Duty to God--Suggestions for Parents

 "We desire all young men to strive to earn the Eagle Scout and Duty to God Awards... As youth work on these goals, they will develop skills and attributes that will lead them to the temple and prepare them for a lifetime of service to their families and the Lord." (First Presidency letter, Sept. 28, 2001).

! Duty to God is an Aaronic Priesthood award program, designed by the Church to help a young man develop spiritually and fulfill his priesthood duties in preparation for the temple endowment, mission, temple marriage, parenthood, and a life of service.

! Parents and Young Mens Advisers share in the responsibility for approving the completion of Duty to God goal activities, but parent sign-off is preferred, except perhaps in the Quorum Activities area.

! Helping a young man progress on his Duty to God requirements provides a wonderful opportunity for parents to strengthen relationship with their sons, by working one-on-one with them on something constructive and useful.

! Many parents have found it helpful to schedule a regular time to meet with their son regarding Duty to God and also scouting progress.  This could be as often as weekly; it could be a part of Family Home Evening; it also might be an appropriate Sabbath day activity.

! If done regularly, such a meeting does not have to take a long time–perhaps no more than 15 or 20 minutes.

! It might help for the boy to have a binder of his own dedicated to Duty to God and Scouting advancement. Set up the binder with a place to write and prioritize objectives, and with tabs or places to hold materials about specific items being worked on (such as, plans for a Duty to God service project or a specific scouting merit badge).

! Here are some of the specific things that might be done in these sessions:
     1) Help him identify his overall goals
     2) Help him set short term objectives, such as what requirement to
         concentrate on this week
     3) Work with him on a specific requirement
     4) Give lots of praise and encouragement

! The primary means for tracking Duty to God progress is in the boy's own Fulfilling Our Duty to God guidebook. Young Mens leaders will keep a secondary computer record (in Troopmaster). It will be very helpful to coordinate these two records from time-to-time, in order that ward leaders can be aware of areas where group activities can be scheduled to help young men progress with the program and give other support.  We ask for the help of parents and young men in keeping these two records up-to-date.