LDS Church names first minorities members to Quorum of the Twelve

SALT LAKE CITY — Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints across the world sustained two new members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles during the Saturday morning session of the church’s annual general conference.

Elder Gerrit W. Gong and Elder Ulisses Soares were called as the newest members of the quorum. The move is a historic first as both are members of ethnic minorities.

Mormons believe an apostle is a man called by God to lead the church. They believe the apostles and prophet who lead the church receive revelation from God to give church members guidance.

Elder Gong and Elder Soares fill vacancies in the quorum due to the recent passing of church President Thomas S. Monson in January and Elder Robert D. Hales last October.

Church members also sustained President Russell M. Nelson as the 17th President of the church on Saturday morning. Elder Dallin H. Oaks and Henry B. Eyring were sustained as his counselors.

Details about Elder Gerrit W. Gong

Elder Gerrit W. Gong was serving as a member of the Presidency of the Seventy at the time of his calling to the Quorum of the Twelve. He became a General Authority Seventy of the Church in April 2010. He was named a member of the Presidency of the Seventy on October 6, 2015. From 2011 to 2015, Elder Gong was a member of the Asia Area Presidency, headquartered in Hong Kong, and concluded that service as the Area President.

Elder Gong received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Asian and university studies from Brigham Young University in 1977. In 1979, he received a Master of Philosophy degree and in 1981 a doctorate in in international relations from Oxford University, where he was a Rhodes Scholar. In 1985 he served as special assistant to the undersecretary of state at the U.S. State Department and in 1987 as special assistant to the U.S. ambassador in Beijing, China. From 1989 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.

Details about Elder Ulisses Soares

Elder Ulisses Soares was also serving as a member of the Presidency of the Seventy at the time of his calling to the Quorum of the Twelve. He has been serving as a General Authority Seventy of the Church since April 2005 and was named a member of the Presidency of the Seventy on January 6, 2013. He served previously as a counselor in the Africa Southeast Area, President of the Brazil Area and as a counselor in the Brazil South Area.

Elder Soares received a Bachelor of Arts degree in accounting and economics from the São Paulo Pontifical Catholic University, School of Economic Science in 1985 and later received a Master of Business Administration degree. He was an accountant and auditor for multinational corporations in Brazil and director for temporal affairs in the Church area office in São Paulo, Brazil. At the time of his call as a General Authority, he was serving on a special assignment for the Presiding Bishopric of the Church in Salt Lake City.