Lots of good advice here!

The auto functions on these cams work very very well...and can be used for most situations.  Do they work all the time?...No  Does manual work all the time?...No

Using manual mode does give you much more creative flexibility and is used for difficult lighting situations.  With some experience and a few shutter releases you will find yourself experimenting more and more with the manual features of these cams....and with time you will very likely be shooting in that mode most often.

Do not get scared off about the complexity of these cams....if you wish, you can leave the dial on auto all the time and get many many good shots.  But the good news is that when the urge to experiment is there....all you need to do is turn the dials a bit.....

Have fun with your camera quest!

In youth, we learn....with age, we understand.