Estimated read time: Less than a minute
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
SALT LAKE CITY — Elder Gerrit W. Gong and Elder Ulisses Soares were called as apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Saturday morning during the church's annual general conference.
Elder Gong is the first Asian-American called as an LDS apostle, and Elder Soares is the first Latin American called as an LDS apostle.
Elder Gerrit W. Gong becomes first Chinese-American LDS apostle
Elder Gerrit W. Gong was named as the newest apostle for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Saturday morning, becoming the first Chinese-American to be called to the role.
Elder Ulisses Soares called to serve as first Latin American apostle in LDS Church
The Church of Jesus of Latter-day Saints called and sustained its first Latin American apostle as part of the church’s annual general conference Saturday.LDS faithful believe an apostle is a man called by God to lead the church and witness of Jesus Christ. They believe the apostles and prophet who lead the church receive revelation from God to give church members guidance.
The apostles will fill the vacancies in the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles left by the deaths of former church President Thomas S. Monson and Elder Robert D. Hales.
President Russell M. Nelson was formally sustained as the new prophet and president of the LDS Church by members Saturday morning.
