The “Buddy” system

While at 11 year old camp last Friday and Saturday, we pushed the BUDDY rule.  We had four boys so needed two buddy groups.  Joshua was with Jared and Ethan with Sterling.  They got into the spirit of buddiness and did a pretty good job of staying together as buddies.  They were able to tell us the reason for the system–to protect their buddy and keep each other safe, from getting lost, and to give or go for help as needed. 

Sterling’s dad, Chad M, was there, and he told us of his experience as a soldier in Iraq.  In the army, each man had a BATTLE BUDDY.  The reasons and responsibilities were similar to the scouting buddy.  He said if an enemy sniper had you both pinned down and you needed to get to safer place, your buddy might shoot a bunch of shots in the vicinity of the sniper, while you ran for better cover.  Then you would shoot a bunch of shots to cover your buddy while he joined you.  Without such a battle buddy you might be killed.

Then we realized that there were other kinds of important buddies.  In just a few short years, these scouts will have a buddy called– – a MISSIONARY COMPANION.  Missionary companions also help keep their buddy safe, and as Jared reminded us, “in the mouth of two witnesses” your testimony will be established with the people you meet.

After their missions they could start to look for their ETERNAL COMPANION, for the Lord has decreed that it is not ever good “for man to be alone.”  Until you find an eternal companion to marry, you will be incomplete as a person, but eternal marriage makes you “whole.”

Terryl and Fiona Givens have reminded us that “the heaven toward which we aspire consists of LOVING RELATIONSHIPS THAT ARE ETERNAL.”  “God himself is a relational being.”  “Divine families encircled by his fire and light are the very essence of life and eternal life; without them this earth–indeed this cosmos–will have missed the measure of its creation.” (“The God who weeps”, pp. 106-107.  The last quote is from Truman Madsen.)