A century ago, Church leaders decided to partner with the fledgling Boy Scouts of America and sponsor a troop in Salt Lake City. From that inauspicious beginning, the Church would become the largest sponsor of that storied adventure program for boys. Millions of Latter-day Saints have worn the iconic Scout uniform at some point in their lives. Today, more than 430,000 LDS boys are registered as Scouts.
Over the past 100 years, Scouting has played a role in helping Aaronic Priesthood holders living in the United States prepare for missionary service, professional careers, families, and lifelong Church service. The First Presidency has saluted “Scouting’s emphasis on duty to God and moral behavior and its positive influence in the lives of boys and young men.”