“… Seek ye out of the best books words of wisdom; seek learning, even by study and also by faith.” - D&C 88:118 This scripture applies to all aspects of your life - especially your marriage! The Holy Ghost plays a vital role in your life by leading, guiding (walk besiding…), and testifying of truth. However, you must first seek out truth before the Holy Ghost has any material to work with! I remember in college praying so hard that the spirit would help me to do well on a test that I hadn’t had time to study for. Unfortunately, the outcome wasn’t one that I was very happy with. But why?? I read my scriptures daily, I prayed daily, I went to church every week and visited the temple often. I was trying my very best to live my life in a way that was worthy of the companionship of the Holy Ghost. So, why didn’t He follow through and help me ace my test? Wasn’t I deserving of such a blessing? “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father shall send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.” - John 14:26 The Holy Ghost helps me to remember important and valuable things - but I can’t remember something that isn’t in my brain to begin with! The Holy Ghost wasn’t going to magically give me all the answers to my test. He could inspire me as to what was most important to study, He can help me remember something I learned in my reading, but it was up to me to put forth the effort of studying in the first place. The same goes for your marriage. It can be easy to assume that if both spouses are doing their best to live righteously that everything is going to magically work out. That isn’t how it works. Just like there is an order to everything we do in the gospel, the way we learn and gather information to better our marriages is no different. You must “seek ye out of the best books [or workshops, or podcasts, or therapy, or counseling, or ecclesiastical leaders, or marriage experts, or role models] wisdom.” You must “seek learning, by study and by faith.” “But, behold, I say unto you, that you must study it out in your mind; then you must ask me if it be right, and if it is right I will cause that your bosom shall burn within you; therefore, you shall feel that it is right.” - D&C 9:8 First comes study, then comes answers. Information before revelation.
Manuel & Llyly Valdes have a Celestial Marriage of 25 years. They met as Manuel was finishing his mission in the Dominican Republic. The beginning of their relationship was orchestrated by a mutual friend who saw them as eternal. She convinced them to write to each other after Manuel returned home from his mission to Australia. Initially through letters, their friendship soon progressed to what is now, a continuous romantic courtship.
Manuel is a senior consultant with an IT solution company based in Melbourne, Australia. Llyly has been a health professional for a number of years and is currently building her own business as a wellness educator. They are the parents of 3 young single adults.
Both have served in various church leadership capacities. Manuel has been a branch president, bishop, and member of several stake presidencies (including a stake president in two stakes). While supporting her husband with his demanding responsibilities, Llyly has also served in stake and ward Relief Society Presidencies, and stake and ward young women presidencies. Recently, they both Served together as Multi-stake YSA advisors for the Melbourne and Tasmania States of Australia. They loved this calling because amongst other things, they got to show off their dancing moves in the various YSA dances.
We met Manuel and Llyly as they had returned to the USA to celebrate their 25th year wedding anniversary by revisiting the San Diego temple where they were sealed in 1993.