Mormon has finished quoting Limhi. He now simply narrates the basic information that followed. He lets his readers know that he is making a change by specifically interjecting himself in verse 1: “he spake many things unto them and only a few of them have I written in this book.” The reference for “this book” is the book that Mormon is writing.
The next event is Limhi’s invitation to Ammon to speak. Just as Ammon has come on this mission because people in Zarahemla had wondered what became of the people of Zeniff, the people of Zeniff wondered about what had happened in Zarahemla since they left. One of the important things that Ammon discussed was Benjamin’s “last words.” While Benjamin certainly taught of the coming Messiah, Limhi had already indicated that his people knew to believe in the Messiah, based on Abinadi’s testimony. The importance, therefore, was not to emphasize the atoning Messiah, but rather the new covenant. This was critical because it was assumed that the people of Limhi would accept that covenant when they returned, as it was then the governing covenant in Zarahemla.
When the people were dismissed, Limhi “caused that they should return every one unto his own house.” This is so similar to the ending of Benjamin’s speech that we can be justified in assuming that the reasons were similar. This is not simply a note that they were to go home, but that they were probably socially separated into lineage houses. Those lineages would not have reflected the classic Nephite lineages, but would still have been the salient social divisions. Thus, the house was the collective term for the kin group, not the term simply for the individual dwelling place.