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How to Gain a Testimony of Joseph Smith

Justin Baer

It has been said that “for a testimony of the restored gospel to be complete, it must include a testimony of Joseph Smith’s divine mission. The truthfulness of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints rests on the truthfulness of the First Vision and the other revelations the Lord gave to the Prophet Joseph.”1

Two main questions follow this statement: what is a testimony, and how can we gain a testimony of Joseph Smith? This post is not meant to provide all-encompassing answers to those questions; rather, it is intended to be a study guide to ponder and think about how we can gain a testimony of the restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Ultimately, I believe that both of these questions are answered by Moroni, the last prophet who wrote in the Book of Mormon, who extended the following invitation: “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.”2 A testimony comes by the power of the Holy Ghost, and so we obtain a testimony by asking with a sincere heart, and with real intent, which I believe means that as we look for answers, we live the principles of the restored gospel.

What is a testimony?

Simply stated, “[a] testimony is a spiritual witness given by the Holy Ghost.”3 But we use that word a lot, and it has been helpful for me to think of an analogy.

As an attorney, I consistently work with rules of evidence that apply to proceedings in Utah courts. These rules have been implemented in an attempt to ensure that only the most reliable evidence is presented in court. There are several rules of evidence that have helped me consider the meaning of the word “testimony,” and I have addressed these rules in other posts, such as “What Sources Can I Trust,” and “How Do I Judge the Evidence of the First Vision?“

Rule 602 of the Utah Rules of Evidence states that when in court, “[a] witness may testify to a matter only if evidence is introduced sufficient to support a finding that the witness has personal knowledge of the matter.”4 In other words, for a witness to testify in court, that witness must have personal knowledge, or must have experienced that event themselves. Based on that rule of evidence, a “testimony” is personal knowledge or personal experience. A testimony is something that the person has experienced, seen, or heard for themselves, rather than just being told about it by someone else.

In spiritual matters, a testimony, or personal knowledge, can only come through the power of the Holy Ghost. How else can we have a knowledge of God? What other way could we personally experience the atonement of Jesus Christ? Because a testimony can only be obtained through the Holy Ghost, we receive a testimony as we live the gospel of Jesus Christ, and receive confirmation over and over through the Holy Ghost that the principles we are living are true.

The following references can be helpful to better understand what it means to have a “testimony” within the context of the gospel of Jesus Christ:

How do we gain a testimony?

Using the same analogy from the rules of evidence, if a testimony is personal knowledge, then the way we gain a testimony is to have personal experiences.

“Testimony grows gradually through experiences. No one receives a complete testimony all at once. It grows as individuals show willingness to serve in the Church and to study, pray, and learn. It increases as individuals obey God’s commandments. Testimony grows as it is shared.”5

Perhaps one of the simplest and most clear scriptures about how to gain a testimony is this statement by the Savior: “If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself.”6 In other words, the way to gain a testimony of the gospel is to live the gospel. As we live the principles taught by the Savior, we will receive a witness from the Spirit that those principles are true.

Here are a few references to study that can help us know how to gain a testimony:

  • Moroni 10:3-5. Read the Book of Mormon, ponder its teachings, 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.”
  • Elder Neil L. Andersen, “Spiritually Defining Memories,” April 2020 General Conference, n.19, https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2020/04/15andersen?lang=eng. “President Dallin H. Oaks visited our mission in Bordeaux, France, in 1991. He explained to our missionaries that real intent means that the person praying is saying to the Lord something like this: ‘I do not ask out of curiosity but with total sincerity to act on the answer to my prayer. If Thou wilt give me this answer, I will act to change my life. I will respond.'”
  • Alma 32:27. “But behold, if ye will awake and arouse your faculties, even to an experiment upon my words, and exercise a particle of faith, yea, even if ye can no more than desire to believe, let this desire work in you, even until ye believe in a manner that ye can give place for a portion of my words.”
  • Elder Dallin H. Oaks, “Testimony,” April 2008 General Conference, https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2008/04/testimony?lang=eng. “The first step in gaining any kind of knowledge is to really desire to know. . . . As we desire and seek, we should remember that acquiring a testimony is not a passive thing but a process in which we are expected to do something.”

How do I gain a testimony of Joseph Smith?

There is a significant amount of material that we can read and study about Joseph Smith. But our study should not be limited to just the details of his life; we should also study his teachings and the principles that were restored through him.

Sources to study Joseph Smith’s life

One of the main purposes of my website is to write about my study of the life of Joseph Smith. If you are interested in studying about the life of Joseph Smith, you could read posts on my website under the following categories:

In these posts, I have cited many official Church sources. The best research is done on the Church’s website, and could include the following:

The Joseph Smith Papers Project is a significant resource that has published all the existing records that were created by or under the direction of Joseph Smith. Although the information is extensive, there are a few resources that I have found most helpful in studying the life of Joseph Smith:

Sources to study Joseph Smith’s teachings and the principles he restored

There is only so much that we can gain by limiting our study to the details of Joseph Smith’s life. Certainly, the study of his life is worthwhile and extremely valuable, and we can gain a testimony of Joseph Smith by studying his life and praying to know whether he was a prophet. However, if we want to understand his work, if we want to gain a testimony that he was a prophet, we need to live the principles he taught.

Here are a few resources that we can study to help us ponder Joseph Smith’s role in the restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ, and how living the gospel can help us to gain a testimony of Joseph Smith:

  • Joseph Smith testified that he translated the Book of Mormon by the gift and power of God. As we study the Book of Mormon and seek to gain a testimony of that work, we can also gain a testimony that Joseph Smith translated that record. See Gordon B. Hinckley, “Praise to the Man,” BYU Speeches, November 4, 1979, https://speeches.byu.edu/talks/gordon-b-hinckley/joseph-smith-praise-man/. “If there were no other evidence for the divine mission of Joseph Smith, the Book of Mormon would stand as an irrefutable witness of that fact. To think that anyone less than one inspired could bring forth a book which should have so profound an effect for good upon others is to imagine that which simply cannot be.”
  • The Aaronic Priesthood was restored through Joseph Smith. As we participate in and receive the blessings of ordinances administered under the authority of the Aaronic Priesthood, we can gain a testimony that this priesthood was restored through Joseph Smith. See “Aaronic Priesthood,” in Topics and Questions, https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/gospel-topics/aaronic-priesthood?lang=eng. See also “Aaronic Priesthood, Gospel Study Guide,” in Topics and Questions, https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/gospel-topics/aaronic-priesthood-study-guide?lang=eng. See also Elder Dallin H. Oaks, “The Aaronic Priesthood and the Sacrament,” October 1998 General Conference, https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/1998/10/the-aaronic-priesthood-and-the-sacrament?lang=eng. “So it is that those who hold the Aaronic Priesthood open the door for all Church members who worthily partake of the sacrament to enjoy the companionship of the Spirit of the Lord and the ministering of angels.” Our testimony depends upon our willingness to receive the Holy Ghost, and we receive the Holy Ghost through the ordinances administered by the authority of the Aaronic Priesthood. As we experience the reality and power of those ordinances, we can gain a testimony that the Aaronic Priesthood was restored through Joseph Smith.
  • The Melchizedek Priesthood and priesthood keys were restored through Joseph Smith. As we participate in and receive the blessings of ordinances administered under the authority of the Melchizedek Priesthood, we can gain a testimony that this priesthood was restored through Joseph Smith. See “Melchizedek Priesthood,” in Topics and Questions, https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/gospel-topics/melchizedek-priesthood?lang=eng. See also “Melchizedek Priesthood, Gospel Study Guide,” in Topics and Questions, https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/gospel-topics/melchizedek-priesthood-study-guide?lang=eng. See also Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Gordon B. Hinckley, “Chapter 15: The Holy Priesthood,” https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/teachings-of-presidents-of-the-church-gordon-b-hinckley/chapter-15-the-holy-priesthood?lang=eng. “The priesthood is here. … We know, for we have seen, the power of this priesthood. We have seen the sick healed, the lame made to walk, and the coming of light and knowledge and understanding to those who have been in darkness.” As we experience the power of the Melchizedek Priesthood, and as we feel the reality of the promises made in the ordinances of the Melchizedek Priesthood, we can gain a testimony that this priesthood was restored through Joseph Smith.
  • Joseph Smith testified of Jesus Christ. As we live the principles of the doctrine of Christ as taught by Joseph Smith, and as we experience the reality of the Savior’s atonement, we can know that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God. The references on this topic are too many to list here, but a good start would be Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith, “Chapter 3: Jesus Christ, the Divine Redeemer of the World,” https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/teachings-joseph-smith/chapter-3?lang=eng. “The fundamental principles of our religion are the testimony of the Apostles and Prophets, concerning Jesus Christ, that He died, was buried, and rose again the third day, and ascended into heaven; and all other things which pertain to our religion are only appendages to it.” I have written several posts about the importance of focusing on Jesus Christ, which can be found under my category “Jesus Christ.”

Live your covenants

The best way to gain a testimony that Joseph Smith was a prophet is to live the principles he taught. These principles are best summarized in our covenants.

A covenant relationship with God was one of the significant truths restored through the Prophet Joseph Smith. Our covenants are taught throughout the Book of Mormon and the Doctrine and Covenants. We make covenants in each saving ordinance administered under the authority of the Aaronic Priesthood and the Melchizedek Priesthood. It is through keeping our covenants that we receive the companionship of the Holy Ghost, which enables us to gain a testimony of eternal truths. Therefore, the best way to gain a testimony of the restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ is by intentionally and strictly living our covenants.

I have written several posts on covenants, including the following:

It is vital that we study our covenants, and that we strive to intentionally live them. As we actively live our covenants, the Holy Ghost will be our constant companion, and over time our testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ will be strengthened.

Be patient

It is natural to want to find an instant answer or that “mystical” piece of information that will immediately answer all our questions. But the Lord asks that we exercise faith. And so, as we have questions about Joseph Smith’s mission, it will take time, faith, patience, and diligence to find our answers. But the answers will come as we intentionally and diligently live our covenants, allowing us to receive the Holy Ghost as our constant companion.

It is fascinating to me that Joseph Smith himself set the pattern for how we can find answers. President Nelson has said, “How can we find answers to questions that perplex us? If Joseph Smith’s transcendent experience in the Sacred Grove teaches us anything, it is that the heavens are open and that God speaks to His children. The Prophet Joseph Smith set a pattern for us to follow in resolving our questions. Drawn to the promise of James that if we lack wisdom we may ask of God, the boy Joseph took his question directly to Heavenly Father. He sought personal revelation, and his seeking opened this last dispensation.”7

So, follow President Nelson’s counsel, and look to the example of Joseph Smith:

“Find a quiet place where you can regularly go. Humble yourself before God. Pour out your heart to your Heavenly Father. Turn to Him for answers and for comfort. Pray in the name of Jesus Christ about your concerns, your fears, your weaknesses—yes, the very longings of your heart. And then listen! Write the thoughts that come to your mind. Record your feelings and follow through with actions that you are prompted to take. As you repeat this process day after day, month after month, year after year, you will ‘grow into the principle of revelation.'”8

References

  1. “Joseph Smith,” in Topics and Questions, https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/gospel-topics/joseph-smith?lang=eng&id=p3#p3. ↩︎
  2. Moroni 10:4. ↩︎
  3. “Testimony,” in Topics and Questions, https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/gospel-topics/testimony?lang=eng&id=p1#p1. ↩︎
  4. Utah R. Evid. 602, https://legacy.utcourts.gov/rules/view.php?type=ure&rule=602. ↩︎
  5. “Testimony,” in Topics and Questions. ↩︎
  6. John 7:17. ↩︎
  7. President Russell M. Nelson, “Revelation for the Church, Revelation for Our Lives,” April 2018 General Conference, https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2018/04/revelation-for-the-church-revelation-for-our-lives?lang=eng&id=p26-p27#p26. ↩︎
  8. Nelson, “Revelation for the Church, Revelation for Our Lives.” ↩︎

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