Church Policies and Announcements

The following items appeared in a recent Messages, sent to stake, mission, and district presidents and to bishops and branch presidents:

“1. Increasing Demands upon the Time of General Authorities. Due to the growth of the Church and the ever-increasing demands upon the time of the General Authorities, the following policy has been adopted:

“a. Regional Representatives, stake presidents, members of general auxiliary boards, and other exemplary Latter-day Saints should generally be used as special speakers for youth and single adult firesides and conferences, rather than General Authorities.

“b. On those occasions when a particularly significant multi-stake event would be greatly enhanced by a General Authority speaker, the request should be cleared by the Executive Administrator and then submitted in writing by the responsible priesthood leader. All requests should be sent to the Office of the First Quorum of the Seventy.

“c. General Authorities are regularly assigned to visit stake conferences where they can instruct and come into contact with members of the Church in stakes and wards. Thus, there would be few additional instances where it would be desirable to invite a General Authority to speak at a stake or ward function.

“d. Youth groups are not encouraged to travel to Church headquarters, particularly from great distances. Groups who come should not request General Authorities to visit with them as a part of their tour.

“e. Renewed emphasis should be given by stake and ward leaders upon family togetherness by not planning excursions, tours, and youth conferences great distances from home stakes and wards. Often financial burdens upon parents are created by such outings.

“2. Nursery Program. A self-training nursery course has been prepared under the direction of the Relief Society, Primary, and Sunday School which will provide nursery learning experiences for children between the ages of eighteen months and five years. These materials are to be used in the Relief Society to enable mothers to attend their meetings, and in the Primary and Sunday School to care for the children of leaders and teachers while they carry out their responsibilities during Primary and Sunday School. These materials will take the place of any previously announced nursery program in the Church.

“This course contains principles of early child guidance and development that will be beneficial for both brethren and sisters for family and Church use.

“Complete instructions and resource materials are included in the following four items:

1. Guidebook (PCRS04D0): Basic instructions and guidelines for Church nurseries.

2. Workbook with Audio Cassette Tape (PCRS04E1): Self-training for nursery leaders.

3. Resource Book (PCRS94B9): Stories, music, art activities, visual aids, and other materials.

4. Filmstrip with Audio Cassette Tape (VVOF2795): “To Touch a Child’s Life”—overall view of procedures in model nurseries.

“A complimentary sample kit will be sent to each stake and district. General Church Distribution order forms will be included with this mailing.

“3. Overnight Camping for Eleven-year-old Scouts. Approval has been given for two overnight camping experiences each year for eleven-year-old Scouts in the Church to help them meet Scouting requirements. Each eleven-year-old Scout participating in an overnight camping experience should have had an opportunity to learn and practice the required skills before the campout. The campouts should be organized under the leadership of the bishopric adviser upon request and with counsel from the Primary president and the Blazer Scout leader. 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 invited and encouraged to participate with their sons and with other boys who have no available fathers. Women leaders will not participate in the overnight experiences.

“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.”