In Alma 24:18, the Lamanites, having buried their weapons, covenanted with God "that rather than shed the blood of their brethren they would give up their own lives; and rather than take away from a brother they would give unto him; and rather than spend their days in idleness they would labor abundantly with their hands."
According to Richard Rust, there is important imagery here which reflects back to the time of Enos. The Lamanites were described by Enos as extremely degraded, being "led by their evil nature that they became vile, and ferocious, and a blood-thirsty people, full of idolatry and filthiness; feeding upon beasts of prey" (Enos 1:20).
The experience of Enos is a parable for the later conversion of many of these ferocious Lamanites. He goes "to hunt beasts in the forests," presumably for food, when he recollects the words of his father "concerning eternal life" (Enos 1:3). He thus discovers his need for spiritual food: "And my soul hungered," he says (Enos 1:4). Recognizing his soul's hunger, Enos fasts and prays all day and into the night. In answer to his prayer, he hears a voice forgiving him of his sins and instructing him concerning the future of the land. Then, in contrast with the idleness suggested in Enos's description of the Lamanites, he prays and labors "with all diligence" on behalf of the Lamanites, "that, perhaps, they might be brought unto salvation" (Enos 1:12-13). Enos and his compatriots are not successful in their efforts with the Lamanites, but from the time of his conversion he lives an exemplary life as a prophet among the Nephites who, by contrast with the Lamanites, "till the land, and raise all manner of grain, and of fruit, and flocks of herds, and flocks of all manner of cattle of every kind, and goats, and wild goats, and also many horses" (Enos 1:21).
When the conversion of the Lamanites does come, under the missionary efforts of Ammon and the other sons of Mosiah, the converted people of Anti-Nephi-Lehi follow the pattern implicit in the story of Enos: They give up bloodshed . . . ["labor abundantly with their hands"] as farmers and herdsmen in Nephite territory, and are generous in their concern for others. [Richard D. Rust, Feasting on the Word, pp. 192-193]