. . .
My faith in Jesus Christ has primarily been built through two things: prayer, and study of the Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ.
At age 14, I believed the testimony of my seminary teacher that Joseph Smith could not have written the Book of Mormon. (There are those who suggest, based on reliable historical evidence, that the bulk of the text was dictated in about 65 working days; there are also several who witnessed the translation process, including Joseph's wife, Emma.) The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is producing a meticulously sourced four-volume history entitled Saints: The Story of the Church of Jesus Christ in the Latter Days for our new generation. You can find the first volume online here. The history (among many other things) demonstrates, based on eyewitness testimony, the fact that Joseph sat and dictated, with neither manuscript nor reference book, the entire text of the Book of Mormon. (Incidentally, in a previous email, you mentioned the Book of Abraham. The Church, in conjunction with scholars and historians, has produced a number of essays on historical and doctrinal topics about which Church members and others may have questions, including questions about The Translation and Historicity of the Book of Abraham. You may be interested to study these essays by following the links above.)
My personal experience was more or less this: my parents, Church leaders, and other Church members taught me and I often heard others bear testimony of their personal religious experience and knowledge in Church meetings (I think my experience is consistent with Paul's statement that faith cometh by hearing--Romans 10:17).
By age 12, I knew I hadn't had the type of religious experience that I often heard others testify of over the pulpit--that of having searched the scriptures and having asked God if the Book of Mormon was true and if the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was the only true and living Church upon the face of the earth. In retrospect, I felt the Holy Spirit as I heard others testify of their experiences on these subjects, but I did not recognize those feelings as such. In the end, by age 16, life experience brought me to the point where I was personally and honestly ready to seek.
I started a habit of regular, sincere daily prayer to God. And, I felt moved upon to begin reading the Book of Mormon on a daily basis. Around this time, I took opportunities to visit contacts and teach with the full-time Latter-day Saint missionaries in my area.
I remember a day when, for whatever reason, I missed reading the Book of Mormon. And that was just it. I missed it! I still didn't have the testimony I had heard others talk about--a powerful experience that gave certain conviction--but when I didn't read that day, I felt something was missing. I told God that I would do my best to live the things I had been taught--the things that I believed, and asked only that he would help me to recognize an answer from Him when it came. I moved forward.
That answer did come. On the third of March, 1996, I attended a meeting. I sat at the back of the room. At the front of the room, someone was instructing on the subject of the atonement of Jesus Christ. A painting portraying His suffering in the Garden of Gethsemane was on display. As I sat, I felt something. In my mind, I asked, "I wonder if this is what the Holy Ghost feels like." Then, immediately after I had that thought, the feeling became very powerful. It was as though my soul was filled with Heavenly fire. God began to write upon my heart. The answer to my question was unmistakably clear. I knew, and I knew that God knew. The next question I asked was, "Is Jesus the Christ, the Son of God, the Savior of the World?" The answer came to my soul, very clear and unmistakable. "Yes." "Is the Book of Mormon true?" "Yes." "Is Joseph Smith a true prophet?" "Yes." "Is the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints true?" "Yes." "Is Gordon B. Hinckley a true prophet?" "Yes." “Has the priesthood been restored?” “Yes.” All the questions I had about the fundamental points and claims of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints were verified with thoughts in my mind and unmistakable impression on my soul. I knew. And, I knew that God knew that I knew. I became a witness. And, since that time, many, many, many witnesses have been borne to my soul. Pretty much on a daily basis. If I said that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is not true, I would be lying to you, and I would be lying to God.
Apologetics has its place. In the Church, we respond to critics, and we respond to questions (in a day of instant internet publishing, we must! You know this). All questions have answers--not necessarily the answers we want, but the answers we need. I believe that God and our fellow believers can help us navigate all of our questions (follow this link for a great little essay about answering questions about the gospel and the Church).
Has this been helpful? To succinctly answer your question, I first believed the testimony of others about these things and then, at length, I could honestly say that I knew them.
What’s your new book about? I’d be happy to follow up with you this summer and help you connect with missionaries from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
