“The Nephites were descendants of Joseph. Lehi discovered this when reading the brass plates. He was a descendant of Manasseh, and Ishmael, who accompanied him with his family, was of the tribe of Ephraim … .
“Therefore there were no Levites who accompanied Lehi to the Western Hemisphere. Under these conditions the Nephites officiated by virtue of the Melchizedek Priesthood from the days of Lehi to the days of the appearance of our Savior among them. [The] fact that plural terms priests and teachers were used indicates that this was not a reference to the definite office in the priesthood … but it was a general assignment to teach, direct, and admonish the people” (Smith, Answers to Gospel Questions, 1:124).