Elder Yoon Hwan Choi and his wife Bon Kyung Koo spoke to BYU–Hawaii students and the campus community on Tuesday, March 29, 2016, bringing with them advice to seek to know the mind and will of the Lord, and then have the courage and faith to do what we should do. Elder and Sister Choi, who are both alumni of Brigham Young University–Hawaii, spoke together, sharing personal experiences from their time at the University, his perspective as a convert to the LDS Church, and how they faced the challenges of raising a family and providing meaningful service in their country, community and the kingdom of God.
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“Elder Choi advises BYU–Hawaii students to find and do God’s will”
By Noelle Baldwin, for LDS Church News
“Read His mind and do His will,” said Elder Yoon Hwan Choi, a General Authority Seventy, to Brigham Young University–Hawaii students at a devotional held on March 29. Elder Choi said, “We will be richly blessed by listening to His guidance and following His way, which is the only way to live with Him again someday."
Elder Choi and his wife, Sister Bon Kyung Koo Choi, spoke to students in the Cannon Activities Center. Their message focused on finding and replacing one’s will with the Lord’s will.
“When you find the will of the Lord, you will elevate your thoughts to see yourself as the Lord sees you. When you look up, you will have hope and you will find the faith to do what He wants you to do,” said Sister Choi.
In order to do the Lord’s will, one must first find His will. Elder and Sister Choi shared an experience in which a young Elder Choi was torn between serving in Korea’s military and serving a mission for the Church. Elder Choi had been asked to speak on how to prepare for a mission in stake conference. However, Elder Choi declined the opportunity because he was uncertain if he was going to serve a mission. “His worldly desire was stronger than his focus on the will of the Lord,” said Sister Choi.
Then after months of discontentment with his choice to enter the military, Elder Choi “became more humble, he sought the will of the Lord and the ability to change his mind regarding his chosen career.” Elder Choi then committed to serve a two-year mission.
Elder Choi said that he learned that the will of the Lord was simple to find and follow once one is humble enough to “elevate [one’s] thoughts and read His mind.” Isaiah 55:8 describes why one must raise one’s thoughts in order to understand the will of the Lord. It reads, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord.” Once one’s thoughts are lifted, then Heavenly Father will reveal His mind to us, said Elder Choi.
One night while attending BYU-Hawaii, Elder and Sister Choi were weighed down with the burdens of bills, a job, school and a new baby. Elder Choi walked toward the Laie Hawaii Temple, which was “so bright and beautiful when everywhere else was dark.” Looking at the temple caused Elder Choi to look up and see the familial and academic blessings that the Lord had given to him, instead of focusing on his trials.
“I realized how many times I had seen the hand of the Lord in my life, especially during those times when I could not find a solution,” Elder Choi said.
Elder and Sister Choi told students that no matter what their trials are, faith in the Lord can bring them the same hope and confidence that it brought to them. Their burdens were made light and they found that they could manage all of their responsibilities. The Lord can always provide the answer, whereas the world cannot. “To look around the world and be confused was easy,” said Sister Choi, “but to look up to heaven and be happy was also easy.”
“At times some of us may feel inclined to look for information from social media or other sources rather than rely on [the words of the prophets],” said Elder Choi who encouraged students to listen to the prophets and to pray. “Let us rely on the words of God. That is the way we can read His mind and do His will without fear and doubt.”
Sister Choi admonished students to follow Christ’s example, who, “Prayed constantly and sincerely to His Father in order to know His Father’s mind.” Sister Choi also reminded students that even when Christ was suffering in Gethsemane He asked the burden to lifted, but said, “Nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done” (Luke 22:42). “[Christ] knew He was doing the right things because He sought the will of the Father,” said Sister Choi. “Jesus Christ … is the perfect example of one who does the will of the Father,” added Elder Choi.
Blessings are promised to those who subject their will to the Father’s. “He who receiveth all things with thankfulness shall be made glorious; and the things of this earth shall be added unto him, even an hundred fold, yea, more,” (Doctrine and Covenants 78:19). Sister Choi reminded students that they could either see themselves as poor university students on a hot, humid island where a high percentage of the student body is foreign, or they could be thankful for the blessings they do have. They are blessed to receive an education on a beautiful island with friends from all over the world.“What a big difference when you read His mind and see things as He sees them,” she said.
“[Christ’s] Atonement works for all mankind as we humble ourselves, turn our hearts to Him, and follow in His footsteps,” said Elder Choi. If one follows the example of the Savior and uses His Atonement, they can align their will with the Father.
More about Elder and Sister ChoiElder Choi was sustained as a General Authority Seventy of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on April 4, 2009. At the time of his call, he had been serving as a member of the Eighth Quorum of the Seventy in the Asia North Area. From 2009 to 2011 he served as a member of the Asia North Area Presidency; from 2011 to 2013 he served as an Assistant Executive Director in the Temple Department and a member of the Boundary and Leadership Change Committee. He was recently released as president of the Washington Seattle Mission (2013–2015) and currently serves as a member of the Asia North Area Presidency.
Elder Choi received a bachelor’s degree in business information management from BYU–Hawaii in 1988. In 1989, he received a master’s degree in business information systems and education from Utah State University. He has been an instructor at BYU–Hawaii and Utah State University; manager of sales, administration, marketing, and customer support at Data General Korea; director of CDC and MBS Venture Capital Company; and the regional manager for temporal affairs for the Church in Korea.
Since joining the Church in 1973, Elder Choi has served in a number of Church callings, including full-time missionary in the Busan Korea and Seoul Korea missions, counselor in a bishopric, bishop, high councilor, stake mission president, counselor in a mission presidency, counselor in a stake presidency, stake president, and Area Seventy.
Elder Choi was born in Seoul, Korea, on May 18, 1957. He married Bon Kyung Koo in September 1982 in Korea. Because there wasn’t a temple in Korea at that time, they were sealed in September 1983 in the Laie Hawaii Temple right after arriving at BYU–Hawaii. The Chois have three children and three grandchildren.
