Elder Gerrit W. Gong of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints spoke during the Sunday afternoon session of October 2021 general conference. He invited worldwide listeners to building relationships to trust God, each other and themselves. The following is a summary of what he said.
Notable quotes from Elder Gong
“Trust is an act of faith.”
“As we reflect on trust, we know God is a God of truth and ‘canst not lie.’”
“With God’s blessing, process of time, and continuing faith and obedience, we can find resolution and peace.”
Summary of Elder Gong’s talk
Through God, one can find faith, courage, wisdom, discernment and trust.
“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 we feel at home, whether we are coming for the first time or returning.”
Joy on the Lord’s covenant path and callings to serve in His Church are invitations to feel God’s trust and love.
Trust becomes real when a person does hard things with faith. Service and sacrifice increase capacity and refine hearts. Trust in God and each other brings heaven’s blessings.
“We can always trust God. The Lord knows us better and loves us more than we know or love ourselves. His infinite love and perfect knowledge of past, present and future make His covenants and promises constant and sure.”
Trust God’s inspiration to discern wisely.
“Our life journeys are individual, but we can come again to God our Father and His Beloved Son through trust in God, each other and ourselves. Jesus beckons, ‘Be not afraid, only believe.’ … Please look again for faith and trust — a miracle He promises you today.”
About Elder Gong
- Elder Gerrit W. Gong was sustained as a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles on March 31, 2018, and has served as a General Authority Seventy since April 2010.
- His mother met the missionaries when she was a teenager in Honolulu, Hawaii. His father joined the Church after attending Stanford University, where his parents met and dated.
- The first time Elder Gong met his wife, Susan Lindsay, was at an evening devotional he volunteered to give at the Provo Missionary Training Center to help the missionaries learn more about Taiwan They briefly met, but Elder Gong said in that moment, he “had a feeling this was somebody I’d always know.”
Elder Gong in the news
- During a devotional at the Provo MTC on Sept. 21, Elder Gong invited full-time missionaries to focus on preparing three needful things to become faithful and valiant in their sacred missionary service.
- Elder Gong spoke during BYU commencement on April 22, repeatedly encouraging graduates to “build with gratitude on a firm BYU foundation.”
- Elder Gong invited listeners during April 2021 general conference to welcome all into the Savior’s inn.
Elder Gong’s recent social posts
- “As we make and live our covenants with God, we find camaraderie and belonging with each other,” Elder Gong wrote in a social media post in honor of International Friendship Day July 30.
- On July 13, Elder Gong wrote about “temple rejoicing” and how it includes gospel unity amidst “diverse heritages, cultures, languages, and generations.”
- In a May 30 social media post, Elder Gong shared what he learned about “making room for all in His inn” while studying stained glass windows at the Chartres Cathedral in Chartres, France.
