:) Hope all is well. I thought the image was beautiful and so when I came out, I clung to the idea that I was somehow like the poppies.. Bright colors and vivid images filled the once-blank cinder block wall of the soup kitchen in Phnom Pehn, Cambodia. Although the family had provided the sketch, paint and brushes, something had shifted. In doing so, he gave himself the chance to extend grace to his past selves. In movies, gays were victims, targets for bullies, or the sassy friend.. 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. Such ties can bring help from the other side of the veil." Gerrit W. Gong We Each Have a Story "If you want a happier family, create, refine and retell the story of your family's positive moments and your ability to bounce back from the difficult ones. His Chinese American family was also highly academic both parents have advanced degrees and had wide-ranging conversations, even heated debates. Two, he is interested in everything, which makes him a fascinating person to live with. INVITATION TO ACT: "We each have a story. 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. Connecting with God and to one another is so important. Lost touch so you can imagine my surprise to see his pic on BCC. . Both Elder and Sister Gong served as full-time missionaries in Taiwan; the couple married in January 1980 in the Salt Lake Temple. 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. Some places wanted to send only the best and most artistic children to participate. As a missionary in Taiwan. More than anything he is American. I also suspect that some of these people are forgetting that the world is not lacking in socially conservative Hispanics or Asian Americans. He really desires with all his heart to build the kingdom and bless Heavenly Fathers children. Of course not. I also rejoice in the callings of Elder Gong and Elder Soares. Big smiles from this multiethnic family too. His father joined the Church after attending Stanford University, where his parents met and dated. By that, I mean, sure hes of Asian decent, but he is still the same mold as all the other GAs/Apostles. But beyond the particulars of Gongs experience, his story has a universal message of normalcy. By Mike Rabus Posted 7/5/2022. Even though there are many things we dont understand, we know in Gods plan theres a place for every person in [the church].. Mormons across the globe cheered the /">appointment in March of two apostles who seemed to represent the faith's growing diversity</a> Gerrit W. Gong, a Chinese-American, and Ulisses Soares . It belonged to the children. 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. (Sometimes the emphasis is on achieving a picture-perfect family which involves inflated egos, exclusiveness, feelings of superiority or inferiority, and other unChrist-like behaviors both inside and outside the family. Although the character of the racism people of Asian descent experience in the US is very different from what Latinx and black people face, and the significance of that should not be minimized, it is still racism. The mural they created, which added light to the once colorless space, wasnt theirs. Score: 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. The churchs rhetoric against such marriages was very strong in the wake of the 1978 revelation, as if SWK wanted to communicate Hey, lets not go crazy with this thing. That attitude has slowly dissipated, but even now its not quite gone. Reserve a spot at the After-Party by FamilySearch using eventbrite.com. Thank you Jason K. You make an excellent point. Put On Thy Strength, O Zion. That our interactions would be nitpicked to brand us as avatars of ideologies, Gong writes on a Facebook post. Elder and Sister Gong said they have also felt the outpouring of support from members throughout the world. )[16] Gong and his wife are the parents of four sons. His first name is "Gerrit" and his last name is . 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. [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. I argued my doubts to a standstill and reclaimed my beliefs from where they lay.. I was never so different [that] I couldnt be potentially included.. Also on the whole model minority thing we dont exactly need to go very far back in history, especially California history, to find plenty of horrific discrimination against Asians. Fairbanks. 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. Their circumstances are different, but their faith and testimonies are in many ways the same, he said. And he never brought it up. 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. 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. church instruction manuals for institute and youth. 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. Contributed BySarah Jane Weaver, Church News editor. That delighted Elder Gong, his wife, Susan, and their four sons so much that they repeated the service project in four other countries during the next four years, while Elder and Sister Gong were assigned in that Church area. 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. 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. [7], Gong graduated from Cubberley High School in Palo Alto, California, in 1971. Although reasonable latter-day saints have long, long since realized there is no place for any disapproval of marriage based on race, this is still a big deal. The free event will feature live music, food and family discovery activities, with prizes ranging from DNA kits to a new laptop. His fear was that people would politicize me and my dad. [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]. Youve given me something to ponder this afternoon. Thanks for calling attention to the interracial marriage barrier being broken and what this can mean to many families. Here are 6 fun facts about Elder Gong. Quote #1 (the true litmus test) . 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. They are the parents of four sons and have three grandchildren. It will always be Top down, not bottom up. 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. 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. Recommended dish: Korean BBQ platter. Elder Gong was on my list of best case scenarios. Below are three statements Elder Gong made about stories and some ideas about how you can rediscover your own. To appreciate why this feels especially significant to me that we have not only an interracial couple, but specifically a Chinese-American man and a white woman, we have to have a frank talk about how racism in the United States manifests against Asians and Asian-Americans, specifically in regards to gender and sex. If that makes me bad/wrong, then so be it. 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 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. Oh, the challenge of English adjectives. 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. Whether or not Brazilians are Latinos is complicated. His mother, an avid gardener, once explained the difference between flowers and weeds. 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. It is heartbreaking when we are asked questions about religion, but cannot respond. (Haight had helped to overcome some of the misgivings some family members had about the interracial marriage. My family name.. in 1980. On Buzzlearn.com, Gerrit is listed as a successful leader who was born in the year of 1953. I do expect that their calling will reflect a process of opening the churchs leadership to the churchs global realities. I forgive you, he says. We were grateful others were excited for children to have creative opportunities. However, I think that making leadership more diverse is almost certain to be a liberalizing influence over the long term. Thanks for the correction, Jones. Term ended by removal of apostleship; was later excommunicated. Please come find your family, all your generations, and bring them home.". 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. Elder Gong, whose ancestors left southern China in the late 19th century for work in the United States, was born into the Church. Blessed be the name of the Lord. @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. Members of Elder Gerrit W. Gong's family and the army of street children they enlisted to help them paint the scene stood back and examined the work. The in-person Family Discovery Day event will also feature free classes, activities and access to the expo hall. Susan is other-oriented and down-to-earth wherever she is, said Elder Gong. I think generational biases are difficult to overcome when seeking the Lords will on things great and small. Y Magazine is published four times a year by Brigham Young University for graduates and friends. And he still didnt know how to love himself. 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. Elder Gongs parents, both professional teachers, collectively spent more than 70 years in the classroom. 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. 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 . [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. Elder Gerrit W. Gong was born on December 23, 1953, in California. [9] The Gongs married in the Salt Lake Temple on January 4, 1980. Love you. 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. The Salt Lake Tribune, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) public charity and contributions are tax Oh Lord, hasten the healing of our unbelief. Mikayla Thatcher is here with Beehive Girl to tell you that it was amazing beyond your wildest dreams. ChurchofJesusChrist.org. Were an international church, and the PTB clearly have worked hard to get our leadership profile to more closely mirror that reality. Theres also a correlation between small wedding ceremonies and divorce suggesting that couples thrive on social support. 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. Looking back, Gong sees plenty of clues to his sexuality that he failed to recognize at the time: Staring at a male underwear mannequin when he was a child. So, I will clarify to satisfy you both. John. If there are, I would love to meet them for a nice cup of group therapy., When the senior Gong took his place for a lifetime appointment in the faiths Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, the younger Gong thought: Today is the day I lost my father. 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. Did you hear Elder Oaks announce that 40% of.the GAs now have been born outside the US and then rattling off the countries? He also on occasion continued to travel to Asia, such as being present for the official recognition of the LDS Church in Vietnam. Elder and Sister Gong's presentation will be broadcast on Saturday . Yes, I have the most beautiful grandchildren. It depends. God Bless You in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. Gong was born in 1953 in Redwood City, California, to Walter Gong and his wife, the former Jean Char, and raised in Palo Alto, California. Brazilian members of the Church make up over 8% of the total church membership (as of just over a year ago). Weve always been struck by the enthusiasm and skill of children who come together to beautify their environment, Elder Gong said. 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. His memory is foggy, but he says he woke up four hours later, lying on the floor. Elder Gong loves learning and spending time with family. 2003 Apr 1;101(7):2850-7. Their marriage was performed by apostle David B. Haight, who had connections to their families from his time in California. Donate to the newsroom now. However, much discussion among leading historians of Mormonism has so far failed to turn up any examples of an interracial marriage in the Twelve. As far as Soares goes, He looks like a fairly typical Euro-Brazilian. 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. Again, its complicated and fluid. 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. I genuinely feel this way and am not in any way trying to be disruptive or to be a troll. If my voice is silenced (deleted) I will take the hint that Im not welcome here and will quietly go away. Parents and children can work through the awkwardness and conflict over deep disagreements to arrive at a place where they are simply family. These appointments in terms of age and church experience were right In the sweet spot consistent with recent apostle picks. If I were to see him on the street, I would definitely think, (sorry for the non-PC stereotype) white-guy. Of his new assignment, Elder Gong said it was overwhelming to have President Nelson tenderly take my hands in his and extend a call to the apostleship. 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. We used to hang out during our days at UCSD. I know several members of Elder Gongs extended family, and they couldnt be a more dynamic, talented, kind family. 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. All three parts of Gongs identity have shaped him, including heroic tales of service and sacrifice, and are worth celebrating. You were referring to citizenship and location of childhood ambient culture. Forgive me, Im not sure. Gerrit W Gong; Education. Sexuality, however, was never discussed. Then whatever is revealed is always so outside a lot of peoples realm of what, who, or how things should be that murmuring is inevitable. 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. Maybe well get rid of those now. The Gongs were married in 1980, not long after the lifting of the race-based priesthood and temple ban in 1978. It didnt matter if we agreed about everything; were still family. Matthew Gong, Matthew Gong is a minority three times over in his own words Chinese American, Mormon and queer.. 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. I confronted and broke down the lies I had been told about what it means to be queer. With his wife, Susan, Elder Gong helps build Gods kingdom by serving all of His children. Much of this post is good, though the backdrop of white supremacy is a bit much. It was my biggest hope for the conference. [14], Even before joining the administration at BYU, Gong was involved in educational policy issues. Im also the white half of an interracial marriage. 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. [4] Prior to becoming a general authority, he served as Assistant to the President of Brigham Young University (BYU) for Planning and Assessment. Gerrit W. 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