A Happy Day

Today is a happy day for me because I just finished a week of camping with the Boy Scouts. The event was one that I had been dreading for weeks. I liken it to seeing the dentist. It is something that you know has to be done, but you’re usually not excited to do. This year our scout troop went into a mountain area that was over 10,000 feet in elevation and spent the week fishing, hiking and kayaking. The trip would have been perfect, if I didn’t have to manage nine rambunctious boys.

President Monson has stated that the rising generation is “the very best ever” (see “Constant Truths for Changing Times,” Ensign, May 2005). Honestly, his statement has baffled me because I've studied previous generations and I question the quality of this one. Just look back at the generation of Americans who gained independence from England and constructed a Constitution. Their work has withstood the test of time. Does this not make them the best generation? Then think about the pioneer generation that crossed this massive country in search of religious freedom. Were they not a great generation? Then there is my father’s generation, they suffered through the Great Depression and defeated the Nazis in World War II. Many people, including myself, believe that they ware the greatest generation. Am I wrong in my thinking?

During my week with the boys I decided to see if President Monson’s statement on their greatness is correct. We were in an uncomfortable situation which created a perfect environment for true observations. I figured a primitive wilderness, harsh mountain weather, excessive mosquitoes, elevation sickness, along with a week away from Mommy, would contribute to the boys showing their true personalities.

My observations went as follows:
- On the first day, a boy stuck a knife into his head. Yes you read correctly, the boy was throwing his knife at a squirrel high up in a pine tree. Then Newton’s Universal Law of Gravitation occurred with the knife coming down and planting itself into his noggin.
- On the second day, I observed boys whittling spears out of wood and then they proceeded to hunt a family of chipmunks.
- On the third day, we left our campsite and hiked four miles to a remote lake. During the hike we passed many young women’s groups and I never observed any of these girls complaining. However, many of the boys in our group complained without ceasing.
- On the fourth day, we return to our campsite and the boys continued honing their hunting skills. That evening one of the boys made a lucky throw and killed a chipmunk with a rock.
- On the fifth day, the boys killed an entire family of chipmunks. They used peanuts as bait, along with rocks and spears for weapons. After the extermination of the chipmunks, I seriously wondered about President Monson’s statement because I had observed a scene similar to one from the novel Lord of the Flies.

Then everything change for me late that evening. It was just before we went to bed when the Scoutmaster told a riveting story of the mythical creature called Sasquatch (sometimes called Bigfoot). The boys sat mesmerized as the Scoutmaster spun a fictional story of his meeting the elusive beast. After the story ended, one of the boys spoke up without hesitation and said, “I just finished reading The Book of Genesis and I think Bigfoot is actually Cain.” The boy then proceeded to explain the similarities between the two characters and how Cain was given a curse that caused him to not die. Then another boy spoke up and said, “The way I figure, Cain is working for Satan. But John the Beloved and the Three Nephites are working for God. So it is four-against-one odds in our favor. Well, I’m not afraid of Bigfoot and am going to bed.”

Hey folks, maybe President Monson is correct on their potential. Because it only took these boys a matter of minutes to debunk the great Bigfoot legend (see The Miracle of Forgiveness, pages 127-128) that has existed for many years among the confused believers!