Joseph in Prison

I recently read in the old testament the story of Joseph being sold into Egypt. I was thinking about trials. Joseph was first sold into Egypt by his brothers and then put in prison. In the end those things both proved to be a blessing because then he was at the right place, at the right time to interpret the Pharaoh's dream. He was then able to begin storing food for the famine which ultimately protected his family from starvation. Sometimes we have trials that we have to wade through in order to see that Heavenly Father was doing it for our gain. When Rich and I were applying to school we were praying and fasting that we would both get into school in the same area. Well that didn't happen and we were so frustrated. I wondered why we weren't given the blessing that we had prayed so hard for. We came out for me to go to school and Rich found a job. School was very difficult and time intensive for me my first year. Rich decided to apply again the next year and he was admitted. I realized that it truly was a blessing that he didn't get in the first year because I needed him to be living with me (if he had been admitted we would have been living two hours away from each other) and I needed that support and it would have been really difficult to study the way I needed to and commute to see him. Then the next year, when I was traveling and most of my rotations were in Richmond I realized again how blessed we were, because Heavenly Father sees that big picture when often times we can't see it. I am so thankful that I have a loving Heavenly Father who only gives us trials that will be for our benefit. While in the trial it can be difficult to understand and see that, but I know that it is true.