In Genesis chapter 49, Joseph is blessed by his father, Jacob/Israel, that (verse 22) "Joseph is a fruitful bough, even a fruitful bough by a well; whose branches run over the wall:" and (26) "The blessings of thy father have prevailed above the blessings of my progenitors unto the utmost bound of the everlasting hills: they shall be on the head of Joseph and on the crown of the head of him that was separate from his brethren."
In I Nephi 5:14 Lehi, reading from the Brass Plates for the first time, finds a genealogy of his fathers that showed he was a descendant of Joseph, "...who was sold into Egypt, and who was preserved by the hand of the Lord, that he might preserve his father, Jacob, and all his household from perishing with famine."
In process of time Lehi and Ishmael and their families were "separated" from their brethren in Jerusalem and led to a choice land, even to the "utmost bound of the everlasting hills," which is a reference to the Western Hemisphere, where the mountains run north and south from the tip of South America to the most northern point in North America in consequence of the uplift from the western migration of the two continents.
Previous to Lehi and Ishmael's departure, the 10 tribes of Israel, who dwelt north of Jerusalem, were conquered and later escaped into the "north countries." These tribes had been governed mostly by the tribe of Ephraim. The descendants of Ephraim settled in the northern countries of Europe and later many of them immigrated, either before or after joining the Church, to America. Thus they too were "separated" from their brethren "over the wall" of the Atlantic Ocean.
Once again in our latter dispensation, the House of Joseph, the separated ones, have become a salvation unto the rest of the House of Israel and even the gentiles worldwide both physically and spiritually. They saved them from physical destruction or subjugation in both World Wars and since by providing a protection from despots. They have also brought forth the way out of spiritual destruction to all, if they will accept the preaching of the missionaries from the House of Joseph. What a blessing was given to Joseph's posterity, because of his faithfulness! May we also, by our faithfulness, be a blessing unto our posterities down to the end of time.
