Mosiah 21 – 22
When it says that “they” did mourn the departure of Alma for they would have gladly joined him for they themselves had entered into a covenant with God to serve him I had always thought that “they” referred to Limhi and his people. I realize now that this was a reference to Ammon and his men who had made the covenant as part of the people of king Benjamin. Since the departure of Alma the people of Limhi had nobody to teach them the truth of the gospel. They could only humble themselves according to what little they still knew about God. After Ammon came and related the story of the Nephites at Zerahemla the people of Limhi were prepared enough by their humility that they accepted the words of Benjamin and desired to enter into a similar covenant. They had to wait for baptism because Ammon did not feel that he could perform the ordinance. After all their struggles to fight their way free of the Lamanites they resorted to scouting their way free (unsuccessfully) and then with the help of Ammon they were finally able to sneek their way free.