNews.com.

This story is provided by the LDS Church News, an official publication of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It is produced weekly by the Deseret News.