The people of Limhi were in bondage to the Lamanites, and they had it pretty bad. They had gone to battle a few more times against the Lamanites and lost, so they were defeated and had lost a lot of people in the battle.
"14 And they did humble themselves even in the depths of humility; and they did cry mightily to God; yea, even all the day long did they cry unto their God that he would deliver them out of their afflictions.
15 And now the Lord was slow to hear their cry because of their iniquities; nevertheless the Lord did hear their cries, and began to soften the hearts of the Lamanites that they began to ease their burdens; yet the Lord did not see fit to deliver them out of bondage." (Mosiah 21:14-15)
I find this to be true. The people of Limhi started to humble themselves, mostly because they were compelled to be humble because of their circumstances. As they began to pray to God, it almost seems like they were humbled, but not necessarily repenting of their sins. They were more interested in being delivered from the bondage they were in and being delivered from their afflictions.
This doesn't mean that God didn't hear their prayers. He was slow to hear their cry because of their iniquities, but He did hear them. While he didn't deliver them 100% out of bondage, He did start to ease their burdens somewhat so they could survive.
It's like this in our own lives. When we are compelled to be humble, and we have not repented, we sometimes come to Him with all our problems and worries, yet feel like He's not there listening. I promise He is. It's just sometimes our approach to Him is more out of our own self interest like the people of Limhi. He will have compassion on us, and ease our burdens, but what He really wants from us is a willingness to submit to Him and His will. And that's when things start to happen as we pray.
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