There is a spirit of tragic irony in these verses. The Lamanites have received the gospel through the Nephites, but many of the Nephites have fallen into apostasy. It must have been an unusual experience for many of the more zealous Laminate converts to labor among the Nephites and encourage them to return to the faith of their fathers. There is a similarly ironic episode in the history of the restored Church, one which tugs at the heartstrings much as this missionary movement must have done.