Things My Mother Taught Me can be regarded as a sequel to Wilf's previously released book, A Witness in Times of War and Peace in a sense that the author tells in this memoir what it was like to grow up in Germany during and after World War II. While his previous book tells his father's story, this extensively illustrated biography gives credit to his mother, who raised him for the first five years of his life, while his father served in the German army. Wilf's mother, a Mennonite pastor's wife wrote him countless letters after he immigrated to Canada. They contained many wise sayings and poems from famous individuals and some Scripture verses that he found very helpful in his life's journey, especially when he had to face difficult circumstances. His mother's letters greatly encouraged him and showed him that he had loving parents who cared for him. The author believes that implementing some of his parents' advice was the reason he experienced several miraculous encounters, especially the story of how he met his sweetheart. He passes on some of his mother's teachings, because he believes others might learn from them as well. By writing these memoirs, Wilf gained a new appreciation for his ancestry, since some of his research into the Hege (Hegi, Hagey) family background showed that they can be traced to the early Anabaptists in Switzerland.