Facing challenges is something every generation must deal with—but today’s young adults are navigating a world filled with uncertainty, social pressure, and constant change.
Whether it’s finding direction in life, managing academic pressure, coping with personal struggles, or stepping into a complex world of work and responsibility, the weight of expectations can feel overwhelming.
That’s why the recent class by Martha and Jairo Mejia at Cumorah Academy, titled Facing Challenges, struck such a powerful chord. With warmth, authenticity, and hard-won wisdom, they shared how they’ve navigated life’s many trials, offering students not just advice, but hope.
Their message was simple but profound: challenges are not roadblocks; they are building blocks for a life of purpose.
Facing Challenges with Strength and Purpose
Martha and Jairo Mejia brought their rich personal and professional journeys into the classroom to teach the art of facing challenges. From immigration and medical training to parenting and public service, their stories were filled with moments that could have discouraged anyone. But they chose to face each hurdle with courage and a hopeful heart.
Martha, a pathologist who studied medicine in Colombia, moved to the United States and put her career on pause for five years to raise her children. Later, she re-entered the professional world in research, proving that it’s never too late to restart or pivot with purpose. Jairo, an internal medicine physician with more than 35 years of experience, has dedicated much of his life to serving underserved communities in Chicago. His medical journey spanned residencies in both Colombia and the U.S.—a path filled with cultural adjustments, long hours, and perseverance.
Together, they shared how their marriage, their values, and their shared vision have kept them grounded and resilient. They also drew inspiration from figures like Nelson Mandela, whose example of perseverance in the face of injustice helped students see that challenges can bring clarity and direction if we choose to face them.
Four Key Lessons for Facing Challenges
Here are four key takeaways from their class that every young adult can apply:
1. Break Down Challenges
Sometimes life feels like a mountain. Martha and Jairo reminded us that instead of trying to climb it all at once, break it down. What’s one small step you can take today? Maybe it’s writing one paragraph of your essay, applying to just one job, or simply getting out of bed when it feels hard. Bit by bit, action shrinks anxiety.
2. Practice Gratitude
It might feel counterintuitive to talk about gratitude in the middle of a struggle—but it’s exactly when it matters most. Martha spoke about incorporating gratitude into daily life as a discipline, not just a feeling. Whether through journaling, expressing thanks to someone, or simply noticing small wins, gratitude shifts your mindset from scarcity to abundance.
3. Learn from Setbacks
Both Martha and Jairo have experienced delays, disappointments, and detours. But instead of letting those moments define them, they mined them for lessons. When something goes wrong, take a step back and ask: what can I learn? Growth doesn’t happen without friction.
4. Focus on What You Can Control
The world is noisy and full of things we can’t fix. But peace comes when you redirect your energy toward what is in your hands. Your mindset. Your daily actions. Your attitude. Even in chaos, there’s power in choosing how you respond.
One of the most touching moments of the class came when they said:
“In the end, it’s all about the joy we can bring and share with others in life. That will be evident and undeniable if our life were filled with meaning and plenitude.”
More Than a Lesson—A Lifelong Principle
What Martha and Jairo offered wasn’t just advice—it was an invitation. An invitation to see struggle not as a curse, but as a teacher. An invitation to stay hopeful, even when the path ahead is foggy. An invitation to live life not avoiding problems, but embracing them as opportunities to become more.
Their story also served as a testament to the power of love and partnership. They met in medical school, became friends, fell in love, and built a life rooted in service and resilience. Through seasons of parenting, work, and migration, they modeled unity, strength, and shared purpose. Their example showed students that when we face life’s trials together—and with faith—we are never truly alone.
Martha and Jairo shared their feelings on their experience with us:
Ready to Face Your Own Challenges?
At Cumorah Academy, we believe in equipping young adults not only with knowledge, but with the tools to live meaningful, impactful lives. Martha and Jairo Mejia’s class reminded us all that facing challenges is not something to fear—but something to prepare for, grow through, and ultimately be strengthened by.
If you’re a student who wants more than a traditional education—if you’re ready to grow intellectually, emotionally, and spiritually—then join us. Come learn from mentors like Martha and Jairo. Come discover your purpose. Come build the resilience you need for life.
👉 Apply now to join the next semester at Cumorah Academy—where challenges become catalysts, and students become leaders.
No matter where you are or what you’re facing, remember: the path ahead is shaped not by what stands in your way, but by how you choose to walk through it. Let Martha and Jairo Mejia’s story inspire you to face your own challenges with boldness, hope, and gratitude.
Written by Fernando L. Ferreira Jr.
Photos by Julieta Ramirez
Supervision by Kamila Uberto Fullmer
