Jesus knew that in the latter days both the seed of Jacob and the American Gentiles would be anxious to know the signs of the time when there would be a great restoration of the gospel among the Gentiles and the Lord would once more establish Zion in the earth. Therefore Jesus said:
This must have been a somewhat puzzling prophecy for the Nephites. First of all, Jesus said that in the latter days the Gentiles would persecute and scatter the Lamanites but then the ancient records would come forth containing the history of the Lamanites. Through this record the Gentiles will learn the exciting news that the Lamanites are a branch of the scattered children of Israel. And in the second place, Jesus said that when the Gentiles received these records and learned about the Lamanites it will be a sign unto them that the Father is getting ready to establish his new Zion.