As a young missionary in Osaka, Japan, I lived with five other elders in a small apartment behind the Abeno Chapel. Each morning, we followed a rigorous routine: early rising, language study, chores, and group scripture study. We’d read ten pages aloud from the standard works daily, aiming to finish the entire set in a year. One morning, it was my turn to read from the Book of Mormon, specifically the page including Moroni 10:3-5.

 

I had read the Book of Mormon before preparing for my mission, hoping for a clear spiritual confirmation of its truth but frankly, I felt nothing special. By this point in my mission, I’d had powerful spiritual experiences, but none specifically about the Book of Mormon. That changed as I read Moroni’s promise aloud: “And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true⁠; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart⁠, with real intent⁠, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost.” 

 

As I spoke those words, something extraordinary happened. My voice became a conduit for the Spirit, and an intense, undeniable witness filled my soul. I knew the Book of Mormon was true, and I knew God knew I knew it. It was as if the Holy Ghost bound my body and spirit together, testifying of truth in a way I could never deny. 

 

That moment remains one of the sweetest, most cherished experiences of my life. When doubts arise, I return to that morning in Osaka, where the Spirit spoke truth to my heart. I know the Book of Mormon is the word of God, and it continues to guide me closer to Jesus Christ.