[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 17]
[Senate]
[Page 24449]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                  THE PASSING OF PRESIDENT JAMES FAUST

  Mr. HATCH. Mr. President, I rise to pay tribute to a revered Utahn 
who was taken from us a little more than a month ago during our summer 
recess: President James Esdras Faust, second counselor in the First 
Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. On 
August 10, President Faust peacefully passed away, called home by the 
God whom he had served for 87 years. He left behind a legacy of faith 
and service, an example to which we should all strive for in our own 
lives.
  President Faust was a wonderful leader for the LDS Church and a 
tremendous counselor to its President, Gordon B. Hinckley. He was a 
great friend and guide to Elaine and me, and our entire family, and to 
millions of others around the world. He was a person of great 
dimension, wide-ranging abilities, and deeply spiritual capacities. He 
was the consummate gentleman and treated both Elaine and me with 
kindness unfeigned. We pray that everyone in the Faust family will be 
comforted in the days and months ahead with peace through their 
memories of this great man.
  Beyond his day-to-day duties as a church leader, President Faust led 
opposition to gambling initiatives in Utah, oversaw construction of the 
BYU Jerusalem Center, managed an improved public relations strategy for 
the church, and enhanced relationships with foreign officials. During 
his ministry, he saw the Latter-day Saint faith move from primarily one 
of the western United States to a truly worldwide religion.
  His kindness was not limited to those of his own faith, nor was his 
service limited to that which he performed inside his church. Before 
President Hinckley extended him a call to serve 35 years ago as a 
senior, full-time church leader, Faust served his country in the 
military, served his community as an attorney, served his State as a 
legislator, and served his family as a devoted husband and father.
  A native of a small town in Utah's west desert, Delta, President 
Faust studied at the University of Utah, eventually receiving both a 
bachelor's degree and a law degree. But he interrupted his studies when 
he was called to his country's defense in World War II, honorably 
serving in the U.S. Army Air Force and earning the rank of first 
lieutenant while opposing the tyranny of the Axis.
  Beyond his service to America, President Faust also gave 2 years of 
his youth in service to his church as a missionary in Brazil. He was 
one of the first Mormon missionaries to that nation and by sharing his 
testimony of the Lord gently moved the first pebbles of what has become 
a mighty avalanche of faith--today Brazil is home to nearly 1 million 
Latter-day Saints. Later in life, anytime his church service took him 
to Brazil he was extremely happy to be reunited with his friends there. 
In 1998, Faust was named an honorary citizen of Sao Paulo in honor of 
his lifelong ties to the city and the nation. Only two other men have 
received this recognition--Pope John Paul II and the Dalai Lama--which 
puts President Faust in very good company.
  During a short period of leave from the Air Force in the spring of 
1943, President Faust married his high school sweetheart, Ruth Wright, 
in the Salt Lake Temple. The sunrise and the sunset to all his 
happiness, Ruth walked hand in hand with him for almost 65 years. 
Together they raised five children: James H. Faust, Janna R. Coombs, 
Marcus G. Faust, Lisa A. Smith, and Robert P. Faust. They were the 
proud grandparents of 25 grandchildren and 28 great-grandchildren.
  While practicing law, President Faust made time to serve as a member 
of the Utah legislature, an adviser to the American Bar Journal, and as 
president of the Utah Bar Association. Fellow church leader Elder M. 
Russell Ballard said of Faust that he ``loved America, the state of 
Utah and Salt Lake City.'' He was always examining issues and events 
``for what was right and what needed to be done to see that we were 
working for the benefit and blessing of the people.''
  We have lost a friend, we have lost a leader. But we look forward to 
a time when we can see his smiling, optimistic face again and hear his 
soothing, uplifting voice. To President James Esdras Faust the people 
of Utah would like to say, ``Thank you for your time among us. It was 
not nearly long enough. God be with you, till we meet again.''

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