Lamanite Scouters

Every once in a while something happens that is so unexpected and takes you so completely by surprise that you end up talking about it for weeks, analyzing what happened, and thinking what you should have said or done. Such was the case last week for my wife.

Nancy is the primary president of our ward. That means she is in charge of all of the children in the ward between the ages of 1.5 and 11. Last week was the "Priesthood Preview," which is a meeting for all of the 11 year old boys, their parents, the bishop, and their future scout and priesthood leaders. The meeting can be quite powerful for the young men as they learn more about "priesthood," and about the responsibilities they will soon receive when they are ordained Deacons. There were about 7 boys in attendance.

The meeting was almost over. The Bishop was just saying a few closing remarks. My wife was sitting at the back of the room and the door kept opening with adults in scout uniforms looking in quite upset. My wife and one of her counselors stepped out to see if she could diffuse whatever was happening outside.

Now, my wife is very non-confrontational, but she is a good problem solver. She stepped out in the hall and asked how she could help. "You're not supposed to be in this room. We have it scheduled from 6:30 on so we can set up for an Eagle court of honor that is supposed to start at 7."

"I'm sorry there has been some kind of a mix up. We are almost done and I'm sure there will be time to set up for your court of honor."

"We have the room scheduled. You need to leave. Now."

My wife had scheduled the room nearly a year ago when she turned in her calendar for the year, but somehow that appointment had been lost. But the two leaders in scout uniforms would hear nothing of it. Not knowing what else to do, my wife stepped back in to the room.

The men followed. The interrupted the bishop and announced, "You are all going to need to leave this room. We have the room scheduled. We need to set up for an eagle court of honor. Take your things and go."

The bishop responded, "We would sir, but we only have two minutes before we are done. Can you wait two minutes?"

"Well OK" huffed the man, "But I'm timing you."

The 11 year old's sat stunned. There parents were stunned. The bishop was stunned. Had the man been less belligerent my wife my have been in tears, but because of their brashness she too was simply stunned.

I wanted to record this here for future reference. It has been interesting to analyze the situation a hundred different ways.

Scouts should be courteous and kind. Leaders should be doubly so. Yet in this particular event, the men seem to have become so focused on their task at hand that they became blind to the larger picture. As my wife observed, "They must have just worked themselves up in the hall. Those primary people this... we have the room reserved... stupid primary people... ruin our event..." And in the end they become the antithesis of everything they are supposed to represent.

It reminds me of the scriptures about the Lamanites' frequent justification for being mean. (Mosiah 10:12-18 for example) Perhaps when I start thinking that I am wronged, and start seeing the world as though I need to let people know how wronged I am, I need to step back and be courteous and kind. That usually is the case. I can tell you about the time I ripped my shoe, or the time I was a day late for a test, but those are other stories.

I keep thinking what I would have done if I had been there. And perhaps that is another lesson also. I think I would have gone out and asked the leaders if they could recite the scout law. In the end, I probably would have been upset myself, letting them know they had wronged my wife and my bishop. :)

What would you have done?