I heard this quote today and decided to look it up. It’s a good talk by Elder Bruce C. Hafen. It reminded me of the times when I have been trying to learn a new skill. At first I think all the new stuff is awesome and I’m excited about the freshness of the experience. Then, after a while I start to notice some of the errors and flaws in the work that I’m doing, and it’s easy to beat myself up over those things and think that I’m not improving. But the truth is, during those times I am improving, although I may be blind to the improvements until I reach a certain milestone or test, when suddenly I see how far I’ve come. 

“So if you have problems in your life, don’t assume there is something wrong with you. Struggling with those problems is at the very core of life’s purpose. As we draw close to God, He will show us our weaknesses and through them make us wiser, stronger. If you’re seeing more of your weaknesses, that just might mean you’re moving nearer to God, not farther away.”

https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2004/04/the-atonement-all-for-all?lang=eng#p8