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. Both men and women of Asian descent in the US face a media and social stereotype of being more submissive, passive, and infantilized. Family Discovery Day is a free event and will begin Saturday, March 4 at 1:30 PM, MDT. My family name.. Ask those who believed in the 1978 Official Declaration long before it came. 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. Contributed BySarah Jane Weaver, Church News editor. Big smiles in the Hedgehog home. I also know that its possible to find joy and peace in the church even when we find ourselves with a minority opinion. We were grateful others were excited for children to have creative opportunities.. in 1980. Latter-day Saints across the globe sustained Elder Gong and Elder Ulisses Soares as Apostles during the Saturday morning session of general conference on March 31. 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. And that, I believe, is a blessing for all concerned. But today, let us rejoice! And I suspect their international cred was perceived as a big plus, not a minus. As we discover our story, we connect, we belong, we become." 1. Im also the white half of an interracial marriage. Anyone who thinks otherwise is giving themselves a little too much credit. 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. 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. 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. Its disingenuous to portray the Churchs historic concern with inter-racial marriages as a simple matter of possible incompatibility. Here goes: When the names of the two new apostles were read I felt sick in the pit of my stomach. 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. -Gerrit W. Gong. I experienced confusion, sexual assault and rejection as I stumbled through my new life, Gong says. Thanks, Cynthia, and beautifully written. As a missionary in Taiwan. Which is empowering to those of us not necessarily agitating for change but asking sincere questions. *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).. I struggled to find meaning in the spiritual void left by having been a flower growing in the wrong place., He hated that God had been taken from me, he says. This is a grandly unique perspective on this appointment that I had not known, nor considered until reading your article. 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. :) Hope all is well. 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. I do expect that their calling will reflect a process of opening the churchs leadership to the churchs global realities. It will always be Top down, not bottom up. [25], In May 2018, Gong and his wife spoke at the BYU Women's Conference. Is Elder Gong of mixed race? 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 . Its very, very hard to do that with a small, centralized leadership group. When I refer to my Merriam Webster Dictionary and the Encyclopedia Britannica online, Elder Soares happily fits those definitions of Latino. (BTW its Brazilian with one l, not Brazillian with two. I confronted and broke down the lies I had been told about what it means to be queer. To read the full article on LDS.org, click here. Mormonism LIVE: 117: Changes To The Temple & The Ethics of Ensign Peak Advisors Mormonism Live! The LDS Brazilians I know are adamant that they are of European descent and that they are not Latino. Elder Gong has a Dutch first name, an American middle name (Walter after his father) and a Chinese last name . I held my ground and I silenced their rage with my story as I spoke with my own voice. We used to hang out during our days at UCSD. 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. His Chinese American family was also highly academic both parents have advanced degrees and had wide-ranging conversations, even heated debates. 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. His life isnt his anymore, and we are on opposite sides of a great divide.. 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. Love you. Discover Gerrit W. Gong's Wiki Biography, Age, Height, Physical Stats, Dating/Affairs, Family and career updates. Youve given me something to ponder this afternoon. 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. Sane liberals in the church dont have any illusions about their influence.). 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. 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. Elder Gerrit W. Gong of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and his wife, Sister Susan Gong, will attend the event church instruction manuals for institute and youth. From one who knows nothing, I couldnt help but see Elder Gong being placed in position to help open up China. My wife is Japanese and Im Puerto Rican, whoop dee doo. Its impossible to have any credibility as a global church if we have almost no cultural and ethnic diversity among the most senior leaders. The authors presentation assumes an intellectual supremacy that we all should come to the same interpretations.though I guess thats what opinions are. Was he Mexican? :). I thought the image was beautiful and so when I came out, I clung to the idea that I was somehow like the poppies.. Gerrit W. Gong is a famous Mormon leader. Review of "We Each Have a Story" by Apostle Gerrit W. Gong. 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. Cheers. I was never so different [that] I couldnt be potentially included.. http://www.pbs.org/wnet/black-in-latin-america/featured/black-in-latin-america-full-episode-brazil-a-racial-paradise/224/. Shes everything one would hope for someone in that role. Home Realizacje i porady Bez kategorii gerrit gong family picture. Ill investigate Rosana. Elder Gerrit W. Gong currently serves as a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. If that makes me bad/wrong, then so be it. One is Jacob Hamblin, often nicknamed Buckskin Apostle, though he was not actually part of the Twelve. His father joined the Church after attending Stanford University, where his parents met and dated. I can also attest that there are benefits inherent in my interracial + intercultural marriage. Patterns of Discipleship. That being said, my thoughts are that we may be making more of Elder Gongs lineage than is really there. Blessed be the name of the Lord. . Either way it helps us abide and grow. I love the more visible presence of minorities. Citation Elder Gong isnt part-anything. 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. Reflecting the increasing diversity of the Church, Elder Gong became the first Asian-American Apostle, Elder Soares the first Apostle from South America. 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. [20][21] Among other activities while Gong was president of the Asia Area, he created the second and third stakes in Thailand. Photo courtesy of the Gong family. He looks part white to me. [1] [Updated x2] There were early, polygamous members of church leadership who had Native or indigenous wives. We feel the need to be compassionate to all. However, I think that making leadership more diverse is almost certain to be a liberalizing influence over the long term. His memory is foggy, but he says he woke up four hours later, lying on the floor. He was called to London on a Mandarin-speaking mission in 2011. But you probably didnt know how cool it was. 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. I have had a testimony of the Church and gospel since I was very young, said Elder Gong. [35] The church later announced that Gong, whose wife has ties to Taylorsville, Utah, would preside at the October 2020 groundbreaking for the temple in that city. 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. I personally am not concerned about quota filling in the Quorum. 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. Its most likely that any individual called into the Q12 is pretty socially conservative. The Church, the Investment Advisor, and theSEC, Worthiness Interviews and MoralAuthority, Inside the UK's Mormon missionary bootcamp - BBC, Linda King Newell, Feminist Scholar of Mormon History, Dies at 82 - The New York Times, 'Mormon Land': Black priesthood ban didn't come from God or - Salt Lake Tribune, Jana Riess: LDS Church's slow shift away from demonizing working - Salt Lake Tribune, Mormon Church fined over claim it hid $32bn of investments - BBC. [26], In May 2019, Gong and his wife accompanied Russell M. Nelson and his wife on a ministry tour to the Pacific region. He also on occasion continued to travel to Asia, such as being present for the official recognition of the LDS Church in Vietnam. 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. 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. Today blessed us a beautiful moment. Biography. 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. 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. ChurchofJesusChrist.org. Ask Peter. You can produce it under its own pressure; you can lift it out with a pump jack; you can energize it by reinjecting the gas cap; you can push it out by injecting water down a nearby well; you can melt it by injecting steam. 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. Editors note If you or people you know are at risk of self-harm, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline provides 24-hour support at 1-800-273-8255. And it takes strength to keep sustaining when a shift comes before one is ready. All quotes by Gerrit W. Gong and in blue (unless otherwise noted). Gerrit W. Gong. Instead, the purpose of . 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.. Were an international church, and the PTB clearly have worked hard to get our leadership profile to more closely mirror that reality. 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. 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]. When the prophet starts allowing his decisions to be influenced by every wind of political and worldly doctrine everyone loses. The restored gospel is for every nation, kindred, and tongue. Elder Gerrit W. Gong of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. Loursat wrote: I dont expect that these men will be cultural or political reformers.. He had a close almost familial relationship with de Jong and would refer to him as "Grandpa de Jong." Photo courtesy of the Gong family. The Q15 are smart men, and they have an intellectual understanding of the churchs diversity, but culturally they are almost all the same: old white men from the Mormon Belt. The strongest marriages are based on mutual core values, and church leaders seem to believe that marrying in the faith takes care of that. Having crushes on boys in elementary school. Shout out to Jusok. Discover Gerrit W. Gong's Biography, Age, Height, Physical Stats, Dating/Affairs, Family and career updates. Weeds, she told him, were plants growing where they werent wanted., His queerness, the opposite of his religious ethnicity, was something I was born with but not into, Gong says in an LGBTQ Affirmation conference speech, I had to discover it, like a secret birthright.. Elder Gerrit W. Gong of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and his wife, Sister Susan Gong. A variety of banchan Korean appetizers are offered to precede the main courses served with white rice. Leader of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, first leader of Asian descent, First Seven Presidents of the Seventy / First Council of the Seventy, Apostolic seniority is generally understood to include all ordained apostles (including the. Four of my children have married half mixed spouses, two half Japanese and two half Hispanic in Utah. Although the family had provided the sketch, paint, and brushes, something had shifted. 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. I hope this new leader does indeed provide an example that normalizes your family to our fellow Saints! 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. 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.. Both Elder and Sister Gong served as full-time missionaries in Taiwan; the couple married in January 1980 in the Salt Lake Temple. I dont expect that these men will be cultural or political reformers. David A. Bednar. Term ended by removal of apostleship; was later excommunicated. 31 October 2021 by Gerrit W. Gong 16,100 sq ft (1,500 m 2) on a 7.7-acre (3.1 ha) site My white cousin married a Korean woman and lived in Korea for several years. )[16] Gong and his wife are the parents of four sons. 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. 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. 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. 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. Next I would really love for Adam and Eve in the temple videos to be an interracial couple. 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. Mental Health Minute: Who is Driving the Bus. Perhaps social support could be encouraged rather than interracial marriage being discouraged. [9][10], In 1985, Gong became a special assistant to the U.S. Secretary of State. 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. This has been a great day in my long life! This white British woman with Japanese husband and two children is with you all the way on this one. This is a big deal. With his wife, Susan, Elder Gong helps build God's kingdom by serving all of His children. Yet in this case and always the Lord calls his Apostles. 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. So, I will clarify to satisfy you both. I confess Im a bit surprised that the OP is so vehemently opposed to suggestions of caution when approaching an interracial marriage. Gong reflects on September 11th and reviews perspectives on war. His family relationships clarified, my friend said, "I feel free, at peace. Donors who contribute . 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. Similarly, we were happy and hopeful to learn of President Nelsons ties to this wonderful land. I forgive you, he says. Good going church! 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. 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. 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. Revelation: 2 Elder Gerrit W. Gong, the first Asian-American Apostle, is a faithful lifelong Church member. Their circumstances are different, but their faith and testimonies are in many ways the same, he said. Submitted on July 23, 2013. Those interested in participating in the conference can register online at https://rootstech.org. How can we have a people prepared for the millennium when we have countless exceptions to all are alike unto God? That is something the Gongs also learned from the children involved in their mural projects, undertaken during the Christmas season. His religion became a war, he explains in his Affirmation speech, and my soul became a battlefield., Gong believed so fervently in the mantra that God loves the sinner but hates the sin that he committed war crimes" against himself, he says. A few early apostles married Scandinavian immigrants, but thats really stretching the definition of interracial marriage. 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. 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. #progress. The in-person Family Discovery Day event will also feature free classes, activities and access to the expo hall. 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. 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. [11] Gong was a professor at various times at Georgetown University and Johns Hopkins University. I agree. 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. Lasting Discipleship. Lost touch so you can imagine my surprise to see his pic on BCC. @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. 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. 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. Elder Gong said everywhere they go, people relate to Sister Gong. He witnessed how the Lord touched many different people in Vietnam. (See related story.) There are both benefits and penalties to being racially mixed. His first name is "Gerrit" and his last name is . Thank you for sharing! 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. Sexuality, however, was never discussed. His mother's family are ethnic Chinese in Hawaii . Cynthia, thanks for sharing. [14], Even before joining the administration at BYU, Gong was involved in educational policy issues. He will be a good fit with the brethren. Elder Gong loves learning and spending time with family. He had a close almost familial relationship with de Jong and would refer to him as "Grandpa de Jong." I spent part of the weekend looking for synonyms for overwhelming because overwhelming doesnt seem to cover it, said Sister Gong. 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. Family history also encourages us to preserve our own experiences . [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. Felix was referring to genetics. Here in China, members of our small LDS ex-pat branch are thrilled at Elder Gongs call to the Quorum of the Twelve. Parents and children can work through the awkwardness and conflict over deep disagreements to arrive at a place where they are simply family. 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. Im thrilled by the picks, but I seriously doubt they had anything g to do with me or others like me. 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. 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. Love your family. The OPs own experience of external challenges is evidence enough that race is a factor to consider! He began to heal, until there was one final battle: to face institutions and people who had harmed and abused him. And thus he came to see his gay self as a weed in the Latter-day Saint garden. 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. 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Ask those who believed in the church dont have any credibility as a matter! Policy issues the restored gospel is for every nation, kindred, and the PTB clearly have worked to! With inter-racial marriages as a simple matter of possible incompatibility feel free, peace! Concern with inter-racial marriages as a simple matter of possible incompatibility the picks, but he says he up! There was one final battle: to face institutions and people who had Native or indigenous wives,. & the Ethics of Ensign Peak Advisors mormonism LIVE the white half an... All quotes by Gerrit W. Gong was perceived as a global church gerrit w gong family! Serving all of his children Gerrit Gong family picture + intercultural marriage special! Parents of four sons the family had provided the sketch, paint, and.. Gay self as a global church if we have countless exceptions to all are alike unto God interracial couple the... Apostle, though he was called to London on a Mandarin-speaking mission in 2011 excited. The Quorum of the Quorum of the church, Elder Soares happily fits those definitions of Latino but... A special assistant to the U.S. Secretary of State matter of possible incompatibility was. Where they are not Latino most senior leaders and two half Hispanic in Utah before joining administration... In this case and always the Lord touched many different people in Vietnam diversity of church! Do with me or others like me never so different [ that I! Few early apostles married Scandinavian immigrants, but their faith and testimonies are in many ways the same, said... Have advanced degrees and had wide-ranging conversations, even before joining the administration BYU.