Elder Yoon Hwan Choi, General Authority Seventy, spoke during the Saturday afternoon session of October 2023 general conference about finding happiness through keeping covenants. The following is a summary of what he said.

Elder Choi’s talk summary

Being happy is really quite simple: Just stay on the covenant path.

Sometimes, however, people who make covenants fail to keep them. When that happens, it’s important to return to the covenant path by obeying the commandments.

Additionally, sometimes an individual prays for peace, but the answer is different from what they expect. But as long as someone is seeking to know the Savior and praying to Heavenly Father, they will receive answers customized to their needs.

“There are many other things that distract us from staying on the covenant path. No matter what it is, it is never too late to turn our hearts to Heavenly Father for help.”

Being called as a bishop in his early 30s was overwhelming, but through this experience, Elder Choi learned that “As we yoke ourselves to [the Savior], we can do things we couldn’t do on our own, because He can do the things we cannot do for ourselves. … My dear brothers and sisters, do you want to be happy? Stay on the covenant path. Your life will be easier, happier and filled with joy.”

Notable quotes

See the full text of Elder Choi’s talk: ‘Do You Want To Be Happy?’

Who is Elder Yoon Hwan Choi?

Elder Yoon Hwan Choi, General Authority Seventy

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

• Elder Choi is from Seoul, South Korea. He was sustained as a General Authority Seventy on April 4, 2009.
• He and his family joined the Church when he was 16 years old. He met his future wife, Sister Bon Kyung Koo Choi, in his family’s ward and they were friends for years before their marriage. 
• After serving for a year in the Korea Busan Mission, Elder Choi was honorably released so he could fulfill South Korea’s mandatory military service. He later returned to the mission field and completed his second year of missionary service.
• He earned a bachelor’s degree from BYU–Hawaii and a master’s degree from Utah State University in business information and systems. He eventually worked for the Church as regional manager for temporal affairs in Korea.

What has Elder Choi done recently?

• As a counselor in the Church’s Philippines Area presidency, he spoke at the opening of the first FSY facility in Asia, in the Philippines.
• Elder Choi accompanied Elder Dale G. Renlund at various times during the Apostle’s ministry in the Philippines
• When Elder David A. Bednar taught how to listen to and learn from the Holy Ghost while ministering in the Philippines, Elder Choi and other members of the Church’s Philippines Area presidency were part of a question-and-answer session.

Read more of Elder Choi’s general conference addresses.