Notable quotes:
"As we seek with real intent to follow Jesus Christ, inspiration comes to do good, to love God and to serve Him." "As Lamb of God, our Savior knows when we feel alone, diminished, uncertain or afraid." "Through His living prophet and each of us, He invites all to find peace, purpose, healing and joy in the fulness of His restored gospel and on His covenant path."Summary points:
Christ is the Good Shepherd, who calls all in His voice and in His name.The Good Shepherd seeks, gathers and delivers all out of all places, from the four quarters of the earth.The Savior desires all to follow Him and invite others to do the same.
Talk summary:
The Good Shepherd seeks, gathers and comes to His people.
“Our Good Shepherd calls us in His voice and in His name. He seeks, gathers, and comes to His people. Through His living prophet and each of us, He invites all to find peace, purpose, healing and joy in the fulness of His restored gospel and on His covenant path. ...”
“As we seek with real intent to follow Jesus Christ, inspiration comes to do good, to love God and to serve Him. As we study, ponder and pray; as we regularly renew sacramental and temple covenants; and as we invite all to come to His gospel and ordinances, we are hearkening to His voice.”
In seeking and gathering us, the Savior reaches out to the one and to the ninety-and-nine, often at the same time. “As we minister, we acknowledge the ninety-and-nine who are steadfast and immovable, even while we yearn after the one who has strayed. Our Savior seeks and delivers us out of all places, from the four quarters of the earth. …
“Today, our Savior desires that what we do and who we are becoming will invite others to come follow Him. Come find love, healing, connection and covenant belonging in Him, including in God’s holy temple, where sacred ordinances of salvation can bless all family members, thus gathering Israel on both sides of the veil.”
Christ also teaches how to minister in love.
“Our Good Shepherd cautions that shepherds in Israel must not slumber, nor scatter or cause the sheep to go astray, nor look our own way for our own gain. God’s shepherds are to strengthen, heal, bind up that which is broken, bring again that which was driven away, seek that which was lost.”
In the news:
In a February 2019 devotional, Elder Gong shared eight lessons he learned about Mack Wilberg’s life.Elder Gong addressed BYU students during a 2018 devotional where he shared a touching story about being on an airplane next to a woman who confided to him that her son committed suicide. Elder Gong was then able to testify of the plan of happiness and how families can be together forever through the Atonement of Jesus Christ.Visiting Chile, Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay in a nine-day visit to South America, Elder Gong met with missionaries and ministered to members in their homes.In his October 2018 general conference address, Elder Gong spoke about the importance of faith and obedience to God’s commandments in times of trial.
About the speaker:
During his travels, Elder Gong has visited all seven continents.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 Sister Susan Lindsay was at an evening fireside 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."
Recently on social:
Elder Gong and his wife had the opportunity to visit Louisville, Kentucky where he said he experienced true “Southern hospitality.”
Encouraging young couples to raise their families in the gospel, Elder Gong said worshipping in the temple, studying the gospel in the home, and paying tithing and fast offerings would bring about great blessings.
Elder Gong talked about the reality of God the Father and Jesus Christ on Twitter.
At the center of all that matters is the reality that God is our Eternal Father, Jesus is the Christ, whose Atonement blesses us in time and eternity.
— Gerrit W. Gong (@GerritWGong) November 1, 2018ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7tbTEnJ%2BuqpOdu6bD0meaqKVfZ31yhY5tZnBnYmh%2Fc32Qamhon5WjsrOty2aaqKaWmr%2BmusKeZJqoop65bn6PanBmnZyZsrN5xqiloGWcmcBuuc6rpKimXai1przHnqmdZZOdv6q%2F02aqmq6ZpL8%3D