Mormon briefly reprises the disciples. He specifically noted their involvement in attempting to preach the gospel in verses 30-34. At that time their exploits were recounted to show the increasing wickedness of the people. Now they return to again serve as the comparative foil against which Nephite wickedness is measured. The Nephites themselves are now so wicked that the disciples themselves “began to sorrow for the sins of the world.” They sorrow for the sins of the world, not the sins of the Nephites. That is because the Nephites have adopted the sins of the world. Cultural affiliations are not a concern of the gospel, but cultural acceptance of sins does not meet approval in God’s eyes just because it is widely condoned in society.