It also serves during times of unemployment, recession, etc. You might have noticed that these things have come to pass quite a lot during the past couple of centuries. Think about this: a widow with several months living expenses in the bank and a year’s supply of food on the cupboard has no worries about starvation or eviction and can restructure her life. It is not just for societal collapse but is for basic provident living.
I guess I must be lucky. I have never had any prolonged periods of unemployment. Is that something Mormon’s face on a regular basis? I have also never experienced the threat of starvation. Is this something that happens regularly in that part of the country? I guess it must be since so many adhere to this stockpiling of foodstuffs.