Marie Hafen, wife of Elder Bruce Hafen, shared a story her husband told her about the most recent general authority training meeting in April, when President Faust told the new leaders, "I have just seen a brand new grandchild. I wonder if I will live long enough to bear my testimony to her, that she will remember."

He said he may not live that long, but he could continue telling her parents.

"He wanted the new general authorities to think about their personal relationships with their posterity, telling them, 'We won't be remembered so much for our administrative contributions. Our children and grandchildren will be the ones who will remember us."'

In his biography, "In the Strength of the Lord: The Life and Teachings of James E. Faust," author James Bell chronicles several examples of a hardworking servant who was often quiet but also was unafraid to let his voice be heard about what was most important. Determined to treat others with kindness and reflect the love of Christ, those expressions happened first and foremost at home.

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland traveled often with President Faust during the years they were negotiating for construction of the BYU Jerusalem Center, and in the book offered firsthand observations of the tenderness he had for his wife and family.

"I'm sure he has only been able to do what he has done because of the unqualified, uncompromised, unlimited adoration and support and love and loyalty of his wife; and she has had exactly the same kind of support from him. I can't imagine that this was just handed to them from on high. I think that kind of relationship and romance has to be worked at and earned."

Granddaughter Nicole recalled his reaction at Christmastime 1994, when the family gathered to watch President Faust open a portrait of his wife they had urged her to have taken as a gift for his office. As he unwrapped it "he pumped his fist in the air as he let out a Portuguese expression meaning 'wonderful!' Then family members became absolutely silent as he continued to look at the picture, and then he began to shake as tears rolled down his cheeks. He was so touched he couldn't speak."

Son Marcus and his wife, Susan, told of shopping at a department store for a new lamp to go in their parents' condominium. When she described the two lamps, one of which was twice as expensive as the other, Sister Faust wanted to be conservative and opted for the less expensive one.

"But Dad said, 'Now Susan, we don't buy many lamps, and the price doesn't matter.' If we had been buying something for him, price certainly would have mattered, but because the lamp was for his Ruthy, it didn't."