James E. Faust

James Esdras Faust (July 31, 1920 – August 10, 2007) was an American religious leader, lawyer, and politician.<ref name=":1">Template:Cite web</ref> Faust was Second Counselor in the First Presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) from 1995 until his death, an LDS Church apostle for 29 years, and a general authority of the church for 35 years.

Early life

Faust was born to George A. Faust and Amy Finlinson in Delta, Utah.<ref name=timeline>Template:Cite news</ref> As a child, he lived in this area. His family moved to the southern part of the Salt Lake Valley before he reached high school age. He attended Granite High School in Salt Lake City,<ref name=timeline/> where he won awards for track and a letter for football. He later attended the University of Utah, where he ran the 440-yard and mile relay. His college education was delayed twice. First, when he served as a missionary for the LDS Church in southern Brazil from 1939 to 1942.<ref name=timeline/> Then later when he served during World War II in the United States Army Air Corps where he was a First Lieutenant at the time of decommissioning.<ref name=timeline/>

On April 21, 1943, Faust married Ruth Wright, whom he had met at Granite High School. The wedding took place during a short leave during his military service, and they were sealed in the Salt Lake Temple.<ref name=timeline/>

Career

Faust graduated from the University of Utah in 1948 with a B.A. and Juris Doctor.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> After graduation, he worked in a law firm in Salt Lake City. Template:Citation needed

In 1962, he was elected president of the Utah Bar Association, where he served for one year. The same association awarded him its Distinguished Lawyer Emeritus Award in 1996. During the 1960s, he was named to the Utah Legislative Study Committee and later to the Utah Constitutional Revision Commission.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>

Faust served in the House of Representatives for the 28th Utah State Legislature (1949) as a Democrat for Utah's eighth district. He also served as chairman of the Utah State Democratic Party and helped manage a campaign for Senator Frank Moss.<ref>Template:Citation</ref> In 1996, Faust was awarded with the Minuteman Award by the Utah National Guard.

Faust was appointed by U.S. President John F. Kennedy to the Lawyer's Committee for Civil Rights.<ref name=remembered>Template:Cite news</ref> He was also an advisor to the American Bar Journal.<ref name=remembered/>

In 1997, by legislative decree, Faust was made an honorary citizen of São Paulo, Brazil<ref name=":0">Template:Cite newsTemplate:Dead linkTemplate:Cbignore</ref> and received a national Brazilian citizenship award.<ref name=remembered/> "James Esdras Faust Street" in Campinas, Brazil was named in his honor by the city mayor in 2007.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Church service

In 1949, at the age of 28, Faust became a bishop in the LDS Church.<ref name=timeline/> He later served on a stake high council, as stake president, and a regional representative.<ref name=timeline/>

Faust was called as an Assistant to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles on October 6, 1972 and served in that capacity until October 1, 1976.<ref name=timeline/> At that time, the position was eliminated and he entered the First Quorum of the Seventy. In 1975, he presided over the Brazil area of the church. During his tenure, the São Paulo Brazil Temple was announced.

Before the 1978 revelation reversing the priesthood ban for men of African descent, Faust was head of the church's International Mission, with jurisdiction for Africa. Spencer W. Kimball privately consulted with Faust several times leading up to the change in policy.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>

Faust was accepted by common consent as a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles on September 30, 1978,<ref name=timeline/> and ordained an apostle on October 1, filling the vacancy created by the death of Delbert L. Stapley. Faust continued as president of the International Mission after his call as an apostle. In early 1979, Faust became the first LDS apostle to travel to Nigeria. He and his wife traveled with missionaries Rendell M. and Rachel Mabey and Edwin Q. and Janath R. Cannon to meet with LDS Church members in Aboh, not far from Enugu, and give them guidance in the formation of the church. During this visit, Faust baptized five Nigerian men in the same spot where Anthony Obinna and 18 others had been baptized near the end of 1978.<ref>Rendell N. Mabey and Gordon T. Allred. Brother to Brother: The Story of the Latter-day Saints missionaries who took the gosepl to Black Africa. Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1984. p. 82-86.</ref>

He served in the Quorum of the Twelve until being set apart as Second Counselor in the First Presidency to church president Gordon B. Hinckley on March 12, 1995.<ref name=timeline/> He remained in that position until his death on August 10, 2007.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Faust, together with Hinckley and First Counselor Thomas S. Monson, constituted the longest continuous serving First Presidency in the history of the LDS Church.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Family and death

Faust and his wife, Ruth, raised five children: James Hamilton Faust, Janna R. Coombs, Marcus G. Faust, Lisa A. Smith, and Robert P. Faust. At the time of his death, they had 25 grandchildren and 28 great-grandchildren.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=remembered/> He died on August 10, 2007, at his home in Salt Lake City, Utah, of causes incident to age. Following a funeral service in the Salt Lake Tabernacle, he was buried in the Holladay Memorial Park in Holladay, Utah. Ruth Wright Faust died February 10, 2008, at the age of 86.

Published works

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Faust also authored; "In the Strength of the Lord: The Life and Teachings of James E. Faust" Hardcover – October, 1999<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Hymns

Faust co-wrote the words to the LDS hymn "This is the Christ".<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>LDSMusicNews.com - Music reviews, latest releases and just great people Template:Webarchive</ref>

References

• Wm. Grant Bangerter, "Elder James E. Faust: Sharing His Love for the Lord", Ensign, October 1986, p. 6.
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• Eleanor Knowles, "Elder James E. Faust: Assistant to the Council of the Twelve", Ensign, January 1973, p. 14.
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External links

• General Authorities and General Officers: President James E. Faust
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