100 Years of BSA

I personally have not been involved in scouting for 100 years, but I have been in a position to serve as Unit Commissioner and Co-Rep. for over 10 years and yet it has been just this past year that I have begun to understand the Lord's purposes for scouting.  I know many in my family would wonder what took me so long to figure this out, but my experiences in the program have been much less than idealistic in the past.  I've been well trained here in the Snake River Council and have gained the vision of the work which constructs men from the raw material boys.  As I see youth come through my classroom, it is obvious that social norms are discounting the true worth of a good, worthy man.  It appears that communities are expecting less of their male population whereas scouting requires hard things of young men so as to prepare them for the truly difficult demands of adulthood and fatherhood.  I finally understand the underlying purposes in knowing, not just memorizing, the Scout Law and Oath as these statements prepare young men to receive the Oath and Covenant of the Priesthood.  How grateful I am that my youth leaders were able to get into me some understanding of survival, organization, work ethic, and a relationship with my God.  Scouting is an inspired program as long as we let it work through us that way.  I hope to see many more years of service in it so to do better than I have done with it.