Youve given me something to ponder this afternoon. The restored gospel is for every nation, kindred, and tongue. Elder Gerrit W. Gong of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. It belonged to the children. I confronted and broke down the lies I had been told about what it means to be queer. FredI strongly suspect that you would not have similar qualms about announcements that aligned with your own political priors. 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. When the prophet starts allowing his decisions to be influenced by every wind of political and worldly doctrine everyone loses. 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. Having a few interracial marriages in my extended family, Ive seen positive and negative consequences. People. Elder Gongs parents, both professional teachers, collectively spent more than 70 years in the classroom. The following is from FamilySearch: SALT LAKE CITY, UTAHElder Gerrit W. Gong of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and his wife, Susan Gong, will be the featured keynote speakers for Family Discovery Day at RootsTech 2023. gerrit gong family picture . I was worried that it would be deletedinstead I have been encouraged to look at it in new ways that I hadnt considered. Huh. I think generational biases are difficult to overcome when seeking the Lords will on things great and small. Also, only in the USA, would someone with Soaress phenotype be considered not white. Hes white everywhere else on the planet. 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. 31 October 2021 by Gerrit W. Gong 16,100 sq ft (1,500 m 2) on a 7.7-acre (3.1 ha) site His memory is foggy, but he says he woke up four hours later, lying on the floor. (Rick Egan | Tribune file photo) Reading through all the comments has been interesting. Biography. July 10, 2022. Download Photo. :) Hope all is well. Gong then studied international relations at Oxford University as a Rhodes Scholar, receiving a master's degree in 1979 and a D.Phil. Yes, I have the most beautiful grandchildren. It was my biggest hope for the conference. I dont know how it came to us; it just did, said Sister Susan Gong. As he said, "We each have a story.". Once ordained they joined the growing circle of priesthood power.. Ill check on her. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Its nice to have this forum where you can say what you are really thinking rather than in a classroom at church where you pretty much have to say the party line. With his wife, Susan, Elder Gong helps build God's kingdom by serving all of His children. And that, I believe, is a blessing for all concerned. Score: The hard thing for ALL of us is to cope with (possibly) inspired decisions that conflict with our own political and philosophical intuitions. I argued my doubts to a standstill and reclaimed my beliefs from where they lay.. 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. (BTW its Brazilian with one l, not Brazillian with two. Daily news, articles, videos and podcasts sent straight to your inbox. The in-person Family Discovery Day event will also feature free classes, activities and access to the expo hall. That was a message about God that he wanted to share and prompted him to serve a two-year mission for the church, he says in the interview. sltrib.com 1996-2023 The Salt Lake Tribune. They understand that diversity is out there, but they havent lived it, and there is no substitute for living it. In order to celebrate Elder Gong's birthday, here are some photos showing his life and ministry to Latter-day Saints around the world. 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. But you probably didnt know how cool it was. Elder Gong was with Elder Quentin L. Cook and Elder Gary E. Stevenson in Vietnam when the Church received official recognition. Elder Gong was on my list of best case scenarios. 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. Thoughts of not having that became unbearable, he says, and so he repressed them. 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. The in-person session will also include live interaction with Elder and Sister Gong, according to a RootsTech media release. And love that something so small an interracial marriage can yet be so huge for your family and for others. Elder Gong has a Dutch first name, an American middle name (Walter after his father) and a Chinese last name . Their address will be delivered at 1:30 p.m. MST. Representation matters. Virtual registration is free, while in-person access is $98 for all three days though, the public wont be charged for entry to the expo hall, featuring more than 200 exhibitors, product demonstrations and research specialists. Mormonism LIVE: 117: Changes To The Temple & The Ethics of Ensign Peak Advisors Mormonism Live! Put On Thy Strength, O Zion. 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. Just start with the Chinese Exclusion Act and Japanese Internment. Representation matters! Thanks for the correction, Jones. *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).. By that, I mean, sure hes of Asian decent, but he is still the same mold as all the other GAs/Apostles. Assigned to organize the second stake in Bangkok, Thailand, Elder Gong participated in the calling of priesthood leaders. He was born on December 23, 1953 and his birthplace is California, Redwood City California. Factor does not mean negative or positive it just is. Although the family had provided the sketch, paint, and brushes, something had shifted. in 1980. 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. I know several members of Elder Gong's extended family, and they couldn't be a more dynamic, talented, kind family. His known family tree is extensive (bless the tradition of Chinese family genealogy record-keeping) and is 100% Chinese. He will be a good fit with the brethren. All rights reserved. Family Discovery Day is a free event and will begin Saturday, March 4 at 1:30 PM, MDT. I have five other children that have married Caucasians as well. Hi MB, Im really not the expert to speak on that. 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. Pressure from Mormon Blogosphere/Political Correctness: 0. 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. We were grateful others were excited for children to have creative opportunities.. Thanks, Cynthia, and beautifully written. they wondered. All quotes by Gerrit W. Gong and in blue (unless otherwise noted). AmyT thanks for weighing in! He really desires with all his heart to build the kingdom and bless Heavenly Fathers children. 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.. [25], In May 2018, Gong and his wife spoke at the BYU Women's Conference. Gong had just been named an apostle. But the Gongs explained their project was an opportunity for all the children. Join thousands already receiving our daily newsletter. [1] [Updated x2] There were early, polygamous members of church leadership who had Native or indigenous wives. His first name is "Gerrit" and his last name is . Anyone who thinks otherwise is giving themselves a little too much credit. And hopefully those last few references to the evils of miscegenation can soon be purged. And definitely in Brazil Soares would be considered white. Im excited for Elder Soares calling as are my Brazilian friends in our ward here in Brazil. The greatest Mormon blog in the universe. More than anything he is American. They are the parents of four sons and have three grandchildren. 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. 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). Joseph W. Sitati. Thanks all for the kind answers to my post. 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. Photo courtesy of the Gong family. 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. Donate to the newsroom now. I believe inspiration comes to those who seek, as does revelation-like who to call to be apostles. I dont expect that these men will be cultural or political reformers. 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 will try to express my feelings in a more heartfelt way in this post in hopes that it will not suffer the same fate. One is Jacob Hamblin, often nicknamed Buckskin Apostle, though he was not actually part of the Twelve. [24], On March 31, 2018, Gong was sustained as a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. 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. We need to love till we do not marginalize any of our Fathers children. Elder Gerrit W. Gong and his wife, Sister Susan Lindsay Gong. I was personally much more disappointed that our previous three apostles had such close ties to Utah than their ethnic backgrounds. Is Elder Gong of mixed race? 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 . :). His fear was that people would politicize me and my dad. The apostle choices here should be celebrated and I would say without much qualification for progressive mormons. Ask Peter. Its pretty easy to support and sustain what were used to; harder when there is a significant shift. My white cousin married a Korean woman and lived in Korea for several years. (If they are, it will be a pleasant surprise.) Those interested in participating in the conference can register online at https://rootstech.org. Why does ethnicity have to be politicized in Zion the way it is in Babylon? [8] He graduated from BYU in 1977 with a bachelor of arts. A powerful couple to help open up China. Thank you Jason K. You make an excellent point. Also, I suspect President Nelsons very special interest in China may have played a role in the case of Elder Gong. The mural they created, which added light to the once colorless space, wasn't theirs. My last post must have sounded like trolling as it has disappeared. 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. 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. Hales. He had a close almost familial relationship with de Jong and would refer to him as "Grandpa de Jong." Here goes: When the names of the two new apostles were read I felt sick in the pit of my stomach. Were an international church, and the PTB clearly have worked hard to get our leadership profile to more closely mirror that reality. 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. All three parts of Gongs identity have shaped him, including heroic tales of service and sacrifice, and are worth celebrating. I do expect that their calling will reflect a process of opening the churchs leadership to the churchs global realities. 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 . Shes everything one would hope for someone in that role. At the risk of being a downer: there are still at least two places on lds.org with instructional materials containing a quote that members are encouraged to marry within their race. Even in this day and age I meet members who view interracial marriages and relationships in a negative light. 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. 1. 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 experienced confusion, sexual assault and rejection as I stumbled through my new life, Gong says. We need to learn to love so unconditionally that we do not see race anymore, nor genders, nor other marginalization great and small. 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. . Of his new assignment, Elder Gong said it was overwhelming to have President Nelson tenderly take my hands in his and extend a call to the apostleship. On Buzzlearn.com, Gerrit is listed as a successful leader who was born in the year of 1953. Ours is a worldwide Church. Please come find your family, all your generations, and bring them home.". His Chinese American family was also highly academic both parents have advanced degrees and had wide-ranging conversations, even heated debates. http://www.pbs.org/wnet/black-in-latin-america/featured/black-in-latin-america-full-episode-brazil-a-racial-paradise/224/. 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.. 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. 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. My family name.. My sister (who is white) is married to a Korean man and I have never ever considered the fact that they have probably experienced bigoted comments, because their interracial marriage didnt even faze our family. That our interactions would be nitpicked to brand us as avatars of ideologies, Gong writes on a Facebook post. Blessed be the name of the Lord. He witnessed how the Lord touched many different people in Vietnam. (See related story.) The thoughts expressed below are my authentic feelings. Elder Gerrit W. Gong, the first Asian-American Apostle, is a faithful lifelong Church member. . 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. 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]. BTW, given that oil often is found in strange places, experience and comfort with a wide range of cultures is a pretty big advantage. A variety of banchan Korean appetizers are offered to precede the main courses served with white rice. Of course not. His family relationships clarified, my friend said, "I feel free, at peace. But beyond the particulars of Gongs experience, his story has a universal message of normalcy. He was called to London on a Mandarin-speaking mission in 2011. [7], Gong graduated from Cubberley High School in Palo Alto, California, in 1971. Loursat, I only bring this up because it was clearly your main point, but sucking oil out of the ground is a terrible strategy. The Salt Lake Tribune, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) public charity and contributions are tax But its a relief to know that the oil companies dont have to suck so hard. 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. Gerrit W. Gong. And he never brought it up. I forgive you, he says. I believe the Lord uses those who have specific skills to move His church forward.and Sister Gong is fluent in Mandarin. Elder Gongs and President Nelsons love for this land are, I hope, positive signs of things to come. Its very, very hard to do that with a small, centralized leadership group. This is a grandly unique perspective on this appointment that I had not known, nor considered until reading your article. 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Tales of service and sacrifice, and brushes, something had shifted became unbearable he... Of best case scenarios the second stake in Bangkok, Thailand, elder was!
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