"We May be Miles Away, But We're Under the Same Moon..."

I saw this film when I was 12 years old. It was on a Youth Conference. I was still young and immature of love by then. But I was surprised when I got teary eyed when it ended.. And when I looked around, everyone else (girls and boys) seems too captivated...

What if you are sent to another country because you are called to preach the gospel there?

What if that country's environment, lifestyle, culture is wwaaaayyyy too different from your home land?

What if you have to learn a new language?

What if you have to sacrifice your car, your career in sports, your business, your college education for this mission?

And what if, you have to leave the girl you love for 3 long years not knowing what lies ahead for both of you and not knowing if you can ever return... And what if, if you return, she has another love?

This is a story of love and obedience of a Mormon missionary who sacrificed a lot for his mission and who has experienced hard trials during his mission work..

And how his beloved lady waited for him for so long even if he was thought dead by many...
How she clung tight to her faith that her beloved is alive...

A story that will warm your hearts and make you realize that if you would serve God, you will never lose anything... You may be tested, criticized and mocked, God sees and God blesses... :))..

The casting's also great.. :).. Especially the major lead stars are both good looking.. :)

By the way, here's the precis of the movie:

The Other Side of Heaven is about John H. Groberg's experience as a Mormon missionary in the Tongan islands in the 1950s. It is based on the book that he wrote about his experiences, In the Eye of the Storm.

The movie focuses on Groberg's adventurous experiences and trials while serving as a missionary in the South Pacific. While portraying these events, the film refrains from being preachy and discusses little LDS theology, instead portraying what LDS missionaries used to have to deal with during their missions.

Plot

During the 1950s, John Groberg, who grew up in Idaho Falls, is called on a mission to Tonga. There he will spend three years as Elder Groberg (the title "Elder" reflecting his holding of the office of Elder in his church's Melchizedek priesthood) teaching about The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. His first adventures are just in getting there, including a short time in a local jail.

When Elder Groberg does get to Tonga, he is sent to a group of remote islands. There he is partnered with a Tongan, Feki, who speaks English. But Elder Groberg finds that what he has learned of the Tongan language is severely deficient, so he studies intensely to become proficient. (After this point in the movie, subtitles are no longer used when people are speaking the native language). Then Elder Groberg must learn to deal with the culture.

The island's minister tells the people not to listen to the missionaries. Later, he even sends three men to beat up the missionaries. But one of them, Tomasi, had been baptized a Mormon, so Elder Groberg and Feki were spared. This man later begins coming to the meetings and is chosen by Elder Groberg to be one of his counselors to the local congregations.

A local young woman, at the behest of her family, attempts to seduce Elder Groberg. She eventually relents because he is saving himself for Jean, the young woman he left back home. Some of the narrative of the story is told through the letters that Elder Groberg and Jean write to each other throughout the story. John and Jean marry at the end of the movie, after Elder Groberg's mission is complete.

While travelling at sea, Elder Groberg and his two counselors are caught in a large storm. He is washed overboard and is in fear of his life. He is later rescued.

The climax of the movie is when a hurricane hits the island. Many of the trees had been stripped bare, homes had been destroyed and many people had been killed. The remaining leaders have people gather up what food and fresh water is available so that rationing can begin. But the supply boat takes much longer than anticipated. The inhabitants of the island begin dying of starvation and dehydration. Elder Groberg is himself close to death when the island's minister gives him the last of his food, because he is old and Elder Groberg is young. When the supply boat does arrive, the minister is found to have died. The minister is given a very honorable funeral...."

=End of Precis=

And I shall say, this is one of the movies that has touched me and has made such an impression and a concrete evidence that true love does wait.. :))

And for additional information about the movie, here's its trailer.. :)).. I'm getting goosebumps right now 'coz I have a crush with the guy-lead.. Hihihi.. *blush*... :))... It's just a crush though.. :).. I love my baby.. :).. So, here it is:

Enjoy!! :D