Church Policies and Announcements

The following notices recently appeared in Messages, which is sent to local priesthood leaders as official guidelines from Church headquarters.

Enrollment in Seminary and Institute. Local priesthood leaders are reminded that—

a. In many parts of the world a new school semester will commence during the month of January. The new semester provides an opportunity to encourage the enrollment of seminary and institute students who have not previously been enrolled.

b. Preregistration and planning for the 1978–79 seminary and institute year will commence during the months of February and March.

Priesthood leaders should work regularly with local Church Educational System personnel to encourage enrollment of youth and young adults in seminary and institutes of religion. Such encouragement will be more effective if youth and young adults, parents, home teachers, and other interested Church officers work with priesthood leaders in the effort.

Distinction Between Young Me omen, and Mutual. The following information is to clarify the appropriate term for the youth organizations of the Church. The name of the organization for young men is Young Men. The name of the organization for young women is Young Women. Mutual refers to the activity evening when the Young Men and the Young Women meet. Officers and advisers serving in these organizations should be called, sustained, and set apart to either the Young Men or the Young Women, as appropriate, and not to the Mutual.

Group Travel by Commercial Transportation. When group travel is necessary, such as for temple visits and other excursions, Church members “are counseled to use commercial transportation which is legally licensed and protected by liability insurance” (General Handbook of Instructions, Number 21, p. 104). Even legally licensed transportation companies, however, may be restricted as to their area or type of operation. For example, a bus service licensed to operate between states is not necessarily licensed to operate between points within the state in which it is chartered. Church leaders engaging in commercial transportation should make sure that such companies are properly licensed to perform the service desired.

Overnight Camping. Eleven-year-old Scouts. Approval has been given for one overnight camping experience each year for eleven-year-old Scouts in the Church to meet Scouting requirements. The campout should be organized under the leadership of the bishopric adviser with counsel from the Primary president. Because these Scouts are a patrol of the troop, Scoutmasters should be invited to participate even though the older Scouts might not be involved. Fathers should be encouraged to participate with their sons and with other boys who have no available fathers. Women leaders will not participate in the overnight experience.

Ten-year-old Cub Scouts. Cub Scouting (BSA) has an award called Arrow of Light which requires that a boy who earns the award must participate in a Webelos fathers and sons overnight or day hike. It is recommended that a day hike be planned to help ten-year-old boys complete this requirement. However, with approval of the bishopric and Cubmaster, the Webelos leader may plan a fathers and sons overnight outing to help meet this requirement. If the Webelos leader is a woman (which is possible in LDS dens), any overnight outing should be organized under the leadership of the Cubmaster with counsel from the Webelos leader, but women leaders will not participate in the actual overnight experience.

Other Camping Experiences. No other overnight camping experiences should be planned for Blazer Scouts or Cub Scouts. It is recommended that leaders continue to provide day camp experiences for eleven-year-old Scouts and that all Cub Scouts be encouraged to participate in a council day camp experience.