Reserve a spot at the After-Party by FamilySearch using eventbrite.com. Otherwise it would be hard for that person to win the confidence of the senior leadership. He will be a good fit with the brethren. Join thousands already receiving our daily newsletter. He really desires with all his heart to build the kingdom and bless Heavenly Fathers children. I confess Im a bit surprised that the OP is so vehemently opposed to suggestions of caution when approaching an interracial marriage. The church desperately needed someone who represented Latin and South American saints symbolically and with experience in the 12. He served as an LDS Church missionary in Taiwan. 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.. If I were to see him on the street, I would definitely think, (sorry for the non-PC stereotype) white-guy. Their circumstances are different, but their faith and testimonies are in many ways the same, he said. I love the more visible presence of minorities. The restored gospel is for every nation, kindred, and tongue. 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. Those interested in participating in the conference can register online at https://rootstech.org. Citation Oh Lord, hasten the healing of our unbelief. One day, during Gongs freshman year at Brigham Young University, he tried to take his life. 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 Gong said everywhere they go, people relate to Sister Gong. Revelation: 2 Their children had a hard time in Korean schools because of the round eyes. Does that mean they never should have gotten married? Members of Elder Gerrit W. Gongs family stand in front of a mural project with the children who assisted them in Vietnam. [11] Gong was a professor at various times at Georgetown University and Johns Hopkins University. I will update the post as I get further information. He said they have had an opportunity to weep together and pray together. Elder Gerrit W. Gong, the first Asian-American Apostle, is a faithful lifelong Church member. The 2023 Temple and Family History Leadership Instruction of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints premieres online on Thursday, March 2, 2023. In fact, the model minority label is itself an example of racism, both because it exists really only for the purpose of supporting white supremacy by attacking other people of color for purportedly being less deserving of respect and success, and because it treats Asian people as a monolith. And it takes strength to keep sustaining when a shift comes before one is ready. Gerrit W. Gong. 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. Acompaa al lder Gerrit W. Gong, del Curum de los Doce Apstoles, y a su esposa, la hermana Susan Lindsay Gong, en un viaje internacional de descubrimiento familiar. His known family tree is extensive (bless the tradition of Chinese family genealogy record-keeping) and is 100% Chinese. 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. Home Realizacje i porady Bez kategorii gerrit gong family picture. He also on occasion continued to travel to Asia, such as being present for the official recognition of the LDS Church in Vietnam. 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. 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However, I think that making leadership more diverse is almost certain to be a liberalizing influence over the long term. 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. 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. [3] He is the LDS Church's first apostle of Asian descent. 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. [27][28][29][30], In November 2019, Gong presided over a worldwide broadcast that announced the LDS Church's new youth program. (Trent Nelson | Tribune file photo) Elder and Sister Gong said it was wonderful to join members from across the world for general conference, to sustain President Russell M. Nelson and the First Presidency, and to witness continuing revelation bless the members of the Church in all their many circumstances. 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 . The fact that they are an interracial couple didnt even occur to em; I was just thrilled that there is finally some more international representation in the upper-most echelon. @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. Huh. [20][21] Among other activities while Gong was president of the Asia Area, he created the second and third stakes in Thailand. Three, he loves the Lord. Why does ethnicity have to be politicized in Zion the way it is in Babylon? The authors presentation assumes an intellectual supremacy that we all should come to the same interpretations.though I guess thats what opinions are. :). It may also be that I have read todays conversations about it incorrectly and that Latino is ok? The mural they created, which added light to the once colorless space, wasn't theirs. #progress. Gong had just been named an apostle. Its nice to see that a worldwide church now boasts 17% non-US born apostles. Oh goodness. Photo courtesy of the Gong family. But beyond the particulars of Gongs experience, his story has a universal message of normalcy. Its just good to have people from outside of the Western US. The following is a summary of what he said. Elder and Sister Gong said they have also felt the outpouring of support from members throughout the world. 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 Gong loves learning and spending time with family. It was my biggest hope for the conference. Having crushes on boys in elementary school. 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. For, say, a company whose mission is to suck oil out of the earth wherever possible, super-centralized leadership is not much of a problem; an organization like that just has to know how to focus its financial and political power like a laser, and acting at times like a steamroller is part of the game. Blood. A few early apostles married Scandinavian immigrants, but thats really stretching the definition of interracial marriage. I know several members of Elder Gongs extended family, and they couldnt be a more dynamic, talented, kind family. 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. Elder and Sister Gong's presentation will be broadcast on Saturday, March 4 . Bright colors and vivid images filled the once-blank cinder block wall of the soup kitchen in Phnom Pehn, Cambodia. The meeting will be available on the Gospel Library app and online in 11 languages beginning Thanks all for the kind answers to my post. [9] The Gongs married in the Salt Lake Temple on January 4, 1980. So, when I talk about the Church, I mean the Church. When I talk about my father, hes just my father.. I had won the war in coming out but was left as broken as the battlefield.. A powerful couple to help open up China. Elder Gong said, "On my mother's side . 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. Some of the activities include a throw-back photo challenge, family history Twister, family selfie station and a giant family tree. Felix and Carolyn, First hand knowledge here. Pressure from Mormon Blogosphere/Political Correctness: 0. I was worried that it would be deletedinstead I have been encouraged to look at it in new ways that I hadnt considered. Elder Gerrit W. Gong and his wife, Susan, participate in a Christmas mural project in Vietnam. Shout out to Jusok. My wife is Japanese and Im Puerto Rican, whoop dee doo. Happening March 4, Family Discovery Day is free online and in-person. 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. Is Elder Gong of mixed race? Thanks, New Iconoclast. I hope this new leader does indeed provide an example that normalizes your family to our fellow Saints! 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 . In the Saturday afternoon session of the April 2022 general conference, Gerrit W. Gong of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles gave a talk titled "We Each Have a Story" in which he encouraged his listeners to work on their family history. Ill check on her. Again, its complicated and fluid. 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. 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. Hales. He is also ranked in the richest person list from United States. -Gerrit W. Gong. [8] He graduated from BYU in 1977 with a bachelor of arts. I experienced confusion, sexual assault and rejection as I stumbled through my new life, Gong says. 31 October 2021 by Gerrit W. Gong 16,100 sq ft (1,500 m 2) on a 7.7-acre (3.1 ha) site Reading the D&C, it seems that revelation is often (indeed, almost always) responsive to external realities. As he said, "We each have a story.". Assigned to organize the second stake in Bangkok, Thailand, Elder Gong participated in the calling of priesthood leaders. I thought the image was beautiful and so when I came out, I clung to the idea that I was somehow like the poppies.. 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. [12][13] He joined this latter institution in 1989. His mother's family are ethnic Chinese in Hawaii . It will always be Top down, not bottom up. 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 . Elder and Sister Gong's presentation will be broadcast on Saturday . Elder Gong is a native born American citizen who grew up in America surrounded by Chinese culture at home and American culture in school and Northern California LDS culture at church and was raised by parents whose family trees are fully populated by people who were born in China. It takes strength to keep sustaining when one is ready for shifts and even sees wisdom in them, but they dont come. David A. Bednar. Im very comfortable standing by that statement. Gerrit Walter Gong (born December 23, 1953) is a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). The apostle choices here should be celebrated and I would say without much qualification for progressive mormons. Recommended dish: Korean BBQ platter. Similarly, we were happy and hopeful to learn of President Nelsons ties to this wonderful land. 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.