growth and experience makes a world of difference

I've been reflecting on things a lot the past little while.  I have changed a lot during the last couple years.  I don't view life the same way I did as a high school student.  I've gained my own personal testimony of the gospel, instead of leaning on my parents.  I have come to realize that I am nothing without it.  It's not only what I believe but it is also my life.  It's how I live, how I think, how I act, how I view things, and what keeps me comforted and sane.  I feel so blessed that I have the gospel in my life.  I don't know where I would be without it.  I can't even begin to imagine going through my trials and hard times without being able to pray to a loving heavenly father and without the knowledge I have of a loving savior who suffered for us and who knows exactly how I am feeling during my darkest hours.  I'm not sure I really grasped this back in high school.  I was aware of these facts, but I don't think they really meant anything to me yet.  I think that through the trials I went through during my first two years of college (especially my first year)  are what really helped me gain the testimony that I have now.  At the time I wasn't happy at all about the trials I was finding myself in, but now that time has passed and I have seen what they have done for me and my life I am forever grateful for them.  I think this happens often in life.  We don't see the whole picture of things so we tend to complain a lot and be ungrateful for things.  I often think, man why does this have to be happening to me and without out fail, I look back on it and think, gee I'm glad that happened the way it did.  I am really glad that the Lord is in charge and that he really does know what is best for us.  He sees the whole picture, the end from the beginning.  He knows what is best and what we need to help refine us and make us who we are meant to be and what we have the potential for.  If we just let him be in charge of our lives things will always turn out better.  I definitely trust the Lord a lot more than I trust myself.  I think I'll let him help me make my decisions :).  After all, i am pretty indecisive if I have someone helping me make my decisions its a lot easier! Haha.