Bright colors and vivid images filled the once-blank cinder block wall of the soup kitchen in Phnom Pehn, Cambodia. *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).. But beyond the particulars of Gongs experience, his story has a universal message of normalcy. church instruction manuals for institute and youth. Elder Gerrit W. Gong of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles spoke during the Saturday afternoon session of April 2022 general conference. Elder Gerrit W. Gong and his wife, Sister Susan Lindsay Gong. 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. The Salt Lake Tribune, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) public charity and contributions are tax 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. There is a misconception that Asians and Asian-Americans do not experience racism in the US, because their model minority status casts them as the ideal scholars and citizens. His fear was that people would politicize me and my dad. The restored gospel is for every nation, kindred, and tongue. 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. For women of Asian descent, this results in a hypersexualized stereotype, an extreme but superficial sexual desirability captured in the ugly term yellow fever. For men of Asian descent, this same underlying stereotype results in media representations and prejudice against them as emasculated and lacking in sexual desirability or prowess. 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. Thank you, Cynthia, for your poignant thoughts. [11] Gong was a professor at various times at Georgetown University and Johns Hopkins University. Parents and children can work through the awkwardness and conflict over deep disagreements to arrive at a place where they are simply family. As I said at the last time new apostles were chosenI would have preferred to have seen three Caucasian apostles from outside North America than three apostles of color who were born and raised in Utah. Yes, I have the most beautiful grandchildren. But perhaps she was thinking of a 70 or something. Some places wanted to send only the best and most artistic children to participate. It will always be Top down, not bottom up. [8] He graduated from BYU in 1977 with a bachelor of arts. Both Elder and Sister Gong served as full-time missionaries in Taiwan; the couple married in January 1980 in the Salt Lake Temple. Very happy about these calls for all sorts of reasons; thanks for adding another very cogent one to the pile! My sister (who is white) is married to a Korean man and I have never ever considered the fact that they have probably experienced bigoted comments, because their interracial marriage didnt even faze our family. Photo courtesy of the Gong family. Sister Gong said there are three characteristics that are quintessential Gerrit Gong. Da de descubrimiento familiar: lder y hermana Gong. He had a close almost familial relationship with de Jong and would refer to him as "Grandpa de Jong." 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. We need to love till we do not marginalize any of our Fathers children. Gong had just been named an apostle. [5][1][2] As a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, Gong is accepted by the church as a prophet, seer, and revelator. In the background, another newly called apostle, Ulisses Soares, hugs his wife, Rosana Soares. 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. 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. But you probably didnt know how cool it was. I experienced confusion, sexual assault and rejection as I stumbled through my new life, Gong says. As a missionary in Taiwan. Discover Gerrit W. Gong's Biography, Age, Height, Physical Stats, Dating/Affairs, Family and career updates. I can also attest that there are benefits inherent in my interracial + intercultural marriage. 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. I spent part of the weekend looking for synonyms for overwhelming because overwhelming doesnt seem to cover it, said Sister Gong. His life isnt his anymore, and we are on opposite sides of a great divide.. I dont know where his wife was born but with Susan as a first name I would assume she is American as well. As he said, "We each have a story.". There are both benefits and penalties to being racially mixed. :) Hope all is well. Born in Redwood City, California, to Walter A. and Jean C. Gong, Elder Gong comes to the apostleship with a background rich in education and experience. These appointments in terms of age and church experience were right In the sweet spot consistent with recent apostle picks. Two, he is interested in everything, which makes him a fascinating person to live with. He is also ranked in the richest person list from United States. Blood. They will . Patterns of Discipleship. Elder Gerrit W. Gong, newly sustained as a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, and his wife, Sister Susan Gong, in Salt Lake City. I dont know of anything further back in the family tree than that. Biography. Elder Gong has a Dutch first name, an American middle name (Walter after his father) and a Chinese last name . (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.). 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. 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. Gong is married to Susan Lindsay, a daughter of Richard P. Lindsay. 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. Yet in this case and always the Lord calls his Apostles. I dont think there are many people who are openly queer and whose dad is now in one of the highest positions of authority in the LDS Church, he quips in an online post that went viral. Thanks for the correction, Jones. 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. The apostle choices here should be celebrated and I would say without much qualification for progressive mormons. 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 . Im sorry for that feeling in the pit of your stomachI know it all too well. In your own life story, you are the main character! Elder Gerrit W. Gong and his wife, Susan, participate in a Christmas mural project in Vietnam. What I hope for is a group that comes from different cultural backgrounds that can consider and represent a worldwide church. 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. 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. 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. Currently, he is the fourteenth most senior apostle in the church.[6]. #progress. Once ordained they joined the growing circle of priesthood power.. 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. 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. Did you hear Elder Oaks announce that 40% of.the GAs now have been born outside the US and then rattling off the countries? Also, only in the USA, would someone with Soaress phenotype be considered not white. Hes white everywhere else on the planet. Photo by Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News. 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 . It will be another important step when we have the first woman of color wife of an apostle, the first black man, more examples of lives lived on more continents and in bodies with different abilities, anddare we hopethe first woman. All three parts of Gongs identity have shaped him, including heroic tales of service and sacrifice, and are worth celebrating. Today blessed us a beautiful moment. They understand that diversity is out there, but they havent lived it, and there is no substitute for living it. Elder Gong was with Elder Quentin L. Cook and Elder Gary E. Stevenson in Vietnam when the Church received official recognition. Intercultural marriage a worldwide church. [ 6 ] marginalize any of our Fathers children various times at University! He graduated from BYU in 1977 with a bachelor of arts career updates worldwide church. [ 6.! Elder Oaks announce that 40 % of.the GAs now have been born outside US... 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