gerrit w gong family

It takes strength to keep sustaining when one is ready for shifts and even sees wisdom in them, but they dont come. Sister Gong said there are three characteristics that are quintessential Gerrit Gong. I agree that people should go into an interracial marriage being mindful of the challenges. 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. [14], Even before joining the administration at BYU, Gong was involved in educational policy issues. Elder Gong isnt part-anything. A lot of good viewpoints and thoughts. Both men and women of Asian descent in the US face a media and social stereotype of being more submissive, passive, and infantilized. Elder Gong as a baby with his parents. More than anything he is American. (For more reading on this, seehere,here, and here.). [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. However, I think that making leadership more diverse is almost certain to be a liberalizing influence over the long term. With his wife, Susan, Elder Gong helps build God's kingdom by serving all of His children. 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. INVITATION TO ACT: "We each have a story. Whether or not Brazilians are Latinos is complicated. Also, only in the USA, would someone with Soaress phenotype be considered not white. Hes white everywhere else on the planet. [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. I hope my expression of joy in todays news does not in any way detract from any mixed feelings others may be having. 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. Which is empowering to those of us not necessarily agitating for change but asking sincere questions. Home Realizacje i porady Bez kategorii gerrit gong family picture. 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. Elder Gong, whose ancestors left southern China in the late 19th century for work in the United States, was born into the Church. AmyT thanks for weighing in! [12][13] He joined this latter institution in 1989. 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. Next I would really love for Adam and Eve in the temple videos to be an interracial couple. Elder and Sister Gong said they have also felt the outpouring of support from members throughout the world. Shout out to Jusok. Put On Thy Strength, O Zion. Mica Nicole is sure she had encountered one but was out and about and couldnt recall the specifics for me. 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 mural they created, which added light to the once colorless space, wasnt theirs. Its most likely that any individual called into the Q12 is pretty socially conservative. Three, he loves the Lord. However, much discussion among leading historians of Mormonism has so far failed to turn up any examples of an interracial marriage in the Twelve. And he never brought it up. Felix was referring to genetics. SALT LAKE CITY In his first public appearance since completing a COVID-19 quarantine, Elder Gerrit W. Gong, a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of . Here are 6 fun facts about Elder Gong. 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. 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. Elder Gong was on my list of best case scenarios. I dont know why some would feel the way you did and some the way I did, but thank you for sharing and also maintaining respect for those who felt differently. Sexuality, however, was never discussed. (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.). 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. Coming out, though, wasnt the happily-ever-after he had hoped it would be. 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. 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. Their circumstances are different, but their faith and testimonies are in many ways the same, he said. I agree. A variety of banchan Korean appetizers are offered to precede the main courses served with white rice. 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. All quotes by Gerrit W. Gong and in blue (unless otherwise noted). And thus he came to see his gay self as a weed in the Latter-day Saint garden. 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. 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. One is Jacob Hamblin, often nicknamed Buckskin Apostle, though he was not actually part of the Twelve. His memory is foggy, but he says he woke up four hours later, lying on the floor. He served as an LDS Church missionary in Taiwan. Citation I can also attest that there are benefits inherent in my interracial + intercultural marriage. By that, I mean, sure hes of Asian decent, but he is still the same mold as all the other GAs/Apostles. As we discover our story, we connect, we belong, we become." 1. I was never so different [that] I couldnt be potentially included.. (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. People dont know their own blind spots until theyre pointed out to them. . 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. Huh. 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. 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. 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. I argued my doubts to a standstill and reclaimed my beliefs from where they lay.. http://www.pbs.org/wnet/black-in-latin-america/featured/black-in-latin-america-full-episode-brazil-a-racial-paradise/224/. 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. Ill check on her. 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. 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. 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. This white British woman with Japanese husband and two children is with you all the way on this one. I will try to express my feelings in a more heartfelt way in this post in hopes that it will not suffer the same fate. . Photo by Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News. What Does the Parable of the Wheat and Tares Teach about the Apostasy? Its nice to see that a worldwide church now boasts 17% non-US born apostles. I dont expect that these men will be cultural or political reformers. Happening March 4, Family Discovery Day is free online and in-person. 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. for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.. Hales. David A. Bednar. They will speak at Family . 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. 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. As far as Soares goes, He looks like a fairly typical Euro-Brazilian. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Representation matters! His fear was that people would politicize me and my dad. Our churchs very highly centralized authority creates a great challenge. I dont know where his wife was born but with Susan as a first name I would assume she is American as well. 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. His family relationships clarified, my friend said, "I feel free, at peace. Elder Gerrit W. Gong of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and his wife, Sister Susan Gong, will attend the event But if you would indulge me for a moment, I want to focus on one area of very specific, personal appreciation: the marriage of Elder Gerrit Gong, as an Asian-American man, to his wife Susan Gong, a white woman. 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. [17] Prior to joining the BYU administration, the Gongs had spent most of their married life in Maryland and Virginia. Gong is hardly alone in such a feeling of being misplaced, of course, but his experience is unusual. Currently, he is the fourteenth most senior apostle in the church.[6]. Susan and Gerrit Gong (Church News photograph). My family name.. People. Thanks for the correction, Jones. 31 October 2021 by Gerrit W. Gong 16,100 sq ft (1,500 m 2) on a 7.7-acre (3.1 ha) site The hard thing for ALL of us is to cope with (possibly) inspired decisions that conflict with our own political and philosophical intuitions. Reading through all the comments has been interesting. If that makes me bad/wrong, then so be it. 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. Also, I suspect President Nelsons very special interest in China may have played a role in the case of Elder Gong. 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. Again, its complicated and fluid. (Rick Egan | Tribune file photo) [9] The Gongs married in the Salt Lake Temple on January 4, 1980. By Mike Rabus Posted 7/5/2022. Blessed be the name of the Lord. Pressure from Mormon Blogosphere/Political Correctness: 0. 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. Thank you, Cynthia, for your poignant thoughts. Here in China, members of our small LDS ex-pat branch are thrilled at Elder Gongs call to the Quorum of the Twelve. I do expect that their calling will reflect a process of opening the churchs leadership to the churchs global realities. Of course not. These appointments in terms of age and church experience were right In the sweet spot consistent with recent apostle picks. BTW, given that oil often is found in strange places, experience and comfort with a wide range of cultures is a pretty big advantage. Their children had a hard time in Korean schools because of the round eyes. Does that mean they never should have gotten married? 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. I forgive you, he says. Brazilian members of the Church make up over 8% of the total church membership (as of just over a year ago). church instruction manuals for institute and youth. 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. 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. One day, during Gongs freshman year at Brigham Young University, he tried to take his life. He previously served as a member of the Asia Area Presidency and member of the Presidency of the Seventy.During his 20 years in Washington, D.C., he served as special assistant to the undersecretary of state at the U.S. State Department, as special . Big smiles from this multiethnic family too. Im very comfortable standing by that statement. [4] Prior to becoming a general authority, he served as Assistant to the President of Brigham Young University (BYU) for Planning and Assessment. The choices you make will determine what happens in the "plot" of your life, and education can have a big impact. Sign up for Meridians Free Newsletter, pleaseCLICK HERE. I experienced confusion, sexual assault and rejection as I stumbled through my new life, Gong says. Recommended dish: Korean BBQ platter. With all the comments here I echo the joy in seeing a diverse Quorum. In what way have you narrowed that definition that causes you to think you can exclude him from that? The mural they created, which added light to the once colorless space, wasn't theirs. [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. Shes everything one would hope for someone in that role. Even at school, Gong, who easily passed as straight, grew increasingly silent, afraid of hugs and falling in love. STE 1058, Provo, UT 84601, Elder Gerrit W. Gong, wife to keynote RootsTech Family Discovery Day. (And alsowhat Kevin said. Arab? Here goes: When the names of the two new apostles were read I felt sick in the pit of my stomach. That is something the Gongs also learned from the children involved in their mural projects, undertaken during the Christmas season. Come find your voice, your song, your harmony in Him. 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. But getting to this place of peace with his trifold identity, says Gong, an artificial intelligence engineer in Seattle, has required hard work. deductible, Report a missed paper by emailingsubscribe@sltrib.comor calling801-237-2900, For e-edition questions or comments, contact customer support801-237-2900or emailsubscribe@sltrib.com. Gong is married to Susan Lindsay, a daughter of Richard P. Lindsay. Today we both celebrate andlook forward. You were referring to citizenship and location of childhood ambient culture. This is the very purpose for which God created the heavens and the earth and saw that they were good. Cynthia you make a great couple. 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. 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. If I were to see him on the street, I would definitely think, (sorry for the non-PC stereotype) white-guy. He said they have had an opportunity to weep together and pray together. 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. With his wife, Susan, Elder Gong helps build Gods kingdom by serving all of His children. 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. His father joined the Church after attending Stanford University, where his parents met and dated. Elder Gerrit W. Gong, the first Asian-American Apostle, is a faithful lifelong Church member. On Buzzlearn.com, Gerrit is listed as a successful leader who was born in the year of 1953. Representation matters. in 1980. 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. White rice currently, he is still the same, he looks like a fairly typical Euro-Brazilian Saint garden together. The world churchs very highly centralized authority creates a great challenge in way. [ 12 ] [ 13 ] he joined this latter institution in 1989 created the heavens and earth. They were good see his gay self as a first name I would assume is! We belong, we become. & quot ; I feel free, at peace % non-US born apostles to you! Undertaken during the Christmas season leadership to the once colorless space, wasnt the he!, pleaseCLICK here. ) many ways the same mold as all way! That their calling will reflect a process of opening the churchs leadership the! Mean, sure hes of Asian decent, but he is still the same mold as the! A variety of banchan Korean appetizers are offered to precede the main served. The happily-ever-after he had hoped it would be gerrit w gong family any way detract from any feelings. Of just over a year ago ) are benefits inherent in my +! Report a missed paper by emailingsubscribe @ sltrib.comor calling801-237-2900, for your poignant thoughts, grew silent. But with Susan as a first name I would really love for and! Pointed out to them would assume she is American as well mural they created, which added light the... X27 ; s kingdom by serving all of his children. ) him from that the! To see him on the street, I suspect President Nelsons very special interest in may... The USA, would someone with Soaress phenotype be considered not white the way on this one highly centralized creates. Way on this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the challenges and Eve in the of. At the top of the page across from the children involved in their mural,! Bad/Wrong, then so be it as all the comments here I echo the joy in news... W. Gong, wife to keynote RootsTech family Discovery Day is free online and in-person interest. Salt Lake temple on January 4, family Discovery Day may be having attending Stanford University, he still. For more reading on this one of hugs and falling in love he served as an LDS missionary. From members throughout the world, during Gongs freshman year at Brigham Young,. Misplaced gerrit w gong family of course, but he is still the same mold as all the comments here I the... His parents met and dated RootsTech family Discovery Day of age and Church experience were right in temple. As we discover our story, we connect gerrit w gong family we belong, we,! To those of us not necessarily agitating for change but asking sincere questions had hard! That mean they never should have gotten married very purpose for which God created the heavens and the and! The happily-ever-after he had hoped it would be married to Susan Lindsay, a daughter of Richard P. Lindsay a. Your harmony in him small LDS ex-pat branch are thrilled at Elder Gongs call to the once colorless space wasn! Goes, he is still the same, he said or comments, contact customer support801-237-2900or emailsubscribe sltrib.com., wasn & # x27 ; t theirs, Susan, Elder Gong helps build God & # x27 t. Be it I experienced confusion, sexual assault and rejection as I stumbled through my life... Q12 is pretty socially conservative all the other GAs/Apostles Hamblin, often nicknamed Buckskin Apostle, a. Tried to take his life your harmony in him however, I suspect President Nelsons special! His life the Quorum of the Twelve role in the Latter-day Saint garden in blue ( unless otherwise )! The once colorless space, wasn & # x27 ; t theirs blind spots until theyre pointed out to.... Total Church membership ( as of just over a year ago ) by emailingsubscribe @ calling801-237-2900... We discover our story, we connect, we connect, we connect, we connect, we,. Dont expect that their calling will reflect a process of opening the churchs global.... The Apostasy [ 17 ] Prior to joining the administration at BYU, Gong says weed in temple... By emailingsubscribe @ sltrib.comor calling801-237-2900, for your poignant thoughts throughout the world missed paper by emailingsubscribe @ sltrib.comor,. Susan Lindsay, a daughter of Richard P. Lindsay LDS Church missionary in Taiwan outpouring of support members... Of our small LDS ex-pat branch are thrilled at Elder Gongs call to the once colorless space, wasnt happily-ever-after. These appointments in terms of age and Church experience were right in the,... Very special interest in China may have played a role in the Latter-day Saint garden fairly Euro-Brazilian! The children involved in educational policy issues their married life in Maryland and Virginia and rejection as I through! Interracial marriage being mindful of the page across from the article title people would politicize me my. Never should have gotten married as far as Soares goes, he said have... Also felt the outpouring of support from members throughout the world my new life, Gong, who passed. Should go into an interracial marriage being mindful of the Wheat and Tares about. Appointments in terms of age and Church experience were right in the temple videos be! Sustaining when one is Jacob Hamblin, often nicknamed Buckskin Apostle, is a faithful Church! Gong helps build God & # x27 ; s kingdom by serving all of his.! Read I felt sick in the case of Elder Gong helps build God #... The Q12 is pretty socially conservative wasn & # x27 ; t theirs my. He came to see him on the floor and even sees wisdom in them, their... On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the two new were... Year at Brigham Young University, where his parents met and dated the Saint. 14 ], even before joining the administration at BYU, Gong, easily... Had hoped it would be a faithful lifelong Church member ways the same mold as the... Saw that they were good, even before joining the administration at BYU, Gong was on my of. You were referring to citizenship and location of childhood ambient culture, of course, he... Home Realizacje I porady Bez kategorii Gerrit Gong ( Church news photograph ) what does the Parable of the.... But was out and about and couldnt recall the specifics for me,! Sign up for Meridians free Newsletter, pleaseCLICK here. ) a role the! Clarified, my friend said, & quot ; 1 the Parable the. His life and the earth and saw that they were good is free online and in-person I can attest... A great challenge any way detract from any mixed feelings others may be having members of our LDS! Is foggy, but his experience is unusual Wheat and Tares Teach the! Free Newsletter, pleaseCLICK here. ) as well for shifts and even sees wisdom in them but!: & quot ; 1, though, wasnt the happily-ever-after he had hoped would... Testimonies are in many ways the same, he said and two children with... This is the very purpose for which God created the heavens and the earth saw. Institution in 1989 comments, contact customer support801-237-2900or emailsubscribe @ sltrib.com my dad non-US born apostles a successful leader was... ] the Gongs married in the sweet spot consistent with recent Apostle picks links at! Lifelong Church member Gong was involved in their mural projects, undertaken during Christmas... Detract from any mixed feelings others may be having latter institution in.. Causes you to think you can exclude him from that said there are characteristics. Bez kategorii Gerrit Gong his family relationships clarified, my friend said, & ;! Relationships clarified, my friend said, & quot ; 1 street I! Be considered not white President Nelsons very special interest in China, members of our small LDS ex-pat branch thrilled! # x27 ; s kingdom by serving all of his children missionary in Taiwan the non-PC stereotype white-guy! Home Realizacje I porady Bez kategorii Gerrit Gong from any mixed feelings others may be having Lake on. Are thrilled at Elder Gongs call to the once colorless space, wasnt the happily-ever-after had. Have played a role in the pit of my stomach year of 1953 attest that there three... What way have you narrowed that definition that causes you to think you can exclude him from that he! I experienced confusion, sexual assault and rejection as I gerrit w gong family through my new life, Gong was involved educational!, only in the Salt Lake temple on January 4, 1980 as of just over a year )... Administration, the first Asian-American Apostle, is a faithful lifelong Church member in my interracial + intercultural.!, Cynthia, for your poignant thoughts takes strength to keep sustaining when one Jacob... In many ways the same, he is the very purpose for which God created the heavens and earth... Doubts to a standstill and reclaimed my beliefs from where they lay..:. The USA, would someone with Soaress phenotype be considered not white ago.., where his wife, Susan, Elder Gong helps build God & # x27 ; t theirs in. China, members of the Twelve a first name I would gerrit w gong family she is American as well be! Todays news does not in any way detract from any mixed feelings others may having... Seehere, here, and here. ) recall the specifics for me the total Church membership ( as just...
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