Other Side of Heaven

The following is an excerpt from Elder John H. Groberg’s book Fire of Faith, which details his experiences as he served as a mission president and later as a general authority.

The following is an excerpt from Elder John H. Groberg’s book Fire of Faith, which details his experiences with his family as he served as a mission president in Tonga.

The following is an excerpt from Elder John H. Groberg’s book Fire of Faith, which details his experiences with his family as he served as a mission president in Tonga. During his service, Elder Groberg helped plan a jubilee celebration for the Saints in Tonga and promised the missionaries that, leading up to the jubilee, 500 people would be baptized into the Church in one month. The number seemed impossible. In 1966 the total number of members baptized into the Church for the entire year was 604. In 1967, the number rose to 833, but Elder Groberg understood the Lord was working miracles to move His work forward in Tonga. Below are some of those miracles that helped bring 507 people into the Church in one month in Tonga.

Elder John H. Groberg has had his fair share of missionary adventures in his lifetime, and some of them have even made it to the big screen in the Disney-distributed The Other Side of Heaven and the newly released The Other Side of Heaven 2: Fire of Faith. We recently sat down with the emeritus General Authority Seventy to learn a little bit more about his experiences.

When Queen Elizabeth visited the island nation of Tonga, there was an honest desire to keep the Sabbath day holy and free from commercialism, and no boats or planes were allowed to arrive or depart on Sunday.

“No.” For years that was producer Mitch Davis’s response to everyone who told him he needed to make a sequel to the Disney-distributed,The Other Side of Heaven. But 18 years, extensive financial support, and many miracles later, the saga of faith that began with the story of Elder John H. Groberg as a young missionary is continuing in a stirring sequel recounting the Groberg family’s time in the South Pacific region while Elder Groberg served as mission president.

In an unprecedented move, Elder John H. Groberg and the producers of The Other Side of Heaven 2 have teamed up with Megaplex Theatres in a statewide push to re-release their movie at half price starting Labor Day weekend as a fundraiser for the Liahona Scholarship Fund, which provides tuition and school supplies for Tongan schoolchildren.

A couple of weeks ago Trina Boice reviewed The Other Side of Heaven 2, giving it her recommendation. Having just seen the film I’d like to add a second witness, if you will, that the film is entertaining, profoundly moving, and has the visuals to demand a big-screen viewing in the theater.

Brought to you by BYU TV and Kolipoki Pictures, this Two Roads film is based on a true story and the missionary efforts of Elder John H. Groberg. If you saw the first movie, The Other Side of Heaven, you will remember the sweet spirit of the storytelling and the heart of the beautiful Tongan people. This sequel takes place 10 years after the original movie and is a heartwarming reunion with more inspiration and miracles. You don’t need to have seen the first movie, but it certainly helps in order to appreciate the history and significance of some of the relationships. Be sure to check out the Movie Review Mom YouTube channel for an interview with director Mitch Davis later this week!

As The Other Side of Heaven 2: Fire of Faith opens in theaters nationwide this weekend, we wanted to share an excerpt from the faith-promoting book on which the film was based. The following account is excerpted from Fire of Faith by John H. Groberg.

As a young missionary first arriving in Tonga in 1953, Elder John Groberg couldn't imagine the impact that the small island nation and its people would have on his life and on The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

The sequel to The Other Side of Heaven has had a long journey to the big screen, but thanks to perseverance and faith, The Other Side of Heaven 2: Fire of Faith will finally be making its long-awaited appearance in theaters nationwide this weekend on June 28, 2019.

What would you say if someone told you that your movie was being pirated all over China? If you’re Elder John H. Groberg, you say, “That’s fantastic. What a blessing!” What is it that Elder Groberg thinks is a blessing? That a message of hope, love, and Jesus Christ is being watched all over the world.

Deadline recently featured the first trailer for The Other Side of Heaven 2: Fire of Faith," saying, "Almost two decades after The Other Side of Heaven became one of the buzz titles that would help propel the faith-based movie market, original director Mitch Davis and star Christopher Gorham are ready to take the wraps off the sequel."

“Our stories are as big as we think they are.” That’s what Latter-day Saint film director Mitch Davis believes is the key to making a good film about Latter-day Saints: belief that they are important enough to be shared.

Whether or not you’ve heard of Mitch Davis, you’ve probably heard of his film—the only missionary film you’ll see with Disney’s logo, The Other Side of Heaven. What most people may not realize, however, is that there are many miracles and events that fueled the creation of that beloved retelling of Elder John H. Groberg’s mission experience. Miracles that the family hopes will inspire others through their new film, The Stray, now available on DVD at Deseret Book stores and on deseretbook.com.

Working at Disney sounded great. Until LDS producer Mitch Davis found himself working 70-80 hour weeks and never seeing his family. He knew things had to change. And it took a literal bolt of inspiration to get him back on track.

Practically a Mormon cinema staple, it seemed The Other Side of Heaven couldn't get any better—until now.