The translation of the Book of Mormon can be considered the most pivotal question regarding the truthfulness of the restoration. Joseph Smith was the only person that was present during the whole translation process, and all he said was that it was by "the gift and power of God."
In order to understand Joseph Smith's experience of being a seer before he got the golden plates, we have to understand his involvement in treasure digging. Treasure seeking was a somewhat common activity that people in his area in New York engaged with in the 19th century. The activity consisted of using a seer or "peep" stone to see lost treasure. The treasure was often guarded by spirits that had a certain set of requirements to obtain the treasure. If the requirements were not met, then the treasure would "slip away" into the earth. It is also important to note that although this activity was common, it was also illegal, which is ultimately what motivates Joseph Smith to move on from it (until one more occurrence in 1836)
.Joseph Smith was involved in several treasure digs before translating the Book of Mormon, as outlined below:
After Joseph Smith's trial in 1826, Joseph Smith Sr. wished his son would use his skills in a more sacred way. Joseph Smith Sr. said that both "he and his son were mortified that this wonderful power which God had so miraculously given him should be used only in search of filthy lucre, or its equivalent in earthly treasures... He trusted that the Son of Righteousness would some day illumine the heart of the boy, and enable him to see His will concerning him" [2]. This led Joseph Smith Jr. to a more earnest focus on the retrieval of the golden plates.
It is natural to characterize the retrieval of the golden plates as an extension of another treasure dig. It has a guardian angel (Moroni). It has certain requirements necessary for retrieval. When the requirements weren't met, the plates would "slip away" from Joseph's grasp. Because of these similarities, critics of the church often conclude that Joseph Smith was trying to come up with the story of the golden plates as a way to bolster his credibility after his 1826 trial, especially given the fact that he had not had a successful treasure digging run and people were becoming skeptical. Apologists, however, conclude that the similarities to this magical worldview actually helped Joseph Smith and his family be more likely to accept the command from Moroni as from God. This falls in line with the idea that God speaks according to our understanding [3]. Here is what Richard Bushman, an LDS historian, has to say about this:
"For people in a magical frame of mind, Moroni sounded like one of the spirits who stood guard over treasure in the tales of treasure-seeking. The similarities may even have made the extraordinary story more credible in the Smith family."- Richard Bushman[4]
Regardless of the reason, Joseph Smith eventually retrieved the plates and commenced translation of them.
There are many accounts of the method of translation for the Book of Mormon. Some agree, and some disagree. While there are a number of accounts describing the stone in the hat, there are a few that describe the two spectacles (later termed the Urim and Thummim). Not one of these accounts was there for the full translation process-- only Joseph Smith himself who did not give any details to the methods.