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Super-Scouter Thomas S. Monson already has a Silver Beaver, a Silver Buffalo, a Silver Fox and a Bronze Wolf.
On Wednesday, the LDS Church president added yet another badge of honor: Officials broke ground on a national Scout facility named after him.
The Thomas S. Monson Leadership Excellence Complex will be part of West Virginia's vast Summit Bechtel Reserve, described in a news release as "a pinnacle of the Scouting experience."
Set for completion in 2020, the Monson structure will be a "state-of-the-art facility," the release added, "providing Scouts with hands-on training on the principles of leadership, building on the Boy Scouts of America's mission to shape and develop the nation's next generation of leaders."
Monson, seen as a "prophet, seer and revelator" in the Utah-based Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, has cherished his longtime ties to Scouting. He has been a member of BSA's National Executive Board for nearly five decades, and the faith he oversees is the nation's largest sponsor of Scouting units.
The 88-year-old Monson did not attend the groundbreaking, but he sent a personal video message that was shown during the event. He was represented by Mormon apostles D. Todd Christofferson and Jeffrey R. Holland, who was recently named to BSA's executive board.
The Scout Law says a Scout is trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean and reverent.
On Wednesday, Mormonism's most famous Scouter was also — grateful.
Peggy Fletcher Stack