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MHGinTN, I sense your earnestness; and I appreciate your kind words and frank testimony.

When I follow my Lord, I do much as you do; I study the matter out in my mind; I pray for guidance, for help, and for knowledge; and I finally come to a conclusion based on scripture, sound judgment, and good advice. I then approach the Lord in humble prayer for confirmation. The results are remarkable, and familiar to many who follow God. Paul expressed it far more eloquently than I:

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
(Galatians 5)

These are the fruits of the Spirit. When my conclusion is wrong, my mind darkens, and my heart empties of peace.

But when my conclusion is right, my soul fills with the love, joy, peace, faith, etc. described above.

Thus, my beliefs are forged not from thought and intellect, nor from heart-felt emotion; but rather an alloy of the two. This is the “burning of the bosom” of which we speak. And it is strong indeed. Foundations of faith deeper than the roots of the mountains are built thereon; and they are immovable.

Christians all over the world feel this certainty that I describe - and I am sure you are no exception - as they try to know Christ and follow His will.

But I have felt this when I have humbly, faithfully, and with real intent asked about the truth of the Book of Mormon as the word of God and of Joseph Smith as the Lord’s prophet.

In each instance, I have been filled with the mental certainty - the clarity of thought - that explains to me - and only me (in other words, I find it impossible to transmit that thought through words) - that Joseph Smith must be a prophet of God. It’s divinely sensible. And that the Book of Mormon must be the word of God - there could be no other way. It’s clear and it’s certain. Surrounding and enveloping this acuity is a soul filled with peace, love, goodwill, and joy.

And I know. I just know. And that knowledge cannot be moved. It is deeper than the mountains; it is founded in the testimony of the Holy Spirit to my very soul, and it cannot be denied. It’s a precious gift.

And Christians all around the world know that it is not the Devil’s work, for the Devil cannot speak to the soul with the voice of joy and charity and faith in Christ. Only God has that voice.

And I have had the same powerful experience when I’ve asked if Christ lives; if He loves me and if I am following Him. The answer has always been yes (though I cannot claim that the answer has always been yes when I’ve asked if I please Him). I join with you in rejoicing in Him and testifying of Him.

And the good news of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, in which we both delight, is that the same certainty can be had by the humble, searching soul at any time, no matter the person. It’s a joy that I seek to share.

Perhaps defense of my faith is contrary to all this. Perhaps, by arguing with those who disagree with me, I offend the Lord. I do not know the answer to this question; and I continue to search my soul; it is certain that at times I am clumsy, and at times I am less than charitable. I am rife with human faults, and will be for the duration of my life. Therefore, I depend on the grace of my Lord and Savior to see me through.