James Esdras Faust (July 31, 1920 – August 10, 2007) was an American religious leader, lawyer, and politician. 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. 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, 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. 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. On April 22, 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. Career Faust graduated from the University of Utah in 1948 with a B.A. and Juris Doctor. After graduation, he worked in a law firm in Salt Lake City. 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. 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. 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. He was also an advisor to the American Bar Journal. In 1997, by legislative decree, Faust was made an honorary citizen of São Paulo, Brazil and received a national