church instruction manuals for institute and youth. (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. 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. 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. A variety of banchan Korean appetizers are offered to precede the main courses served with white rice. From at least 2002, Gong served as special assistant to the president of BYU for planning and assessment. Leader of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, first leader of Asian descent. 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. This has been a great day in my long life! No registration is required. The strongest marriages are based on mutual core values, and church leaders seem to believe that marrying in the faith takes care of that. Oh, the challenge of English adjectives. Reflecting the increasing diversity of the Church, Elder Gong became the first Asian-American Apostle, Elder Soares the first Apostle from South America. Susan is other-oriented and down-to-earth wherever she is, said Elder Gong. "Ours is a worldwide Church. The restored gospel is for every nation, kindred, and tongue. I have five other children that have married Caucasians as well. 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. The free event will feature live music, food and family discovery activities, with prizes ranging from DNA kits to a new laptop. So, when I talk about the Church, I mean the Church. When I talk about my father, hes just my father.. But the Gongs explained their project was an opportunity for all the children. Im thrilled by the picks, but I seriously doubt they had anything g to do with me or others like me. As part of RootsTech 2023, Elder David A. Bednar and Elder Gerrit W. Gong will provide instruction to stake and ward leaders in the annual Temple and Family History Leadership Instruction. My family name.. 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. Maybe well get rid of those now. Hi MB, Im really not the expert to speak on that. And he still didnt know how to love himself. RootsTech 2023, a global gathering of family history enthusiasts, will be in-person at the Salt Palace in Salt Lake City and virtually at rootstech.org. I know several members of Elder Gongs extended family, and they couldnt be a more dynamic, talented, kind family. Also, doesnt Sister Rosana Fernandes Soares identify as a woman of color? His memory is foggy, but he says he woke up four hours later, lying on the floor. They are the parents of four sons and have three grandchildren. The restored gospel is for every nation, kindred, and tongue. Elder Gerrit W. Gong of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. Winter 2003 Contact Us Advertising News & Alumni. Their circumstances are different, but their faith and testimonies are in many ways the same, he said. Gong had the same dreams as other young Latter-day Saints, serving in callings with a wife and children, and spending eternity in heaven with his family. Mica Nicole is sure she had encountered one but was out and about and couldnt recall the specifics for me. Feel free to delete this comment after the edit.). The meeting will be available on the Gospel Library app and online in 11 languages beginning 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. Matthew Gong, Matthew Gong is a minority three times over in his own words Chinese American, Mormon and queer.. But its a relief to know that the oil companies dont have to suck so hard. )[16] Gong and his wife are the parents of four sons. 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. 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. He began to heal, until there was one final battle: to face institutions and people who had harmed and abused him. Sign up for Meridians Free Newsletter, pleaseCLICK HERE. The church desperately needed someone who represented Latin and South American saints symbolically and with experience in the 12. That our interactions would be nitpicked to brand us as avatars of ideologies, Gong writes on a Facebook post. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Quote #1 (the true litmus test) . 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. Just start with the Chinese Exclusion Act and Japanese Internment. And I suspect their international cred was perceived as a big plus, not a minus. He had a close almost familial relationship with de Jong and would refer to him as "Grandpa de Jong." His Chinese American family was also highly academic both parents have advanced degrees and had wide-ranging conversations, even heated debates. 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. Im sorry to hear this, but grateful that I was raised in the 50s to 70s by open minded, faithful Mormon parents, for which I am grateful for every day. I will update the post as I get further information. 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. Lasting Discipleship. (Rick Egan | Tribune file photo) They began dating a few years later, in the summer when Gong had returned from Oxford to spend a few weeks with his parents, during a time his father was a BYU professor. 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. Although the family had provided the sketch, paint and brushes, something had shifted. Five Frameworks on Iraq. That is something the Gongs also learned from the children involved in their mural projects, undertaken during the Christmas season. Similarly, we were happy and hopeful to learn of President Nelsons ties to this wonderful land. AmyT thanks for weighing in! 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. Too many glories to express. 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. Forgive me, Im not sure. Pressure from Mormon Blogosphere/Political Correctness: 0. Assigned to organize the second stake in Bangkok, Thailand, Elder Gong participated in the calling of priesthood leaders. Gerrit W. Gong. 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.. in 1980. Arab? Hemos detectado que ests en un navegador no compatible. 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. * I can attest that there are challenges inherent in my interracial + intercultural marriage, but there are challenges in every marriage. 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. Brazilians, in the USA, dont like getting lumped in with latinos. [17] Prior to joining the BYU administration, the Gongs had spent most of their married life in Maryland and Virginia. I dont expect that these men will be cultural or political reformers. Im sorry for that feeling in the pit of your stomachI know it all too well. 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. His mother, an avid gardener, once explained the difference between flowers and weeds. 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. My wife is Japanese and Im Puerto Rican, whoop dee doo. We were grateful others were excited for children to have creative opportunities.. Photo courtesy of the Gong family. Both Elder and Sister Gong served as full-time missionaries in Taiwan; the couple married in January 1980 in the Salt Lake Temple. By Mike Rabus Posted 7/5/2022. Below are three statements Elder Gong made about stories and some ideas about how you can rediscover your own. 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). All quotes by Gerrit W. Gong and in blue (unless otherwise noted). I held my ground and I silenced their rage with my story as I spoke with my own voice. He encouraged listeners to connect with ancestors and descendants in uniting God's family. Its most likely that any individual called into the Q12 is pretty socially conservative. Elder Soares, a Brazillian, brings long-overdue representation from the southern hemisphere. 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. 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. After the meeting we entered a large room, where on chairs on three sides of the room priesthood leaders were ordained one by one, recalled Sister Gong. [5] 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. [14], Even before joining the administration at BYU, Gong was involved in educational policy issues. People dont know their own blind spots until theyre pointed out to them. And hopefully those last few references to the evils of miscegenation can soon be purged. Elder and Sister Gong's presentation will be broadcast on Saturday . [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. 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. With all the comments here I echo the joy in seeing a diverse Quorum. Steven J. Lund. Learn more about guidelines and necessary forms. He and Ulisses Soares filled the vacancies created from the deaths of Thomas S. Monson and Robert D. He said they have had an opportunity to weep together and pray together. 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. A powerful couple to help open up China. The LDS Brazilians I know are adamant that they are of European descent and that they are not Latino. 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. Good going church! Reserve a spot at the After-Party by FamilySearch using eventbrite.com. 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. I also rejoice in the callings of Elder Gong and Elder Soares. 1. Discover Gerrit W. Gong's Wiki Biography, Age, Height, Physical Stats, Dating/Affairs, Family and career updates. Sexuality, however, was never discussed. I also suspect that some of these people are forgetting that the world is not lacking in socially conservative Hispanics or Asian Americans. 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 more reading on this, seehere,here, and here.). Family Discovery Day is a free event and will begin Saturday, March 4 at 1:30 PM, MDT. Lost touch so you can imagine my surprise to see his pic on BCC. The mural they created, which added light to the once colorless space, wasnt theirs. 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 . Elder Gong has a Dutch first name, an American middle name (Walter after his father) and a Chinese last name . Reading through all the comments has been interesting. 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). Its not a Chinese, Mormon or academic dinner-table topic. 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. -Gerrit W. Gong. One day, during Gongs freshman year at Brigham Young University, he tried to take his life. Submitted on July 23, 2013. Gong reflects on September 11th and reviews perspectives on war. He will be a good fit with the brethren. The mural they created, which added light to the once colorless space, wasn't theirs. All three parts of Gongs identity have shaped him, including heroic tales of service and sacrifice, and are worth celebrating. :) Hope all is well. This is the very purpose for which God created the heavens and the earth and saw that they were good. Im grateful for that for me, but Im terribly sorry for anyone who has had to endure those remarks. 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. I have personally experienced stinging examples of this bias: confusion about our children, surprise about us being together, and even comments along the lines that I did it backwards by being a white woman married to my Korean-American husband. I confess Im a bit surprised that the OP is so vehemently opposed to suggestions of caution when approaching an interracial marriage. Come find your voice, your song, your harmony in Him. [9][10], In 1985, Gong became a special assistant to the U.S. Secretary of State. 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. He looks part white to me. It is heartbreaking when we are asked questions about religion, but cannot respond. 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 Gongs and President Nelsons love for this land are, I hope, positive signs of things to come. Biography. I was never so different [that] I couldnt be potentially included.. (Sometimes the emphasis is on achieving a picture-perfect family which involves inflated egos, exclusiveness, feelings of superiority or inferiority, and other unChrist-like behaviors both inside and outside the family. As we discover our story, we connect, we belong, we become." 1. Big smiles in the Hedgehog home. Thoughts of not having that became unbearable, he says, and so he repressed them. gerrit gong family picture . 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. Loursat, I only bring this up because it was clearly your main point, but sucking oil out of the ground is a terrible strategy. Discover Gerrit W. Gong's Biography, Age, Height, Physical Stats, Dating/Affairs, Family and career updates. [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. 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. God Bless You in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. 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