Primary and Relief Society Leaders Minister to the Grieving in Lesotho

Two leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints visited Maseru and Maputsoe, Lesotho, on Thursday and Friday, September 4-5, 2025, to minister to those mourning the tragic accident in late June that took the lives of six young women and four Church leaders.

“When we heard the news about the accident here, we were brokenhearted,” said President Susan H. Porter, the Church’s General Primary President, who oversees the faith’s work with children worldwide. “Members of the Church all over the world were praying for you.”

Downloadable B-roll & SOTs

President Porter was joined by Sister J. Anette Dennis of the Relief Society General Presidency. The latter also shared her condolences.

“I am so sorry for your loss,” Sister Dennis said. “I cried with you when I heard [about the accident]. You are my sisters. We are sisters in Zion.”

Message From The Prophet

President Porter passed along a card with an image of Christ holding a light and personal messages from Church President Russell M. Nelson and all nine female General Officers.

The message from the prophet said, “In that terrible accident in June, your family members and friends, who were many of our choicest Church members in Lesotho, perished on their way to a Young Women’s activity. I express my love to each of you, dear family members and friends. Our prayers continue to be with you and your loved ones.”

A separate message on the card comes from the Relief Society, Young Women, and Primary General Presidencies:

“Our hearts are also full of love for you! We mourn with you at the loss of loved ones and pray for your healing. We bear our witness that through the atoning sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ, your loved ones live! We await that day of joy when we will be reunited with all those we love.”

Ministering to Survivors

Mapule Takane served as the young women’s leader of the girls, and after two months in the hospital, she was recently released and is recovering at her parents’ home. “I used to struggle with them [young women] not reading their scriptures,” she said. “But now they are telling me that they read their scriptures. I think that was like the special thing that happened. It was like their faith increased, like 10 times, because of that experience.”

President Porter said, “Sometimes that’s when they really see God’s hand in our lives, when hard things happen. Because other times, we’re not really paying attention to God in our lives. Things are going well. But when we have hard things, we’re just praying, seeking help, and we see miracles.”

“They [young women] keep telling me that they love me and miss me and want me to come back,” Mapule said.

President Porter responded, “When you go back to Church, there’s going to be a big celebration of love and hugs and joy.”

“Yes. I’m looking forward to that. I love hugs,” Mapule said.

President Porter visited another leader of the young women, Alphoncina Rakuoane, in a hospital in Maseru, Lesotho. She is hopeful of returning home soon. Two other young women, Mamothobi Mothebe and Moliehi Selebeli remain hospitalized in Johannesburg.

Among those who perished in the accident was Moeti Molateli, the branch president of the Maputsoe congregation, and his wife, Mokhethi. They left behind three young children, Keketo (8), Papi (4) and Kabelo (3). They are being cared for by his brother and wife. President Porter and Sister Dennis spent time visiting with them at the chapel and at their home.

The young women traveling on the minibus were carrying their scriptures, which were destroyed in the accident. As a gift from the Church, scriptures will be given to each surviving girl and their leaders, which includes the Bible, Book of Mormon and Pearl of Great Price.

At the gathering of young women and their families and friends at the Maputsoe branch chapel, Sister Dennis told the young women that this difficult experience would deepen their compassion for others who are enduring tough times.

“You girls will be able to help others in your life,” Sister Dennis said. “When others are going through similar things, you will understand what they feel.”

In this way, she added, they are following the path of Jesus Christ.

“That is what Jesus Christ did for us through His Atonement,” Sister Dennis said. “We understand that Jesus Christ took upon Himself our sins. But he did more than that.”

She then read Alma 7:11–13 in the Book of Mormon, which teaches that Jesus suffered “pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind” and took upon Himself our “infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy.”

“You will be a light [for others] like Christ is for us,” Sister Dennis said. “You will be a light for them because you can understand what they’re going through.”

And although they may feel that nobody knows their own pain, Sister Dennis taught that God does.

“Your Savior Jesus Christ understands your pain,” she said. “He took upon Himself, your pains, your afflictions, your sorrows, so He could understand and run to you in your hour of need.”

Because of Jesus Christ, Sister Dennis added, “there is always hope.”

“You will see your loved ones again,” she said. “Because of Jesus Christ, they will be resurrected. Death is not the end. One day there will be no more death, there will be no more crying, there will be no more tears, because of our Savior Jesus Christ.”

President Porter added that “Jesus Christ is the one who can bring healing and hope.”