We have to see the truth of the scriptures through the lense of discernment rather than unquestioning loyalty to, and apologetic following of a narrative that changes with time. (And you can see that it obviously has, but the term ongoing restoration is synonymous with ongoing apostasy as they increasingly march away from revealed truths)

I want to address your claim of authority. 

It follows family lines with people now having the ability to be adopted into them by ordinance because of what Abraham attained. (Adopted in through Shem or Melchizedek) 

I want to address now two of your arguments. 

Abinadi and Alma specifically in the time of King Noah.

We read from Zeniffs record and what Amaleki wrote in Omni. Amaleki a patriarchal descendant of Lehi had no children but had a brother that went with Zeniff to go repatriate the lands of the their forefathers. Abinadi was not the person who had this authority hidden in him but Alma the wicked priest of king Noah.

We read that Alma was a descendant of Lehi and Nephi as specifically stated in the record. Mormon would not have included this detail in the abridgement if it weren’t necessary to show the lineage and priestly right. 

Through this we see a correlation with modern church that the right through the seed continued because the Lord vindactes his promises. Abinadi and Alma under Noah is to the Nephites as Hyrum Smith and Joseph F Smith (under Brigham) (yes I did just compare the two Noah and Brigham) and his line of Patriarchs is to the LDS. 

Timeline: this priesthood was conferred outside of any organized church D&C 13, may 15 1829. A church wasn’t founded until April 6 1830 and then wasn’t the church as currently constituted as it was named differently and not officially registered. D&C 38,41 and 42 are temporal duties assigned to an organized church of a fallen people and an attempt to systematize and teach something much greater to hardened and stiff generation.

Joseph held the presidency of the dispensation of the gospel meaning he presided over the dispensing of knowledge (keys) and ordinances. To be authoritative you have to have Authored something and enlightened minds. (Authority does not mean to be a person in charge of others) 

You mention authority through appointment by Joseph in D&C 43:2-7. Brigham was never appointed unto this authority. He was never given this Order of the priesthood. He wasnt even the legitimate president of the church. He was “sustained” by a very small percentage of members camping in Nebraska while traveling from Utah after they had already begun to be settled and was tired of receiving pushback from others in the valley who knew he had no authority. Organizationally this process was a coup much akin to what recently happened with Kamala Harris and the DNC in 2024. Many fell in line and perpetuated the fraud. He to whom the right of the priesthood was appointed was Hyrum. D&C 124. In it he was actually appointed and designated the President of the Church. He was also the patriarch and lineal head of the entire body of believers. 

Interestingly enough we see that the purpose for the restoration of the priesthood mentioned in D&C 13 was to look to the sons of Levi offering a sacrifice. 

This same sacrifice is also mentioned in what Joseph released the following day after he announced the nauvoo temple in the “Investigation of the Priesthood.” See the JSP. “For all the ordinances and duties that ever have been required by the Priesthood under the directions and commandments of the Almighty, in any of the dispensations, shall all be had in the last dispensations. Therefore, all things had under the authority of the Priesthood at any former period shall be had again, bringing to pass the restoration spoken of by the mouth of all the holy prophets, then shall the sons of Levi offer an acceptable sacrifice to the Lord. See Malachi 3rd chapter, 3 and 4. And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness. Then shall the offering of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasant unto the Lord, as in the days of old and as in former years.

It will be necessary here to make a few observations on the doctrine set forth in the above quotation, as it is generally supposed that sacrifice was entirely done away when the great sacrifice was offered up, and that there will be no necessity for the ordinance of sacrifice in future, but those who assert this are certainly not acquainted with the duties, privileges, and authority of the Priesthood or with the prophets. The offering of sacrifice has ever been connected with, and forms a part of the duties of the Priesthood. It began with the Priesthood, and will be continued until after the coming of Christ, from generation to generation. We frequently have mention made of the offering of sacrifice by the servants of the Most High in ancient days prior to the law of Moses, See Genesis 4:3–8: Abr. 2:17–20 which ordinances will be continued when the Priesthood is restored with all its authority, power, and blessings.” 

This priesthood was never restored. The account of of Elijah’s visit in D&C 110 from 1836 is third hand and unreliable. (I’ll get to this in a second) As Joseph mentions it in many occasions as still  future event. Wilford Woodruffs diary 1839 and March 10 1844 in a speech given by Joseph recorded by many. (Conveniently this and the October 5 record were left out of the D&C canon) 

D&C 107:40 states: “The Order of this Priesthood was confirmed to be handed down from father to son, and rightly belongs to the literal descendants of the chosen seed to whom the promises were made. This Order was instituted in the days of Adam, and came down by lineage in the following manner:”

Now this same Priesthood, which was in the beginning, shall be in the end of the world also — or in other words, at the end of the world, the final dispensation will restore again the pattern of the first, or Adam’s, dispensation.”

We need to be clear that this is a right and not a guarantee. For the right to be claimed one must lay hold upon it by heed and diligence in obtaining the blessings of the right by the will and hand of God.

“If there is no change of ordinances there is no change of priesthood. Wherever the ordinances of the gospel are administered there is the priesthood.” (Joseph Smith from Diary of Wilford Woodruff August 1839.)

This means if the ordinance is changed it is according to some other priesthood or some other association and not one according to the presidency Adam holds or any of the fathers for that matter. It’s apostasy. 

With Adam we have birthright lineage being the firstborn, with Abraham we have adoption from among the wicked. 

Moses brought the law to a hardened and wicked people. An intermediary dispensation if you will. 

Jesus pointed back to Abraham.

Joseph points back to Jesus’ honoring Abraham and the next dispensation should point back to Adam with organization of a family organized in the proper way by the proper power.

Joseph was trying to teach the saints something different than what is currently practiced.

The sealing power was not passed in this event according to what D&C says in section 110. For Joseph to reiterate that the coming of Elijah was a future event; if he said these things in 1843, 7 years after section 110, clearly something is suspect about the Warren Cowdery document inserted in 1879. (This document is a very late insertion with three blank pages afterwards written in the third person by someone who was never a scribe to Joseph.)

Joseph as dispensation head, this power when it was passed to the Patriarch of the church when the office and Priesthood were conferred upon Hyrum. The right to it (claim on God) was passed down through his (Hyrums) loins but heaven never ordained it after it was taken when both Joseph and Hyrum were martyred. 

This right ended with a total apostasy of the church when Eldred Smith died in 2014 and the church eliminated the office of Patriarch to the church. The leadership thought themselves wiser than God. They missed the mark by thousands of miles, a gulf if you will, and by changing the ordinances and now operate under some other Priesthood. Joseph has stated that when there is a change to ordinance it becomes subject to some other authority. Not Gods but men’s. Kinda reminds me of Nephis prophecy of our day. I have done my work and given men my authority….

Additionally “All the prophets had the Melchizedek Priesthood and were ordained by God himself.”. (TPJS 181) (there is a greater explanation here in that all priesthood is Melchizedek but there are different portions allotted.) We see no record or claim of that by current so called leaders. In this is a great deceit and fraud perpetuated currently. 

You claim that the D&C gives the organization of the church ultimate authority and that even through apostasy from within the church (and we’ve seen the mass apostasy in front of our very eyes) it “cannot be thrown down”. 

These same promises were made to the 12 in Christs mortal ministry. Apostasy ensued. The church was enlarged but its authority eventually removed. (The current state of the Catholic Church) The  JSP mentions revelation 12 in reference to D&C 13, oddly enough the astrological event that scripture refers to happened in 2 BC (John and Jesus taking dispensation for the Jews) 1820 (Joseph taking dispensation from the Catholics) and most recently in 2017 (ask me and we’ll converse about it) The heavens have literally spoken. 

Today Nelson has more in common with Giddianhi who thought his secret society with its ancient practice and tradition that had been handed down to him was good. Just as Nelson and his fellow Bonesmen and Keymen feel their tradition is good as they collude to gain power and money for their causes.

The apologetics, Greg Smith, Matthew Roper (have to give it to Matt though because he openly admits Willard Richards was redacting and doctoring the journals to misrepresent Joseph), Cassandra Hedelius and others all have the same bias that causes them to err. They are trying to fit the scriptures into narrative (an assumption that the leaders could never lead you astray) while ignoring further light and truth when given actual histories, additional material, contradictory statements and tossing additional facts that dont fit the narrative. Any honest researcher wouldn’t try and presuppose the outcome. Which is exactly what they’ve done by cherry picking and ignoring context. There are so many holes it’s astounding. I won’t go into all of them but one that is glaring are the many castigations and instructions that Joseph gave to the 12 to get out of the affairs of the established church and to stay in their lane. (breaking up new ground) that they were never to guide the church and the fact that none of the twelve ever had part in any presidency. 

Point is to follow the spirit, look to God and don’t get yourself cursed by trusting in the arm of the flesh.