We are Living in Enemy Territory

"Church leaders’ primary purpose for simplifying their programs was to safeguard the family. Priesthood and auxiliary leaders were concerned that World War II was fragmenting homes and families. As men went to war, women had to sustain their families without immediate help from their husbands and older sons. Church leaders again encouraged mothers with children at home to find ways, if possible, to provide for the children without working outside the home full-time. These leaders encouraged Relief Society sisters to develop foundational skills of self-reliance: quilting, sewing clothing, growing gardens, and preserving and storing fruits and vegetables. They also emphasized the mother’s spiritual role in the home. Nations torn by war needed good young citizens who learned lessons of morality and uprightness from their mothers." (Daughters in My Kingdom, Chapter 4)