Though his body was crippled, his mind was sharp,” said Gordon B. Hinckley, President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. “His wisdom was deep and profound. It came of long experience in many fields. He brought with him the mind of a lawyer, and the compassion of a church leader. His faith in the truth of the restored gospel was unflagging. There was no doubt in his mind concerning the prophetic calling of Joseph Smith. He had no doubt about the validity of the Book of Mormon. His posterity, whom he loved, was his greatest treasure.”

President Thomas S. Monson, 1st Counselor of the First Presidency spoke of President Faust as one “blessed with an insightful mind, a keen intellect and a charitable spirit… there was no chink in his armor; there was no guile in his soul; there was no flaw in his character.”

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, speaking to the family, said, “Even as we mourn with you over this immense personal loss, we rejoice in the majesty of your husband’s life and the richness of his legacy to you, and to his children and to the Church.”

Bishop Marcus Faust, a son, spoke on behalf of the family. “Mother always came first in Dad’s life… From the way he spoke with her, to the way he tended to her needs, we always knew our mother was Dad’s one true love.”

He also recalled his father’s words prior to being sustained as a general authority in 1972. “I cannot magnify this new calling unless I first magnify my calling as husband, father and patriarch to our family. I will never be released from this calling.”

The Mormon Tabernacle Choir performed three numbers including “This is the Christ” to which President Faust himself wrote the words.

Church members, government and business leaders around the world have expressed condolences to President Faust’s family.

President Faust, 87, was appointed second counselor in the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on 12 March 1995. In total, he served as a General Authority of the Church for 35 years. He died of “causes incident to age” at his home Friday 10 August, 2007 surrounded by his family.

His most recent assignments included vice chairman of the Church Board of Education; the board of trustees of Brigham Young University; the Welfare Services Executive Committee; and Deseret Management Corporation.