Strong yet unassuming, quiet but wise, President James E. Faust's public persona was the same as his private one: a loving, personable and supportive man who never sought the limelight but was always seeking ways to better serve God and his family.
That's according to his biographer, James Bell, who said that, during a year of weekly meetings with the LDS leader, one thing that shone through all of his conversations, interactions and personal journals was his deep love for his wife, Ruth, who was "uppermost in his mind at all times."
Theirs was "one of the great untold love stories in the church," he said.
A call from Sister Faust was no mere distraction during his workday, according to Bell, whose book, "In the Strength of the Lord: The Life and Teachings of James E. Faust," was published in 1999. During their weekly interviews in researching the book, they were interrupted only by three people: "other members of the First Presidency and Sister Faust. If there was a need there, she was put through.
"You talk about families coming first, and for him, that was really true.... I've watched some men take calls from their wives where there is a little bit of a sense of, 'I'm at work, what do you need?' With her, he was so loving and caring. He would literally light up when the phone would ring and he knew it was Ruth. You could see the joy of hearing from her on his face."
Bell recalled interviewing Sister Faust one day when her husband came home in the middle of the interview. "The two of them looked like newlyweds in greeting each other." At social events, if he lost sight of her, "he wanted to find her to know she was OK."
Having seen it personally, Bell said it's difficult to convey in words the love they shared. "When he wasn't at the office or attending church duties, he was at home with his family," contacting his children and grandchildren regularly. "He made time for that. He walked the walk."
That deep love for his wife and family was reflected in his relationships with members of the First Presidency and Council of the Twelve of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
In writing the biography, Bell said, the respect and love his colleagues felt for President Faust shone through during interviews. Soon after he became a member of the Council of the Twelve, "when it came time for their Thursday morning meetings in the temple, a few of the other council members would kind of gravitate to his office, and they would walk over together.
"He was a beloved colleague and a friend to them, and I heard that story about gathering at his office several times" during interviews. "I think that says a lot."
A longtime local attorney and Utah state legislator before his call to full-time ministry, President Faust had a "very quick, analytical mind. He takes problems and boils them down to their essence," Bell said, "always looking for the right thing to do, and not just the expedient thing to do.
"He was a lawyer who wanted to do what was right and best for people and the situation, and I think that carried over into his service in the church."
More than one of President Faust's colleagues among church leaders told Bell that as discussions of weighty issues would proceed, "he was usually very quiet. They would discuss sometimes for a long time, and then he would speak up, often prefacing his comments with 'I may be wrong, but ... "'
At that point, "they said they knew they better listen to him because they knew he was right." One member of the Twelve said most of his colleagues would then immediately start to take notes. "They knew what he was saying was the essence of the issue and what they needed to do to move forward."
When first approached about having his biography written, Bell said, President Faust was reluctant, wondering what about his life would be of interest to others. But once he talked with family and colleagues, they convinced him it would be valuable, and he cooperated fully, Bell said.
"He was a very private man. He juggled his natural instinctive modesty and privacy with a glaring public spotlight, and I think he did it very well." Always sensitive to what was appropriate to share and what wasn't, he would usually give detailed answers to Bell's questions. Sometimes he would ask that the tape recorder be turned off and the two of them would talk privately. And occasionally, "I would ask and he would say 'That's just too sacred to talk about,"' Bell said.
Deseret Book published a few volumes of President Faust's collected sermons, and he worked with Bell to compile a small volume called "Stories from My Life," but he didn't write a book during his time serving in the First Presidency. He concentrated heavily on his sermons for LDS General Conference, Bell said, and as soon as he had given one, he'd begin working on the next.
Personal experience taught Bell about President Faust's ability to concentrate on one person individually, endearing him to those who were touched by his kindness. When Bell's oldest daughter died a few years ago, he received several calls from President Faust, who had authored a letter from the First Presidency that was read at the funeral.
"That was just the kind of thoughtfulness he exhibited in everything he did. There was never a form letter or rubber stamp. He gave thoughtful consideration and was personal in everything he did and everyone he dealt with."
President Faust's personal life "was an absolute mirror reflection of anything he ever did or said publicly. If he gave a talk on honesty, he was doing everything in his power to be the most honest person he could be. His recent forgiveness talk — that was a principle he was working on and wanted to perfect," Bell said.
"There was absolutely nothing disingenuous about him. He reflected everything he taught in his personal life in a way I can scarcely comprehend."
E-mail: carrie@desnews.com