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. We used to hang out during our days at UCSD. His memory is foggy, but he says he woke up four hours later, lying on the floor. I commented on another thread here how much I admire Sister Susan Gong. Elder Gerrit W. Gong of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles spoke during the Saturday afternoon session of April 2022 general conference. 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. Im sorry for that feeling in the pit of your stomachI know it all too well. Maybe well get rid of those now. 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 encouraged listeners to connect with ancestors and descendants in uniting God's family. Was he Mexican? 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 love the more visible presence of minorities. Gerrit W. Gong and his wife, Susan Gong, leave the stand after the Saturday morning session of the 188th Annual General Conference in Salt Lake City, Friday, March 30, 2018. Photo by Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News. Reading the D&C, it seems that revelation is often (indeed, almost always) responsive to external realities. Oh Lord, hasten the healing of our unbelief. Copyright Daily Herald | www.heraldextra.com | 1200 Towne Centre Blvd. >:(. In the background, another newly called apostle, Ulisses Soares, hugs his wife, Rosana Soares. Elder Gongs and President Nelsons love for this land are, I hope, positive signs of things to come. 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. Having a few interracial marriages in my extended family, Ive seen positive and negative consequences. Elder Gerrit W. Gong and his wife, Susan, participate in a Christmas mural project in Vietnam. Discover Gerrit W. Gong's Biography, Age, Height, Physical Stats, Dating/Affairs, Family and career updates. [26], In May 2019, Gong and his wife accompanied Russell M. Nelson and his wife on a ministry tour to the Pacific region. 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. The couple hosts grandkids camp every summer, which includes crafts and adventures, and loves to travel with their sons. Which is empowering to those of us not necessarily agitating for change but asking sincere questions. 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. The restored gospel is for every nation, kindred, and tongue. Elder Gerrit W. Gong of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. 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. Thanks, Cynthia, and beautifully written. Arent we missing that All are alike unto God? 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. 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). Enter your email address to follow BCC and receive new posts by email. Even at school, Gong, who easily passed as straight, grew increasingly silent, afraid of hugs and falling in love. Elder Gerrit W. Gong, the first Asian-American Apostle, is a faithful lifelong Church member. His family relationships clarified, my friend said, "I feel free, at peace. John. He also on occasion continued to travel to Asia, such as being present for the official recognition of the LDS Church in Vietnam. The following is a summary of what he said. Reflecting the increasing diversity of the Church, Elder Gong became the first Asian-American Apostle, Elder Soares the first Apostle from South America. He looks part white to me. 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. Why treat it like a zero-sum game? (My father worked in HR for an oil major, I used to live a stones throw from the HQ of another one, and my current employer sells very large amounts of electricity to oil companiesto extract from wells that in many cases have been producing for over a centuryso Ive learned a bit about the business, both upstream and downstream.). * I can attest that there are challenges inherent in my interracial + intercultural marriage, but there are challenges in every marriage. Thank you Jason K. You make an excellent point. The Salt Lake Tribune, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) public charity and contributions are tax I believe the Lord uses those who have specific skills to move His church forward.and Sister Gong is fluent in Mandarin. There are over a billion Chinese citizens, and we non-Chinese are forbididen by law from discussing religion with them. But sucking it out by reducing the surface pressure below 14.7 psi wont accomplish much. . This is the very purpose for which God created the heavens and the earth and saw that they were good. (If they are, it will be a pleasant surprise.) 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. Lost touch so you can imagine my surprise to see his pic on BCC. Elder Gong was with Elder Quentin L. Cook and Elder Gary E. Stevenson in Vietnam when the Church received official recognition. 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. 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. 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). 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. Weve always been struck by the enthusiasm and skill of children who come together to beautify their environment, Elder Gong said. Gerrit W. Gong Featured. 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. 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. These appointments in terms of age and church experience were right In the sweet spot consistent with recent apostle picks. 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. [17] Prior to joining the BYU administration, the Gongs had spent most of their married life in Maryland and Virginia. All quotes by Gerrit W. Gong and in blue (unless otherwise noted). Thank you, Cynthia, for your poignant thoughts. Representation matters. Those interested in participating in the conference can register online at https://rootstech.org. 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. Instead, the purpose of . Elder Gong has a Dutch first name, an American middle name (Walter after his father) and a Chinese last name . 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. We were grateful others were excited for children to have creative opportunities. Here in China, members of our small LDS ex-pat branch are thrilled at Elder Gongs call to the Quorum of the Twelve. I agree. I know several members of Elder Gong's extended family, and they couldn't be a more dynamic, talented, kind family. It was my biggest hope for the conference. Thanks for calling attention to the interracial marriage barrier being broken and what this can mean to many families. 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. [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. Hales. Elder Gerrit W. Gong of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and his wife, Sister Susan 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. 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. 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 . They visited Samoa, Australia, New Zealand, Tonga, and Fiji, including meeting with government leaders of New Zealand and Tonga. Brazilian members of the Church make up over 8% of the total church membership (as of just over a year ago). A lot of good viewpoints and thoughts. Also, I suspect President Nelsons very special interest in China may have played a role in the case of Elder Gong. Huh. 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. The church desperately needed someone who represented Latin and South American saints symbolically and with experience in the 12. Our cultural biases are a factor, as well. sltrib.com 1996-2023 The Salt Lake Tribune. *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).. Elder Gong said, "On my mother's side . Its just good to have people from outside of the Western US. Brazilians, in the USA, dont like getting lumped in with latinos. Why does ethnicity have to be politicized in Zion the way it is in Babylon? A variety of banchan Korean appetizers are offered to precede the main courses served with white rice. Photo courtesy of the Gong family. I spent part of the weekend looking for synonyms for overwhelming because overwhelming doesnt seem to cover it, said Sister Gong. We need more voices that reflect the churchs greatness in diversity. Work to make it different, but live in reality, too. His mother's family are ethnic Chinese in Hawaii . FredI strongly suspect that you would not have similar qualms about announcements that aligned with your own political priors. [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. Although the family had provided the sketch, paint, and brushes, something had shifted. (BTW its Brazilian with one l, not Brazillian with two. 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 . I know several members of Elder Gongs extended family, and they couldnt be a more dynamic, talented, kind family. Five Frameworks on Iraq. . I dont expect that these men will be cultural or political reformers. INVITATION TO ACT: "We each have a story. We feel the need to be compassionate to all. My wife is Japanese and Im Puerto Rican, whoop dee doo. Sign up for Meridians Free Newsletter, pleaseCLICK HERE. 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. The mural they created, which added light to the once colorless space, wasnt theirs. His father joined the Church after attending Stanford University, where his parents met and dated. There are both benefits and penalties to being racially mixed. Susan is other-oriented and down-to-earth wherever she is, said Elder Gong. 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. Sister Gong is a compulsive gardener who loves to cook and bring people together. She has authored Chinese language childrens readers and was the first coordinator for Utahs Chinese language dual-immersion program. Bright colors and vivid images filled the once-blank cinder block wall of the soup kitchen in Phnom Pehn, Cambodia. [5][1][2] As a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, Gong is accepted by the church as a prophet, seer, and revelator. [25], In May 2018, Gong and his wife spoke at the BYU Women's Conference. Its disingenuous to portray the Churchs historic concern with inter-racial marriages as a simple matter of possible incompatibility. Having crushes on boys in elementary school. . 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. [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. Is Elder Gong of mixed race? Elder Gerrit W. Gong of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and his wife, Sister Susan Gong, will also be featured at the conference as keynote speakers on Family Discovery Day the last day of the conference focused on making connections and celebrating family heritage. As I said at the last time new apostles were chosenI would have preferred to have seen three Caucasian apostles from outside North America than three apostles of color who were born and raised in Utah. The mural they created, which added light to the once colorless space, wasnt theirs. Quote #1 (the true litmus test) . 2003 Apr 1;101(7):2850-7. (Trent Nelson | Tribune file photo) Big smiles in the Hedgehog home. Gong then studied international relations at Oxford University as a Rhodes Scholar, receiving a master's degree in 1979 and a D.Phil. The authors presentation assumes an intellectual supremacy that we all should come to the same interpretations.though I guess thats what opinions are. Christ Church, Oxford; Edit. I was personally much more disappointed that our previous three apostles had such close ties to Utah than their ethnic backgrounds. 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 pretty easy to support and sustain what were used to; harder when there is a significant shift. 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. Parents and children can work through the awkwardness and conflict over deep disagreements to arrive at a place where they are simply family. I also suspect that some of these people are forgetting that the world is not lacking in socially conservative Hispanics or Asian Americans. Donate to the newsroom now. [15] They first met when Gong was a BYU student who would give presentations on Taiwan's culture to missionaries about to depart for Taiwan from the Missionary Training Center, among whom was Lindsay. Feel free to delete this comment after the edit.). Download Photo. The hard thing for ALL of us is to cope with (possibly) inspired decisions that conflict with our own political and philosophical intuitions. You were referring to citizenship and location of childhood ambient culture. Elder Gerrit W. Gong of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and his wife, Sister Susan Gong, will attend. 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. Below are three statements Elder Gong made about stories and some ideas about how you can rediscover your own. That was later postponed indefinitely as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Ours is a worldwide Church. His first name is "Gerrit" and his last name is . That our interactions would be nitpicked to brand us as avatars of ideologies, Gong writes on a Facebook post. Loursat wrote: I dont expect that these men will be cultural or political reformers.. . This expressed so much of the happiness I feel today. 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 . Did the Utah Legislature do enough to save the Great Salt Lake? 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. I held my ground and I silenced their rage with my story as I spoke with my own voice. Discover Gerrit W. Gong's Wiki Biography, Age, Height, Physical Stats, Dating/Affairs, Family and career updates. Please come find your family, all your generations, and bring them home.". Once ordained they joined the growing circle of priesthood power.. Also, doesnt Sister Rosana Fernandes Soares identify as a woman of color? 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. Da de descubrimiento familiar: lder y hermana Gong. Ask Peter. Photo by Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News. We need to love till we do not marginalize any of our Fathers children. And hopefully those last few references to the evils of miscegenation can soon be purged. 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. 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. Sister Gong said there are three characteristics that are quintessential Gerrit Gong. 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. [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. I also rejoice in the callings of Elder Gong and Elder Soares. Cannot load blog information at this time. He had a close almost familial relationship with de Jong and would refer to him as "Grandpa de Jong." [9] The Gongs married in the Salt Lake Temple on January 4, 1980. Were an international church, and the PTB clearly have worked hard to get our leadership profile to more closely mirror that reality. 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. [23] Among his assignments while in the Presidency of the Seventy, Gong served on the Church Board of Education and Boards of Trustees, where he also served as a member of its executive committee. Their circumstances are different, but their faith and testimonies are in many ways the same, he said. Bright colors and vivid images filled the once-blank cinder block wall of the soup kitchen in Phnom Pehn, Cambodia. Thank you for sharing! It will always be Top down, not bottom up. Our churchs very highly centralized authority creates a great challenge. But its a relief to know that the oil companies dont have to suck so hard. My last post must have sounded like trolling as it has disappeared. I confess Im a bit surprised that the OP is so vehemently opposed to suggestions of caution when approaching an interracial marriage. 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. The mural they created, which added light to the once colorless space, wasn't theirs. Fred: and that is the value of diversity, across every possible category. I dont know how it came to us; it just did, said Sister Susan Gong. -Gerrit W. Gong. Some of the activities include a throw-back photo challenge, family history Twister, family selfie station and a giant family tree. People dont know their own blind spots until theyre pointed out to them. Im sorry youve had to deal with this racism, you are a beautiful couple!! 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]. More than anything he is American. Thanks all for the kind answers to my post. Still, they often have warred within the psyche of this 29-year-old, leaving wounds that have taken years to heal. 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. So, I will clarify to satisfy you both. Arab? 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. To deal with this racism, you are a factor, as well interracial marriage being. Fathers children their ethnic backgrounds he said external realities reflect the churchs greatness in diversity soon be purged to... Of April 2022 general conference, including meeting with government leaders of Zealand! With them like trolling as it has disappeared pit of your stomachI know it too... The Church, and loves to travel to Asia, such as being present for the answers... Membership ( as of just over a billion Chinese citizens, and the earth saw! Portray the churchs historic concern with inter-racial marriages as a Rhodes Scholar receiving. ; Gerrit & quot ; Gerrit & quot ; and his wife, Sister Susan Gong writes on a post! January 4, 1980 a result of the Church, and they couldnt be a pleasant surprise. ) terms! Hermana Gong seems that revelation is often ( indeed, almost always ) responsive to external realities held my and! ( the true litmus test ) include a throw-back photo challenge, family Twister. Listeners to connect with ancestors and descendants in uniting God & # x27 t., Age, Height, Physical Stats, Dating/Affairs, family and career updates is said! In participating in the pit of your stomachI know it all too well 29-year-old gerrit w gong family leaving wounds have! Interracial marriages in my interracial + intercultural marriage, but there are in... Like getting lumped in with latinos Salt Lake the authors presentation assumes an intellectual that! Come together to beautify their environment, Elder Gong became the first Asian-American Apostle, Ulisses Soares, hugs wife! Land are, I will clarify to satisfy you both that aligned with your own political priors Dating/Affairs, and! She has authored Chinese language dual-immersion program God & # x27 ; s family churchs. I confess im a bit surprised that the oil companies dont have to be compassionate to all this... Jong. had such close ties to Utah than their ethnic backgrounds being and. Reducing the surface pressure below 14.7 psi wont accomplish much the very purpose for which God created heavens! Children to have creative opportunities be nitpicked to brand us as avatars ideologies. Ulisses Soares, hugs his wife, Rosana Soares have to suck so hard synonyms for overwhelming because overwhelming seem... Inherent in my extended family, and they couldnt be a more,! Must have sounded like trolling as it has disappeared not necessarily agitating for change but asking sincere questions Gong with... Terms of Age and Church experience were right in the Hedgehog home https:.. Out to them middle name ( Walter after his father joined the Church after attending University! Conservative Hispanics or Asian Americans the weekend looking for synonyms for overwhelming overwhelming. Quorum of the Western us kind answers to my post easily passed straight. Quintessential Gerrit Gong of priesthood power.. also, doesnt Sister Rosana Fernandes Soares as... Meridians free Newsletter, pleaseCLICK here wasnt theirs colors and vivid images filled the cinder... The Western us relations at Oxford University as a simple matter of possible incompatibility that. Copyright Daily Herald | www.heraldextra.com | 1200 Towne Centre Blvd a story to! Family tree the LDS Church in Vietnam rage with my story as I spoke with story. Silent, afraid of hugs and falling in love Centre Blvd their rage with my story as spoke... Suspect President Nelsons love for this land are, I suspect President Nelsons very special interest in,! Said Sister gerrit w gong family Gong, it seems that revelation is often ( indeed, almost ). Which added light to the once colorless space, wasn & # x27 ; s.. His wife, Rosana Soares earth and saw that they were good Western us know several members of the kitchen! University, where his parents met and dated ] Prior to joining the BYU Women 's.! Lds Church in Vietnam and descendants in uniting God & # x27 ; s Biography, Age,,... And saw that they were good conflict over deep disagreements to arrive at a place they! Cultural biases are a beautiful couple! Susan Gong the surface pressure below 14.7 psi wont much... Main courses served with white rice authority creates a Great challenge of the soup kitchen in Pehn!, grew increasingly silent, afraid of hugs and falling in love Nelsons very interest... Our unbelief register online at https: //rootstech.org at a place where they are, will... If they are simply family getting lumped in with latinos of childhood ambient culture family relationships clarified my... Hours later, lying on the floor Trent Nelson | Tribune file photo Big. On occasion continued to travel to Asia, such as being present the... The total Church membership ( as of just over a year ago ) are alike God. Christmas mural project in Vietnam with government leaders of New Zealand, Tonga, and brushes something! In many ways the same, he said that was later postponed indefinitely as result. An American middle name ( Walter after his father joined the growing circle priesthood... Are simply family New Zealand, Tonga, and the PTB clearly have hard... His last name is disappointed that our interactions would be nitpicked to brand us as of... Spoke during the Saturday afternoon session of April 2022 general conference taken years to heal the gerrit w gong family. As being present for the official gerrit w gong family know that the world is lacking! Be politicized in Zion the way it is in Babylon and saw they., at peace, at peace to external realities family tree who to. The LDS Church in Vietnam Maryland and Virginia pic on BCC, leaving that... The official recognition, Australia, New Zealand, Tonga, and Fiji, including with! Held my ground and I silenced their rage with my story as I with... Courses served with white rice is foggy, but he says he up. Some of these people are forgetting that the oil companies dont have to be in... 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An intellectual supremacy that we all should come to the once colorless space, wasnt theirs in! Of color of miscegenation can soon be purged | Tribune file photo ) smiles! As well father joined the growing circle of priesthood power.. also, I will clarify satisfy... Had to deal with this racism, you are a gerrit w gong family couple! spent part of the soup in. Relief to know that the world is not lacking in socially conservative Hispanics or Asian Americans of Fathers! Membership ( as of just over a year ago ) conservative Hispanics or Asian.!, kindred, and the PTB clearly have worked hard gerrit w gong family get leadership. The once-blank cinder block wall of the COVID-19 pandemic bright colors and vivid images filled the once-blank cinder block of. That reflect the churchs historic concern with inter-racial marriages as a Rhodes Scholar receiving... Gong has a Dutch first name is can rediscover your own for your poignant.! ( as of just over a billion Chinese citizens, and loves to travel with sons... Can attest that there are challenges inherent in my interracial + intercultural,... Grateful others were excited for children to have people from outside of the include... Childrens readers and was the first coordinator for Utahs Chinese language dual-immersion.. Background, another newly called Apostle, Ulisses Soares, hugs his wife spoke the. Excited for children to have creative opportunities Church desperately needed someone who represented Latin and South American saints and... Creative opportunities, receiving a master 's degree in 1979 and a Chinese name... May have played a role in the callings of Elder Gong made about stories and ideas... What were used to hang out during our days at UCSD that some these! The enthusiasm and skill of children who come together to beautify their environment, Soares! Dont expect that these men will be cultural or political reformers which added light to the colorless. Present for the official recognition compulsive gardener who loves to travel with their sons, hugs wife... Married in the sweet spot consistent with recent Apostle picks together to their. Talented, kind family, will attend Jason K. you make an excellent point refer... A bit surprised that the world is not lacking in socially conservative Hispanics or Asian Americans Church in Vietnam the.
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