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The Other Side of Heaven
The missionary memoirs of Elder John H. Groberg, found in his popular book In the Eye of the Storm, can be enjoyed as a major motion picture And now, for the first time, In the Eye of the Storm will be available in paperback retitled The Other Side of Heaven. This first-person account tells the fascinating story of the three years he spent on the islands in the South Pacific amidst a kindly people who had a deep faith in God, a faith that provides the backdrop for Elder Groberg's accounts of miraculous healings, protective warnings, and perilous voyages; for such stories The emergency night voyage on a turbulent sea, and the anxious search for the only guiding light into the destination harbor. The boy whose apparently lifeless body was handed to the missionaries with the words, "Here, make him well again � you have the power." The storm that overturned the boat, throwing missionaries into the raging sea. The hurricane that hit the little island. The hunger when the usual supply boat failed to show up. And much, much more. This remarkable book paints a vivid picture of missionary life in a society geared to "a different way of thinking." But it is far from being solely a collection of stories. To the experiences it recounts, the author has added observations on the scenes and circumstances that in an inspiring way bring out the gospel principles involved. Given this combination, the total effect of the book is that from the time readers reach Tonga with the young missionary they will be engrossed in his story until the end.
320 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1996
52 people are currently reading
2,488 people want to read
About the author
John H. Groberg
15Ìýbooks31ÌýfollowersElder John H. Groberg has been a member of the First Quorum of the Seventy since April 1976. Prior to his call as a General Authority, he served as a Regional Representative. He is the author of The Other Side of Heaven which is the basis for a movie by the same title.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 384 reviews
October 19, 2009
This book was so inspiring to me. I remember reading "The Hiding Place" by Corrie Ten Boom and feeling the same way. They are similar books in that they inspire people to love others and explain how they got through adversity trusting in God. I liked the movie. I thought it was charming. It turns out it was pretty true to the book. But if you saw the movie, you still need to read the book because the movie only covers the first year of Elder Groberg's mission, and his mission was 3 years long. Also, he describes some of the same experiences they cover in the movie, but in the book, he explains what gospel principles he learned from the experience & what we all could learn. After my husband reads it I may go back and highlight some stuff that inspired me. But here is a great quote that I now have up on my wall:
"Sometimes when things aren't going right, we think we need to get away from a place or a person. Sometimes that helps, but most of the time what we need is to get away from our old self and our selfish feelings. We can leave a place behind, or we can stay in that place and leave our selfishness (often expressed in feeling sorry for ourselves) behind. If we leave a place and take our selfishness with us, the cycle of problems starts all over again no matter where we go. But if we leave our selfishness behind, no matter where we are, things start to improve."
September 16, 2008
I rated this book 4 stars based on the content and in spite of the writing style. I tend to be over critical of how an author writes, though.
What I liked: In the first paragraph of the introduction, Elder Groberg tells us that the main purpose of the book is to emphasize the overwhelming need for faith in our lives. I think Elder Groberg does that very well. While reading the book, I asked myself several times if maybe I couldn't be more faithful in different aspects of my life.
I also enjoyed the first portion of the book that describes Elder Groberg's time on Niuatoputapu. The movie is based mostly on this portion of the book, which covers about a third of his entire mission.
What I didn't like: After the first section, the chapters become divided less chronologically and more by topic. To me, this made the book feel like a collection of short thoughts, rather than one cohesive book. Elder Groberg concludes many of the chapters by summarizing what he learned from a particular experience. This is okay, but I felt like he repeated himself occasionally. Also, the arrangement of paragraphs and ideas sometimes seemed weird to me - I felt you could remove a paragraph or two at times without losing anything because there was no connection to the surrounding material.
What I liked: In the first paragraph of the introduction, Elder Groberg tells us that the main purpose of the book is to emphasize the overwhelming need for faith in our lives. I think Elder Groberg does that very well. While reading the book, I asked myself several times if maybe I couldn't be more faithful in different aspects of my life.
I also enjoyed the first portion of the book that describes Elder Groberg's time on Niuatoputapu. The movie is based mostly on this portion of the book, which covers about a third of his entire mission.
What I didn't like: After the first section, the chapters become divided less chronologically and more by topic. To me, this made the book feel like a collection of short thoughts, rather than one cohesive book. Elder Groberg concludes many of the chapters by summarizing what he learned from a particular experience. This is okay, but I felt like he repeated himself occasionally. Also, the arrangement of paragraphs and ideas sometimes seemed weird to me - I felt you could remove a paragraph or two at times without losing anything because there was no connection to the surrounding material.
May 17, 2010
I really enjoyed this memoir. What an amazing story. I'm glad he took the time to write it down so the rest of us could learn from it. I've loved the movie since it came out. It was nice to finally read the real thing.
I had heard before I read the book (from a few different people) that some had felt that the analogies and lessons learned from his experience and shared in the book didn't seem accurate based on his age (that he was applying his current wisdom- some forty years later- not sharing what he really thought as a 20-year-old at the time). I must say that I disagree. Especially because he shared actual letters from back then that were right in line with the rest of the book. He's a deep thinker and always has been. That being said, I hope we can still be friends. :)
I had heard before I read the book (from a few different people) that some had felt that the analogies and lessons learned from his experience and shared in the book didn't seem accurate based on his age (that he was applying his current wisdom- some forty years later- not sharing what he really thought as a 20-year-old at the time). I must say that I disagree. Especially because he shared actual letters from back then that were right in line with the rest of the book. He's a deep thinker and always has been. That being said, I hope we can still be friends. :)
July 11, 2007
After watching the movie I really wanted to read this book. I'm glad I did because you get so much more detail about John Groberg's experience on his mission. The book is packed with faith promoting stories and is a wonderful book that missionaries will cherish.
August 19, 2007
At first Elder Groeberg's experiences seem almost impossible to believe; however, anyone who has been through an experience like a mission knows that they are full of miracles. Maybe they are not all as dramatic as Groebergs but they are equally important to the participants.
January 27, 2014
Last year I discovered the movie for the first time and was very interested to learn more. It was a very easy to read book, divided up into short chapters. I am very impressed with what this young man in his early 20's was able to do. Missionary, headmaster, District leader... and all at the same time! It really is a remarkable story.
Is it something that a non member would like to read? Maybe not, there is a lot of terminology and LDS background you would need to really appreciate it. It's also pretty different from what a typical LDS mission is like these days, but I do intend on recommending it to some of my frieds who are interested in the Book of Mormon musical, just to show what a misison actually is like. For a member the book is also quite inspiring, and while his expereinces are not quite typical, it certainly makes me less likely to complain about the few months I spent as both a Young Mens counselor AND Ward Mission Leader. It is very cool the things you can accomplish when you turn yourself over to the work completly.
I read the book on my Kindle, and it seemed as if there were a lot of pictures, but I wasn't able to see them. That would have been nice.
I thought the movie was quite beautiful, but there were several differences, both significant and insignificant. In the Disney movie, in an effort to be more mainstream, they didn't mention the name of the church. They showed him at Brigham Young University early in the movie, but that was about it. They toned down some of the religious content to be more interesting to a wider audience. The movie also focused very heavily on his relationship with Jean. They were practically engaged before he went on his mission in the movie, and she occupies a good deal of his attention and screen time. In reality, they had dated off and on before he left. They did keep in contact, but he spends more of the book talking about missing his family, and even that was limited, he was mostly focused on his work. But to make a Hollywood movie, they made it much more of a love story. The movie also focused a lot more on the first island he was on, and not so much the later work he did as a district leader. The final big difference was the role of the Minister in the movie. The LDS Church faced a lot of opposition and religious intolerance from other churches, and that was sort of all combined into this one charachter. And just like the ministers heart was softened, so to was the attitude of others towards the Church, in large part due to Elder Grobergs work.
Overall, I gave the book high marks due to it's easy readability, inspirational content, and my desire to keep reading and learning more.
Is it something that a non member would like to read? Maybe not, there is a lot of terminology and LDS background you would need to really appreciate it. It's also pretty different from what a typical LDS mission is like these days, but I do intend on recommending it to some of my frieds who are interested in the Book of Mormon musical, just to show what a misison actually is like. For a member the book is also quite inspiring, and while his expereinces are not quite typical, it certainly makes me less likely to complain about the few months I spent as both a Young Mens counselor AND Ward Mission Leader. It is very cool the things you can accomplish when you turn yourself over to the work completly.
I read the book on my Kindle, and it seemed as if there were a lot of pictures, but I wasn't able to see them. That would have been nice.
I thought the movie was quite beautiful, but there were several differences, both significant and insignificant. In the Disney movie, in an effort to be more mainstream, they didn't mention the name of the church. They showed him at Brigham Young University early in the movie, but that was about it. They toned down some of the religious content to be more interesting to a wider audience. The movie also focused very heavily on his relationship with Jean. They were practically engaged before he went on his mission in the movie, and she occupies a good deal of his attention and screen time. In reality, they had dated off and on before he left. They did keep in contact, but he spends more of the book talking about missing his family, and even that was limited, he was mostly focused on his work. But to make a Hollywood movie, they made it much more of a love story. The movie also focused a lot more on the first island he was on, and not so much the later work he did as a district leader. The final big difference was the role of the Minister in the movie. The LDS Church faced a lot of opposition and religious intolerance from other churches, and that was sort of all combined into this one charachter. And just like the ministers heart was softened, so to was the attitude of others towards the Church, in large part due to Elder Grobergs work.
Overall, I gave the book high marks due to it's easy readability, inspirational content, and my desire to keep reading and learning more.
January 31, 2011
His missionary experiences are amazing. Makes me miss my own mission.
October 15, 2021
I'm FINALLY done with this book after reading it for almost 3 months! I'll be straight up honest here: the only reason I picked this up was on a recommendation from a church religion institute teacher I was taking a class from for the second half of the Summer and I have to say I actually enjoyed this book and these stories more than I thought. I was so invested in brother Groberg's mission stories back in the 50s in Tonga and didn't want them to end. I absolutely loved them!
Though I want to bring one thing up that I personally found a little uncomfortable reading some reviews/why the low rating. I get he didn't have the best writing style or should have gotten someone to help him write this book, but here's how I see it personally. I don't care how stories like this are written. I personally think when someone actually takes time to write/type their own story by themselves and share their experiences or in this case a life as a missionary in the 50s on some of the Tongan islands, then let him write it the way he wants. To me this wasn't about the writing or any imperfections in the writing he probably had; it was about the great experiences he had witnessed, been a part of, and had gone through. His thoughts and feelings even maybe say he added what he felt in a particular moment of a particular experience and adding a later life lesson to it. Of course some of those didn't sound like a young missionary for any religion, but at the same time, I say if you write your memoirs/story in the way he did and later add somethign like, "I felt like...." or "It reminded me of..." this and that from the Bible (or in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints religion the Book of Mormon and Bible), then put it down so people could get an idea. I honestly loved when he did that and gave me a broader perspective of what his and life in general with the Tongans were like.
Overall, I'm so glad I jumped at this when I did after it being recommended to me and it's even making me want to watch the movie for the first time in probably forever since I don't remember much except for 2 particular stories and that's about it.
NOTE: I'm not trying to bash or make anyone who rated this low based on the writing style or make them feel bad. I'm just expressing my honest opinion and wish this book was reviewed more on the stories rather some imperfections of writing and other things.
Though I want to bring one thing up that I personally found a little uncomfortable reading some reviews/why the low rating. I get he didn't have the best writing style or should have gotten someone to help him write this book, but here's how I see it personally. I don't care how stories like this are written. I personally think when someone actually takes time to write/type their own story by themselves and share their experiences or in this case a life as a missionary in the 50s on some of the Tongan islands, then let him write it the way he wants. To me this wasn't about the writing or any imperfections in the writing he probably had; it was about the great experiences he had witnessed, been a part of, and had gone through. His thoughts and feelings even maybe say he added what he felt in a particular moment of a particular experience and adding a later life lesson to it. Of course some of those didn't sound like a young missionary for any religion, but at the same time, I say if you write your memoirs/story in the way he did and later add somethign like, "I felt like...." or "It reminded me of..." this and that from the Bible (or in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints religion the Book of Mormon and Bible), then put it down so people could get an idea. I honestly loved when he did that and gave me a broader perspective of what his and life in general with the Tongans were like.
Overall, I'm so glad I jumped at this when I did after it being recommended to me and it's even making me want to watch the movie for the first time in probably forever since I don't remember much except for 2 particular stories and that's about it.
NOTE: I'm not trying to bash or make anyone who rated this low based on the writing style or make them feel bad. I'm just expressing my honest opinion and wish this book was reviewed more on the stories rather some imperfections of writing and other things.
February 25, 2023
4 stars rounded up. I think the stories of his mission are inspiring. I can’t imagine going through what he did. There were times when I felt the story could have been shortened as he repeated things quite a bit.
August 19, 2013
A fascinating account of his trials, including having the soles of his feet eaten off, and near starvation after a hurricane.
The movie is also good, but I'll take the book.
It's been too long since I read it or I would write more. ... Now where is that copy so I can read it again.
The movie is also good, but I'll take the book.
It's been too long since I read it or I would write more. ... Now where is that copy so I can read it again.
December 10, 2015
Anyone who will be or has been an LDS missionary will love this. Great spiritual insights and example to follow.
I also love how much this book explored getting to know another culture, realizing your culture isn't 'right', and being able to see happiness without money.
I also love how much this book explored getting to know another culture, realizing your culture isn't 'right', and being able to see happiness without money.
May 2, 2018
Very inspirational! Life is certainly more challenging for some than others, but God is in the details and watches out for all our circumstances. Elder Groberg was definitely protected through his mission.
October 14, 2008
Great stories about the mission field and the wonderful Polynesian people. Elder Groberg's insights are great!
August 8, 2017
Inspirational and moving. Much more detail than the movie.
October 30, 2013
Characters: 4
The main characters in this novel were the narrator John, and his companion Feki. John does not describe himself much, but the reader can tell much information about him and his personality by the way he writes and how he reacts to certain situations. One thing I noticed about him, is that he is a very deep thinker, and very optimistic. He would sometimes get discouraged, but still "[He] was still contemplating and reflecting, marveling and thanking" (Groberg 225). No matter what came his way, he always marveled at the good things in life, was thankful for what he did have, and contemplated solutions. He stayed true to this throughout the whole story and always stayed faithful. Feki, John's companion, was always smiling and there to help. By John's description, "Feki was always happy and supportive" (36). Feki's faith, helpfulness, and positive attitude helped John through many of his struggles. Feki assisted John in learning the native language, and was gave John a new perspective when times were hard. He was always by John's side and stayed true to himself. There are also various minor characters mentioned throughout the novel, such as the people on the island that the missionaries met and taught. Groberg states that "[They] had many good friends" (99). Feki and John came across many people on their island and grew a love for each person that they met. Even though these people come and go, and the reader does not learn much about them, they still play an important role in the story and John’s experiences. Another minor character is Jean, John’s girlfriend back home. She plays a minor role in the story through her letters to John with words of encouragement. When John returns, they eventually get married. The author did an exceptional job describing all the people he came across and I was able to get to know the characters well and get a feel for what they were like.
Setting: 3
Groberg’s story takes place in the Tongan Island’s in the 1950s. The author spends some time traveling between the various islands, but spends most of his time in Niuatoputapu. Groberg explains, “Niuatoputapu is generally flat but has a relatively large mountain that rises rather abruptly from the flatlands about two-thirds of the way through the island and falls away just as abruptly to the ocean on what we called the ‘back side’� (108). This island has a beautiful mountain and luscious scenery. Waves constantly surround the island of coconut, mango trees, and beautiful island flowers. The people on the island work for all the food they have, and do not have many possessions. They had to build their own houses with a time consuming process, “Coconut fronds were woven and then dried in the sun to be used to make the roof and walls of the house� (Groberg 47). This shows how poor the people of Tonga really were, and the environment that Groberg was in. The setting plays a vital role in the story. The poor conditions that the author was in brought forth all the experiences he had, and the hardships he endured. If it were in any other place, he would not have to worry about rats eating the soles of his feet, a huge hurricane, or getting lost at sea. All of these things happened because of the environment he was in. There were many hints in the story about what the setting was like, but the author rarely explicitly describes it. I would have liked to see more imagery in the midst of his stories to make them come alive even more. Time seemed to drag due to lack of suspense, however, I still enjoyed hearing about the various stories throughout the novel. I enjoyed the element of setting, but I believe the author could have used more imagery and made the time have a more apparent forward motion.
Plot:5
The plot of this novel is very compelling and interesting. John Groberg receives his LDS mission call to Tonga, and is ready to conquer his duty. While adventuring in Tonga, he meets new people, teaches the gospel, and learns many lessons about life and himself. When a hurricane strikes the island, the people are faced with difficult challenges. The author begins the story by telling about an event that happens at the end of his mission. Groberg hooks the reader in by telling a suspenseful story about him and his counselors getting lost at sea. He uses this experience as a hook because “This single episode is somewhat typical of the many wonderful learning experiences [he] remember[s] from [his] first mission to Tonga� (Groberg 6). This story is not only intriguing, but also sets the mood for the other events that he has yet to tell about. In the next chapter, he then gives background information about himself, and starts the story in a normal, chronological order. The author went through many struggles that I did not predict. However, in the end, my overall prediction was correct. Even though at some times, I thought it was going to be hard for Groberg to survive, because of his character, I predicted that he would persevere and make it home from his mission in due time. He had great faith that got him through the most difficult things, and that is what makes the plot of this story so amazing.
Themes: 5
I learned various lessons from the experiences Groberg shared. They are valuable stories, and “[he] would not take a million dollars for [his] experiences there� (Groberg 297). This title, “The Other Side of Heaven� has everything to do with the theme. I think that throughout all Groberg’s experiences, he learned that heaven is a mindset. He was living in a poor, terrifying environment, but he was still able to find peace. These people he worked with were so humble, and he was able to experience many miracles. He explains that “one of the greatest feelings we can experience in this life is to know that God is pleased with our efforts� (287). Through his mission, he was able to reach his highest level of happiness by trying his best and putting others before himself. He knew that he had done what he went there to do. Through a positive attitude and faith, anyone can find their own “heaven� no matter what their location or circumstances are. I think this is what Groberg wanted his readers to learn.
Personal Response: 4
I enjoyed this book immensely. I thought Groberg had some great stories that are worth reading and some very insightful thoughts and advice. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone, but especially those who are struggling in life or with their faith. I believe this book provides a great perspective and is an eye opener to the struggles that the other parts of the world has to face.
The main characters in this novel were the narrator John, and his companion Feki. John does not describe himself much, but the reader can tell much information about him and his personality by the way he writes and how he reacts to certain situations. One thing I noticed about him, is that he is a very deep thinker, and very optimistic. He would sometimes get discouraged, but still "[He] was still contemplating and reflecting, marveling and thanking" (Groberg 225). No matter what came his way, he always marveled at the good things in life, was thankful for what he did have, and contemplated solutions. He stayed true to this throughout the whole story and always stayed faithful. Feki, John's companion, was always smiling and there to help. By John's description, "Feki was always happy and supportive" (36). Feki's faith, helpfulness, and positive attitude helped John through many of his struggles. Feki assisted John in learning the native language, and was gave John a new perspective when times were hard. He was always by John's side and stayed true to himself. There are also various minor characters mentioned throughout the novel, such as the people on the island that the missionaries met and taught. Groberg states that "[They] had many good friends" (99). Feki and John came across many people on their island and grew a love for each person that they met. Even though these people come and go, and the reader does not learn much about them, they still play an important role in the story and John’s experiences. Another minor character is Jean, John’s girlfriend back home. She plays a minor role in the story through her letters to John with words of encouragement. When John returns, they eventually get married. The author did an exceptional job describing all the people he came across and I was able to get to know the characters well and get a feel for what they were like.
Setting: 3
Groberg’s story takes place in the Tongan Island’s in the 1950s. The author spends some time traveling between the various islands, but spends most of his time in Niuatoputapu. Groberg explains, “Niuatoputapu is generally flat but has a relatively large mountain that rises rather abruptly from the flatlands about two-thirds of the way through the island and falls away just as abruptly to the ocean on what we called the ‘back side’� (108). This island has a beautiful mountain and luscious scenery. Waves constantly surround the island of coconut, mango trees, and beautiful island flowers. The people on the island work for all the food they have, and do not have many possessions. They had to build their own houses with a time consuming process, “Coconut fronds were woven and then dried in the sun to be used to make the roof and walls of the house� (Groberg 47). This shows how poor the people of Tonga really were, and the environment that Groberg was in. The setting plays a vital role in the story. The poor conditions that the author was in brought forth all the experiences he had, and the hardships he endured. If it were in any other place, he would not have to worry about rats eating the soles of his feet, a huge hurricane, or getting lost at sea. All of these things happened because of the environment he was in. There were many hints in the story about what the setting was like, but the author rarely explicitly describes it. I would have liked to see more imagery in the midst of his stories to make them come alive even more. Time seemed to drag due to lack of suspense, however, I still enjoyed hearing about the various stories throughout the novel. I enjoyed the element of setting, but I believe the author could have used more imagery and made the time have a more apparent forward motion.
Plot:5
The plot of this novel is very compelling and interesting. John Groberg receives his LDS mission call to Tonga, and is ready to conquer his duty. While adventuring in Tonga, he meets new people, teaches the gospel, and learns many lessons about life and himself. When a hurricane strikes the island, the people are faced with difficult challenges. The author begins the story by telling about an event that happens at the end of his mission. Groberg hooks the reader in by telling a suspenseful story about him and his counselors getting lost at sea. He uses this experience as a hook because “This single episode is somewhat typical of the many wonderful learning experiences [he] remember[s] from [his] first mission to Tonga� (Groberg 6). This story is not only intriguing, but also sets the mood for the other events that he has yet to tell about. In the next chapter, he then gives background information about himself, and starts the story in a normal, chronological order. The author went through many struggles that I did not predict. However, in the end, my overall prediction was correct. Even though at some times, I thought it was going to be hard for Groberg to survive, because of his character, I predicted that he would persevere and make it home from his mission in due time. He had great faith that got him through the most difficult things, and that is what makes the plot of this story so amazing.
Themes: 5
I learned various lessons from the experiences Groberg shared. They are valuable stories, and “[he] would not take a million dollars for [his] experiences there� (Groberg 297). This title, “The Other Side of Heaven� has everything to do with the theme. I think that throughout all Groberg’s experiences, he learned that heaven is a mindset. He was living in a poor, terrifying environment, but he was still able to find peace. These people he worked with were so humble, and he was able to experience many miracles. He explains that “one of the greatest feelings we can experience in this life is to know that God is pleased with our efforts� (287). Through his mission, he was able to reach his highest level of happiness by trying his best and putting others before himself. He knew that he had done what he went there to do. Through a positive attitude and faith, anyone can find their own “heaven� no matter what their location or circumstances are. I think this is what Groberg wanted his readers to learn.
Personal Response: 4
I enjoyed this book immensely. I thought Groberg had some great stories that are worth reading and some very insightful thoughts and advice. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone, but especially those who are struggling in life or with their faith. I believe this book provides a great perspective and is an eye opener to the struggles that the other parts of the world has to face.
December 8, 2019
This book was lovely. John's love for the Tongan people is so evident. His thorough explanation of life on those islands surely does, as Tommy Monson ensured him it would, capture a time that is now lost to history. I can hardly wrap my head around the adventures he had sailing between islands and dealing with all kinds of challenges and obstacles. What an incredible adventure!
February 8, 2022
I know it’s often said that the book is better than the movie, and in this case, never were truer words spoken. I learned so much from this book and Elder Groberg’s story of faith, reliance on God’s power, trials, learning, loving, and joy. I listened to it, but now want to go back and read it so I can highlight and capture all my favorite quotes.
“You must feel another’s needs before you can fill them�.
A new favorite story of faith and perseverance. I’m excited to read the second.
“You must feel another’s needs before you can fill them�.
A new favorite story of faith and perseverance. I’m excited to read the second.
August 7, 2023
Great book!
January 28, 2018
This is a book from the perspective of a proselyting missionary whose work in Tonga is both spiritual and practical. I found that the author is very compelling in his portrayal of humanity. There are many times that his proselyting is completely rejected. There are times when he succeeds in sharing his faith. I thought the book presented universal truths in a way that was not preachy but very connected to real people and the grittiness of life. Some quotes I loved...
“At other times we found people thatching roofs or walls who said they were too busy to talk to us. Often we volunteered to help. Most of the time as we worked with them, we got the opportunity to give some of our message, but even when we didn’t we stayed and helped until the project was done. I learned that if you quit helping when they won’t listen, you not only lose future opportunities but you lose the Spirit. You must sincerely desire to help and allow the Spirit to guide, which it always does. I thought of Ammon as he served the King until circumstances were such that the king was ready to listen to him.�
"Years have passed, but occasionally as I see proud people traveling in their sleek, new cars or sense my own unwillingness to help others, I close my eyes and see a beautiful yacht moving toward the horizon, then see an old man with a wrinkled, brown body, white hair, and skin of leather. I listen as his soft eyes penetrate mine. His toothless mouth moves and his spirit explains: 'I feel sorry for him. He will never be happy. He hasn't learned to help others.'�
“When I had finished, the captain looked a me and patiently said, ‘the winds have been against us. Who are you going to blame for that? Are you going to curse God? Or tell Him He doesn’t know what He’s doing? He controls the winds and the currents, and we are in His hands. You had better calm down and learn to live within the framework He has set, and not try to force your schedule on Him.’�
This book is the same as the one titled In The Eye of the Storm. The movie that was made by Disney persuaded the publishers to change the book's title
“At other times we found people thatching roofs or walls who said they were too busy to talk to us. Often we volunteered to help. Most of the time as we worked with them, we got the opportunity to give some of our message, but even when we didn’t we stayed and helped until the project was done. I learned that if you quit helping when they won’t listen, you not only lose future opportunities but you lose the Spirit. You must sincerely desire to help and allow the Spirit to guide, which it always does. I thought of Ammon as he served the King until circumstances were such that the king was ready to listen to him.�
"Years have passed, but occasionally as I see proud people traveling in their sleek, new cars or sense my own unwillingness to help others, I close my eyes and see a beautiful yacht moving toward the horizon, then see an old man with a wrinkled, brown body, white hair, and skin of leather. I listen as his soft eyes penetrate mine. His toothless mouth moves and his spirit explains: 'I feel sorry for him. He will never be happy. He hasn't learned to help others.'�
“When I had finished, the captain looked a me and patiently said, ‘the winds have been against us. Who are you going to blame for that? Are you going to curse God? Or tell Him He doesn’t know what He’s doing? He controls the winds and the currents, and we are in His hands. You had better calm down and learn to live within the framework He has set, and not try to force your schedule on Him.’�
This book is the same as the one titled In The Eye of the Storm. The movie that was made by Disney persuaded the publishers to change the book's title
December 6, 2017
The book In the Eye of The Storm by John Groberg is a true story based on John’s experiences as a young LDS missionary. This book was later made into the movie The Other Side of Heaven. It takes place on islands of Tonga in about the 1960s. I found out about this book from my parents. John goes through many unexpected trials and struggles throughout his mission. Each chapter tells a new story about his missionary life and the people he confronts. This book is very inspiring and thought provoking. It makes me realize how privileged I am, and how much I have been given that is not necessary. One experience John Groberg had on his mission is that a young boy fell out of a tree. The family took the young boy John and somehow expected him to heal him, when the boy was completely unconscious. The book goes through the thoughts and hardships John has throughout this time.
I gave this book five stars, because of the intriguing plot line, the writing content, and the many life lessons it taught. The book has many incredible stories that would not seem realistic, but are. Our society is nothing like the Tongan society about fifty years ago. The book went through the thoughts and opinion of John throughout his different experiences, which was very interesting. This book can change a person’s perspective on modern life. I think that the purpose of this book was to teach the importance of life and what truly matters verses what is not that important. I did not realize how privileged I am, and how much technology influences society. This book was very entertaining. Many parts of the book are not relatable, just because I would never find myself in many of the positions that he was in. I would suggest it to anyone who wants to read an interesting story and gain new insights on the modern world.
I gave this book five stars, because of the intriguing plot line, the writing content, and the many life lessons it taught. The book has many incredible stories that would not seem realistic, but are. Our society is nothing like the Tongan society about fifty years ago. The book went through the thoughts and opinion of John throughout his different experiences, which was very interesting. This book can change a person’s perspective on modern life. I think that the purpose of this book was to teach the importance of life and what truly matters verses what is not that important. I did not realize how privileged I am, and how much technology influences society. This book was very entertaining. Many parts of the book are not relatable, just because I would never find myself in many of the positions that he was in. I would suggest it to anyone who wants to read an interesting story and gain new insights on the modern world.
March 2, 2019
I've LONG loved the movie and needed to read the actual book because books are ALWAYS better than the movies. Surprisingly, they did an excellent job with the movie, and although it only told half of the book, it combined stories quite well with a little artistic license thrown in. (For example, it seems that they overplayed the romance a bit in the movie, and combined several experiences from different parts of his mission, different characters became one, etc., normal screenplay making techniques.) But this is the review of the book. Elder Groberg went through some significant life-threatening and life-altering experiences, and they were documented well here. The conclusions he drew from those experiences were astonishingly mature and consequential. Life can be so sweet even amidst great hardship if we allow ourselves to align our hearts with God which he learned in abundance on his mission in Tonga. Especially well told here was how he came to realize the eternal nature of things, events, etc., and how the details, while important to us and thus to God, are not the purpose of eternity. Wow.
Having lived for several years in Tonga myself when I was a young girl, this was kind of a homecoming for me. I listened to the audiobook, and while the reader did exceptionally well with most of the Tongan language words, for some reason or other he still mispronounced the country name (Americanized!) which bothered me every time! Have we been pronouncing it wrong all these many years? I don't think so, and it rankled just a little. Overlooking that, I loved this memoir. Nearly 5 stars...probably 4 1/2.
Having lived for several years in Tonga myself when I was a young girl, this was kind of a homecoming for me. I listened to the audiobook, and while the reader did exceptionally well with most of the Tongan language words, for some reason or other he still mispronounced the country name (Americanized!) which bothered me every time! Have we been pronouncing it wrong all these many years? I don't think so, and it rankled just a little. Overlooking that, I loved this memoir. Nearly 5 stars...probably 4 1/2.
February 26, 2022
This book is a five-star book except for a few [of the total of 60 small] chapters which were not telling the story so much as reminiscing, testifying, comparing, and expressing appreciation and love. These reminiscent chapters delay enjoyment of the story but were certainly inspiring teachers and spiritually strengthening. The book is much more thorough than the movie, which was spectacular as I remember it, but the movie tells the story of mostly only the first year of John Groberg's three-year, young-adult mission. I do not remember reading the book years ago; maybe I did and did not finish it. There were parts from the later mission years included in the movie such as almost losing a barge load of barreled cement to an violent ocean. Nevertheless, the concluding years and months of Groberg's first mission were every bit as interesting to me at this time as were the beginning months and years as I remember them from years ago. He had agreed with his mission president to extend his mission to four years when suddenly his draft board made a prompt release necessary. Still his father came to meet him in New Zealand where they spent a few days contacting distant relatives. Then the last couple chapters about his arrival in Southern California, his engagement and temple marriage, with an impromptu honeymoon, were frosting on the cake.
November 10, 2017
I loved this memoir. It is about John Groberg's many and varied experiences on a religious mission to Tonga. After each experience the author briefly talks about what he learned, and likens it to our lives. I found the entire book to be very inspiring and motivating. I love learning true principles through stories that capture my attention. I loved listening to this book and I want to buy a hard copy for my 12-year old son to read. I think this is a particularly good book for pre-missionaries to read. I was a little disappointed that it ended so abruptly; it did not cover his return home and integration back into his non-mission life. But the ending was still nice, just abrupt. Perhaps that is because I was listening to it and didn't realize the ending was approaching until it was upon me. (*Note: I haven't watched the movie in so many years that all I remember is the enduring love between him and his girlfriend (soon to be wife after the mission), but that storyline was not in this book AT ALL. It was purely about his mission. Which was fine with me. I loved it.)
February 12, 2016
This was a wonderful love letter to God and the nation of Tonga. I was constantly amazed by Groberg's faith and relationship with God and the miracles that he experienced. The stories helped to lift my faith and re-testified to me how wonderful the missionary program is if the young man/woman trusts in God. I loved hearing about his companion Feki and the good things that he taught Groberg as he began to love the people and culture. He has such a strong testimony of prayer and a direct communication with God. At times it was humbling. I loved how he learned the values of a simpler life. It was not easy for him, but he learned to move with the land, the weather, and the sea. He was able to fully connect with the people because he embraced their culture and their ways. I felt for him as he talked about the sadness of leaving the people that he had served, struggled with, and loved so well. Beautiful book.
April 11, 2008
Account of LDS Church leader John H. Goberg's Mission to Tonga when he was a young man back in the 1950's. Classic fish-out-of-water story filled with many humorous culture-shock anecdotes. More importantly though, I was utterly amazed and awed by his amazing experiences. He nearly died several times, always apparently miraculously preserved. He brought a boy back to life afer falling out of a tree, nearly starved to death, nearly drowned, and faced innumerable other obstacles as he went about his missionary duties. But not only did he survive, but he had many impressive accomplishments, establishing and running schools, and serving as a District President overseeing several LDS congregations. His amazing determination, work ethic, faith, and success in the face of incredible obstacles is an inspiration to me.
December 31, 2017
This book really exceeding my expectations! It was wonderful! It transported me to 1950s Tonga. It made me laugh and cry and it testified so powerfully of our loving Heavenly Father.
The print is tight and small so it's not a quick, easy read, and the information is dense. You begin to feel like you served a three-year-long mission, too!
John Groberg's recounting of his mission, the miracles, and the lessons learned really helped me feel like I can tackle the setbacks I encounter in life and turn them into positives.
There are so many interesting things about the Polynesian culture. And way-finding (as portrayed in Moana) is discussed, more towards the end. Groberg begins to see Old Testament and Book of Mormon parallels to the people's culture and customs. Very curious.
I can't wait to watch the movie with my girls! and go to Bahama Bucks for shaved ice! ;-)
The print is tight and small so it's not a quick, easy read, and the information is dense. You begin to feel like you served a three-year-long mission, too!
John Groberg's recounting of his mission, the miracles, and the lessons learned really helped me feel like I can tackle the setbacks I encounter in life and turn them into positives.
There are so many interesting things about the Polynesian culture. And way-finding (as portrayed in Moana) is discussed, more towards the end. Groberg begins to see Old Testament and Book of Mormon parallels to the people's culture and customs. Very curious.
I can't wait to watch the movie with my girls! and go to Bahama Bucks for shaved ice! ;-)
July 29, 2014
An excellent explanation of the feelings and experiences of a full-time missionary. Though I served half on a different hemisphere and many years later, the real core of being a missionary is pretty universal. I love the movie, and it is very accurate with the moments it depicts, but there are many more in the book, some of which offer interesting gospel insights. I think my favorite of the events not in the movie was "The Lord's Wind." He was praying so hard for a good wind to get to an island where some people needed help, and the old crewman decided to row him for hours to get him there--showing that sometimes the Lord sends blessings in ways we don't expect, but which are always even more meaningful than we could have imagined.
January 4, 2019
This book was very inspiring to me! I really enjoyed the stories the author told about his mission to Tonga. The experiences he had there were from hilarious to life-threatening! He faced a storm on one of the islands that nearly killed him by the lack of food. Even his venture to Tonga is filled with stories about how he was stopped in different places with many challenges. My favorite thing was how determined the author was. He faced countless circumstances where he easily could have turned back but he persevered. Although, this book is a longer read; the author writes a lot of his personal thoughts and inspiration he has when on a ship or after the storm. I recommend this book to anyone who wants a fun inspiring story and is in for a long read!
June 27, 2019
So, the adaptation of this book is called The Other Side of Heaven.
I found this on my Grandma’s bookshelf and was immediately absorbed. Elder Groberg’s memories of his mission are so vivid.
The movie follows the book pretty closely, but there are tidbits that the movie totally changed or got wrong. The biggest one being that the movie gives the impression that thinking of his girlfriend back home got Elder Groberg through his mission. As I recall, he only mentions her at the beginning and end of this memoir.
I did not know he had a second memoir until they started marketing The Other Side of Heaven 2: Fire of Faith (this time titled the same as the memoir). I am looking forward to reading more of Elder Groberg’s experiences.
I found this on my Grandma’s bookshelf and was immediately absorbed. Elder Groberg’s memories of his mission are so vivid.
The movie follows the book pretty closely, but there are tidbits that the movie totally changed or got wrong. The biggest one being that the movie gives the impression that thinking of his girlfriend back home got Elder Groberg through his mission. As I recall, he only mentions her at the beginning and end of this memoir.
I did not know he had a second memoir until they started marketing The Other Side of Heaven 2: Fire of Faith (this time titled the same as the memoir). I am looking forward to reading more of Elder Groberg’s experiences.
February 17, 2016
This is one of my very favorite books. The book is quite different from the movie that was later based upon it. The book deserves its own consideration. Groberg relates his real life experiences of serving a mission in the polynesian islands. Over and over he is faced with impossible tasks which he must solve without direction or help from his supervisors. He turns to the Lord and his scriptures for answers with amazing results. He also quotes a great deal of Old Testiment scripture and weaves it into his descriptions of the culture around him.
This book has a sequel written years later after Groberg returned to the islands as the mission president. It's title is The Fire of Faith.
This book has a sequel written years later after Groberg returned to the islands as the mission president. It's title is The Fire of Faith.
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