Campus Research People Faith Family Past Issues. The current government is becoming more repressive about such matters. Susan is other-oriented and down-to-earth wherever she is, said Elder Gong. The strongest marriages are based on mutual core values, and church leaders seem to believe that marrying in the faith takes care of that. Arab? The Gongs were married in 1980, not long after the lifting of the race-based priesthood and temple ban in 1978. Reserve a spot at the After-Party by FamilySearch using eventbrite.com. As a missionary in Taiwan. I believe the Lord uses those who have specific skills to move His church forward.and Sister Gong is fluent in Mandarin. 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. Its not a Chinese, Mormon or academic dinner-table topic. 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. His mother's family are ethnic Chinese in Hawaii, and his father's family lived in California and other parts of the United States after his ancestors emigrated from China in the late 19th century. You were referring to citizenship and location of childhood ambient culture. Our cultural biases are a factor, as well. Although the family had provided the sketch, paint, and brushes, something had shifted. Gerrit W. Gong is a famous Mormon leader. For, say, a company whose mission is to suck oil out of the earth wherever possible, super-centralized leadership is not much of a problem; an organization like that just has to know how to focus its financial and political power like a laser, and acting at times like a steamroller is part of the game. Leader of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, first leader of Asian descent. "Ours is a worldwide Church. -Gerrit W. Gong. Fred: and that is the value of diversity, across every possible category. Loursat wrote: I dont expect that these men will be cultural or political reformers.. I dont know how it came to us; it just did, said Sister Susan Gong. He has deep credentials (both in church service and big worldly accomplishments), and he is born and bred American. That was later postponed indefinitely as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. And it takes strength to keep sustaining when a shift comes before one is ready. Elder Gerrit W. Gong, the first Asian-American Apostle, is a faithful lifelong Church member. They hadnt earned my forgiveness, but I had.. Elder Gerrit W. Gong of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and his wife, Sister Susan Gong, will also be featured at the conference as keynote speakers on Family Discovery Day the last day of the conference focused on making connections and celebrating family heritage. If I were to see him on the street, I would definitely think, (sorry for the non-PC stereotype) white-guy. You may know that the LDS Young Womans program was way cooler in the early 20th century than it has been during the lifetime of anyone alive today. John. And definitely in Brazil Soares would be considered white. Im excited for Elder Soares calling as are my Brazilian friends in our ward here in Brazil. 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. Thank you, Cynthia, for your poignant thoughts. Big smiles in the Hedgehog home. Its very, very hard to do that with a small, centralized leadership group. It will always be Top down, not bottom up. The in-person Family Discovery Day event will also feature free classes, activities and access to the expo hall. [8] He graduated from BYU in 1977 with a bachelor of arts. But so is rejoicing for many other peoples realms of thought. Maybe well get rid of those now. Not sure that the fact his Asian roots would mean that much to the Chinese government in order to open it for missionary work, but I believe that he fits the mold for Apostleship with age, church experience/loyalty, and worldly accolades. Elder Gerrit W. Gong currently serves as a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Recommended dish: Korean BBQ platter. Elder Gong isnt part-anything. Hopefully Im not missing anyone, but I do not see that any of the members of the Quorum of the Twelve married Native American women. But theres also a higher divorce rate for couples with an age difference (proportionate to each year of difference, not just big gaps). There is joy and warmth as my boyfriend pulls me close for a hug, and I marvel at the easy laughs and unqualified smiles that we share as we sit on the couch watching TV., There is celebration, he says, in my families of both queer and of birth., Though Gong still claims aspects of Mormonism in his spirituality, he has added theistic Taoism, Zen Buddhism and any parts of a religion that seem resonant civility, care, forgiveness, treating humans with dignity and compassion., He learned those principles from growing up Mormon, he says, but they are not unique to the church., The churchs patterns and behaviors of abuse, he says, dont have to be there; they are not inherent in the doctrine.. One is Jacob Hamblin, often nicknamed Buckskin Apostle, though he was not actually part of the Twelve. He is also ranked in the richest person list from United States. He had a close almost familial relationship with de Jong and would refer to him as "Grandpa de Jong." And hopefully those last few references to the evils of miscegenation can soon be purged. [22] While in the presidency of the Asia Area, Gong resided in Hong Kong but supervised the work of the LDS Church in all of continental East Asia except Korea, Taiwan, and all of Southeast Asia, except the Philippines and south Asia. He was born on December 23, 1953 and his birthplace is California, Redwood City California. [38] On October 16, the church announced that he and his wife had successfully completed their quarantines, and that Gong had been cleared by his doctors to resume his regular assignments the following week.[38]. Elder Gerrit W. Gong was born on December 23, 1953, in California. Members of Elder Gerrit W. Gongs family and the army of street children they enlisted to help them paint the scene stood back and examined the work. And I pray that we will live lives of goodness to honor their memories and to show thanks for the gift of life they have given to us, said Susan Gong. [4] He also held the Freeman Chair in China studies and was later the Asia Director of the Center for Strategic and International Studies. Those interested in participating in the conference can register online at https://rootstech.org. (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. In doing so, he gave himself the chance to extend grace to his past selves. Its nice to have this forum where you can say what you are really thinking rather than in a classroom at church where you pretty much have to say the party line. Mica Nicole is sure she had encountered one but was out and about and couldnt recall the specifics for me. Sane liberals in the church dont have any illusions about their influence.). They will speak at Family . 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. When asked in 2018 if having a gay son had affected his views on LGBTQ issues, the apostle replied, We love each member of our family. I struggled to find meaning in the spiritual void left by having been a flower growing in the wrong place., He hated that God had been taken from me, he says. Cynthia, :). [23] Among his assignments while in the Presidency of the Seventy, Gong served on the Church Board of Education and Boards of Trustees, where he also served as a member of its executive committee. Johnif all are alike unto God, then you should expect that there are people worthy to be apostles from all racial backgrounds, not just one. More than anything he is American. 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. Elder Gongs and President Nelsons love for this land are, I hope, positive signs of things to come. I have personally experienced stinging examples of this bias: confusion about our children, surprise about us being together, and even comments along the lines that I did it backwards by being a white woman married to my Korean-American husband. Winter 2003 Contact Us Advertising News & Alumni. (Trent Nelson | Tribune file photo) [31][32][33][34], In early 2020, the church announced that Gong would preside at the November dedication of the Winnipeg Manitoba Temple, originally set to occur in mid-November. Members of Elder Gerrit W. Gongs family and the army of street children they enlisted to help them paint the scene stood back and examined the work. Youd think wed try to start making trends on this issue as opposed to following them. One, he is unfailingly kind, she said. He served as a member of the United States Department of Education's National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity and participated in multiple national education summits.[9]. That took 5 years, Gong says, and a whole lot of therapy., Mile by mile, he pulled the razor wire from my mind, he says. I am just grateful to know that this comes one day at a time and that when you are on the Lords errand, you receive the Lords help. This has been a great day in my long life! Reading through all the comments has been interesting. Photo courtesy of the Gong family. [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. A Rhodes Scholar who worked for the U.S. State Department and for the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, D.C., Elder Gongs travels have taken him to all seven continents, including living in Asia for more than a decade. 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. I agree. Yipp BG, Robbins SM, Resek ME, Baruch DI, Looareesuwan S, Ho M. Src-family Kinase Signaling Modulates the Adhesion of Plasmodium falciparum on Human Microvascular Endothelium Under Flow. The LDS Brazilians I know are adamant that they are of European descent and that they are not Latino. This means that Gong is the first member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in a multi-racial marriage. Elder Gong, a newly called member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, is characterized by his kindness, interest in others, love of family, and desire to build the kingdom of God. Prior to becoming a general authority, Gong served in the church as a stake Sunday School president, high councilor, seminary teacher, bishop, stake president, and area seventy. Arent we missing that All are alike unto God? I argued my doubts to a standstill and reclaimed my beliefs from where they lay.. Gong reflects on September 11th and reviews perspectives on war. 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. Oh, the challenge of English adjectives. [20][21] Among other activities while Gong was president of the Asia Area, he created the second and third stakes in Thailand. Thank you for sharing! Their marriage was performed by apostle David B. Haight, who had connections to their families from his time in California. Too many glories to express. :). Also, only in the USA, would someone with Soaress phenotype be considered not white. Hes white everywhere else on the planet. Elder Gerrit W. Gong of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and his wife, Susan, have rich family histories from Hawaii and Ireland. Though Gongs relationship with his parents got off to a rocky start after he came out not for lack of love or rejection but for miscommunication they are now as close as ever and talk almost every week. [27][28][29][30], In November 2019, Gong presided over a worldwide broadcast that announced the LDS Church's new youth program. Two, he is interested in everything, which makes him a fascinating person to live with. Im sorry youve had to deal with this racism, you are a beautiful couple!! His mother's family were ethnic Chinese in Hawaii, while his father's family had lived in California and other parts of the United States after his ancestors had emigrated from China in the late 19th century. He and Ulisses Soares filled the vacancies created from the deaths of Thomas S. Monson and Robert D. @Felix, my understanding at least according to Wikipedia is that Elder Gong is the son of a Chinese-Immigrant-family-in-California father and a Chinese-immigrant-family-in-Hawaii mother. Click Here To 'Like' Meridian Magazine on Facebook, The Creation, the Fall, and the Atonement of Christ: The Basic Teaching Outline of Ancient and Modern Temples, The Atlantic Article Referenced by President Oaks in Conference, Latter-day Saint Fiction: To Die, To Sleep, See the works of the 6 Visitors Choice Award winners from the 12th International Art Competition, Making Peace With Mother Nature: Five Easy Natural Remedies For Seasonal Allergies, Come, Follow Me for Individuals and Families: Activities and Lesson Helps for John 7-10, Inviting the Baby Jesus into Our Home at Christmas, Grit and circumstance: Bestselling author Angela Duckworth brings her wisdom to BYU, Latter-day Saints and missionaries joined by hundreds of friends in Mozambique to hear an Apostle of Jesus Christ, Singing Master in the Tempest is Raging in a New Light, First Presidency announces site location for Vitria Brazil Temple. [25], In May 2018, Gong and his wife spoke at the BYU Women's Conference. It takes strength to keep sustaining when one is ready for shifts and even sees wisdom in them, but they dont come. Elder Gerrit W. Gong of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and Sister Susan Gong are the keynote speakers for Family Discovery Day on the final day of RootsTech, the global family history gathering . Elder Gongs parents, both professional teachers, collectively spent more than 70 years in the classroom. I agree that people should go into an interracial marriage being mindful of the challenges. 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. 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. Still, they often have warred within the psyche of this 29-year-old, leaving wounds that have taken years to heal. Gerrit W Gong; Education. Whether or not Brazilians are Latinos is complicated. Benson, although its not incorrect to say the manuals (Kimball) advise caution, they go a little further than that in recommending/expressing preference for racially homogenous marriages. Some places wanted to send only the best and most artistic children to participate. The three-day gathering (March 2 to 4, 2023) will feature several . It was my biggest hope for the conference. Matthew Gong, Matthew Gong is a minority three times over in his own words Chinese American, Mormon and queer.. Gerrit Walter Gong (born December 23, 1953) is a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). [9][10], In 1985, Gong became a special assistant to the U.S. Secretary of State. [3] Effective January 4, 2016, Gong transitioned from his role as president of the Asia Area and into the Presidency of the Seventy, with responsibility for the church's North America Northeast Area. Of course not. (Haight had helped to overcome some of the misgivings some family members had about the interracial marriage. 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. The following is from FamilySearch: SALT LAKE CITY, UTAHElder Gerrit W. Gong of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and his wife, Susan Gong, will be the featured keynote speakers for Family Discovery Day at RootsTech 2023. Elder Gerrit W. Gong of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and Sister Susan Gong will be the keynote speakers for Family Discovery Day on the final day of RootsTech, the global family history gathering taking place virtually and in person March 2-4, 2023. Good going church! Gerrit W. Gong. They visited Samoa, Australia, New Zealand, Tonga, and Fiji, including meeting with government leaders of New Zealand and Tonga. Elder Gerrit W. Gong of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and his wife, Susan, have rich family histories from Hawaii and Ireland. Having crushes on boys in elementary school. Its impossible to have any credibility as a global church if we have almost no cultural and ethnic diversity among the most senior leaders. Elder Gong said everywhere they go, people relate to Sister Gong. Race dynamics and categories in the US and Brazil are each independently complicated and fraught, and also very different from each other in subtle ways. One Latter-day Saint seminary teacher kept trying to tell him he was Korean, because the instructor knew a Korean kid with a similar last name. Parents and children can work through the awkwardness and conflict over deep disagreements to arrive at a place where they are simply family. Hi MB, Im really not the expert to speak on that. It is heartbreaking when we are asked questions about religion, but cannot respond. Sister Gong said there are three characteristics that are quintessential Gerrit Gong. This white British woman with Japanese husband and two children is with you all the way on this one. While for *me* its not a big deal to see two races come together in marriage, to pretend its *objectively* not a factor at all is a trifle naive. church instruction manuals for institute and youth. He also on occasion continued to travel to Asia, such as being present for the official recognition of the LDS Church in Vietnam. In the background, another newly called apostle, Ulisses Soares, hugs his wife, Rosana Soares. Work to make it different, but live in reality, too. in 1980. In movies, gays were victims, targets for bullies, or the sassy friend.. Gerrit W. Gong Featured. Latter-day Saint apostle Gerrit W. Gong speaks to members of the media in Salt Lake City in June 2018. My family name.. 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Haight, who had connections to their families from his time in California participate... 1977 with a bachelor of arts Advertising News & amp ; Alumni miscegenation soon. From BYU in 1977 with a bachelor of arts very hard to do that with a of... Two children is with you All the way on this one Rosana Soares considered white U.S. Secretary of State to! Couple! March 2 to 4, 2023 ) will feature several Brazilian friends in ward... Winter 2003 Contact us Advertising News & amp ; Alumni were married in 1980, not long after lifting. No cultural and ethnic diversity among the most senior leaders to read the article! No cultural and ethnic diversity among the most senior leaders im excited for elder Soares calling are. Movies, gays were victims, targets for bullies, or I want... In them, but they dont come, New Zealand, Tonga, and Fiji including... Do that with a bachelor of arts almost familial relationship with de Jong. worldly. Hear elder Oaks announce that 40 % of.the GAs now have been born the...
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