Focused on building strong Aaronic Priesthood holders

CIMARRON, N.M. -- On two occasions each year, Mormon stake leaders from across the United States gather and form a temporary yet remarkable ward under eastern New Mexico's vast turquoise sky.

These men come together here for the annual LDS Scouting Leadership Conference at the Philmont Scout Ranch. Their typical days at conference are filled with intensive training focused on building strong Aaronic Priesthood holders through the Scouting program.

But on Sunday, the Scout uniforms are left hanging inside the heavy-duty tents that the men and their families call home for their weeklong conference. The Sabbath Day at Philmont is about worship, fellowship and quiet moments with family.

With Young Men General President David L. Beck serving as this year's presiding priesthood leader, the "Philmont Ward" once again functioned as a traditional LDS Church unit -- complete with Primary classes, Young Men and Young Women lessons, gospel doctrine instruction and, of course, sacrament services. (This year's LDS Scouting Leadership Conference was held June 27-July 3, with a second session conducted July 4-July 10.)

The hundreds of stake and youth leaders who participated in the 2009 conference fulfilled Sabbath-Day callings that they were given prior to their arrival. It made for a fun and unusual Sunday. A stake president from, say, Portland, Ore., may have spent his Sabbath at Philmont teaching a CTR class.

Bryce Justeson, a high councilor from the Mesa North Arizona Stake, taught the Valiant 9 class July 5 while seated at a picnic table on the camp's Villa Lawn. He utilized small ropes as visual devices to teach his young students about the snares of breaking the Word of Wisdom.

See the full story on ldschurchnews.com.

---

This story is provided by the LDS Church News, an official publication of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It is produced weekly by the Deseret News.