Mormons across the globe cheered the appointment in March of two apostles who seemed to represent the faith’s growing diversity — Gerrit W. Gong, a Chinese-American, and Ulisses Soares, a Brazilian.
Rather than as exemplars of a particular ethnicity, the pair said Thursday in their first media interviews since their appointment that they represent Jesus Christ to all the peoples of the world.
Both apostles are well-traveled — Gong said he has spent time in Asia, Africa, Central and South America, the Middle East and even Antarctica — and are fluent in several languages.
And the newcomers expect to contribute such wide-ranging experiences to their leadership positions in the 16 million-member Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.