Actually the Book of Mormon records that Christ chose twelve disciples on the American continent. It never refers to them as apostles.
- - - -
But the book of Mormon equates them with the 12 in Jerusalem who also often just called disciples. LDS study helps and your leaders have equated them also.
Now, did they or did they NOT have the priesthood?
It just doesn’t make sense. twelve, 24, 25, apostles, disciples.....why again could none of these people keep the gospel from needing to be restored? God knew they would die eventually. Oh wait, John didn’t. I really want to know where he is supposed to be. Why wasn’t he raised to the head of the LDS church if he were still alive?
Yes, they indeed had the priesthood. They were given authority by Jesus to baptize, preach, administer the sacrament.