2023-07 The Story of a Good Turn

How good must a Good Turn be to be GOOD? The answer is best given by telling you the story of how Scouting came to America. It shows that it isn't the size of the Good Turn that counts. It's the doing of it, whether large or small.

A GOOD TURN TO AN AMERICAN.

One day in the year 1909 the great city of London was in the grip of a dense fog. An American businessman, William D. Boyce, stopped under a street lamp to locate himself. Out of the gloom a boy approached him and asked if he could be of help.

"You certainly can," said Boyce. He told the boy that he wanted to find a certain business office in the center of the city.
'I'll take you there," said the boy.
When they got to the destination, the American reached into his pocket for a tip. But the boy stopped him.
"No thank you, sir. I am a Scout. I can't take anything for helping."
"A Scout? And what might that be?" asked Boyce.
And so the boy told the American about himself and his brother Scouts. Boyce became very interested. After finishing his errand, he had the boy take him to the British Scout office.
There the boy disappeared.

At the office Boyce met Baden-Powell, the famous British general who had founded the Scouting movement. Boyce was so impressed with what he learned that he decided to bring Scouting home with him.

And so, on February 8, 1910, in Washington, D.C., Boyce and a group of outstanding men founded the Boy Scouts of America. Ever since then this day has been known as the birthday of Scouting in the United States.

What happened to the boy? No one knows. He was never heard of again, but he will never be forgotten. In the British
Scout Training Center at Gilwell Park, England, a statue of a buffalo was put up in honor of this "Unknown Scout." His Good Turn had brought the Scouting movement to our country.

One Good Turn to one man became a Good Turn to millions of American boys. Such is the power of a Good Turn. You never can tell...

2023-06 Not A Man's Footprint

Today we are celebrating Scout Sunday,  which typically is held on the Sunday prior to February 8th.  In reality, you can celebrate Scout Sunday on any Sunday during this month. So, with that in mind, we will be focusing on one point of the Scout Law for the whole month, Reverent.

There is one thing that happens every single day that most of us take for granted, the rising of the Sun.  There’s some mornings where I appreciate the Sun more than usual.  Having the Sun finally rise as I’m  keeping my  hands warm over the camp stove cooking breakfast during a winter campout is one of those mornings. Another, is while on a 14 mile night hike up to the top of Mount Timpanogos located in Utah. Where we reached the top of the mountain to watch the sun rays break through the darkness as the sun peeked over the horizon.

Some fun facts about the Sun. It has 8 planets that orbit around it. It takes 27 Earth days to rotate on its axis. Its radius is 432,690 miles (to give you some comparison, Earth’s radius is roughly 4,000 miles). It would take 1.3 million Earths to make up the mass of the Sun. How can we explain the creation of the Sun along with everything that orbits it within this solar system? If we were told the process of how everything was created, could our minds even comprehend it?

An old Scouters Minute crossed my mind as I started to think about this subject.

A man was crossing the desert with an Arab guide. Day after day the guide never failed to kneel on the burning sand and call upon his God. At last one evening, the man said to the Arab, “how do you know there is a God?” The guide fixed his eye upon the scoffer for a moment and then replied, “how do I know that there is a god? How did I know that a camel and not a man passed last night? Was it not by the print of his hoof in the sand?” And pointing to the sun whose rays were fading over the horizon, he added, “that footprint is not of man.”

As we attend campouts and explore on day hikes, let us all be alert and recognize all those little and big things out there that reflect the footprint of the Creator.

2022-07 God's Fiddle

The month of February we are continuing on with our Reverent theme.

A story is told of a conversation between a businessman and Sir Harry Lauder, the famous Scottish comedian, at a recent dinner held in New York. “I want to thank you for all the happiness you have given me, Sir Harry,” the man remarked. “I have looked forward to your American performances as one of the real joys of my life.” Harry Lauder without any thought of jesting responded, “don't thank me, laddie. God put something into me that seems to give pleasure to many thousands of people”, he said. “What it is I don't know, nor where it came from, nor when it may go. I don't seem to control it; it seems to control me. Thank It, Whatever It Is-not me.

John Bunyan, when congratulated on one of his sermons, uttered Harry Lauder's protest in different words. I am only God's fiddle! The instrument on which he elected to play His tunes.”

Is it not well for us to pause in the midst of our tasks and success to pay homage to our Maker? We, too, are “God's fiddle”, even though we are so often out of tune with God's infinite plan.

This time of year we have many events for entertainment. We have the Super Bowl, which is today. Many award shows are this month, and the Winter Olympics are currently taking place. Many of these athletes and performers bring happiness and enjoyment into our lives as they entertain us on the screen or at live events. Yes, many of them have worked extremely hard to get to the spot they are in in their life to receive an award or take home a super bowl ring, or a Gold, Silver, or Bronze metal. It always brings a smile to me when you hear these entertainers thank their friends, families, and their God for their accomplishments. Remember, you never really do anything on your own. You usually have your support group, this could be your den, pack, patrol, or troop, leaders, family, teachers, coaches, etc. And most importantly, you have your Creator who always has your back. Let us always do our best to be an “in tune” fiddle for Him.

2022-06 What An Amazing World

This week’s Scouter’s Minute falls on Scout Sunday. Some of you may be asking, “What is Scout Sunday?” Well, back in the 1940’s, scouts around the world started setting aside the Sunday preceding February 8th as a day to reflect on the 12th point of the Scout Law, reverent. Some of you may now be asking, “what happened on February 8th?” Well, that is the date in 1910 that the Boy Scouts of America was born. But that is a different topic for another time. Cub Scouts and Eagle Scouts alike promise to do their duty to God. Is today the only day that your scout unit can celebrate Scout Sunday? No, you can choose to celebrate on any Sunday during the month of February. The same goes for Scout Sabbath and Scout Jumuah. This is a wonderful day that scouts and scouters can reflect on our duty to God and on being reverent. Back when I was a youth, I can still remember how cool it was to sit in the congregation at church while looking around to see my fellow pack and troop members in full uniform in a setting that usually involves white button-up shirts and ties.

During today, your Scout Sunday can include leaders and scouts receiving religious awards. It could involve a pack or troop display in the foyer of the church highlighting some of your activities and accomplishments. If your charter organization is your church, your day may include handing out programs or being a door greeter welcoming those who are attending the services.

Many times our outdoor adventures take us to some pretty amazing places in this nation. Some of my favorites include Arches National Park, Zion National Park, and Yellowstone. Many of these places that we visit in National Parks are considered sacred and holy. Stand at the base of Yellowstone falls with the 63,000 gallons of water roaring over the edge every second and you get the impression instantly that this place is special… The same goes for the “Narrows” located in Zion National Park. In 1858 Nephi Johnson with a party of Indian guides arrived at the mouth of the canyon, and due to superstition the Indians refused to enter the canyon. Nephi Johnson, alone, followed up river to the narrows and described it as a place “where the sun is seldom seen.” Returning to the mouth at nightfall, Isaac Buhannin, an early settler, seeing the spires, remarked, “Surely this is God’s first temple and should be called Zion.” One practice that I personally have when visiting a breathtaking spot in nature is to sit quietly and while taking in all the sights, scents, and sounds, I also reflect on it’s beauty and the One who created this amazing world for us.

As we experience some of these amazing and natural wonders of the world. Take some time to be reverent and reflect on your own parts of this world that inspire you and also reflect on the Higher Being that made this world for you and me.

2021-06 In God We Trust

This Sunday is Scout Sunday and throughout the nation scouts and scouters are practicing the 12th point of the Scout Law, reverent. Although the official date for Scout Sunday is the Sunday before BSA’s birthday on February 8th, your troop or pack can celebrate Scout Sunday, Scout Sabbath, or Scout Jumuah throughout this month.

If you have a penny, take it out of your pocket and let's take a look at it.  What do you find on it? That’s right. On the front of it we can find President Abraham Lincoln, to the left of him is the word “Liberty”, and above his head we can read “In God We Trust”. Not only as individuals, but as a nation, too, we are committed to live and work in harmony with God, and with his plan. 

During the month of February we celebrate some of the great men who influence us. George Washington and Abraham Lincoln who’s birthdays we celebrate on President’s Day and Baden-Powell’s birthday. 

These men had many things in common. Love of the outdoors. Human kindness and love of people. And an earnest duty to God and helping to work out a better world. Each one of these men often acknowledged their dependence on God.

Now let's take a look at that penny again. It’s only worth one cent. It’s the smallest amount of money that you can carry in your pocket. But, how amazingly powerful and strong are the words that it bears, “In God We Trust”.