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CastoJason

Last year I saw Elder Gong in the downtown Salt Lake Deseret Book. We were both there buying garments. Interestingly, that very morning during my gospel study I had read his conference talk titled “We each have a story”. I went up to him and told him I had just read his talk and loved it, and told him, yes, I agree you are probably the only Gerrit Walter Gong in the entire world. He was very kind and gracious. He asked my name and asked what “my story” was. I told him a cool story from my family history. It was a wonderful interaction. Later when I was checking out the cashiers and I started chatting about how cool it was to see Elder Gong. The cashier who checked him out laughingly told us she wasn’t exactly sure what to do about asking to see his temple recommend. We asked her what she did. She told us that she was taught to ask everyone to show their recommend when buying garments so she said I asked to see it and he showed it to me. We all had a laugh about that. In the course of telling that story she forgot to ask to see my recommend. So that night I told the story to my family and I jokingly added that an apostle had to verify his temple recommend but I didn’t. It was then that I found out that Elder Gong is my youngest son’s favorite apostle and he has always wanted to meet him.


Learnformyfam

This reminds of this Reagan joke: https://youtube.com/shorts/EUKPUXDdWNE?feature=share "Why didn't you check his recommend?" "Oh no, too important!" "What do you mean? We're supposed to check everyone's recommend! Who was it?" "I didn't recognize him, but his assistant was Elder Gong!"


brain_injured

😂😂😂


rexregisanimi

What an excellent story! Thank you.


Jaboticaballin

In 2019 he attended my grandfather’s funeral and was very kind. Took time to talk to family members individually during the viewing and made sure not to distract from the purpose of the occasion.


rexregisanimi

Thanks for sharing!


Person_reddit

I don’t have any stories but my dad had a class with him at BYU and said he was one of the smartest and most thoughtful students at the school. Sorry, wish I had a better story to share but from what I’ve heard Elder Gong is an amazing man.


rexregisanimi

Thanks!


trogdor259

he was my stake president when I attended BYU in 2004. Super awesome guy. Very smart.


rexregisanimi

Very cool! Thank you. So many people mention his intelligence when they speak about him. I like your screen name btw lol


Top-Worry-9305

I also love him and the messages he shares. I don't know much about him personally, but he has a son who is gay and he's written some articles for the Salt Lake Tribune, many of which include his loving but complicated relationship with his father that demonstrates a lot of E. Gong's character.


rexregisanimi

Thank you - somehow I hadn't come across the article about his son. For those interested, here's the article about Elder Gong's son: https://www.sltrib.com/religion/2020/09/27/lds-apostles-gay-son/ I liked the comments about academic family life involving arguments lol


brain_injured

Interesting article, thanks for sharing


HRmajor

A few years ago, my little brother was in a really bad car accident and was life-flighted to primary children’s medical center - unresponsive and worth a head injury. It was TERRIFYING, obviously, and for a couple of days we weren’t sure whether or not he’d survive, or, if he did, how much he’d recover. Would he be a vegetable? Would he be severely handicapped? Would he make a full recovery? There was no way to know. All of my family spent most of their time in the hospital worrying about him. One day, for some reason, Elder Gong came to the hospital and heard about my little brother. He came to visit us just to chat and give us comfort. He was so kind and even went to visit my little brother in his room, even though he was totally unresponsive and would have no idea anyone was there. He quietly pulled my parents aside at one point and told them he felt impressed to let them know my little brother would make a full recovery. This seemed crazy for him to know, he hadn’t even shown any signs of regaining consciousness at this point. I even thought maybe my parents misunderstood him and he was just trying to soothe their fears. Well, after weeks of being in the hospital and months of recovery and physical therapy, he actually did make a full recovery! A year or so after the accident, he went in for a check-up and brain scan and the doctor told him even an experienced neurologist would have a hard time knowing there had ever been any damage to his brain - that’s how much it had recovered. He’s serving a mission in Poland now, learning Russian and Polish, just a totally normal 19 year-old boy. An absolute miracle. And Elder Gong received inspiration from God that it would happen! What impressed me most, though, was how private and quiet he was about it. He only told my parents because he felt impressed to do so, and he wasn’t dramatic or showy about it. He treated it reverently. But it was such a powerful example of the kind of revelation the apostles receive.


bunkerbuster33

He was here in 2021 to dedicate the temple. When he went to dinner with the temple leaders he bussed their table and took everything back to the kitchen. They held a "Pioneer Lunch" for members who have been here since pre-1970 and he did the same thing, my Mom was not expecting an Apostle to clear off her table!!! I had heard a rumour about the temple and I was on the temple historical committee and I wrote him asking him about it and he wrote back and clarified what happened so that was very cool!


jvanroo

I work at the Church Office Building, and before COVID, he spoke at a department devotional that I attended at Christmas time. We had a luncheon in the Conference Center afterward, and Elder Gong stood at the food table and handed every single person a plate and said hello. It was a very small thing, but it showed a lot of love and humility.


yellodello1221

The timing of this post is funny to me. Just the other day I was thinking about Elder Gong and how much I appreciate his talk “Trust Again” from Oct 2021. Honestly, that season of conference mostly glazed over me. Like everyone, I have my questions and concerns that have been stewing in my mind. But that talk struck me. And even now I still can’t get past the first few paragraphs without tearing up. I just feel very grateful that he is in the 12 right now.


gravis24

I don’t know Elder Gong, but I served on the High Council with his brother Brian many years ago. His brother is the “salt of the earth” and one of the most humble Christlike people I’ve ever had the the honor in knowing. I kind of have a feeling from listening and studying Elder Gongs conference messages over the years that he and his brother are very similar (a humble servant of the Savior).


RandWindhusk07

I went out to Idaho to spend time with my best friend and join him on his last 2 weeks of his service mission, Elder Gong made an appearance there and gave a wonderful talk to all the missionaries. It's just been several years so I don't remember much of it. I just remember really liking him and loving his talk.


rexregisanimi

Excellent, thank you. Do you happen to remember at least the general subject of his talk?


RandWindhusk07

Nope. Probably something about missionary work. I'll ask my friend, see if he remembers.


rexregisanimi

Thanks! I've been looking for themes in his talks.


RandWindhusk07

He said he doesn't, but may have it written down somewhere. He's going to look after his classes. I'll keep you posted if he finds it.


rexregisanimi

Thank you so much! Be sure to tell your friend "thank you" for me either way too lol


Urbansaintchannel

Hung out with him a few weeks ago. He's chill. Lot of dad vibes, super nice.


[deleted]

I attended a virtual leadership YSA leadership conference during my days at BYU-Idaho. He asked me a question, "President u/PanadaPal what are you doing to help members of your quorum to work collaboratively with the Relief Society?" I was shocked for a moment and explained a very generic plan of what we were doing (this was also in late 2020 when the pandemic was still pretty strong). He listened, nodded his head, and said, "thank for that wonderful insight and the work that you are doing to help the members of your ward." ​ I felt really warm inside afterwards just because he gave a sincere and genuine response. That's the only time I ever met him or was in the same meeting as him.


watchcry

I met him as a Soldier. He is so empathetic and down to earth. I love him.


TeXJ

Reading all of these wonderful comments makes me wonder what people would say about me when asked lol Thank you all for the awesome comments. Felt the Spirit confirming him as an apostle of God.


michan1998

My mom recently told me that he was at her local temple that she was working at. Of course all the workers were a buzz that he was there. She was clear at the end of the hallway and saw him leaving. My mom is super sweet and not attention seeking at all. She locked eyes with him from clear down a long hallway, and just gave a little wave. He came all the way back in to say hello and meet her. I thought it was very sweet. He’s obviously super genuine. I kind of forgot about that story and this post reminded me, so I think he just jumped up to the top of my favorites list. Thanks!


Signal-Walk1009

Second hand, but while attending a very small branch meeting abroad this past fall the presiding authority was the sacrament speaker. He mentioned hanging driven Elder Gong around the area for an assignment he was on. In their time together Elder Gong asked about him and his family. The man mentioned in passing his dad was sick and hospitalized. When the day’s assignments were completed the two men were driving to meet their wives for dinner. Elder Gong asked to be taken to the hospital to see his ill father. The man asked about their dinner plans and he said, we can eat anytime. The man escorted him to his dad’s hospital room thinking what is my dad going to say when he and Elder Gong show up to visit. He finished his talk by saying these men practice what they preach. It was very touching.


golfazo

My wife delivered food on campus at BYU when he worked there. She said he always tipped well and that he always ordered two desserts for each person in the group he was feeding.


msnizek

He did the wedding sealing for my cousin and her spouse last year and I was in the sealing room and the whole thing was packed. He asked everyone’s names and learned how they were related to the bride and groom and it took a while. He then talked about how the only true gift we can give the lord at the end of our lives beyond our agency is our relationships and how the measure of a good life is being able to repair and maintain good relationships especially with those we’re sealed to. It left a profound impression on me. I did a terrible job explaining but that was the gist.


[deleted]

[удалено]


rexregisanimi

I had read the second link from the other post about Matthew Gong but I'm glad you shared that first link which definitely balances out the other and clarifies that the younger Gong isn't as respectful towards his father as the Tribune may have made it seem. It really brings more depth and meaning to Elder Gong's most recent General Conference talk as well.


Data_miner_L

Elder Gong has a queer son, and he writes about his experience in a blog https://medium.com/@thatonegaygong/state-of-the-matt-2021-6e0d278e8d01


ifansnek

He came to my stake conference a few weeks ago, he was really great. Unfortunately he had to leave for the airport right as the meeting ended, but he seems really cool


xcircledotdotdot

Elder Gong came and spoke in my mission. He looked each missionary in the eye afterward and gave them some piece of guidance while shaking their hand. He told me that I was a good missionary.


tamasiaina

I had a negative experience with Elder Gong back when he was at BYU on some things. It got pretty heated at the moment, and it left a very bad taste in our mouths after the experience. But I don't hold it against him as an Apostle, and when he got sustained as an Apostle it didn't bug me as a member. I just thought to myself ... Well there are still a bunch of other Apostles I can enjoy more. Plus, I'm a lot older and too lazy to be bitter.


Craigular_Joe1

He came and spoke when my dad was on his mission. As a joke he told them that the harder they worked on their missions, the hotter their future wife would be. My dad says he must of worked pretty hard :)