Elder Gerrit W. Gong was born Dec. 23, 1953, and shares a birthday with the Prophet Joseph Smith. He was sustained a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on March 31, 2018.
Following his call as a General Authority Seventy on April 3, 2010, Elder Gong served in the Asia Area Presidency from 2011 to 2015 and then as a member of the Presidency of the Seventy. He and his wife, Sister Susan Lindsay Gong, were married in 1980 and are the parents of four children.
In honor of Elder Gong’s 68th birthday today, here are eight of his quotes from the past year.
1. Rededicate yourself
“A temple rededication is a natural opportunity to rededicate ourselves to our Heavenly Father and His Son, our Savior, and to strengthen our faith and make firm our spiritual foundation.”
— Youth devotional prior to Mesa Arizona Temple rededication, Dec. 11, 2021
2. ‘Find joy on the covenant path’
“We hope each member has a valid temple recommend and that he or she uses it often to bless others. Find joy on the covenant path. You will find the Savior at the center of everything connected to the temple. Become part of the wonderful excitement and blessing of the work of salvation for family members and friends on both sides of the veil.”
— Winnipeg Manitoba Temple dedication, Oct. 31, 2021
3. Respect and goodwill
“Jesus Christ teaches the two great commandments are to love God and to love one another. Greater understanding of one another helps us love one another. May we learn to share and understand openly and accurately, so we can meet with extended hands of respect and goodwill, not clenched fists of ignorance or antagonism.”
— “The Islamic World Today: Issues and Perspectives” conference, Oct. 19, 2021
4. ‘Keep the light on for each other’
“Whether we are coming home or going home, God is coming to meet us. In Him we can find faith and courage, wisdom and discernment to trust again. Likewise, He asks us to keep the light on for each other, to be more forgiving and less judgmental of ourselves and each other, so His Church can be a place where we feel at home, whether we are coming for the first time or returning.”
— “Trust Again,” October 2021 general conference
5. To missionaries
“If you confront questions or issues with which you are unfamiliar or unsure, focus on the essentials you know. You may not know everything — no one does. But you know and you will learn what you need to invite honest seekers of gospel truth to draw closer to Jesus Christ. Your testimony can invite each soul to follow Jesus Christ’s example to be kind, compassionate and to find joy on His covenant path. Because this is His work, He will help you. Trust Him, always give Him the credit and glory, with faith and gratitude.”
— Devotional for missionaries at Provo MTC, Sept. 21, 2021
6. ‘Be good’
“Please continue to be good, so you can do the most good, whatever your circumstance, wherever you are.”
— Brigham Young University commencement, April 22, 2021
7. Make His Church a refuge for all
“Jesus Christ invites us to become, like Him, a good Samaritan, to make His Inn (His Church) a refuge for all from life’s bruises and storms. We prepare for His promised Second Coming as each day we do unto ‘the least of these’ as we would unto Him. ‘The least of these’ is each of us.”
— “Room in the Inn,” April 2021 general conference
8. To young adults
“Please come as you are. We need you. As we become compassionate and inclusive, and invite others to do the same, our gospel community becomes more open, vulnerable and inviting. In a sense, we all become new converts, returning members, new move-ins, each seeking our way.”
— Worldwide Young Adult Devotional, Jan. 10, 2021
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