February is the 77th anniversary of the Church becoming a sponsoring institution of Boy Scouts of America, and that partnership continues as strong as ever, according to President Thomas S. Monson, second counselor in the First Presidency.

"The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints continues to have Scouting comprise the large measure of the activity program for our young men at all levels - Cubs, Boy Scouts, Varsity and Explorers," President Monson told the Church News. "Our commitment has not diminished to any extent at all. That has been confirmed to national Boy Scout executives, and we are going forward with full participation as a sponsor of Scouting like we have done for many years. In fact, the Church is the longest continually chartered sponsoring organization of Boy Scouts of America, with the highest number of units among all chartered organizations. It has been a very good working relationship for both the Church and Scouting."

President Monson pointed out that he, other General Authorities and auxiliary general board members continue to serve on national BSA committees. He noted President Ezra Taft Benson's lifelong commitment to the Scouting program.

"The Church has not had anyone who has done more for Scouting than President Benson," he said. "He was a Scoutmaster who boys loved to follow. He has served nearly all of his adult life in leadership capacities in the Scouting movement, and is the recipient of the Silver Buffalo and the Bronze Wolf for his worldwide influence on young men."

President Monson emphasized that the Scouting program is a great asset to the Church's effort to combat immorality, drug use and the breakdown of the family.

"There's no doubt in my mind that the temptations facing youth today are greater than they have ever been," he said. "The breakdown of the family has, in many respects, left a need for Scouting to fill a void more so than it has ever done.

"I'm thinking of the many single mothers who wish that their boy had a father's influence in the home. In those instances, Scouting can help bring an exemplary man's influence to the boy around the campfire, in the troop meeting or while guiding a boy as he qualifies for merit badges."

He emphasized that Scouting should complement the Aaronic Priesthood at all levels.

"I like the way the Church has coordinated and fully correlated the activities of the young men with the instruction we provide in the Aaronic Priesthood. We don't have a Scoutmaster competing against a deacons quorum adviser, or a priests quorum adviser competing against the Explorer post leader because we have blended them so that it's one boy and one troop, one Church and one program. They serve together; they work together. Every program I've seen from Scouting complements the objectives we are attempting to achieve in the lives of our young men, primarily, helping them strive for exaltation."

President Monson noted two significant events in 1989 that blessed the lives of LDS Scouts: the national jamboree at Fort A.P. Hill, Va., and the recent Scouting for Food drive.

"As we drove through the jamboree camp and saw the many activities that the young men were able to participate in, it was thrilling to me to think that this fellowship prevailed among young men of different faiths and different communities _ and benefited all of them.

"We had a large outdoor sacrament meeting on a lovely Sunday morning at the jamboree, where the sacrament was blessed by 48 priests _ a full quorum _ and passed by 150 deacons. The spirits of the boys who participated in that service were enhanced, and they will never forget it."

Concerning Scouting for Food, President Monson said the program not only blessed the recipients of many tons of collected food, but also it helped teach Scouts important principles of welfare service.

President Monson commended leaders of young men throughout the Church, and encouraged them to give freely of their time to their callings.

"A generous time commitment is essential to being successful," he said. "Beyond that, a wise leader realizes that each young man is an individual, and that he must know each one before he can respond to his different needs. A leader must be a role model, making certain that his life is in order and his language above reproach. For as night follows day, the boys will follow their leader."