Search
    Leader Biography

    Elder Gerrit W. Gong

    Area President

    gonggw
    Elder Gerrit W. Gong was sustained a member of the First Quorum of the Seventy of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on April 3, 2010, at the age of 56. At the time of his call, he had been serving as a member of the Fifth Quorum of the Seventy in the Utah South Area. He is currently serving in the Asia Area Presidency.

    Elder Gong received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Asian and university studies at Brigham Young University in 1977. In 1979 he received a master of philosophy degree and in 1981 a PhD in international relations from Oxford University, where he was a Rhodes Scholar. In 1985 he served as Special Assistant to Under Secretary of State at the U.S. State Department and in 1987 as Special Assistant to the U.S. Ambassador in Beijing China. From 1989 to 2001 he served in several positions at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, D.C. He was Assistant to the President for Planning and Assessment at Brigham Young University until April 2010.

    Elder Gong has served in numerous Church callings, including full-time missionary in Taiwan, high councilor, high priests group leader, stake Sunday School president, seminary teacher, bishop, stake mission president, stake president, and Area Seventy.

    Gerrit W. Gong was born in Redwood City, California. He and his wife, Susan Lindsay Gong, are the parents of four children and have two grandchildren.

    Style Guide Note:When reporting about The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, please use the complete name of the Church in the first reference. For more information on the use of the name of the Church, go to our online Style Guide.