Now as a newly sustained member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles he will share a different kind of light with Gods children throughout the world. Representation matters. As he said, "We each have a story.". Thank you for sharing! Matthew Gong, Matthew Gong is a minority three times over in his own words Chinese American, Mormon and queer.. [20][21] Among other activities while Gong was president of the Asia Area, he created the second and third stakes in Thailand. [27][28][29][30], In November 2019, Gong presided over a worldwide broadcast that announced the LDS Church's new youth program. Also I agree with Jason K. If the word of Wisdom initiated with Emma, then it appears the Lord expects His prophets to look in every direction when seeking inspiration. Im sorry youve had to deal with this racism, you are a beautiful couple!! He will be a good fit with the brethren. Here goes: When the names of the two new apostles were read I felt sick in the pit of my stomach. Photo by Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News. Beyond the symbolic impact (which is important) no one should expect there will be much short or medium term impacts, but in 20 years when they become senior apostles there might be some hope of more open minds outside of the US conservative/Utah experience. The OPs own experience of external challenges is evidence enough that race is a factor to consider! After Joseph's baptism, the Young brothers taught their family and friends in Canada and baptized over 150 individuals and established four branches of the church, including ones in Kingston and Sydenham. Revelation: 2 Happening March 4, Family Discovery Day is free online and in-person. Leader of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, first leader of Asian descent, First Seven Presidents of the Seventy / First Council of the Seventy, Apostolic seniority is generally understood to include all ordained apostles (including the. Acompaa al lder Gerrit W. Gong, del Curum de los Doce Apstoles, y a su esposa, la hermana Susan Lindsay Gong, en un viaje internacional de descubrimiento familiar. Home Realizacje i porady Bez kategorii gerrit gong family picture. That means not only that he has experience with multiple cultures, it also means that his grandchildren will likely be raised in the same country where he lives, which means that it will be a little easier for him and his wife to spend time with them as present and well known grandparents. I confess Im a bit surprised that the OP is so vehemently opposed to suggestions of caution when approaching an interracial marriage. In the Saturday afternoon session of the April 2022 general conference, Gerrit W. Gong of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles gave a talk titled "We Each Have a Story" in which he encouraged his listeners to work on their family history. One day, during Gongs freshman year at Brigham Young University, he tried to take his life. Even if you werent aware of all these nuances, youve probably absorbed from US culture the idea that its more normal or expected for a woman of Asian descent to be married to a white man, than for a white woman to be married to a man of Asian descent. He later served as a special assistant in the United States State Department, as well as special assistant to the ambassador at the United States Embassy in Beijing, China. And he still didnt know how to love himself. Come join us on an international journey of connection and belonging at @Rootstech Family Discovery Day any time March 4 after 1:30 p.m. (MST). Editors note If you or people you know are at risk of self-harm, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline provides 24-hour support at 1-800-273-8255. Gerrit W. Gong and his wife, Susan Gong, leave the stand after the Saturday morning session of the 188th Annual General Conference in Salt Lake City, Friday, March 30, 2018. Im sorry to hear this, but grateful that I was raised in the 50s to 70s by open minded, faithful Mormon parents, for which I am grateful for every day. I hope this new leader does indeed provide an example that normalizes your family to our fellow Saints! The Gongs will speak at 1:30 p.m., walking listeners through some of their personal family story, previously recorded on location in their homelands of Ireland and Hawaii. But the churchs mission is to reach throughout the world and serve people in their own languages, in their own cultures, and on their own terms without being destructive. There is, in fact, a slightly higher divorce rate for interracial marriages. AmyT thanks for weighing in! Elder Gong said he and Sister Gong love being with the members in every place they have the privilege to go. Cautioning against interracial marriage on the grounds of it being challenging seems to contradict every Relief Society lesson Ive sat through about overcoming differences in a marriage. Weve always been struck by the enthusiasm and skill of children who come together to beautify their environment, Elder Gong said. Additional instruction will be provided by Area Presidencies. To read the full article on LDS.org, click here. They are the parents of four sons and have three grandchildren. Enter your email address to follow BCC and receive new posts by email. As far as Soares goes, He looks like a fairly typical Euro-Brazilian. Elder and Sister Gong said they have also felt the outpouring of support from members throughout the world. Four of my children have married half mixed spouses, two half Japanese and two half Hispanic in Utah. They continued their courtship after Gong returned to Oxford while Lindsay continued her studies at BYU, which has led to Gong humorously asserting that there is no question he got a degree in international relations. Yet in this case and always the Lord calls his Apostles. So, when I talk about the Church, I mean the Church. When I talk about my father, hes just my father.. Our cultural biases are a factor, as well. Reading through all the comments has been interesting. I personally am not concerned about quota filling in the Quorum. Gerrit W. Gong was born on 23 December, 1953 in Redwood City, California, United States, is a Leader of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, first leader of Asian descent. [36], During the church's general conference in October 2020, it was announced that Gong and his wife had been exposed to COVID-19, and that his address had been pre-recorded as he quarantined at home. However, I think that making leadership more diverse is almost certain to be a liberalizing influence over the long term. But getting to this place of peace with his trifold identity, says Gong, an artificial intelligence engineer in Seattle, has required hard work. How can we have a people prepared for the millennium when we have countless exceptions to all are alike unto God? Ill investigate Rosana. >:(. Put On Thy Strength, O Zion. As of June 2018, he was serving as chair of the church's Scriptures Committee (which, among other things, oversees the translation of the scriptures) and as a member of the Leadership and Training Committee, the Priesthood and Family Executive Council, and the Outreach Committee. Still, they often have warred within the psyche of this 29-year-old, leaving wounds that have taken years to heal. Come discover yours. church instruction manuals for institute and youth. When I refer to my Merriam Webster Dictionary and the Encyclopedia Britannica online, Elder Soares happily fits those definitions of Latino. I never thought of myself as nonwhite but as ethnically ambiguous, Gong says in an interview. I seriously doubt President Nelson was pandering to progressive Mormons. They began dating a few years later, in the summer when Gong had returned from Oxford to spend a few weeks with his parents, during a time his father was a BYU professor. Huh. Discover Gerrit W. Gong's Wiki Biography, Age, Height, Physical Stats, Dating/Affairs, Family and career updates. Even at school, Gong, who easily passed as straight, grew increasingly silent, afraid of hugs and falling in love. With his wife, Susan, Elder Gong helps build God's kingdom by serving all of His children. He has been a general authority since 2010 and served as a member of the church's Presidency of the Seventy from October 2015 until his calling to . From one who knows nothing, I couldnt help but see Elder Gong being placed in position to help open up China. Well, my point was that the churchs mission requires deep, sensitive and reciprocal engagement with all of the worlds cultures in a way that most commercial organizations do not. Those interested in participating in the conference can register online at https://rootstech.org. They will . Just start with the Chinese Exclusion Act and Japanese Internment. He was born on December 23, 1953 and his birthplace is California, Redwood City California. The mural they created, which added light to the once colorless space, wasnt theirs. But sucking it out by reducing the surface pressure below 14.7 psi wont accomplish much. Also, only in the USA, would someone with Soaress phenotype be considered not white. Hes white everywhere else on the planet. That was a message about God that he wanted to share and prompted him to serve a two-year mission for the church, he says in the interview. [12][13] He joined this latter institution in 1989. Joseph W. Sitati. And love that something so small an interracial marriage can yet be so huge for your family and for others. Its very, very hard to do that with a small, centralized leadership group. Citation Pressure from Mormon Blogosphere/Political Correctness: 0. Elder Gong has a Dutch first name, an American middle name (Walter after his father) and a Chinese last name . I felt like the church that I have always thought was lead by God had caved in to the relentless pressure from those in the Mormon blogoshphere who are obsessed with promoting political correctness and diversity. Reserve a spot at the After-Party by FamilySearch using eventbrite.com. Until very recently, church instruction manuals for institute and youthsuggested caution against interracial marriages. And I suspect their international cred was perceived as a big plus, not a minus. After his call to the First Quorum of the Seventy, he served as a counselor in the church's Asia Area from 2011 to 2013,[18][19] then as the area's president from August 2013 until the end of 2015. Felix and Carolyn, First hand knowledge here. (I should be really friendly to this guy, or I just want to spend a lot of time with that boy.), He didnt want to accept himself as gay, because the only queerness I had ever seen was bad the AIDS crisis, promiscuity, death. It is our fervent hope and prayer that someday soon the Lord will open the way for the spread of the gospel here in China. This is the very purpose for which God created the heavens and the earth and saw that they were good. Coming out, though, wasnt the happily-ever-after he had hoped it would be. The following is a summary of what he said. . Similarly, we were happy and hopeful to learn of President Nelsons ties to this wonderful land. Keynote speakers will include Elder Gerrit W. Gong of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and his wife, Sister Susan Gong; actor Sean Astin of Lord of the Rings fame; singer Jordan Sparks; photographer Me Rah Koh; and others. Here are 6 fun facts about Elder Gong. My heart ached also for Elder Gong and Elder Soares as I realized that they too probably wonder if their call came from God or if they are token minorities in a corporation that has to factor in the opinions and philosophies of the world in its decision making. Leader of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, first leader of Asian descent. But its a relief to know that the oil companies dont have to suck so hard. A variety of banchan Korean appetizers are offered to precede the main courses served with white rice. Both men and women of Asian descent in the US face a media and social stereotype of being more submissive, passive, and infantilized. Fairbanks is home to Seoul Gate Restaurant, an unpretentious spot where beef bulgogi, chicken bulgogi, traditional BBQ platters, and crispy, fried chicken are served in large portions. I have had a testimony of the Church and gospel since I was very young, said Elder Gong. I think generational biases are difficult to overcome when seeking the Lords will on things great and small. When I realized that they were the new Apostles, I had chills all through my body, the hair on my arms stood up, and I felt so joyous. I dont know how it came to us; it just did, said Sister Susan Gong. Elder Gerrit W. Gong, the first Asian-American Apostle, is a faithful lifelong Church member. Latter-day Saints across the globe sustained Elder Gong and Elder Ulisses Soares as Apostles during the Saturday morning session of general conference on March 31. Cynthia, [1] [Updated x2] There were early, polygamous members of church leadership who had Native or indigenous wives. Learn more about guidelines and necessary forms. The Gongs were married in 1980, not long after the lifting of the race-based priesthood and temple ban in 1978. Perhaps our Father in Heaven waits for enough of his children to be ready for changes to the norm before He inspires our leaders of His will in order that there will be enough people to support and sustain the changes. Gong had the same dreams as other young Latter-day Saints, serving in callings with a wife and children, and spending eternity in heaven with his family. Steven J. Lund. Was he Mexican? Score: Were an international church, and the PTB clearly have worked hard to get our leadership profile to more closely mirror that reality. That isnt to say father and son agree on all things. July 10, 2022. The current government is becoming more repressive about such matters. Currently, he is the fourteenth most senior apostle in the church.[6]. Youd think wed try to start making trends on this issue as opposed to following them. He is also ranked in the richest person list from United States. Elder Gerrit W. Gong and his wife, Sister Susan Lindsay Gong. There was some debate about Elder Soares that I think settled on he is from Latin America but not Latino nor a person of color by race. Factor does not mean negative or positive it just is. The choices you make will determine what happens in the "plot" of your life, and education can have a big impact. (If they are, it will be a pleasant surprise.) Big smiles in the Hedgehog home. His mother, an avid gardener, once explained the difference between flowers and weeds. As someone interested in the photographic impact of light, color, composition, and moment, Elder Gong imagines the childrenand others like them in Nepal, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Utahenjoying the space. Elder Gong was with Elder Quentin L. Cook and Elder Gary E. Stevenson in Vietnam when the Church received official recognition. He said they have had an opportunity to weep together and pray together. He also has responsibility in the Quorum of the Twelve for the church's Asia and Asia North areas. I hope that we will each make an effort to discover our own family stories, to record them and to share them with our children and grandchildren. Cannot load blog information at this time. He had a close almost familial relationship with de Jong and would refer to him as "Grandpa de Jong." But beyond the particulars of Gongs experience, his story has a universal message of normalcy. Although the family had provided the sketch, paint and brushes, something had shifted. [ 13 ] he joined this latter institution in 1989 on LDS.org, here..., [ 1 ] [ Updated x2 ] there were early, polygamous members of Church who. 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