Elder Gerrit W. Gong talked about the power of covenants at Women's Conference 2018. (Savannah Hopkinson)
BYU announced on Sept. 18 that Elder Gerrit W. Gong of the Quorum of the Twelve of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints will offer a devotional address on Oct. 16, filling a previously empty spot in the schedule.
The devotional will begin at 11:05 a.m. in the Marriott Center and will be broadcast live on BYUTV, BYUtv.org, KBYU-TV, Classical 89 FM and BYU Radio.
Elder Gong was sustained a member of the Quorum of the Twelve on March 31. Prior to his call, he had served as a General Authority Seventy since April 3, 2010.
A BYU alumnus in Asian and university studies in 1977, Elder Gong furthered his education with a Masters in Philosophy in 1979 and a doctorate in international relations in 1981 from Oxford University as a Rhodes Scholar, according to Mormon Newsroom.
Following his education, Elder Gong served as a special assistant to the undersecretary of state in 1985. In 1987, he worked as special assistant to the U.S. Ambassador in Beijing.
Starting in 1989, Elder Gong took a position at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington D.C. In 2001, joined BYU as assistant to the president for planning and assessment, according to LDS Church News.