Calling it a sweet privilege to represent the Quorum of the Twelve, Elder Jeffrey R. Holland spoke of a few aspects of President James E. Faust's character "which will provide little more than a glimpse of the grandeur of the man and of the gospel he loved and lived."

First, Elder Holland highlighted President Faust's love for his wife, Sister Ruth Faust, and his family.

"Ruth Faust adored James Faust," he said. "Everything he did, everything he said, every act or deed or gesture from him just mesmerized her, I might say melted her. And he felt exactly the same way about her."

Elder Holland added the thing that troubled President Faust most in his final weeks was saying goodbye to his wife. Leaving her alone.

"Thank you, President and Sister Faust, for showing us why marriage is sacred, why families really are forever, and why love is the light that shines through the darkest of personal times."

Second, President Faust was a counselor in the broad sense of that term. He was once a professional counselor at law, advising unnumbered clients, civic leaders and political figures. He was also elected to the state legislature. Later, he became a counselor in the First Presidency.

"The plain and simple fact is James E. Faust was blessed with superb judgement and remarkable wisdom, but this is not something of man or law or training. 'To every man is given a gift by the Spirit of God,' the scriptures say, and this was clearly one of his — (to have received) the word of wisdom — the word of knowledge, that all may be taught to be wise and to have knowledge."

President Faust was always compassionate and sensitive to the human issues, Elder Holland said. The bigger the issue was, the better President Faust was. He was at his best dealing with difficult, complex matters.

"When the situation called for it, this good man — known to all his friends in early years as "Gentleman Jim" — could speak with power and great authority," Elder Holland said. "He had a backbone of steel as resolute as those soft hands were gentle and soothing."

Finally, James Esdras Faust loved his Father in Heaven, loved the Lord Jesus Christ and loved his neighbor as himself.

"In a long list of virtues, this was the greatest virtue of all — to have honored and kept faithfully the two great commandments given us by the Master," Elder Holland said. "Conference after conference and message after message, his pure heart and powerful spirit touched all of us, increasing our ability and our desire to feel as he did about our responsibilities toward heaven and all humankind."

In closing, Elder Holland read the text of a hymn written by President Faust, which was sung at the end of the funeral. The words reveal President Faust's testimony of Christ:

This is the Christ,...the holy Son of God.

Our Savior, Lord, Redeemer of mankind.

This is the Christ, the Healer of our souls.

Who ransomed us with purest love divine.