Literary: These verses form a literary set, with specific structural parallels lying behind the specific texts. Each verse consists of a paired set of concepts; the people think on what they have heard, then react to it. This simple paired set is then set into a series of contrasts with a positive reaction and a sorrowful reaction. It would appear that that verse 7 sets up the verses with the "wonder and amazement." The rest of the verses define the nature of that "wonder and amazement."
Verses 8 and 9 create a contrasting set where there is a contemplation of different groups of people, and opposite reactions (one joyful, the other sorrowful). Verses 10 and 11 similarly contemplate different groups, and have opposite reactions (joyful thanks to God, pain for those not in God's favor). These two sets are also in parallel to each other.
This is clearly a constructed parallelism. It is also somewhat fancy for most of Mormon's style. It is possible that Mormon is sticking fairly close to a source here rather than creating this particular parallelism.