Photo by Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News. This expressed so much of the happiness I feel today. In order to celebrate Elder Gong's birthday, here are some photos showing his life and ministry to Latter-day Saints around the world. 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. I commented on another thread here how much I admire Sister Susan Gong. I held my ground and I silenced their rage with my story as I spoke with my own voice. Elder Gong was on my list of best case scenarios. From one who knows nothing, I couldnt help but see Elder Gong being placed in position to help open up China. church instruction manuals for institute and youth. He was born in Redwood City, California. The church desperately needed someone who represented Latin and South American saints symbolically and with experience in the 12. Joseph W. Sitati. Just start with the Chinese Exclusion Act and Japanese Internment. 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. We were grateful others were excited for children to have creative opportunities.. [7], Gong graduated from Cubberley High School in Palo Alto, California, in 1971. Here are 6 fun facts about Elder Gong. 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. 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 . 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]. Latter-day Saint apostle Gerrit W. Gong speaks to members of the media in Salt Lake City in June 2018. If that makes me bad/wrong, then so be it. 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. Come discover yours. Those interested in participating in the conference can register online at https://rootstech.org. Perhaps social support could be encouraged rather than interracial marriage being discouraged. A lot of good viewpoints and thoughts. Some places wanted to send only the best and most artistic children to participate. I dont know how it came to us; it just did, said Sister Susan Gong. 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.. Elder Gong, the oldest of three children, inherited his parents love for learning. And love that something so small an interracial marriage can yet be so huge for your family and for others. Enter your email address to follow BCC and receive new posts by email. Oh, the challenge of English adjectives. Sane liberals in the church dont have any illusions about their influence.). Thanks, Cynthia, and beautifully written. In the background, another newly called apostle, Ulisses Soares, hugs his wife, Rosana Soares. Gong reflects on September 11th and reviews perspectives on war. Winter 2003 Contact Us Advertising News & Alumni. Gerrit W. Gong Featured. 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. Their address will be delivered at 1:30 p.m. MST. I love the more visible presence of minorities. So, when I talk about the Church, I mean the Church. When I talk about my father, hes just my father.. 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. Members of Elder Gerrit W. Gongs family stand in front of a mural project with the children who assisted them in Vietnam. Connecting with God and to one another is so important. Steven J. Lund. for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.. 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. They visited Samoa, Australia, New Zealand, Tonga, and Fiji, including meeting with government leaders of New Zealand and Tonga. He served as an LDS Church missionary in Taiwan. They hadnt earned my forgiveness, but I had.. Happening March 4, Family Discovery Day is free online and in-person. 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. Even in this day and age I meet members who view interracial marriages and relationships in a negative light. LDS Church wants to light up a temple in a place that prides itself on dark skies, For husband-and-wife team, this new restaurant is the culmination of a decadeslong dream, Gong took his place for a lifetime appointment in the faiths Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, asked in 2018 if having a gay son had affected his views on LGBTQ. Photo by Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News. The OPs own experience of external challenges is evidence enough that race is a factor to consider! Hi Benson, we should definitely all come to the same interpretation of calling the view that a white woman marrying an Asian man is marrying down a white supremacist view. @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. . [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. I buried land mines and razor wire in my brain so that my heart couldnt get out., If Gong hadnt come out, he says, I would have fought in the war till I died by suicide.. Leader of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, first leader of Asian descent. The in-person session will also include live interaction with Elder and Sister Gong, according to a RootsTech media release. Come find your voice, your song, your harmony in Him. The meeting will be available on the Gospel Library app and online in 11 languages beginning However, much discussion among leading historians of Mormonism has so far failed to turn up any examples of an interracial marriage in the Twelve. 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). He seemed to remember a conversation with someone or something outside of himself that affirmed he was loved. [11] Gong was a professor at various times at Georgetown University and Johns Hopkins University. Here goes: When the names of the two new apostles were read I felt sick in the pit of my stomach. 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. 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. Gong then studied international relations at Oxford University as a Rhodes Scholar, receiving a master's degree in 1979 and a D.Phil. 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. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Weve always been struck by the enthusiasm and skill of children who come together to beautify their environment, Elder Gong said. Although the family had provided the sketch, paint and brushes, something had shifted. gerrit gong family picture . 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. There was some debate about Elder Soares that I think settled on he is from Latin America but not Latino nor a person of color by race. Elder Gong, whose ancestors left southern China in the late 19th century for work in the United States, was born into the Church. 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. Reading the D&C, it seems that revelation is often (indeed, almost always) responsive to external realities. 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. Mica Nicole is sure she had encountered one but was out and about and couldnt recall the specifics for me. Copyright Daily Herald | www.heraldextra.com | 1200 Towne Centre Blvd. He was born on December 23, 1953 and his birthplace is California, Redwood City California. [26], In May 2019, Gong and his wife accompanied Russell M. Nelson and his wife on a ministry tour to the Pacific region. But sucking it out by reducing the surface pressure below 14.7 psi wont accomplish much. Matthew Gong, Matthew Gong is a minority three times over in his own words Chinese American, Mormon and queer.. 37 Views. They will speak at Family . 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. Our hopes, ideologies, bigotries, boxes, traditions, and so many other human frailties stand in our way of knowing what God really wants for and from us that its sometimes seems a miracle to ever get it right. 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. I experienced confusion, sexual assault and rejection as I stumbled through my new life, Gong says. Photo courtesy of the Gong family. 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. 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. I seriously doubt President Nelson was pandering to progressive Mormons. 2003 Apr 1;101(7):2850-7. 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. Did you hear Elder Oaks announce that 40% of.the GAs now have been born outside the US and then rattling off the countries? His first name is "Gerrit" and his last name is . He had a close almost familial relationship with de Jong and would refer to him as "Grandpa de Jong." Brazilians, in the USA, dont like getting lumped in with latinos. [37] A few days later, the church announced that he and his wife had tested positive for COVID-19, with Gong being the first high-ranking LDS Church leader with a positive test. Much of this post is good, though the backdrop of white supremacy is a bit much. Is Elder Gong of mixed race? Come join us on an international journey of connection and belonging at @Rootstech Family Discovery Day any time March 4 after 1:30 p.m. (MST). It takes strength to keep sustaining when one is ready for shifts and even sees wisdom in them, but they dont come. I hope this new leader does indeed provide an example that normalizes your family to our fellow Saints! He was called to London on a Mandarin-speaking mission in 2011. We used to hang out during our days at UCSD. The apostle choices here should be celebrated and I would say without much qualification for progressive mormons. In doing so, he gave himself the chance to extend grace to his past selves. Today, I love myself, scars and all, and I am awestruck by the simplicity at being happy, something I would never have believed possible in my younger years, says Gong, who shares an apartment with his longtime partner. Youd think wed try to start making trends on this issue as opposed to following them. Its most likely that any individual called into the Q12 is pretty socially conservative. With all the comments here I echo the joy in seeing a diverse Quorum. 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. He is the son of Gerrit W. Gong, an apostle in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Love your family. Otherwise it would be hard for that person to win the confidence of the senior leadership. After his call to the First Quorum of the Seventy, he served as a counselor in the church's Asia Area from 2011 to 2013,[18][19] then as the area's president from August 2013 until the end of 2015. Elder Gongs parents, both professional teachers, collectively spent more than 70 years in the classroom. On his 21st birthday, at the start of the final year on his mission, Gong wrote separate emails to each of his brothers and his parents to tell them he was gay. It will always be Top down, not bottom up. Sister Gong said there are three characteristics that are quintessential Gerrit Gong. 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. Revelation: 2 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. 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. His memory is foggy, but he says he woke up four hours later, lying on the floor. Gong is hardly alone in such a feeling of being misplaced, of course, but his experience is unusual. 1. It was my biggest hope for the conference. But perhaps she was thinking of a 70 or something. [25], In May 2018, Gong and his wife spoke at the BYU Women's Conference. (Trent Nelson | Tribune file photo) July 10, 2022. I confronted and broke down the lies I had been told about what it means to be queer. Im very comfortable standing by that statement. 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. 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. I dont expect that these men will be cultural or political reformers. Which is empowering to those of us not necessarily agitating for change but asking sincere questions. 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. 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. [24], On March 31, 2018, Gong was sustained as a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. I suspect that beneath much of the positive chatter Im hearing about these two appointments is the belief that these men will somehow bring more than just racial diversity to church government. People dont know their own blind spots until theyre pointed out to them. It depends. Big smiles in the Hedgehog home. The authors presentation assumes an intellectual supremacy that we all should come to the same interpretations.though I guess thats what opinions are. He is the son of Gerrit W. Gong, . *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).. Still, they often have warred within the psyche of this 29-year-old, leaving wounds that have taken years to heal. That being said, my thoughts are that we may be making more of Elder Gongs lineage than is really there. He also has responsibility in the Quorum of the Twelve for the church's Asia and Asia North areas. Thanks for the correction, Jones. [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. Theres also a correlation between small wedding ceremonies and divorce suggesting that couples thrive on social support. In movies, gays were victims, targets for bullies, or the sassy friend.. Having a few interracial marriages in my extended family, Ive seen positive and negative consequences. 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. Da de descubrimiento familiar: lder y hermana Gong. They understand that diversity is out there, but they havent lived it, and there is no substitute for living it. Also, only in the USA, would someone with Soaress phenotype be considered not white. Hes white everywhere else on the planet. :). This means that Gong is the first member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in a multi-racial marriage. 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. Currently, he is the fourteenth most senior apostle in the church.[6]. I do expect that their calling will reflect a process of opening the churchs leadership to the churchs global realities. 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. I will update the post as I get further information. 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. 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. Its very, very hard to do that with a small, centralized leadership group. Elder and Sister Gong said they have also felt the outpouring of support from members throughout the world. Recommended dish: Korean BBQ platter. Elder and Sister Gong's presentation will be broadcast on Saturday . Although the family had provided the sketch, paint, and brushes, something had shifted. Beyond the symbolic impact (which is important) no one should expect there will be much short or medium term impacts, but in 20 years when they become senior apostles there might be some hope of more open minds outside of the US conservative/Utah experience. 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. in 1980. And Fred, it is interesting to me your physiological response to their call. Their children had a hard time in Korean schools because of the round eyes. Does that mean they never should have gotten married? His life isnt his anymore, and we are on opposite sides of a great divide.. People. Lost touch so you can imagine my surprise to see his pic on BCC. 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. His mother's family are ethnic Chinese in Hawaii . That our interactions would be nitpicked to brand us as avatars of ideologies, Gong writes on a Facebook post. Download Photo. I argued my doubts to a standstill and reclaimed my beliefs from where they lay.. They are the parents of four sons and have three grandchildren. #progress. :) Hope all is well. His first namesake is Gerrit de Jong, the patriarch of the family that Elder Gong's mother, Jean, lived with when she came to Brigham Young University as a recent convert to the Church. Patterns of Discipleship. I never thought of myself as nonwhite but as ethnically ambiguous, Gong says in an interview. Elder Gerrit W. Gong of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and his wife, Sister Susan Gong. the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, emigrated from China in the late 19th century, Center for Strategic and International Studies, National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity, Church Board of Education and Boards of Trustees, Learn how and when to remove this template message, "Mormon church names new seventies, Primary presidency", "Elder Gerrit W. Gong: 'A nice guy' A man of faith and learning", "Leadership Changes in Presidency of the Seventy Announced", "Mormon Church Selects 2 Senior Leaders, and Neither Is a White American", "Inquiry, Scholarship, and Learning and Teaching in Religiously Affiliated Colleges and Universities", "A First for the Rhodes Scholars: 13 Women Are Among the Winners", "Apostle timeline: Elder Gerrit W. Gong - BYU-I Scroll", "Trade, Rights Issues Cloud Meeting of Pacific Alliance", "Gerrit Gong and Susan Gong, my marriage, and why #RepresentationMatters", article on The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Thailand, "Changes announced for Area Presidencies", "2016 Events LDS Church News Reports on the visit of Elders Stevenson and Gong to Thailand, Viet Nam and Macao", "Latter-day Saints Sustain New First Presidency in Solemn Assembly: Two new leaders named to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles", article on meeting with the Prime Minister of New Zealand, article on Gong and others meeting with the King of Tonga, KSL article on the Pacific Ministry Tour with much emphasis on Gong, Idaho State Journal article on announcement of new youth program, KSL article mentioning Gong's role in the announcement, Postponed: Winnipeg Manitoba Temple Open House and Dedication Dates Announced, Groundbreakings Announced for Two Utah Temples, Elder Gong, quarantining due to COVID-19 exposure, prerecorded his general conference message, Elder and Sister Gong diagnosed with COVID-19, "General Authorities and General Officers: Elder Gerrit W. Gong", The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints titles, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Gerrit_W._Gong&oldid=1131500756, Members of the First Quorum of the Seventy (LDS Church), American general authorities (LDS Church), Latter Day Saint biography Infobox with missing parameters, Articles containing Chinese-language text, Articles needing additional references from July 2020, All articles needing additional references, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, Called to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, "Reconceptualising the Divide: Identity, Memory, and Nationalism in Sino-Japanese Relations" (with Victor Teo), "Remembering and Forgetting: The Legacy of War and Peace in East Asia", "Memory and History in East and Southeast Asia: Issues of Identity in International Relations", "Security and Economics in the Asia-Pacific Region" (with Richard L. Grant), "Taiwan Strait Dilemmas: China-Taiwan-U.S. Policies in the New Century", "Change and Challenge on the Korean Peninsula: Past, Present and Future" (with Tae Hwan Ok), "Korean Peninsula Trends and U.S.-Japan-South Korea Relations" (with Seizaburo Sato), "Sino-American Relations at a Time of Change" (with Bih-Jaw Lin), "Areas of Challenge for Soviet Foreign Policy in the 1980s", "The Standard of 'Civilization' in International Society", This page was last edited on 4 January 2023, at 12:10. Should have gotten married this Wikipedia the language links are at the BYU 's! File photo ) July 10, 2022 the first member of the Quorum of the media in Lake! Parents of four sons and have three grandchildren familiar: lder y hermana Gong in this and... My beliefs from where they lay is hardly alone in such a of! In the background, another newly called apostle, Ulisses Soares, hugs his wife Sister., hugs his wife spoke at the top of the Quorum of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles is... 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