You may have heard the story of a man who read an article that said most car accidents happen within a mile of his house. So, he and his wife decided to move. Obviously, this story is a light-hearted illustration that when we try to run from our problems, we cannot run fast enough.

Not long ago, a missionary said he felt like he would do better if he were assigned to a new mission. He complained about the difficulties of his foreign mission: he complained about the heat, he complained about the food, he complained about the people. He wanted to return to his home country and serve a mission there. The good news is he learned to “check the baggage” of his complaints and kept serving faithfully. One Saturday he and his companion had 14 convert baptisms.

While serving as a therapist in prison, it became obvious that some men viewed the prison environment as a dead-end with no possibility of improving their lives. They complained about the heat, they complained about the food, they complained about the people, they complained about the restricted visitation time to see family and friends. By comparison, there were many men who “checked the baggage” of their living conditions and environment and used their time to grow and progress. Many studied and received their high school diploma. Several took college courses. Others learned a job skill that helped them find employment when they were released. Many learned through therapy how to create and maintain healthy relationships. When they were released, they went out and rebuilt their lives.

A 2021 study on U.S. divorce rates stated that 41% of first marriages end in divorce. The divorce rate for second marriages is 60% and 73% for third marriages. (1) Too many couples end the marriage thinking that a new partner and a new location will make a new marriage successful. Unfortunately, they still had their baggage in “carry-on.”

Problems and conflicts and challenges are part of life. As we learn to resolve problems and learn from our experiences, those problems become learning experiences.

What did Joseph learn in Egypt? What did Moses learn while wandering in the desert? What did Nephi learn while being persecuted and threatened by Laman and Lemuel? What did Joseph Smith learn in Liberty Jail? What did the Saints learn while traveling across the plains?

Our problems and circumstances do not need to define us. We can “check our baggage” and our response to our problems and circumstances can refine us.

May the Lord bless us as we strive to “check our baggage” and move forward as His disciples.

 

Reference:

  1. Retrieved March 19, 2025, from wf-lawyers.com