Not long after he joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Elder Thabo Lebethoa secured a job at a prestigious investment bank with ambitious goals to climb the corporate ladder.
Despite his success, Elder Lebethoa soon felt he needed change and chose to leave. He was later offered employment with the Church.
But the job offer came with a significant salary decrease, which was concerning because his wife had stopped working to care for their newborn son. “It was a significant leap of faith,” he said.
After prayerful consideration, the couple felt that accepting the job was the right decision, trusting in the message of Luke 12:31: “Seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you.”
“Am I going to let the salary determine the decision? No, I am going to trust in the feelings of the Spirit,” he said. “I learned that the Lord is in the details of our lives. The Lord knows things that we don’t know. We need to trust Him.”
Elder Lebethoa was one of eight new General Authorities sustained in the April 2026 general conference.
‘I knew for myself’
Elder Lebethoa grew up in the Dobsonville township of Soweto, South Africa, the eldest of three brothers in a family that was taught Christian values and regularly attended a local Anglican congregation.
As a young adult, he became disinterested and stopped going, as did his mother, the spiritual leader in their home.
After some time, Elder Lebethoa tried attending a church service with thousands gathered under a “humongous” tent, but he didn’t feel a connection.
One day in fall 1998 while at his parents’ home, Elder Lebethoa met Latter-day Saint missionaries. They taught him about the doctrine of the Godhead — Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ and the Holy Ghost as three separate beings — which was different from what he had learned growing up but made perfect sense to him. “That was a big eye-opener. I really connected with that,” he said.
The missionaries invited Elder Lebethoa to read passages in the Book of Mormon, which answered questions he had considered.
“As the missionaries were teaching and pointing me to passages in the Book of Mormon, I knew for myself, truly this book is true,” he said.
The missionaries invited Elder Lebethoa to attend Sunday services. He went on his own, not sure what to expect. He observed male members wearing white shirts, so he purchased his own. He was impressed to see members conducting meetings, offering prayers and giving talks. In testimony meeting, he thought it was bold to hear members testify that “this is the only true Church on the earth.”
“I wanted to know what that meant for myself,” he said. “Now I know that with all my heart and soul.”
Elder Lebethoa was baptized at age 23 in February 1999, and “I never looked back,” he said. He was baptized without informing his family but said they were pleased when he told them. “They were happy that I was going to a church,” he said.
‘Open your mouth’
In August 1999, Elder Lebethoa met his future wife, Sister Andronica Lebethoa, at a Latter-day Saint young single adult service activity.
While young adults were cleaning a school, Elder Lebethoa noticed a young woman washing a window. His first words to her were not particularly romantic.
“Excuse me, let me show you how to wash a window properly,” he said.
“I learned that the Lord is in the details of our lives. The Lord knows things that we don’t know. We need to trust Him.”
— Elder Thabo Lebethoa, General Authority Seventy
Sister Lebethoa was initially shocked and thought, “Who is this who thinks he knows it all?” But she appreciated his confidence.
Despite the awkward introduction, they became friends, and he gave her a ride home.
When reflecting on the experience as they speak to young adults, Elder Lebethoa encourages them to heed the Lord’s admonition to “open your mouth” (Doctrine and Covenants 33:8).
“Open your mouth, and the Lord will put words in your mouth — they just may not be the most romantic words,” he said with a smile.
‘Excited to be sealed’
Sister Lebethoa was 13 years old when her family was introduced to the Church. Her father allowed her mother to be baptized — but not the children, though he did permit them to attend church and participate in seminary and other activities.
She gained a testimony of the Savior and the gospel by reading the Book of Mormon when she was a 21-year-old university student. She was baptized in February 2000, the year after her future husband‘s baptism.
The couple developed their relationship through their Church activity and service. They were married civilly on Jan. 5, 2002, and sealed in the Johannesburg South Africa Temple on June 26, 2003.
Looking back, Elder and Sister Lebethoa expressed appreciation for those who helped them prepare to make temple covenants and be sealed in the house of the Lord.
Two local leaders in Soweto — Josiah Mohapi and Robert Eppel, who were then serving as bishop and a stake president, respectively — were mentors for Elder Lebethoa during his early years as a member.
“Those two leaders had a significant impact on my life,” he said.
As the first in their families to be sealed, the couple went alone, and temple workers served as witnesses.
“We were excited to be sealed,” Elder Lebethoa said. “Whether we had family members and friends there or not, for us it was understanding the power of the sealing covenant that we were entering into as a couple.”
Committed to the gospel
Early in their marriage, Elder and Sister Lebethoa firmly committed to obeying the commandments, accepting callings, daily scripture study, singing the hymns and consistently attending Church meetings.
“We made a decision that we will be faithful to the gospel of Jesus Christ for all our lives,” he said.
Reflecting on their years of parenthood, the couple agrees that consistent routines and living the gospel teachings have provided the guidance and framework for a happy marriage and family. Elder Lebethoa specifically testified of the Book of Mormon as a tool that prepares individuals and families, communities and nations to fully come unto Christ.
“It has blessed us significantly because we have never wondered, ‘What do I need to teach my children?’ We have the gospel,” he said. “It has just been amazing for us.”
Sister Lebethoa emphasizes one word — “consistency.”
“When you are consistent in living the gospel, you are actually teaching your children how to live the gospel, and they love it,” she said. “When we link our lives with the gospel, it strengthens our testimonies and our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and makes us better people.”
Lessons in Church service
From 2017 to 2020, Elder and Sister Lebethoa served as leaders of the South Africa Cape Town Mission.
Having never served as young missionaries, the assignment was initially overwhelming. They found strength in the Book of Mormon by drawing parallels to Lehi’s family journeying into the wilderness.
“This was our own three-year journey,” Elder Lebethoa recalled them teaching their four young children. “We felt blessed that the Lord knew and helped us prepare. The lesson is the Lord is in charge.”
As mission leaders, they supervised 120 missionaries from all over the world with different backgrounds, attitudes, work ethics and so forth. The Lord blessed them with a deep love for each missionary.
Despite no previous missionary experience, the Lebethoas also learned that the Lord guides and qualifies those He calls.
“We are not in charge at all. We have just been granted stewardship for a season to watch over the Lord’s work, which He can do himself. It was a privilege for us to be able to participate,” he said.
During their mission, Sister Lebethoa managed multiple responsibilities, including caring for their young family and teaching seminary. Someone was always available to help when the family was in need. More than once she wondered, “How are we doing this?” She realized it was the Lord.
“I learned that the Lord will give you the strength and prepare a way to accomplish the work that He is asking you to do,” she said. “The Lord knows us. He knows us by name, and He knows the challenges that we are going through.”
After their mission, Elder Lebethoa was called as an Area Seventy, serving members in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Zambia. He also oversaw For the Strength of Youth conferences in the Church’s Africa South Area. The time, travel and other sacrifices required a consecrated effort, for which he felt richly blessed.
“As long as we are doing what the Lord is asking us to do, He will bless us accordingly,” he said.
Humbled by his call as a General Authority Seventy, Elder and Sister Lebethoa have found comfort in reflecting on past experiences where they felt the Lord’s love and support. He bore his witness of the Savior.
“He is my personal Redeemer. I have felt the Savior’s love and influence in my own life and witnessed His mercy,” he said. “I am grateful for the privilege of striving to know Him.”
About Elder Thabo Lebethoa
Family: Elder Thabo Kula James Lebethoa was born Sept. 3, 1975, in Soweto, South Africa, to Holopi Simon Lebethoa and Hilda Magadi Lebethoa. Married Andronica Gadifele Matlapeng on Jan. 5, 2002, and sealed in the Johannesburg South Africa Temple on June 26, 2003. They are the parents of four children.
Education: Earned a Bachelor of Science degree in accounting from the University of South Africa.
Employment: Worked for the Church in welfare, self-reliance, human resources and religious education and as director for temporal affairs.
Church service: Area Seventy, president of the South Africa Cape Town Mission (2017-2020), stake president and bishop.
