Gong then studied international relations at Oxford University as a Rhodes Scholar, receiving a master's degree in 1979 and a D.Phil. This is a grandly unique perspective on this appointment that I had not known, nor considered until reading your article. Elder Gong was on my list of best case scenarios. I agree that people should go into an interracial marriage being mindful of the challenges. Elder Gong said everywhere they go, people relate to Sister Gong. 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. Brazilians, in the USA, dont like getting lumped in with latinos. [12][13] He joined this latter institution in 1989. Reading the D&C, it seems that revelation is often (indeed, almost always) responsive to external realities. [27][28][29][30], In November 2019, Gong presided over a worldwide broadcast that announced the LDS Church's new youth program. People. Youd think wed try to start making trends on this issue as opposed to following them. It didnt matter if we agreed about everything; were still family. Download Photo. Love your family. I also know that its possible to find joy and peace in the church even when we find ourselves with a minority opinion. However, I think that making leadership more diverse is almost certain to be a liberalizing influence over the long term. Until very recently, church instruction manuals for institute and youthsuggested caution against interracial marriages. There is complexity in every relationship and we continue to work at it., If theres a single label that he claims for his identity, its Gong, he says. In October 2015, Gong was appointed to the Presidency of the Seventy, filling a vacancy created by Ronald A. Rasband's call to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. He seemed to remember a conversation with someone or something outside of himself that affirmed he was loved. Loursat, I only bring this up because it was clearly your main point, but sucking oil out of the ground is a terrible strategy. [17] Prior to joining the BYU administration, the Gongs had spent most of their married life in Maryland and Virginia. They will share some of their stories at Family Discovery Day during RootsTech 2023. *We recommend that people marry those who are of the same racial background generally, and of somewhat the same economic and social and educational background (some of those are not an absolute necessity, but preferred).. 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. 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. Oh goodness. 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. Which is empowering to those of us not necessarily agitating for change but asking sincere questions. [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]. The apostle choices here should be celebrated and I would say without much qualification for progressive mormons. Photo by Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News. [8] He graduated from BYU in 1977 with a bachelor of arts. I will update the post as I get further information. Elder Gerrit W. Gong of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and his wife, Sister Susan Gong. That being said, my thoughts are that we may be making more of Elder Gongs lineage than is really there. [4] He also held the Freeman Chair in China studies and was later the Asia Director of the Center for Strategic and International Studies. Currently, he is the fourteenth most senior apostle in the church.[6]. But theres also a higher divorce rate for couples with an age difference (proportionate to each year of difference, not just big gaps). Discover Gerrit W. Gong's Biography, Age, Height, Physical Stats, Dating/Affairs, Family and career updates. He is also ranked in the richest person list from United States. 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. Oh, the challenge of English adjectives. Although the family had provided the sketch, paint and brushes, something had shifted. Elder Gerrit W. Gong, the first Asian-American Apostle, is a faithful lifelong Church member. I know several members of Elder Gong's extended family, and they couldn't be a more dynamic, talented, kind family. 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 the Quorum of the Twelve in March 2018. Matthew Gong, Matthew Gong is a minority three times over in his own words Chinese American, Mormon and queer.. He was called to London on a Mandarin-speaking mission in 2011. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Since there is a sub thread discussion about race here, Ill just highlight this very good and enlightening piece by PBS from a few years ago about race in Brazil. (Haight had helped to overcome some of the misgivings some family members had about the interracial marriage. They understand that diversity is out there, but they havent lived it, and there is no substitute for living it. Elder David A. Bednar and Elder Gerrit W. Gong of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles; Primary General President Susan H. Porter; Sister Kristen M. Yee, Second Counselor in the Relief Society . Elder Gong was with Elder Quentin L. Cook and Elder Gary E. Stevenson in Vietnam when the Church received official recognition. Elder Gongs and President Nelsons love for this land are, I hope, positive signs of things to come. That was later postponed indefinitely as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Gerrit was named after Gerrit de Jong because his mother had lived with de Jong and his family while she was a student at BYU. It takes strength to keep sustaining when one is ready for shifts and even sees wisdom in them, but they dont come. . Some places wanted to send only the best and most artistic children to participate. I also suspect that some of these people are forgetting that the world is not lacking in socially conservative Hispanics or Asian Americans. The church desperately needed someone who represented Latin and South American saints symbolically and with experience in the 12. 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. I think generational biases are difficult to overcome when seeking the Lords will on things great and small. One, he is unfailingly kind, she said. Coming out, though, wasnt the happily-ever-after he had hoped it would be. Four of my children have married half mixed spouses, two half Japanese and two half Hispanic in Utah. However Im not excited about the call because of his increasing the racial diversity in the Quorum of the Twelve (which he doesnt) but rather because he brings a -cultural- diversity that is very welcomed. I know several members of Elder Gongs extended family, and they couldnt be a more dynamic, talented, kind family. Citation Much of this post is good, though the backdrop of white supremacy is a bit much. Either way it helps us abide and grow. RootsTech 2023, a global gathering of family history enthusiasts, will be in-person at the Salt Palace in Salt Lake City and virtually at rootstech.org. Quote #1 (the true litmus test) . Its most likely that any individual called into the Q12 is pretty socially conservative. On my mission, I learned that the first things to grow on the battlefields of France after World War I, were poppies, blood-red poppies, Gong tells the Affirmation virtual audience. At that moment you feel very humble, but you are certain in your confidence and love for President Nelson as the Lords prophet and Church President. A photo of my husband and me should immediately clarify why this is a point of particular personal significance to me: Jusok and Cynthia Lee engagement photo (La Jolla, CA, 2000). But its a relief to know that the oil companies dont have to suck so hard. [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. [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. Felix was referring to genetics. Also, only in the USA, would someone with Soaress phenotype be considered not white. Hes white everywhere else on the planet. The Gongs were married in 1980, not long after the lifting of the race-based priesthood and temple ban in 1978. This is the very purpose for which God created the heavens and the earth and saw that they were good. What Does the Parable of the Wheat and Tares Teach about the Apostasy? And Fred, it is interesting to me your physiological response to their call. (My father worked in HR for an oil major, I used to live a stones throw from the HQ of another one, and my current employer sells very large amounts of electricity to oil companiesto extract from wells that in many cases have been producing for over a centuryso Ive learned a bit about the business, both upstream and downstream.). [15] They first met when Gong was a BYU student who would give presentations on Taiwan's culture to missionaries about to depart for Taiwan from the Missionary Training Center, among whom was Lindsay. He looks part white to me. During a press conference related to the open house for the rededication of the Washington D.C. Temple, Gong shared that one of his first memories was of being sealed to his parents in a temple of the LDS Church. Calling these two men to the Quorum of the Twelve is a landmark moment, but in terms of what the church really needs, its just a halting first step. He was born on December 23, 1953 and his birthplace is California, Redwood City California. I am pleased for him. Bright colors and vivid images filled the once-blank cinder block wall of the soup kitchen in Phnom Pehn, Cambodia. He began to heal, until there was one final battle: to face institutions and people who had harmed and abused him. How can we have a people prepared for the millennium when we have countless exceptions to all are alike unto God? 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. Because my story is happening publicly at the highest levels of the church, people ascribe extra meaning to it, he says in the interview, but from within the story, it feels like a typical narrative., The apostle and the queer son are just family, Gong repeats. Otherwise it would be hard for that person to win the confidence of the senior leadership. 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. This is a big deal. 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. Lasting Discipleship. If that makes me bad/wrong, then so be it. It is heartbreaking when we are asked questions about religion, but cannot respond. (Courtesy photo by Ryan Di Spaltro) Representation matters. The mural they created, which added light to the once colorless space, wasnt theirs. 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. And it takes strength to keep sustaining when a shift comes before one is ready. (And alsowhat Kevin said. Cynthia, [14], Even before joining the administration at BYU, Gong was involved in educational policy issues. Family history also encourages us to preserve our own experiences . Why treat it like a zero-sum game? 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. 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. Da de descubrimiento familiar: lder y hermana Gong. 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. Sister Gong said there are three characteristics that are quintessential Gerrit Gong. You were referring to citizenship and location of childhood ambient culture. This has been a great day in my long life! Discover Gerrit W. Gong's Wiki Biography, Age, Height, Physical Stats, Dating/Affairs, Family and career updates. In your own life story, you are the main character! Gerrit W Gong; Education. I believe the Lord uses those who have specific skills to move His church forward.and Sister Gong is fluent in Mandarin. This is because, in the white supremacist schema that subconsciously permeates our thinking, the latter is seen as marrying down in a way that the former is not, even though both are examples of interracial marriages. Elder Gerrit W. Gong of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and his wife, Sister Susan Gong, will attend the event Blessed be the name of the Lord. He also on occasion continued to travel to Asia, such as being present for the official recognition of the LDS Church in Vietnam. Put On Thy Strength, O Zion. Until he was 10, Matt Gong, the family's fourth of four sons, lived in the Washington, D.C., area, where his dad worked at a policy think tank. Huh. A few early apostles married Scandinavian immigrants, but thats really stretching the definition of interracial marriage. The restored gospel is for every nation, kindred, and tongue. The Q15 are smart men, and they have an intellectual understanding of the churchs diversity, but culturally they are almost all the same: old white men from the Mormon Belt. Some of the activities include a throw-back photo challenge, family history Twister, family selfie station and a giant family tree. Bright colors and vivid images filled the once-blank cinder block wall of the soup kitchen in Phnom Pehn, Cambodia. President (now Elder) Uchtdorf is a wonderful man on his own merits, but I truly feel like a lot of his perspective comes from his background and upbringing. 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. Elder and Sister Gong's presentation will be broadcast on Saturday, March 4 . Joined this latter institution in 1989, 1953 and his birthplace is California, Redwood City.! Misgivings some family members had about the interracial marriage created the heavens and the earth and saw that they good... Thoughts are that we may be making more of elder Gongs and President Nelsons love for land! Quote # 1 ( the true litmus test ) seems that revelation is often ( indeed, always! Specific skills to move his church forward.and Sister Gong is fluent in Mandarin Gong, matthew Gong, National! 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