[Surfah]

Scouting for food is a national program. We used to do it every year in southern California. Our scoutmaster always volunteered us for this crappy neighborhood where nobody believed in chaining their dogs up. I hated it.

You can only do so much Mike. And sometimes you need to say it like it is. Just this past summer when my father was in the bishopric and assigned to the young men/women program he was the priesthood leader at mutual. One of the young men was listening to some hardcore rap on his mp3 player and was singing right along and not omitting any of the expletives. So my father told him to turn it off and that the language he was using was inappropriate no matter where it was being said but especially at church.

The young man was very defiant and asked my father what was wrong with the language he was using. My father told him that the language used was for the uneducated and/or ignorant. The kid then said that it was because he was black. My dad told him that anyone who uses that type of language is uneducated or ignorant. The kid then said that his family uses that language and then asked if he was saying his family was uneducated and ignorant. My dad repeated what he said earlier. So the young man challenged him again and repeated his question. My dad ready to punch the kid finally said that if his family used that language then they were uneducated and/or ignorant. So the kid stormed off and left mutual.

My dad related the story to everyone in Bishopric meeting the following Sunday and said that if the kid goes inactive that's why. There had been several altercations with this young man constantly challenging the authority of leaders and disrupting classes and meetings. The mother being the only other member, inactive, and though wanting her son to attend church was otherwise unsupportive particularly in disciplining him. The bishop agreed with my father and said that he said nothing out of line.

So Mike, do all you can do and if nobody is going to support you in your calling then there is nothing else you can do.