[THIRDpersonviewer]

A couple years ago, while I was in high school, our youth got together at the Bishop's house to read the Book of Mormon. I believe it was just after President Hinckley issued the Book of Mormon challenge. Anyways, I think we started reading about eight in the evening. I remember being excited, because I felt like I had never read the Book of Mormon all the way through, and now was my chance. That wasn't the case but that is how I felt.(I am a perfectionist) I still feel that way, actually. I couldn't wait.

So we started reading. We each read a page. I remember reading, and early on I can remember reading and there wasn't much there in terms of feeling the Spirit. I was never very good at discerning the Spirit(until recently), and so I read. There were like 15 of us I think, maybe less. We sat or laid down comfortably in a circle. I fell asleep from like 1 to 5 in the morning. I woke up and I woke back up and I remember has some people would come and go, but I stayed. I wanted to get through it. We got passed 3 Nephi.

I sadly don't remember listening to the words. I just felt impressed that if I got through the book I would know it was true. It was reading and somewhere in Mormon, I started to feel something. As we neared the end, the feeling grew. The feeling was definitely present. I can't really describe it. When we finished the Book of Mormon I felt peaceful.

Then when we were done, we said a prayer. I remember I said it. I rarely volunteer for prayers, but I felt impressed to for this one. I offered it and the sealing of truth from the Holy Ghost witnessed to me of the truthfulness of the book. Witnessed to me that what we had done was right. That we had pleased the Lord. The feeling was so strong. I can't truly describe it. It was an overwhelming power, peace, comfort, satisfaction. joy. I was hit with so much of it. Just as I am now.

Like I said, I don't remember any specific words but when I look back on experience. I see the growing feeling of the Spirit which I felt. It was always there but it worked in like an exponential progression of power. By no means was it easy but I received a reward for the diligence of the effort. D&C 132:5

This wasn't the first time(looking back), nor was it the last that I had received it. This was probably the strongest though. Took me a couple of months before I realized that I could then testify that it is true. I can say I know independently of any other person that it is true because I received the witness independent of others. And I now testify with every fiber of my soul that the Book of Mormon is true. It is the pure word of God. It is a witness of Christ, of whom I also testify. And I say things things in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.