What is one of the things that you think of when you hear the word ‘Scouting?’ Does adventure come to mind? Canyoneering is one of the many adventures that Scouting has to offer. Here is an introduction to canyoneering and the basics that you and your Scouts need to know to get started today. First, […]
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I remember when we built a dirt road into Tifie nearly a decade ago, if you could call it a road. Each summer for the last few years I have endured the washboard ride out of camp, and twice got an oil change over it, if you know what I mean. Then there was the […]
“If Panda Express were on a cruise ship, the cruise would go out of business because people couldn’t stop eating it.” My husband said something similar to this while we sat chowing down on saucy orange chicken with my younger teenage sister. He continued to make these “pick up line” like statements regarding the restaurant […]
We’ve all been there–sitting in a meeting, anxiously waiting our turn to talk about some Scouting event. We stand up and make a spirited plea for anyone to help with this or do that. You take out your paper to write down names, but you hear only crickets and see only blank faces. Maybe you […]
In my article for Mother’s Day, I was fortunate to pay tribute to my Scouting Mom. Reflecting over the impact she had in my life was such a beautiful experience. This month, I have the opportunity to pay homage to my father, a man who has helped shape my life. Some of the most valuable […]
It was the second night of our first week of camp at Camp Thunder Ridge 2017. And the scene was a campwide flag ceremony. Troop 26 had volunteered to present the ceremony. I was their assigned camp commissioner but it was at this flag ceremony that they really got my attention. I knew that they […]
It was eye-opening for me to see young men and young women together, hiking, climbing, swimming, serving and even shooting at the Tifie Scout Camp with the Pleasant Grove Stake. A 15-year-old young woman screamed in excitement , others smiling, as she held up her target shredded with holes in the bull’s eye. “I’ve never […]
The warmth of the red desert surrounds you as you as you pull into camp at Entrada High Adventure Base. It’s 6:30 am and the site is already bustling with life as the staff and campers get ready for a long day of excursions and activities in the Moab Desert. Entrada is special because there […]
I’ve heard a lot of wives tales and crazy stories in my short 24 years of living. Some are actually true. (Everyone in my husband’s family verifies that he lost a toe, and it regrew on its own.) Some are somewhat true. An apple a day may not keep the doctor away, but it is […]
Thank you for your kind support of Scouting and the young men it serves. Over 56,000 families contributed to the Church’s 2016 “Friends of Scouting Drive” for the Utah National Parks Council. A year has passed, and families may again respond to the First Presidency’s invitation to participate in the annual Friends of Scouting drive […]
Of all the Scouting positions I have done, (I have held every unit leader position), I like the New Scout Patrol the best. However, this patrol in troops around the BSA face all kinds of challenges helping Cub Scouts make the transition from Webelos to Boy Scouting. But, in the LDS Church we face a whole other […]
Goal setting involves more than just wishing or dreaming. As President Thomas S. Monson has taught: “Wishing will not make it so. The Lord expects our thinking. He expects our action. He expects our labors. He expects our testimonies. He expects our devotion” (“To the Rescue,” Ensign, May 2001, 49). Prepare yourself spiritually Meaningful goals […]
In a recent blog, I wrote about our coming summer adventure at Camp Thunder Ridge. I noted in the article that I was the Program Director at Thunder Ridge 40 years ago. That kind of dates me. I realized after I got to camp that I actually served as the very first program director at […]
Wasatch Mountain State Park, the state’s oldest park, is in Heber Valley and is both a summer and winter destination. Soldier Hollow, the 2002 Olympic winter venue is located at the park’s south end, and is open year-round for summer and winter activities, including biathlon, cross-country skiing, tubing, mountain biking, and hiking. There are limited […]
Wanna hear our Camp Thunder Ridge big fish story? Well, here goes. So, my wife, Lou, and I were with the Thunder Ridge camp staff. Camp Director, Nick Hutchinson, and Program Director, Brad Lundell, had spent many hours of our staff week training all staff in the required stuff that all camp staff members […]
Your best buddies know you. Mama grew up with you. Your faithful scoutmaster helped you lead. But, your board of review members for your Eagle may not know how you personally conduct your life. For that reason, reference letters can be a good way for members to verify that you live by the Scout Oath […]
“And it came to pass that I beheld that the rod of iron, which my father had seen, was the word of God, which led to the fountain of living waters, or to the tree of life; which waters are a representation of the love of God; and I also beheld that the tree of […]
Buck Hollow is a beautifully forested property with streams, local wildlife, and many great opportunities for adventure and fun! Because of its deer population, it was quickly dubbed Buck Hollow by campers and staff and has served new Scouts for most of those years. But, for the last few has added a Webelos Wilderness Adventure. […]
This coming summer, my wife, Lou, and I will be serving as commissioners at Camp Thunder Ridge. We are excited about that coming adventure. An interesting note is that I served as the Program Director at Camp Thunder Ridge exactly 40 years ago. So, it will be fun to “be back home on the mountain”. […]
Scouts have always been great examples of hard work and dedication. This effort is important in accomplishing the goals of the Boy Scouts. Two young Bear Scouts from the Cedar Breaks District of the Utah National Parks Council exemplified this, demonstrating just how hard Scouts can work. Jaren Green, from pack 1891, and Braxton Anderson, […]