Elder Joaquin E. Costa: ‘The Power of Jesus Christ in Our Lives Every Day’
‘Trusting God and keeping our covenants with Him brings power to our weaknesses and comfort to our grief’
Elder Joaquin E. Costa, General Authority Seventy, speaks during the Saturday afternoon session of the 193rd Semiannual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on Sept. 30, 2023.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Elder Joaquin E. Costa: ‘The Power of Jesus Christ in Our Lives Every Day’
‘Trusting God and keeping our covenants with Him brings power to our weaknesses and comfort to our grief’
Elder Joaquin E. Costa, General Authority Seventy, speaks during the Saturday afternoon session of the 193rd Semiannual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on Sept. 30, 2023.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Elder Joaquin E. Costa, a General Authority Seventy, spoke during the Saturday afternoon session of October 2023 general conference about having the power of Jesus Christ in a person’s life every day. The following is a summary of what he said.
Elder Joaquin Costa’s talk summary
What gives Church members the power to go through hard things? What gives them an extra layer of strength to go on when everything seems lost?
“I have found that the source of strength is faith in Jesus Christ as we intentionally seek to come unto Him each day.”
Some may feel that having faith in Jesus Christ is almost impossible or unattainable. They may think that coming unto Christ requires a strength and power beyond their capacity. “What I have learned from people is that faith in Jesus Christ is what gives us the energy to begin the journey.”
Each morning, instead of looking at a phone, say a simple prayer and read a scripture to renew one’s weekly covenant to “always remember Him.”
“Although we are imperfect at remembering Him, our loving Heavenly Father never fails to remember us.”
When our pain or the pain of a loved one feels overwhelming, remembering Jesus Christ and coming unto Him can lighten the burden, soften the heart and ease the pain.
“Faith in Jesus Christ is the feeling of peace to withstand the storm, knowing that we will not perish because He is in the ship with us.”
Notable quotes
We don’t come to Jesus because we are perfect. We come to Him because we are flawed and in Him we can ‘be perfected.’
Our covenants are not merely transactional; they are transformational.
Trusting God and keeping our covenants with Him brings power to our weaknesses and comfort to our grief.
See the full text of Elder Costa’s talk: ‘The Power of Jesus Christ in Our Lives Every Day’
Who is Elder Costa?
Elder Joaquin E. Costa, General Authority Seventy
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
- Elder Joaquin E. Costa was sustained as a General Authority Seventy on April 2, 2016.
- Elder Costa has served in numerous Church callings, including bishop, counselor in a stake presidency, counselor in a mission presidency and as an Area Seventy.
- Elder Costa was raised in a traditional Catholic family before meeting his future wife as a university student. She introduced him to the Church and he was later baptized.
- Before his call as a General Authority Seventy, Elder Costa’s banking career took his family from Argentina to the Czech Republic, Oman in the Middle East and Peru.
What has Elder Costa done recently?
- Elder Costa last spoke in general conference in April 2017, when shared four lessons from his path to conversion.
- In 2019, Elder Costa and his wife, Sister Renee Costa, spoke at a BYU–Idaho devotional on the topic of “Things We Wish We Had Known in College.”
- Elder Costa presided at the groundbreaking ceremony of the Bahía Blanca Argentina Temple, in his home country, in April 2022.
- Elder Costa referred to the fires in Chile. Here is the Church News coverage.
