Scouting Leaders from Canada Visit Church Leaders

An 80-year-old relationship between Canadian Scouting and the Church was strengthened during a recent visit when Scouting leaders from Canada came to Salt Lake City.

Officials from Scouts Canada met with President Thomas S. Monson, Second Counselor in the First Presidency; Elder Jack H Goaslind of the Seventy, Young Men general president; Elder Ted E. Brewerton of the Seventy, president of the North America Northwest Area; Elder James M. Paramore of the Seventy, president of the North America Central Area; Betty Jo N. Jepsen, then first counselor in the Primary general presidency; and Mark Hurst, administrative assistant to the Young Men general presidency and secretary to the Church’s General Scouting Committee.

“Although 1915 was the ‘official’ year in which LDS groups were affiliated with Scouts Canada, we have evidence in Alberta of Mormons having joined Scouting in Canada as early as 1911,” said John C. Pettifer, Scouts Canada’s chief Scout.

Mr. Pettifer, along with Warren McMeekin, director of volunteers; Leigh Cotterill, president of the Alberta Provincial Council; and Ellis G. Stonehocker, regional representative and the Church’s official liaison with Scouts Canada, visited with Church leaders on August 26.

During the meeting, President Monson spoke of the progress of Scouting in Canada and other nations of the world and mentioned participation in international jamborees and world conferences of the Scouting movement. Participants in the meeting were pleased with the opportunity to become more familiar with how each organization functions and to talk about how to work toward common goals.