James E. Faust — Inspired Restraint in Legal Practice

While serving as bishop of the Cottonwood Ward in Salt Lake City and practicing law, James E. Faust discovered that a Texas lawyer had kept part of a check that belonged to Faust's firm. He was just about to report his colleague to the Texas Bar Association — an action that would have carried serious professional consequences for the man. Pausing to consider the seriousness of the step, Faust decided that as a faithful Latter-day Saint and as a bishop he should pray about the decision as he would any other. He felt a distinct impression not to make the report. Just a few days later, the check arrived in the mail with a letter of explanation: the Texas lawyer had been seriously ill and unable to transact any business, and had never intended to withhold the money. Through Faust's inspired restraint and trust in the Lord, the fellow lawyer was spared the serious consequences of being reported to the bar. Reflecting on the experience, President Faust said it taught him how the feeling of love for the Lord and the gospel must enter into professional life.

Fuller account of this event (as retold in Lawrence R. Flake, Prophets and Apostles of the Last Dispensation (Provo, UT: Religious Studies Center, BYU, 2001), 273–77):

A prominent Salt Lake City attorney was just about to take action against a Texas lawyer who had kept part of a check that belonged to the Salt Lake attorney’s firm. James E. Faust paused for a moment to consider the seriousness of reporting his colleague to the Texas Bar Association and decided that as a faithful Latter-day Saint, and as a bishop, he should pray about this decision as he would any other. He felt impressed not to make the report. Just a few days later, the check arrived in the mail with a letter of explanation: the Texas lawyer had been seriously ill and unable to transact any business, and had never intended to withhold the money. Through President Faust’s inspiration and trust in the Lord, the Texas lawyer had been saved the serious consequences of being reported. Of this incident President Faust said, “I learned a good lesson. . . . I learned how we must let this feeling of love for the Lord and the gospel, enter into our professional lives.”